News | Books+Publishing

Inside the Australian and New Zealand book industry

Thursday, 15 May 2025
The New Zealand Society of Authors (NZSA) Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa – Ngā Kaituhi Māori has announced the recipients of the NZSA Ngā Kaituhi Māori Mentorship and Kupu Kaitiaki...

Transit Lounge acquires ‘Rite of Spring’ by Kris Kneen

Thursday, 15 May 2025
Transit Lounge has acquired world rights to Rite of Spring, a new novel by Kris Kneen, via Jane Novak Literary Agency. The novel follows a couple, Miranda and Richard, who...

The 2025 Visiting International Publishers: Why they’re coming and what they hope to find

Wednesday, 14 May 2025
The 2025 Creative Australia Visiting International Publishers (VIPs) Program is running in Sydney from 19–23 May, coinciding with the Sydney Writers' Festival. The program invites international publishers, scouts and literary...

Publishing industry hopeful following Federal Election

Wednesday, 14 May 2025
With the landmark results of the 3 May federal election, questions have arisen about the future of the literary sector. Following the Books Create Australia election campaign, B+P reached out to the Australian Publishers...

British Book Award winners announced

Wednesday, 14 May 2025
The winners of the 35th British Book Awards, also known as The Nibbies, have been announced. The evening included two special awards: an award for Social Impact presented to Kate...

US Library of Congress – further strife

Wednesday, 14 May 2025
Shira Perlmutter, Register of Copyrights and director of the US Copyright Office, has also been fired by the Trump administration, reported Publishers Weekly (PW). This follows the firing of US Librarian...

Larrikin House acquires ‘Ultra Violet’ sequel

Wednesday, 14 May 2025
Larrikin House has acquired rights to graphic novel Ultra Violet: Escape from Uranus, written by Cristy Burne and illustrated by Rebel Challenger. According to the publisher, in this 'STEM-meets-adventure graphic...

Echo Publishing acquires Ayliffe’s crime standalone

Wednesday, 14 May 2025
Echo Publishing has acquired world rights to Dark Desert Road by Tim Ayliffe, via Jeanne Ryckmans at Key People Literary Management. According to the publisher, Dark Desert Road is Ayliffe's first...

Jasmin McGaughey recommends

Tuesday, 13 May 2025
I’m currently reading the First Nations Classics out with UQP, and I’ve been loving every book from the series. There are about 16 books published, with 4 more coming in the...

Jasmin McGaughey on ‘Moonlight and Dust’

Tuesday, 13 May 2025
Jasmin McGaughey is a Torres Strait Islander and African American author and editor, and the writer behind Ash Barty’s Little Ash series. Her new young adult novel, Moonlight and Dust...

Larrikin House acquires Barkla’s ‘Robo-teacher’

Tuesday, 13 May 2025
Larrikin House has acquired Robo-teacher, a picture book written by Charlotte Barkla (All Bodies Are Good Bodies, Little Hare) and illustrated by Gabrielle Petruso. According to the publisher, Robo-teacher follows...

UQP launches writing mentorship prize

Tuesday, 13 May 2025
University of Queensland Press (UQP) has launched a mentorship prize for under-represented writers. ‘This prize will enrich the diversity of Australian stories by supporting and mentoring under-represented writers towards book...

Lubrin wins Carol Shields Prize

Tuesday, 13 May 2025
Canisia Lubrin is the 2025 winner of the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction for her novel Code Noir (Soft Skull). Chosen from a shortlist of five, Lubrin receives US$150,000 (A$236,675)...

Hussein launches Loom Literary Journal

Tuesday, 13 May 2025
2025 Kat Muscat Fellow Adalya Nash Hussein has launched Loom Literary Journal, a national interdisciplinary journal that will 'work in conversation with non-textual artistic mediums'. ‘With editors in Melbourne, Sydney...

Pantera acquires Sheppard’s ‘Yeah the Boys’

Tuesday, 13 May 2025
Pantera Press has acquired ANZ rights for Yeah the Boys, an adult fiction title from author Holden Sheppard, via Gaby Naher at The Naher Agency. According to the publisher, Yeah...

Fourth Estate acquires Dalton’s new novel

Monday, 12 May 2025
Fourth Estate, an imprint of HarperCollins Australia, has acquired world rights to Gravity Let Me Go, a novel by Trent Dalton. Gravity Let Me Go follows journalist Noah Cork and...

US Librarian of Congress fired

Monday, 12 May 2025
In the US, the Trump administration has fired Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, effective 8 May, reported Publishers Weekly (PW). PW also reported that ‘no reason for Hayden's removal was...

Fogarty Literary Award 2025 shortlist announced

Monday, 12 May 2025
The shortlist for the 2025 Fogarty Literary Award has been announced. Shortlisted titles, chosen from 38 entries, include: ‘Boy Friends’ by Seth Malacari ‘Glimmers in the Sea Glass’ by Chuckie...

2025 Speculate Prize for Emerging Writers shortlist announced

Monday, 12 May 2025
The shortlist for the inaugural Speculate Prize for Emerging Writers has been announced. Shortlisted writers include: Emma Rayward for ‘An economy of tubes’ Lily Davidson for ‘Honey’ Melissa King for...

Hall, Blaine win 2025 Age Book of the Year awards

Friday, 9 May 2025
The winners of the 2025 Age Book of the Year awards have been announced. Rodney Hall won the fiction award for his novel Vortex (Picador), and Lech Blaine won the...

Wheeler Centre 2025 Hot Desk Fellows announced

Thursday, 8 May 2025
The Wheeler Centre has announced the 22 emerging writers who will receive Hot Desk Fellowships in 2025. This year's recipients are: Jamil Badi for 'New Ancient Folktales' (fiction, short stories)...

PRH acquires special edition of ‘Bluey: The Sign’

Thursday, 8 May 2025
Penguin Random House (PRH) Australia has announced the forthcoming publication of special edition children's book Bluey: The Sign. According to the publisher, The Sign will be based on the television episode of...

‘Industry-defining’ bookseller survey launched

Thursday, 8 May 2025
Australian bookselling association BookPeople and Booksellers Aotearoa New Zealand have collaborated to launch an ‘industry-defining’ survey designed to provide data about booksellers in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand and their...

Farnham wins ABIA Book of the Year

Wednesday, 7 May 2025
The winners of the 2025 Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA) have been announced, with The Voice Inside (John Farnham with Poppy Stockell, Hachette) taking out the overall Book of the...

BIBF to increase focus on academic publishing

Wednesday, 7 May 2025
The Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF), running 18–22 June 2025, will increase its focus on academic publishing with a new conference in partnership with the International Association of Scientific, Technical...

ASA, Arts Tasmania relaunch mentorship program

Wednesday, 7 May 2025
The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) and Arts Tasmania have announced the return of the Tasmanian Writers and Illustrators Mentorship Program. This program for authors and illustrators based in Tasmania...

Creative Australia’s VIPs – a very important program

Wednesday, 7 May 2025
Creative Australia’s Visiting International Publishers (VIPs) program began in 1998, and has since welcomed 307 international guests to Australia from 30 countries. Books+Publishing publishing director Kate Cuthbert spoke with Creative...

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NZSA announce 2025 mentees