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Forthcoming events 

Wednesday, 22 April 2009
Trade events coming up over the next week, as shown on our events calendar, include: Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair, 17-26 April World Book and Copyright Day, 23 April Buenos...

Quote of the week 

Wednesday, 22 April 2009
‘Whatever authors want, this is old-fashioned protectionism that helps producers by penalising consumers. The book industry is lucky the Productivity Commission was uncharacteristically kind. End of story'--editorial in the Australian.

Miles Franklin shortlist announced 

Wednesday, 22 April 2009
As reported in a WBN special bulletin last week, the shortlist for the Miles Franklin award has been announced. The shortlisted titles are: Breath (Tim Winton, Penguin) Ice (Louis Nowra,...

New Dan Brown in September 

Wednesday, 22 April 2009
Random House Australia has announced the publication date of Dan Brown's new novel The Lost Symbol as 15 September, 2009. The announcement was made yesterday by Sonny Mehta, chairman and...

Children’s authors protest outside Dymocks 

Wednesday, 22 April 2009
Children’s authors took to the streets in Brisbane last week on Thursday 16 April, in protest against the ‘Coalition for Cheaper Books’, and its stance on an open market being...

LBF: ‘better than expected’ so far 

Wednesday, 22 April 2009
WBN correspondent Lachlan Jobbins reports: Despite grim economic forecasts and slightly lower registrations (The Bookseller reported registrations down by 2% on last year), the Australians at London Book Fair mostly...

Rights round-up 

Wednesday, 22 April 2009
FictionScribe Publications' fiction acquisitions editor, Aviva Tuffield, has acquired actor Katie Wall's debut novel I Say Tomato, a romantic comedy about an Australian actress trying to make it in the...

In brief 

Wednesday, 22 April 2009
Readings to open at SLVAs reported in a WBN special bulletin last week, Readings Books, Music & Film announced that it is to open a bookshop in the foyer of...

Around the world 

Tuesday, 21 April 2009
Among the many items added to our Around the World blog in a big update this week:firebombers plead guilty to attacking publisher's housePulitzer Prize winnersUK retailers discount Dan Brown by...

RiP J G Ballard 

Tuesday, 21 April 2009
Novelist J G Ballard has died, aged 78. His novels included Crash, Empire of the Sun, The Wind from Nowhere and The Drought.

RiP James D Houston 

Tuesday, 21 April 2009
US author James D Houston author of Continental Drift, Snow Mountain Passage and Farewell to Manzanar has died, aged 75.

Media Extra: What’s Hot? 

Sunday, 19 April 2009
There's no clear leader in the Most Mentioned chart this week. Among the top mentions is David Kilcullen's The Accidental Guerrilla, on the way of war in the post-9/11 world. Author of...

Miles Franklin shortlist announced 

Wednesday, 15 April 2009
The shortlist for the 2009 Miles Franklin Literary Award, worth $42,000, has been announced.The shortlisted titles are:Breath (Tim Winton, Penguin)Ice (Louis Nowra, A&U)The Pages (Murray Bail, Text)The Slap (Christos Tsiolkas,...

Readings to open at SLV 

Wednesday, 15 April 2009
Readings Books, Music & Film announced yesterday that it is to open a bookshop in the foyer of the State Library of Victoria (SLV) on Friday 24 April. The shop...

Miles Franklin shortlist announced 

Wednesday, 15 April 2009
The shortlist for the 2009 Miles Franklin Literary Award, worth $42,000, has been announced. The shortlisted titles are: Breath (Tim Winton, Penguin)Ice (Louis Nowra, A&U)The Pages (Murray Bail, Text)The Slap...

Australians at LBF guide 

Wednesday, 15 April 2009
As Australian attendees prepare for the 2009 London Book Fair (LBF), which starts next Monday, Bookseller+Publisher magazine continues to support them with our annual guide to Australian participants at this key international rights...

APA critical of Prod Comm ’roundtables’ 

Tuesday, 14 April 2009
APA CEO Maree McCaskill has criticised last week's 'roundtables' held by the Productivity Commission to discuss its draft report on parallel importation.'In all my years of doing this sort of...

Productivity Commission: final submissions due Friday 

Tuesday, 14 April 2009
As Friday's deadline approaches, trade bodies are busily preparing their final submissions to the Productivity Commission and encouraging their members to do likewise. The APA is continuing to inform and...

Around the world 

Tuesday, 14 April 2009
Among the stories added to our Around the World blog in the past week:Is it okay for a library to lend a Kindle?'Gay writing' falls foul of Amazon ranking systemAmazon...

Children’s authors to picket Dymocks 

Tuesday, 14 April 2009
A group of children's authors has announced that it plans to stage a protest outside Dymocks' central Brisbane store tomorrow (Thursday), protesting against the chain's support for an open market....

Quote of the week 

Tuesday, 14 April 2009
‘The publishers and authors defending the status quo are the victims of a truly incredible mass hysteria the likes of which I've never seen in my 35 years of publishing....

In brief 

Tuesday, 14 April 2009
The Indie Award calls for submissionsSubmissions for the 2009 Indie Award, administered by Leading Edge Books, are now open, with a closing date of Friday 8 May. The Indie Award...

Ebooks on hold for Dymocks NZ 

Tuesday, 14 April 2009
Dymocks New Zealand will not yet be rolling-out kiosks or selling ebooks online and in stores, despite previous plans to introduce them early this year. Dymocks New Zealand general manager...

Rights round-up 

Tuesday, 14 April 2009
In rights news this week:FictionHarperCollins has sold French rights to Karen Miller’s books, written as KE Mills, Accidental Sorcerer and Witches Incorporated. Fremantle Press has sold Hungarian language rights for...