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Text signs Sheppard in two-book deal 

Wednesday, 17 March 2021
Text Publishing has acquired world rights to The Brink, the second YA novel by Holden Sheppard, in a two-book deal via Gaby Naher of Left Bank Literary Agency. The Brink follows a...

Scribner acquires Hooper’s ‘Bedtime Story’ 

Wednesday, 17 March 2021
Simon & Schuster Australia’s Scribner imprint has acquired ANZ rights to Bedtime Story, a new work of nonfiction by Chloe Hooper, from Andrew Wylie at The Wylie Agency. When her...

Auckland Writers Festival program announced

Auckland Writers Festival logo Thursday, 11 March 2021
The program for the 2021 Auckland Writers Festival, which runs from 11–16 May, has been announced. In-person guests include fantasy writer Neil Gaiman and his partner, singer and author Amanda...

Ultimo acquires Moore-Gilbert memoir 

Thursday, 11 March 2021
Ultimo Press has acquired world rights to Kylie Moore-Gilbert’s memoir, in a joint venture with James Erskine at Sports & Entertainment Ltd. Australian–British academic Moore-Gilbert was imprisoned for 804 days...

Byrne to adapt ‘The Geography of Friendship’ for TV 

Thursday, 11 March 2021
Sally Piper's 2018 novel The Geography of Friendship (UQP) will be adapted for television as a six-part series. Dollhouse Pictures, a creative collective and independent production company founded by actress...

Wollongong Writers Festival to close

Wednesday, 3 March 2021
Wollongong Writers Festival has announced it is closing following the loss of Create NSW annual organisations funding. Founded in 2013 by writer Chloe Higgins, the not-for-profit festival received annual funding...

S&S signs three ‘Halifax’ novels 

Wednesday, 3 March 2021
Simon & Schuster Australia (S&S) has acquired UK and Commonwealth rights (ex Canada) to three novels by television writer and creator Roger Simpson, featuring his Halifax f.p. television character Jane...

Ockham New Zealand Book Awards 2021 shortlists announced

Wednesday, 3 March 2021
The shortlists for the 2021 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards have been announced. The shortlisted titles in each category, chosen from longlists announced in January, are: Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize...

Griffiths appointed HarperCollins sales director 

Wednesday, 24 February 2021
HarperCollins has appointed Karen-Maree Griffiths to the position of sales director, replacing Darren Kelly in the role. ‘We are delighted to welcome Karen-Maree back to HarperCollins,' said CEO said Jim...

CBCA 2021 Notable Books announced

Wednesday, 24 February 2021
The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) has announced its list of Notable Books for 2021. The books in each category are: Older readers The F Team (Rawah Arja, Giramondo)...

Australians longlisted for 2021 Walter Scott Prize

Tuesday, 23 February 2021
Four Australian authors have been longlisted for the UK's £25,000 (A$44,440) Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction. Steven Conte was longlisted for The Tolstoy Estate, K M Kruimink for A...

Inaugural Little Hare Illustration Prize winner announced

Wednesday, 17 February 2021
Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing (HGCP) has announced Meg Rennie as the winner of the inaugural 2020 Little Hare Illustration Prize. ‘Meg’s artwork enchanted the judging panel with her vivacious character...

HarperCollins acquires two Foster novels 

Wednesday, 17 February 2021
HarperCollins Australia has acquired ANZ rights to two new novels by Sara Foster, via Tara Wynne at Curtis Brown in a ‘fiercely contested’ auction. The first title, The Hush, ‘is...

HarperCollins launches new illustrated imprint 

Wednesday, 10 February 2021
HarperCollins Australia has announced it will launch a new illustrated imprint, Harper by Design. HarperCollins said the ‘design-led' imprint, to be overseen by current head of design Mark Campbell in...

‘Sorrow and Bliss’ to be adapted for screen 

Wednesday, 10 February 2021
US production company New Regency has acquired the film and television rights to Meg Mason’s 2020 novel Sorrow and Bliss in a deal brokered by Casarotto Ramsay and HarperCollins Australia....

Nat’s What I Reckon wins 2020 Booktopia FAB Award

Wednesday, 3 February 2021
Un-cook Yourself: A ratbag's rules for life by YouTube cooking star Nat’s What I Reckon (Ebury) has won the $5000 Booktopia Favourite Australian Book (FAB) Award for 2020. The author...

Thames & Hudson Australia revenue up 47% in 2020 

Wednesday, 3 February 2021
Thames & Hudson Australia (THA) has reported a 47% increase in revenue in 2020, with overall sales of $17.6 million, as ‘consumer price barriers appeared to come down’ during the...

New Zealand market down 0.3% in 2020 

Thursday, 28 January 2021
New Zealand’s book sales fell by less than 1% in 2020, despite a sustained hard lockdown for almost five weeks from late March, in which the nation’s booksellers were unable...

Full Adelaide Writers’ Week program announced

Thursday, 28 January 2021
The full program has been announced for Adelaide Writers’ Week (AWW), which features a total of 147 guests and runs from Saturday, 27 February to Thursday, 4 March 2021. In...

Saleh wins 2021 Peter Porter Poetry Prize

Thursday, 28 January 2021
The Australian Book Review (ABR) has announced Sara M Saleh as the winner of the 2021 Peter Porter Poetry Prize, for her poem ‘A Poetics of Fo(u)rgetting’. The judges said of...

S&S acquires Allira Potter nonfiction title 

Thursday, 28 January 2021
Simon & Schuster Australia (S&S) has acquired world rights to a book by psychic Allira Potter. Potter, a Yorta Yorta woman, incorporates Indigenous practices and First Nations knowledge into her...

Indie Book Awards 2021 shortlists announced

Wednesday, 20 January 2021
Leading Edge Books has announced the shortlists for the 2021 Indie Book Awards. The shortlisted titles in each category are: Fiction All Our Shimmering Skies (Trent Dalton, HarperCollins) The Living Sea...