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Bragg UNSW Press Prize for Science Writing 2016 shortlist announced

Monday, 19 September 2016
The shortlist for this year’s Bragg UNSW Press Prize for Science Writing has been announced. The shortlisted pieces are: ‘Slippery migrants’ by James Bradley (the Monthly) ‘Beautiful contrivances’ by Susan...

Waverley Library Award 2016 shortlist announced

Monday, 19 September 2016
The shortlist for the 2016 Waverley Library Award for Literature, known as ‘the Nib’, has been announced. The shortlisted titles are: Talking to My Country (Stan Grant, HarperCollins) Santamaria, A...

Filming begins on NZ thriller ‘The Changeover’

Friday, 16 September 2016
Filming of the big-screen adaption of Margaret Mahy’s ‘coming-of-age’ YA thriller The Changeover: A Supernatural Romance (HarperCollins) will begin in Christchurch this week, reports the New Zealand Herald. The film, which...

‘SRB’, NSW State Library to present Australian women’s writing symposium

Friday, 16 September 2016
A one-day symposium on Australian women’s writing will be held at the State Library of NSW (SLNSW) on 3 November. The symposium is presented by the SLNSW, Western Sydney University’s...

Māori Book Awards 2016 finalists announced

Thursday, 15 September 2016
The finalists in Massey University’s Ngā Kupu Ora Awards celebrating Māori books and journalism have been announced. The finalists in each category are: Te Mahi Toi—Arts Māori Art: History, Architecture,...

Ryckmans resigns as Nero publisher

Wednesday, 14 September 2016
Jeanne Ryckmans has resigned from the position of Nero Books publisher at Black Inc. Ryckmans was appointed to the position in 2013, when Black Inc. announced it was relaunching its...

Images Publishing acquires international publisher, distributor ACC

Wednesday, 14 September 2016
Melbourne-based architecture and design publisher Images Publishing has acquired international distributor Antique Collector’s Club (ACC) Distribution and its publishing arm, ACC Art Books. ACC Distribution represents more than 50 publishing...

ILF’s Great Book Swap raises $150,000

Wednesday, 14 September 2016
Over 20,000 students, libraries and other organisations have raised $150,000 from Great Book Swap campaigns for Indigenous Literacy Day (ILD), held this year on 7 September. More than 500 schools...

Mel Gibson options Donaldson’s ‘The Crossroad’

Wednesday, 14 September 2016
Actor Mel Gibson and producer Bruce Davey’s Icon Productions has acquired the film adaptation rights to Victoria Cross medal-winner Mark Donaldson’s autobiography The Crossroad (Macmillan). The bestselling book, which was...

NZ readers biased against local fiction: Book Council

Tuesday, 13 September 2016
A New Zealand Book Council research report into New Zealand’s reading attitudes and behaviours has found most readers had ‘an extremely negative reaction’ to New Zealand fiction, despite enjoying the...

Radio host Andy Lee’s children’s book sells 40,000 copies in first two days

Tuesday, 13 September 2016
Radio host Andy Lee’s debut picture book Do Not Open This Book, illustrated by Heath McKenzie, has sold 40,000 copies in its first two days, reports the Age. The book,...

Thirty writers, literary orgs among OzCo June grant round recipients

Monday, 12 September 2016
Thirty writers, publishers and literary organisations have received funding in the Australia Council’s June grant round. Fifteen writers received individual grants of up to $50,000 each: Donna Abela, Jeannie Baker,...

BWF schedules ‘right of reply’ to Lionel Shriver’s controversial BWF keynote

Monday, 12 September 2016
The Brisbane Writers Festival (BWF) has responded to US author Lionel Shriver’s controversial opening keynote by scheduling a ‘right of reply’ event. Shriver spoke about cultural appropriation and political correctness...

Queensland Literary Awards 2016 shortlists announced

Friday, 9 September 2016
The shortlists for the 2016 Queensland Literary Awards have been announced. The shortlisted titles in each category are: Fiction Ghost River (Tony Birch, UQP) Between a Wolf and a Dog...

‘Wake in Fright’ TV adaptation in production; several book-to-screen projects receive Screen Australia funding

Friday, 9 September 2016
Network Ten has commissioned a two-part TV adaptation of Kenneth Cook’s 1961 novel Wake in Fright (Text), to screen in 2017. The show will be produced by Lingo Pictures in...

Birch wins 2016 Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for Indigenous Writing

Friday, 9 September 2016
Tony Birch has won the $25,000 Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for Indigenous Writing for his novel Ghost River (UQP). Birch’s novel, ‘a coming-of-age story’ about two friends ‘who find freedom...

Watson wins Indigenous poetry prize

Friday, 9 September 2016
Samuel Wagan Watson has won the 2016 Scanlon Award for Indigenous Poetry for his collection Love Poems and Death Threats (UQP). The judges said Watson’s voice is ‘provocative’ and his...

Griffin Press launches ‘world-first’ digital production line

Thursday, 8 September 2016
Australian printer Griffin Press has launched a ‘world-first’ end-to-end digital book production line in Adelaide, including a new digital cover production facility. The printer collaborated with technology companies HP, Kolbus...