Inside the Australian and New Zealand book industry

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Meet the Rising Stars: Rebecca Allen 

Photograph of Rebecca Allen Wednesday, 24 July 2024
The Australian Publishers Association Rising Star award recognises an emerging talent in Australian publishing who has spent less than 10 years in the industry. In the lead-up to the winner announcement...

Tigest Girma on ‘Immortal Dark’ 

Tuesday, 23 July 2024
Tigest Girma, an Ethiopian writer and teacher based in Melbourne, draws richly from East African history and cultures and blends Black stories with dark and fantastical elements. Books+Publishing reviewer Stefen...

Tinsel time: Christmas 2024 nonfiction 

Wednesday, 17 July 2024
Following on from last week's life writing highlights, publishers are looking forward to a colourful range of new nonfiction books that will enliven kitchens, inform conversations, inspire reflections, and maybe...

Meet the Rising Stars: Katherine Rajwar 

Photograph of Katherine Rajwar in front of tiled wall Wednesday, 17 July 2024
The Australian Publishers Association Rising Star award recognises an emerging talent in Australian publishing who has spent less than 10 years in the industry. In the lead-up to the winner announcement...

Christopher Cheng on ‘Dragon Folding’ 

Tuesday, 16 July 2024
Christopher Cheng is a Sydney-based, award-winning children's author of over 40 fiction and nonfiction titles. His latest picture book, Dragon Folding (illus Lucia Masciullo, Puffin, September 2024), shows readers 'how...

Tinsel time: Christmas 2024 biographies and memoirs 

Wednesday, 10 July 2024
From a soccer superstar to familiar faces in children's entertainment, and an equally wide range of non-celebrity (but far from ordinary) stories, Books+Publishing rounds up the local adult biography and...

Meet the Rising Stars: Riikka Dunn 

Photograph of Riikka Dunn in front of green leaves Wednesday, 10 July 2024
The Australian Publishers Association Rising Star award recognises an emerging talent in Australian publishing who has spent less than 10 years in the industry. In the lead-up to the winner announcement...

Raelke Grimmer on ‘White Noise’ 

Tuesday, 9 July 2024
Raelke Grimmer is an author and linguist from the Northern Territory. Her debut young adult novel, White Noise (UWAP, September 2024), is set in Darwin and explores grief, autism, friendship and...

Tinsel time: Christmas 2024 fiction 

Wednesday, 3 July 2024
From the big names to the surprising debuts (and a whole lot of crime in between), Books+Publishing rounds up Australian publishers’ top local adult fiction titles releasing in time for Christmas...

Meet the Rising Stars 2024: Justin Wolfers 

Photograph of Justin Wolfers in front of a brick wall Wednesday, 3 July 2024
The Australian Publishers Association Rising Star award recognises an emerging talent in Australian publishing who has spent less than 10 years in the industry. In the lead-up to the winner announcement...

Amplify Bookstore’s winter picks 

Cover of Love Unleashed Wednesday, 26 June 2024
Amplify Bookstore is an independent online bookseller specialising in books by Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) authors, founded by Jing Xuan Teo and Marina Sano. Here, they share...

Anita Heiss on ‘Dirrayawadha’ 

Tuesday, 18 June 2024
Anita Heiss is one of Australia’s most prolific and celebrated authors, known for her works across genres including nonfiction, historical fiction, commercial fiction and children's books. Books+Publishing reviewer Melissa Mantle...

Liz Evans on ‘Catherine Wheel’ 

Wednesday, 5 June 2024
Based in Tasmania, Liz Evans is a British-born journalist, author, former psychotherapist and academic with a PhD in creative writing. Her latest novel, Catherine Wheel (Ultimo, August 2024), is ‘a...

Niki Horin on new venture Hobartisan Books 

Wednesday, 15 May 2024
Niki Horin is an editor and author with experience in children's trade publishing at Hardie Grant Egmont and as publishing director at Five Mile from 2018 to 2022. Now located...

Michelle See-Tho on ‘Jade and Emerald’ 

Tuesday, 7 May 2024
Michelle See-Tho is a freelance writer and copywriter whose debut novel, Jade and Emerald (Vintage, July 2024), won the 2023 Penguin Literary Prize. The novel is 'a wonderful escape into the...

Culture, pride and engagement: A report from the RISE program 

Wednesday, 1 May 2024
Bookseller Melissa Mantle attended the RISE ('Resilience, Innovation and Sustainability for the Enhancement of Bookselling') program at the 2024 Bookselling Ireland Irish Book Trade Conference. Mantle reports on the experience,...

Yvonne Sewankambo on ‘Good Hair’ 

Tuesday, 16 April 2024
Sydney-based Yvonne Sewankambo is a Ugandan-Canadian writer and publicist whose debut picture book, Good Hair (Walker, June 2024), is ‘a wonderfully inclusive book representing various cultures and subcultures, showcasing the...

AI and publishing: Concerns beyond copyright 

Wednesday, 10 April 2024
The publishing sector’s response to last year’s revelations about the materials used to train generative AI has been characterised by concern over the unauthorised use of pirated books in these...

Jenna Lo Bianco on ‘Love & Rome’ 

Tuesday, 26 March 2024
Jenna Lo Bianco is a Melbourne-based author whose heart and soul reside in Rome, Italy. Known as 'The Italian Teacher', she is also an educator, PhD candidate and advocate for...

Meet the agent: Lisa Fuller at Alex Adsett Literary

Photograph of Lisa Fuller Wednesday, 20 March 2024
Lisa Fuller is a Wuilli Wuilli woman from Eidsvold, Queensland, and is also descended from Gooreng Gooreng and Wakka Wakka peoples. Her debut YA novel Ghost Bird won numerous awards...

Asian-Australian booksellers championing diversity 

Wednesday, 20 March 2024
Emma Pei Yin is a British-born Hong Kong-Chinese author. She was also nominated for Bookseller of the Year in 2023. In this feature, Emma writes for Books+Publishing on the insights of three Asian-Australian...

Cristy Burne on ‘Ultra Violet’ 

Tuesday, 19 March 2024
Cristy Burne is an award-winning author of children's books published worldwide. She loves mixing science, adventure and creativity in her stories; holds degrees in biotechnology and science communication; and has...