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Affirm acquires new Mupotsa-Russell fiction 

a portrait of Mark Mupotsa-Russell Monday, 31 March 2025
Affirm Press has acquired world rights to Mark Mupotsa-Russell’s upcoming novel, The Wolf Who Cried Boy, via literary agent Sarah McKenzie. 'The Wolf Who Cried Boy is a breathless chase...

Judith Wright Poetry Prize 2024 shortlist announced 

the logo for the Judith Wright Poetry Prize shortlist Monday, 31 March 2025
The shortlist for the 2024 Judith Wright Poetry Prize has been announced. Shortlisted poems include: ‘ACAB’ by Dominic Symes ‘al Mafrak’ by Daniel Grima ‘The Dog House’ by Neika Lehman...

Arnott appointed ABR editor and CEO 

a portrait of Georgina Arnott Thursday, 27 March 2025
Australian Book Review (ABR) has announced Georgina Arnott as its new editor and CEO, succeeding Peter Rose, who is stepping down after 24 years in the role. Arnott has been...

Tasmanian Literary Awards 2025 winners announced

Tasmanian Literary Award winner logo – a gold circle with black text Thursday, 27 March 2025
The winners of the Tasmanian Literary Awards for 2025 have been announced. Category winners – chosen from shortlists announced last month – are: Premier’s Prize for Fiction ($25,000) Heartsease (Kate...

S&S acquires Holmes debut 

a portrait of Tracey Holmes Wednesday, 26 March 2025
Simon & Schuster Australia (S&S) has acquired global rights for Australian journalist Tracey Holmes’s debut book, Not A Female Sports Reporter.  The first woman to present ABC sports program Grandstand,...

HarperCollins acquires four Peter Cheong graphic novels 

a portrait of Peter Cheong Wednesday, 26 March 2025
HarperCollins Children’s Publishing has acquired world rights via auction to four graphic novels by author and illustrator Peter Cheong in a deal brokered by Paige Terlip at Andrea Brown Literary...

CBCA 2025 shortlists announced

Wednesday, 26 March 2025
The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) has announced its shortlist for the 2025 CBCA Book of the Year Awards. The shortlisted books in each category, selected from the 2025...

A&U acquires new Delaney nonfiction 

a portrait of Brigid Delaney Wednesday, 26 March 2025
Allen & Unwin (A&U) has acquired world rights to The Seeker and the Sage by Brigid Delaney in a deal brokered by Pippa Masson at Curtis Brown. ‘Whereas Reasons Not...

Melbourne Books acquires Harris nonfiction 

Under the influence of salmon book cover Tuesday, 25 March 2025
Melbourne Books has acquired world rights to Under the Influence of Salmon: How a Man and a Fish Turned Our World Upside Down by Steve Harris. Of the book, the publisher...

S&S announces Aotearoa New Zealand office 

simon & schuster logo Tuesday, 25 March 2025
Simon & Schuster Australia has announced the establishment of a new Auckland office and a dedicated sales and marketing team in Aotearoa New Zealand. The new team is scheduled to...

Victorian Community History Awards winners announced

Tuesday, 25 March 2025
The winners of the Victorian Community History Awards have been announced. Winning titles in each category are: Victorian Premier’s History Award ($5000) Letters to a Critic: Alan McCulloch's World of...

BookPeople conference program announced 

Book people logo Monday, 24 March 2025
BookPeople has announced the program for its 2025 conference, which will run 14–16 June in Brisbane. Aimed at booksellers, the conference program includes panels, practical sessions, and keynotes – with...

NZ Booklovers Awards 2025 winners announced

Monday, 24 March 2025
The winners of the 2025 NZ Booklovers Awards have been announced. The winning titles are: Best Adult Fiction Book The Space Between (Lauren Keenan, Penguin) Best Lifestyle Book Kai Feast: Food...

Melbourne Books acquires Cochrane art book 

Living Art papua new guinea cover Monday, 24 March 2025
Melbourne Books has acquired world rights to Living Art: Papua New Guinea by Susan Cochrane. According to the publisher, the book will feature over 400 full-colour images of Papua New Guinean artists...

Two Carter crime series optioned for television 

a portrait of Alan Carter Monday, 24 March 2025
Tasmania-based crime author Alan Carter's Cato Kwong series and Nick Chester series (both Fremantle Press) have been optioned for television by Magnetic Stories. Production company Magnetic Stories launched last week...

MWF releases full 2025 program

MWF logo Friday, 21 March 2025
Melbourne Writers Festival (MWF) has launched the full program for its 2025 festival, the first under new festival director Veronica Sullivan, to be held in venues across the Melbourne CBD and...

UQP acquires Kemp debut novel ‘Soft Serve’ 

a portrait of George Kemp Thursday, 20 March 2025
UQP has acquired world rights for Soft Serve, the debut novel of playwright and actor George Kemp. The novel is 'set over one day almost exclusively in a regional McDonald’s as...

Atria acquires Koay romantasy debut 

a portrait of Tzeyi Koay Thursday, 20 March 2025
Atria Books Australia has acquired world rights for romantasy novel A Curse Carved in Ink by Tzeyi Koay, in a two-book, six-figure deal with Charlotte Trumble at Simon & Schuster...

IPEd announces ‘Rosie’ shortlist

IPEd logo Thursday, 20 March 2025
The Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd) has announced the shortlist for the 2025 Rosanne Fitzgibbon Editorial Award. The shortlisted editors are: Kimberley Davis for Under the Weather: A Future Forecast...

Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards 2025 winners announced

Wednesday, 19 March 2025
The Wheeler Centre has announced the winners of the 2025 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards (VPLAs). Nukgal Wurra author-artist Wanda Gibson has won the overall Victorian Prize for Literature, worth $100,000,...

ABIA 2025 books shortlists announced

ABIA Celebrating 25 Years logo Wednesday, 19 March 2025
Books+Publishing, in partnership with the Australian Publishers Association, has announced the 2025 book award shortlists for the Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIAs). The shortlisted titles in each category are: Audiobook...

Macmillan signs Blabey in seven-book deal 

Pan Macmillan logo Wednesday, 19 March 2025
Macmillan has acquired rights to seven new titles from internationally bestselling author Aaron Blabey. The deal, worth eight figures, encompasses seven titles in two new middle-grade series, to be published...

Larrikin House acquires Mather picture book 

a portrait of Rory H Mather Wednesday, 19 March 2025
Larrikin House has acquired world rights to Otto's INKcredible First Day of School by Rory H Mather, with illustrations by Rebel Challenger. The story follows Otto, an octopus who sprays...

Beer’s ‘Thunderhead’ optioned for film 

Wednesday, 19 March 2025
Thunderhead (Sophie Beer, A&U) has been optioned by LateNite films, in a film and television deal negotiated by Annabel Barker Agency. Beer’s first middle-grade novel, Thunderhead draws on the author’s own...