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Wakefield acquires Parker’s ‘Endo Days’ 

Wednesday, 5 August 2020
Wakefield Press has acquired world rights to journalist Libby Trainor Parker’s debut nonfiction book, which has the working title Endo Days: Life, love and laughs with endometriosis. Endo Days is...

A&U, THA staff return to full-time hours 

Wednesday, 29 July 2020
Allen & Unwin (A&U) and Thames & Hudson Australia (THA) have confirmed their staff have returned to full-time hours. In early April A&U announced its ‘precautionary’ decision to temporarily reduce...

Furphy Literary Award 2020 winners announced

Wednesday, 29 July 2020
The winners of the inaugural Furphy Literary Award have been announced. Ruby Todd won the $15,000 open category for her short story ‘Awakening’, chosen from a shortlist announced in early...

Transit Lounge acquires Jach’s ‘Travelling Companions’ 

Wednesday, 29 July 2020
Transit Lounge has acquired world English-language rights to Antoni Jach’s fourth novel, Travelling Companions. Publisher Barry Scott said the novel is ‘charming, amusing and philosophical. Solitary travellers and a couple...

Federal government extends JobKeeper, cuts rate

Wednesday, 22 July 2020
The federal government has revealed changes to its JobKeeper wage subsidy scheme, with the program to be extended beyond its original September end-date—albeit at a lower rate. From 28 September,...

Wakefield to publish #LoveOzYA horror anthology 

Wednesday, 22 July 2020
Wakefield Press will publish YA fiction anthology Hometown Haunts: #LoveOzYA Horror Tales, described as ‘the brainchild of acclaimed YA author and Wakefield Press staff member Poppy Nwosu, who will curate...

Scribe acquires Doig’s ‘We Are All Preppers Now’ 

Wednesday, 15 July 2020
Scribe has acquired world English-language rights to Tom Doig’s third full-length book, We Are All Preppers Now, a narrative nonfiction work that examines the practices of survivalism and doomsday prepping...

ACT Writers publishes open letter regarding CWF 2020 

Wednesday, 15 July 2020
ACT Writers has stated in an open letter published Sunday, 12 July that ‘as it currently stands, [it] cannot support or promote’ the 2020 Canberra Writers Festival (CWF). However, in...

HarperCollins announces Books Bring Us Together campaign

Wednesday, 15 July 2020
HarperCollins Australia is launching Books Bring Us Together, a campaign aimed at celebrating 'the power of reading and the importance of local booksellers to our communities'. The campaign will include...

Melbourne libraries re-close as second lockdown begins

Wednesday, 8 July 2020
In line with the stage three restrictions announced by Victorian premier Daniel Andrews on Tuesday, Melbourne libraries including State Library Victoria (SLV) and all City of Melbourne Library branches will...

Canberra Writers Festival 2020 program launched

Wednesday, 8 July 2020
The Canberra Writers Festival, which will run from 12 to 16 August, has launched its 2020 program. In a statement, the festival said artistic director Jeanne Ryckmans’ program would be...

Australian book sales down 2% for year to June 

Wednesday, 8 July 2020
Strong sales during the second quarter of 2020 have largely cushioned the overall Australian book market from the effects of Covid-19, with Australian book sales down by just 2% for...

WA Premier’s Book Awards shortlists announced

Wednesday, 1 July 2020
The shortlists for this year’s Western Australian Premier’s Book Awards have been announced. The shortlisted titles in each category are: Premier’s Prize for an emerging writer ($15,000) Fabulous Lives (Bindy Pritchard,...

Taylor & Francis acquires A&U academic lists 

Wednesday, 24 June 2020
Taylor & Francis Books has acquired Allen & Unwin’s (A&U) academic and professional books lists, which represent over 700 titles in the humanities and social science disciplines. In a statement,...

Hardie Grant acquires Ablett autobiography

Wednesday, 24 June 2020
Hardie Grant Books has acquired world rights to AFL player Gary Ablett Jr’s autobiography. The fully illustrated book will include guest chapters from his father Gary Ablett Sr, Geelong captain...

White wins 2020 Rachel Funari Prize for Fiction

Wednesday, 24 June 2020
Emily White has won the 2020 Lip magazine Rachel Funari Prize for Fiction for their short story ‘Swampy’. 'The unique and immediately engaging archival formatting of this story effortlessly, humorously...

Billie B Brown optioned for TV

Wednesday, 17 June 2020
Fremantle and development partner 720 Creative have acquired screen rights to the children’s book character Billie B Brown, from the junior fiction series written by Sally Rippin, illustrated by Aki...

Pantera Press Foundation donates $85k in FY2020

Wednesday, 17 June 2020
Pantera Press has announced the company has donated $85,000 via the Pantera Press Foundation this financial year. Its donations include a total of $70,000 in untied funding to arts organisations...