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Richell Prize 2024 longlist announced

Logo for the Richell Prize, featuring a swooping bird Monday, 9 September 2024
Hachette, in partnership with the Emerging Writers’ Festival (EWF), has announced the longlist for the 2024 Richell Prize for Emerging Writers. The 21 longlisted writers, chosen from over 1000 entrants,...

Queensland Literary Awards 2024 winners announced

Cover of Edenglassie Friday, 6 September 2024
The winners of the 2024 Queensland Literary Awards have been announced, with the total value of the awards now standing at $276,000, up from $238,500 in 2023. Melissa Lucashenko has won...

Wolfers promoted to new Murdoch role 

Photograph of Justin Wolfers in front of a brick wall Thursday, 5 September 2024
Murdoch Books has announced Justin Wolfers has been promoted to the newly created role of commissioning editor. Wolfers, who has worked at Murdoch Books for over 10 years, most recently...

ARA Historical Novel Prize longlists announced

Thursday, 5 September 2024
The Historical Novel Society Australasia (HNSA) has announced the longlists for the 2024 ARA Historical Novel Prize. The longlisted titles are: Adult category The Unearthed (Lenny Bartulin, A&U) Women &...

UQP sells Bigna’s debut to S&S BFYR 

Thursday, 5 September 2024
University of Queensland Press (UQP) has sold North American rights to Sandy Bigna’s debut middle-grade verse novel, Little Bones, to Krista Vitola, executive editor at Simon & Schuster Books for...

Full program announced for Ubud 2024

Wednesday, 4 September 2024
Ubud Writers & Readers Festival (UWRF) has announced the full line-up for its 21st festival program, themed ‘Satyam Vada Dharmam Chara’ (‘Speak the Truth, Practice Kindness’), which will run on...

New offices for S&S

Simon & Schsuter Wednesday, 4 September 2024
Simon & Schuster Australia has moved to new offices. From 3 September, the Sydney office has moved to Level 4, 32 York Street, in the Sydney CBD. The Melbourne CBD...

MacDonald wins 2024 Margaret Mahy Illustration Prize

Photograph of Grant MacDonald Wednesday, 4 September 2024
Herb MacDonald is the winner of the 2024 Margaret Mahy Illustration Prize, the Margaret Mahy Estate, Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand, and Little Moa have announced. The judging panel praised MacDonald’s...

Medal for Excellence in Translation shortlist announced

Wednesday, 4 September 2024
The shortlist for the 2024 Medal for Excellence in Translation, administered by the Australian Academy of the Humanities (AAH), has been announced. The shortlisted translators and their works are: Stephanie...

A&U acquires Clutton novel in two-book deal 

Photograph of Sarah Clutton by Highlands Photography Wednesday, 4 September 2024
Allen & Unwin (A&U) has acquired ANZ rights to the ‘uplit’ novel The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bains by Sarah Clutton, via Melanie Ostell from the Melanie Ostell Literary Agency,...

Major publishers, authors sue over Florida book ban laws

Tuesday, 3 September 2024
In the US, six major publishers, together with the Authors Guild and several bestselling authors, have filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of two provisions of Florida’s recently enacted...

Reid launches PR and literary agency 

Reid Books PR & Literary Agency logo Tuesday, 3 September 2024
Karen Reid, who resigned from Penguin Random House Australia last year after 30 years at the company, has launched a new business, Reid Books PR and Literary Agency. ‘This agency...

APA sustainability survey results, recommendations released

Tuesday, 3 September 2024
The Australian Publishers Association (APA) has released the results from its inaugural sustainability survey, along with a set of recommendations for publishers to follow to improve the environmental sustainability of...

S&S acquires Dix memoir

Tuesday, 3 September 2024
Simon & Schuster Australia (S&S) has acquired world rights to The Promise, the memoir of Arnold Dix, an international barrister, scientist and engineer who spearheaded the rescue of 41 trapped...

Simon & Schuster acquires Cottle YA series

Monday, 2 September 2024
Simon & Schuster Australia (S&S) has acquired world rights to two books in a new YA series by debut author Ruby Jean Cottle, via agents Lou Johnson and Belinda Bolliger...

Murdoch acquires Goh solo cookbook 

Photograph of Helen Goh holding a whisk Monday, 2 September 2024
Murdoch Books has acquired world rights to the first solo cookbook by Helen Goh, Baking and the Meaning of Life. The publisher described the book as a ‘brilliant modern-day baking...

Davitt Awards 2024 winners announced

Davitt Awards logo Monday, 2 September 2024
Sisters in Crime has announced the winners of the 2024 Davitt Awards for the best crime books by Australian women. The winning titles in each category, chosen from shortlists announced...

PRH global sales, earnings up in first half of the year

Thursday, 29 August 2024
Penguin Random House (PRH) parent company Bertelsmann reported that the publisher’s sales grew 8.5% in the first half of 2024, while operating EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation)...

Muse bookstore closes

Thursday, 29 August 2024
The Muse bookstore in Canberra closed last weekend, after owners Dan Sanderson and Paul Eldon decided not to renew their lease on the establishment, which was also a cafe/restaurant and...

Atlantic acquires Zorn novel ‘Better Days’ 

Photograph of Claire Zorn Thursday, 29 August 2024
Atlantic Books Australia, a division of Allen & Unwin, has acquired ANZ rights to the novel Better Days by Claire Zorn, in a deal brokered by Grace Heifetz at Left Bank...

Shawline denies allegation of unpaid royalties 

Thursday, 29 August 2024
Shawline Publishing Group CEO Brad Shaw, whose company is being sued by author Dan Moon in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal for alleged unpaid royalties, has responded to the...