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Inside the Australian and New Zealand book industry

“We want to trust authors”: Local publishers on “Shy Girl” implications

Wednesday, 1 April 2026
“It really is a case of ‘there but for the grace of God go I’.” This was the response of one editor at a Big Five publishing house to the...

Tuesday, 31 March 2026
The last Australian cookbook that really resonated with me is Good Cooking Every Day by Julia Busuttil Nishimura (Plum). It feels incredibly warm and generous, and there’s a real sense of ease...

Raymond Tan on “You’re Welcome!”

Tuesday, 31 March 2026
Raymond Tan is a Melbourne-based baker whose work celebrates the flavours and traditions of Southeast Asia through a contemporary lens. His cookbook, You’re Welcome!: A Baking Celebration with a Southeast...

Yes, the news looks a little different today

Tuesday, 31 March 2026
Please bear with us as we fix a website issue. We expect the Books+Publishing website to be back online shortly.In the meantime, here is today’s news.With thanks,The Books+Publishing team

UK Publishers Association CEO calls for transparency amid “Shy Girl” controversy

Tuesday, 31 March 2026
In the UK, Publishers Association CEO Dan Conway has responded to the discontinuation of Mia Ballard’s novel Shy Girl over suspected AI use and its cancellation in the US. Conway...

Campos wins inaugural Kat Muscat Award

Tuesday, 24 March 2026
The inaugural winner of the $1000 Kat Muscat Award is Paula Campos for “Palm Trees, Piercings and a More Lowkey, Chill Place to Live”, which appeared in Voiceworks #136 “Quits!”. This year, the...

A&U acquires Jeff Apter’s “Reckless”

Tuesday, 24 March 2026
Allen & Unwin (A&U) has acquired world rights to the nonfiction title Reckless by music writer Jeff Apter. Reckless is the inside story of Australian Crawl, the band behind tracks...

Zoe Gaetjens recommends

Tuesday, 17 March 2026
I recently read Catch by Sarah Brill. This is a contemporary coming-of-age YA novel, but it uses magical realism to explore the invisible weight teenagers carry. I read it for...

Zoe Gaetjens on “Drawing Nudes While Making Other Plans”

Tuesday, 17 March 2026
Zoe Gaetjens is a children’s author and high-school English teacher living and working on Dharug Country. Her young adult novel, Drawing Nudes While Making Other Plans, is a “tender, thoughtful...

Canberra Writers Festival announces anniversary events

Tuesday, 17 March 2026
Canberra Writers Festival is hosting a series of events this year, celebrating its tenth anniversary in the lead-up to the festival, which runs from 15 to 18 October. These events...

Fitzroy Writers Festival 2026 program announced

Tuesday, 17 March 2026
Yarra Libraries has released the program for this year’s Fitzroy Writers Festival, running on 18 April. To be held in inner Melbourne’s Fitzroy Town Hall, sessions are set to cover...

Apollo Bay WORDfest 2026 line-up announced

Monday, 16 March 2026
The Apollo Bay WORDfest has released the program for its 2026 festival, to be held in the Victorian coastal town from Friday 24 July to Sunday 26 July. Authors scheduled...

Books in the media this week

Friday, 13 March 2026
A round-up of books being reviewed and mentioned in key media this week, updated as information becomes available. National The Book Show, ABC Radio National Howl (Howard Jacobson, Jonathan Cape)...

Chloe Wilson on “The Thornbacks”

Tuesday, 10 March 2026
Chloe Wilson is the author of the award-winning short story collection Hold Your Fire and two poetry collections. Her debut novel, The Thornbacks, follows stepsisters Gertie and Tabitha, morticians who lure...

Chloe Wilson recommends

Tuesday, 10 March 2026
I’m a fiend for short-story collections, and so I loved Katerina Gibson’s Women I Know (S&S). It’s dark and sharp but also deeply compassionate.

Junior Book Club – this month’s reads

Friday, 6 March 2026
Searching for your next great read to share with kids? Our Junior Book Club highlights new titles each month that are perfect for classrooms, libraries and family reading time. From...

Books in the media this week

Friday, 27 February 2026
A round-up of books being reviewed and mentioned in key media this week, updated as information becomes available. National Book Show, ABC Radio National Kin (Tayari Jones, Penguin) Escape! (Stephen...

Book Fair Australia comes to Melbourne

Wednesday, 25 February 2026
Book Fair Australia has been organised by independent author Ivana L Truglio since 2021. Usually held in Sydney, this year’s Melbourne event, which ran from 21 to 22 February, was...

Leavy wins 2026 Peter Porter Poetry Prize

Monday, 23 February 2026
Cheryl Leavy has won the 2026 Peter Porter Poetry Prize for her poem “Kumanjayi”. Presented by the Australian Book Review (ABR) and worth $6000, the prize honours the life and work...

Aussie romantic fantasy makes bestsellers

Friday, 20 February 2026
Top 10 bestsellers Heated Rivalry (Rachel Reid, Emblaze) The Housemaid (Freida McFadden, Bookouture) (combined editions) Arnott's: The Cookbook (Are Media Books, AWW Cookbooks) The Long Game (Rachel Reid, Emblaze) The Housemaid's...