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Atlantic acquires Cornish’s “The Missing Mother”

Photo of Mali Cornish. Tuesday, 18 November 2025
Atlantic Books Australia has acquired ANZ rights to Mali Cornish’s adult novel The Missing Mother in a deal brokered by Martin Shaw at Shaw Literary. The publisher describes The Missing...

Henderson wins 2025 Australian Fiction Prize

Photo of Troy Henderson. Tuesday, 18 November 2025
Troy Henderson has won the Australian Fiction Prize for his unpublished crime thriller River City. The novel follows the violent struggle of “warring factions, loose-cannon allies and a city on the brink”...

Duffy appointed as UQP director

Photo of Madonna Duffy. Tuesday, 18 November 2025
The University of Queensland has appointed Madonna Duffy as director of the University of Queensland Press (UQP), with her new role to commence on 1 December. Duffy joined UQP in...

Publishers reaching across borders at Sharjah

Volodymry Samoylenko and Terri-ann White at the Sharjah Book Fair. Monday, 17 November 2025
Now in its 4th decade, the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) is the world’s third largest book fair, attracting hundreds of thousands of people. Earlier this month Upswell publisher Terri-ann...

Cunningham announced as 2026 Dahl fellow

A photo of Sophie Cunningham. Monday, 17 November 2025
The Board of Eucalypt Australia has announced Sophie Cunningham as a 2026 Dahl fellow for her manuscript “Eucalyptus: A story in twenty trees”. According to organisers, Cunningham’s work will investigate...

Wiley acquires Lishman’s next nonfiction title

A photo of Marny Lishman. She is wearing black and sits on a brown couch. A potted plant is in the background. Monday, 17 November 2025
Wiley has acquired world rights to self-help title Only You by Marny Lishman, via Simone Landes of TLS Talent. According to the publisher, Only You is designed for readers experiencing...

Bertelsmann appoints Coesfeld as chair and CEO for 2027 

Photo of Thomas Coesfeld. Monday, 17 November 2025
In Germany, Thomas Coesfeld has been appointed as the future chair and chief executive officer (CEO) of Bertelsmann, owner of Penguin Random House, by the company’s supervisory board. Current chair...

Readings Prize 2025 winners announced

Cover of “I Want Everything” by Dominic Amerena. Friday, 14 November 2025
Readings has announced the winners of the 2025 Readings Prize in each category and the winner of the Gab Williams Prize. The winning titles are: New Australian Fiction Prize I...

Book Club – this month’s reads

Friday, 14 November 2025
Looking for your next great group read? Our monthly Book Club rounds up new release titles that are perfect for sparking conversation and perhaps even some debate. From compelling fiction to...

PRH Write It fellowship recipients announced

A banner for the Penguin Random House Write It Fellowship. Thursday, 13 November 2025
Penguin Random House (PRH) has announced the recipients of the 2025 Write It Fellowship. Chosen from a shortlist announced in July, the winners are: Dayle Fogarty for “After Dark” Naomi...

Small Press Network partners with IPG UK

Thursday, 13 November 2025
The Small Press Network (SPN) in Australia and the Independent Publishers Guild (IPG) in the United Kingdom have established “a new alliance to provide their members with mutual benefits,” said...

Saunders awarded 2026 Peter Blazey Fellowship

A photo of Mykaela Saunders sitting before a black background. Saunders has short hair and is wearing black. Thursday, 13 November 2025
Author and academic Mykaela Saunders has won the $20,000 Peter Blazey Fellowship for her work in progress, “Dear Uncle”. “Dear Uncle” is about Koori artist Kev Saunders (1956–2012), a Dharug...

UQP mentorship prize winners announced

Photo of mentorship prize winners Suri Matondkar and SD Munawara. Thursday, 13 November 2025
The University of Queensland Press (UQP) has announced the winners of the inaugural UQP Mentorship Prize for under-represented writers. Chosen from a shortlist of 5, the winners are: SD Munawara...

ASA appoints Mills as chair 

Jennifer Mills Thursday, 13 November 2025
The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) has appointed Jennifer Mills as chair of its board of directors. Mills first became an ASA director in 2022 and has served as deputy...

Wombat acquires Page’s interactive novel

Photo of Gabriella Page. Thursday, 13 November 2025
Wombat Books has acquired world rights to Gabriella Page’s The Nardi Puzzle, an interactive middle-grade story that allows readers to solve puzzles alongside the characters. The novel follows Sebastian Walker’s...

WestWords acquires Lee’s debut novel

Photo of Samantha Lee. Thursday, 13 November 2025
WestWords Books has acquired adult novel Bound by Samantha WL Lee. Set in four countries – China, Malaysia, Britain and Australia – and extending over more than a century, Bound...

A&U acquires Flynn biography

Photo of Patricia A O’Brien. Thursday, 13 November 2025
Allen & Unwin (A&U) has acquired world rights to Errol Flynn, Patricia A O’Brien’s biography of Australian-born Hollywood actor Errol Flynn, known for his swashbuckling roles and controversial off-screen life....

Random House acquires Cherry Lake Publishing Group

Cherry Lake logo. Wednesday, 12 November 2025
In the US, Random House Children’s Books (RHCB), a division of Penguin Random House, has acquired children’s publisher Cherry Lake Publishing Group. According to PW, the sale involves approximately 6000...

SLQ fellowship, medal recipients announced

Wednesday, 12 November 2025
State Library of Queensland (SLQ) has announced the 2026 recipients of 6 fellowships, worth $105,000, along with 2 John Oxley Library Medals. The recipients in each category are: John Oxley...

New First Nations metadata standards published

Logo showing metadata symbols. Wednesday, 12 November 2025
The Australian Publishers Association (APA) and Australian publishing staff have contributed to new international metadata standards designed to make First Nations books and publishing more consistently labelled and more easily...

CWF: Casual in the capital 

Wednesday, 12 November 2025
The 9th Canberra Writers Festival (CWF) ran from 22 to 26 October – the first under the current programming team of CEO Travis Green, artistic director Andra Putnis and artistic...

Wiley acquires O’Connell’s “Unscript”

Photo of Christian O’Connell. Wednesday, 12 November 2025
Wiley has acquired world rights to broadcaster Christian O’Connell’s personal development book Unscript. Unscript strips away “the ghost scripts that keep us disconnected, through a mix of vibrant storytelling, authentic...

Riveted acquires Gordon’s latest children’s book

Wednesday, 12 November 2025
Riveted Press has acquired world rights to The Midlands by Kate Gordon, in a deal brokered by Alex Adsett Literary. The Midlands takes place during the First World War as 11-year-old Lorna Whittle and her 4...

Affirm acquires Keegan’s second novel

Photo of author Lauren Keegan. Wednesday, 12 November 2025
Affirm Press has acquired world rights to Lauren Keegan’s second novel, The Woman in the Seal Skin. Set on a Scottish island, the novel follows Malie, who grew up hearing...

Submit your Christmas closing dates

Wednesday, 12 November 2025
To be included in Books+Publishing’s annual list of publishers’ and distributors’ trade closing dates for the holiday period, please complete our Christmas closing dates survey by noon on Tuesday 25...

NewSouth acquires Kale’s debut

Black and white photo of author Neha Kale. Wednesday, 12 November 2025
NewSouth Publishing has acquired world rights to Foreign Return: On Art and Inhabitation, the debut literary nonfiction work by writer and cultural critic Neha Kale. Kale migrated from India to...

Kay Kerr recommends 

Tuesday, 11 November 2025
The last two Australian books I read and loved were Moonlight and Dust by Jasmin McGaughey – for the intrigue and lush, gorgeous writing, and Consider Yourself Kissed by Jessica...

Kay Kerr on “Might Cry Later” 

Tuesday, 11 November 2025
Queensland-based author Kay Kerr made her debut with Please Don’t Hug Me (Text, 2020), followed by Social Queue (Text, 2021). Her latest release, Might Cry Later (Macmillan, November), marks her...