Wang appointed Australian Children’s Laureate 2022–23
Wednesday, 9 March 2022
The Australian Children’s Laureate Foundation (ACLF) has named Gabrielle Wang as the Australian Children’s Laureate for 2022–23. Melbourne-based Wang is an award-winning author and illustrator of over 20 books, including...
APA: proposed copyright changes would ‘gift’ publishing rights to libraries
Wednesday, 9 March 2022
The Australian Publishers Association (APA) and Australian Society of Authors (ASA) have, in separate responses to the federal government’s proposed copyright amendment bill, highlighted their concern that the draft bill...
A&U acquires trans and gender diverse anthology
Wednesday, 9 March 2022
Allen & Unwin (A&U) has acquired ANZ rights to the anthology Nothing to Hide: Voices of trans and gender diverse Australia. Edited by Sam Elkin, Alex Gallagher, Yves Rees and...
A&U acquires Kostakis YA novel
Wednesday, 9 March 2022
Allen & Unwin (A&U) has acquired world rights to a new novel by YA author Will Kostakis, We Could Be Something. The queer contemporary YA novel is, according to the publisher,...
UQP acquires two more books from Thompson
Wednesday, 2 March 2022
UQP has acquired world rights to two new books by Aboriginal (pakana) author Adam Thompson. The first book, a novel set in Launceston and focused on pakana man Rusty, ‘a...
APA Bologna stand to feature 15 publishers
Wednesday, 2 March 2022
The Australian stand at the 2022 Bologna Book Fair, which this year runs 21–24 March, will feature books from 15 local publishers, three of which will send representatives to the...
Ockham NZ Book Awards 2022 shortlists announced
Wednesday, 2 March 2022
The shortlists for the 2022 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards have been announced. The shortlisted books, chosen from longlists announced in January, are: Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction A...
Australia Council announces 2022 leadership programs participants
Wednesday, 23 February 2022
The Australia Council for the Arts has announced the participants of its three leadership programs—Arts Leaders, Future Leaders and International Leadership—for emerging, mid-career and established creative practitioners in Australia and...
CBCA 2022 Notable Books announced
Wednesday, 23 February 2022
The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) has announced its list of Notable Books for 2022. The list acts as the longlist for the CBCA Book of the Year Awards....
Hardie Grant ‘Innovate’ RAP endorsed
Wednesday, 23 February 2022
Hardie Grant has announced the next level of its Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), the ‘Innovate’ RAP, has been endorsed by Reconciliation Australia. The Innovate RAP commits Hardie Grant to ‘creating...
Tablo Tales acquires Eckermann verse novel
Wednesday, 23 February 2022
Tablo Tales, the new literary imprint of Tablo Publishing led by creative director Jemma Birrell, has acquired world rights to a new book by South Australian poet Ali Cobby Eckermann, via...
PANZ conference delayed until August
Wednesday, 16 February 2022
The Publishers Association of New Zealand Te Rau o Tākupu (PANZ) has announced the PANZ International Conference, which was due to be held in Auckland on Friday, 4 March, has...
UQP acquires Elvery debut novel
Wednesday, 16 February 2022
UQP has acquired world rights to Brisbane writer Laura Elvery’s debut novel Nightingale. Elvery is the author of two short story collections published by UQP, Trick of the Light and...
Ultimo acquires Western Sydney–set Sarkis debut
Wednesday, 9 February 2022
Ultimo Press has acquired world rights to Something Blue, a debut work of contemporary fiction by Alex Sarkis, who was discovered by Ultimo publisher Alex Craig through the Australian Society...
PRH acquires Brammer debut ‘The Collected Regrets of Clover’
Wednesday, 9 February 2022
Penguin Random House Australia (PRH) has acquired ANZ rights to The Collected Regrets of Clover by Tasmanian debut author Mikki Brammer in a 'highly competitive' auction conducted by Jemima Forrester...
Affirm acquires new Rogers, Badger junior fiction series
Wednesday, 2 February 2022
Affirm Press has acquired world rights to Itty Bitty Kitty, a four-book junior fiction series by Hilary Rogers and Meredith Badger writing under the pen name of Maddy Mara and...
VUP changes name to Te Herenga Waka University Press
Wednesday, 2 February 2022
Victoria University Press has changed its name to Te Herenga Waka University Press as of 1 January 2022. The university-affiliated publisher changed its name to align with Te Herenga Waka—Victoria...
Ockham NZ Book Awards 2022 longlists announced
Thursday, 27 January 2022
The longlists for the 2022 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards have been announced. The longlisted titles in each category are: Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction A Good Winter (Gigi Fenster,...
Tilsley, authors among Order of Australia recipients
Thursday, 27 January 2022
Long-time owner of Fullers Bookshop in Tasmania Clive Tilsley, writers Alice Pung and Lynne Kelly, and cookbook author Maggie Beer are among those to be recognised in the General Division...
Publishers offer alternative working arrangements around January 26
Thursday, 27 January 2022
Several Australian publishing houses have implemented alternative working arrangements around the January 26 public holiday, including Affirm Press and Hardie Grant. Affirm Press posted a statement on social media, confirming...
HGCP acquires ‘Little J & Big Cuz’ title ‘The Big Race’
Thursday, 27 January 2022
Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing (HGCP) has acquired Little J & Big Cuz: The Big Race, the first book in the publishing program based on the award-winning ABC series Little J...
Australian authors top 2021 bestsellers
Wednesday, 19 January 2022
Nielsen Bookscan has reported book sales in 2021 fell 1% in volume compared to 2020, to 65.4 million units sold, but were up in value by 2.5% to $1.26 billion....
Indie Book Awards 2022 shortlists announced
Wednesday, 19 January 2022
Leading Edge Books has announced the shortlists for the 2022 Indie Book Awards. Chosen from longlists announced in December 2021, the shortlisted titles in each category are: Fiction Treasure and...
2022 Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature shortlists announced
Wednesday, 19 January 2022
The shortlists for the 2022 Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature have been announced. Presented by the South Australian government, the biennial awards offer a total prize pool of $167,500. The...
Hipwell to depart Leading Edge
Wednesday, 12 January 2022
Leading Edge has announced Ruth Hipwell will be leaving her role as member service manager for the books group. Hipwell’s last day will be Friday, 14 January. Hipwell told Books+Publishing...
Government releases draft Copyright Amendment bill
Wednesday, 12 January 2022
In December the federal government released the exposure draft and discussion paper of its proposed Copyright Amendment (Access Reforms) Bill 2021. In its introduction, the discussion paper said the government’s...
Eastern states booksellers face staff shortages
Wednesday, 12 January 2022
After a Christmas beset by supply issues, booksellers in Australia’s eastern states, like all retailers, are facing staffing issues due to Covid infections and contact isolation. On Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula...
HQ acquires Lien’s ‘All That’s Left Unsaid’
Wednesday, 8 December 2021
HQ has acquired UK & Commonwealth rights to Tracey Lien’s debut novel All That’s Left Unsaid as part of a two-book deal, in a 'competitive nine-way auction’. Commonwealth & UK...
NLNZ suspends planned Internet Archive donation amid criticism
Wednesday, 8 December 2021
The National Library of New Zealand (NLNZ) has suspended its planned donation of 600,000 books from its overseas collection to the Internet Archive. In a statement, the library said it...
‘The Conversation’ launches new Books & Ideas section
Wednesday, 8 December 2021
Australian academic news and culture website the Conversation is expanding its books coverage with a new dedicated Books & Ideas section. Former Conversation arts and culture editor Suzy Freeman-Greene has...
