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Vista/Ingenta merger 

Tuesday, 6 February 2007
Vista International and Ingenta, two of the largest international publishing software companies, have announced that they will merge to create Publishing Technologies PLC.The new company will offer ‘a wide range...

Wannabee becomes Vignette Press 

Tuesday, 6 February 2007
Independent Melbourne publisher Wannabee Publishing has changed its name to Vignette Press, in a relaunch announced last Friday 2 February. Publisher Lisa Dempster, who took on management of the publisher...

Ozco funding renewed–early 

Tuesday, 6 February 2007
The federal government has announced the renewal of the Australia Council's base funding agreement, worth $418 million over three years. The announcement by Arts and Sport Minister Rod Kemp came...

McVitty wins Dromkeen Medal 

Tuesday, 6 February 2007
Publisher, lecturer and reviewer Walter McVitty is the winner of the 2006 Dromkeen Medal. The medal is awarded annually for ‘work that makes a significant contribution to the appreciation and...

Nix happy to ride Harry’s coattails 

Tuesday, 6 February 2007
Australian fantasy author Garth Nix is gaining wide exposure in the United Kingdom as the bookselling chain W H Smith gives away a free copy his novel Mister Monday--the first in...

CAL calls for feedback 

Tuesday, 6 February 2007
Following the passing of the Copyright Amendment Bill 2006 by the House of Representatives on 4 December last year, the Copyright Agency Limited is calling for feedback on what stakeholders...

Somerset Celebration of Literature 

Tuesday, 6 February 2007
The 2007 Somerset Celebration of Literature will be held from 13 March to 17 March this year in the grounds of Somerset College at Mudgeeraba in Queensland. More than 30...

Eichhorn retires as A&U director 

Monday, 5 February 2007
Peter Eichhorn, one of the founding directors of Allen & Unwin (A&U), has resigned his position as finance and distribution director. 'At a farewell function before Christmas on the rooftop terrace at...

Final Harry Potter out on 21 July 

Thursday, 1 February 2007
As first reported in a WBN Special Bulletin last week, the seventh and final Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, will have a worldwide release on Saturday 21...

Around the world 

Tuesday, 30 January 2007
In our Around the World blog this week:Is AMS headed for liquidation?Shafak cuts US tour after Dink murderT S Eliot Prize for Seamus Heaneyto see more, click here

Coetzee moves to Text 

Tuesday, 30 January 2007
Text Publishing has announced that is has signed a new novel by Nobel laureate and double Booker-winner J M Coetzee. Diary of a Bad Year will be published in Australia...

Flannery named 2007 Australian of the Year 

Tuesday, 30 January 2007
Tim Flannery, author of The Weather Makers (Text) and a number of other books on nature and the environment, has been named Australian of the Year for 2007. Flannery, who...

Golden Aurealis for Will Elliot 

Tuesday, 30 January 2007
ABC Fiction Award-winner Will Elliot has taken out the Golden Aurealis, the highest award in Australian speculative fiction, for his debut novel The Pilo Family Circus (ABC Books).Elliot was presented...

Forthcoming events 

Tuesday, 30 January 2007
Trade events coming up over the next week, as shown on our events calendar, include several overseas book fairs: the International Book Fair in Cairo, the Kolkata Book Fair and...

Bestsellers this week 

Tuesday, 30 January 2007
After several weeks in the top 10, Kim Edward's family drama The Memory Keepers Daughter has finally taken out the top spot. The bestselling title also made it into this...

Hoy joins Hachette as sales & marketing director 

Tuesday, 30 January 2007
Hachette Livre Australia has announced the appointment of Matt Hoy as sales and marketing director of its Little, Brown division. Hoy, currently senior national accounts manager at Allen & Unwin,...

Memorial tribute for Neil Curtis 

Tuesday, 30 January 2007
A memorial tribute for Neil Curtis, who sadly passed away on Monday 11 December last year, will be held on Sunday 4 February at 2pm, Middle Park Bowling Club, Canterbury...

Vale Neil Curtis 

Tuesday, 30 January 2007
Era Publications writes: ‘On the occasion of the memorial held for illustrator Neil Curtis, the team at Era Publications offers sincere condolences to his partner and son.Neil was a fantastic...

New BEA website 

Tuesday, 30 January 2007
Book Expo America (BEA) has launched a new website at http://www.bookexpoamerica.com, designed to be ‘a more effective, year-round tool in building relationships,' according to event director Lance Festerman.Many new features...

Six Audie nominations for Bolinda 

Tuesday, 30 January 2007
Australian audiobook publisher Bolinda has six of its titles in the running for the Audies, the annual US-based audiobook awards.The six Bolinda titles are:Knitting (Anne Bartlett, read by Beverley Dunn),...

RiP Ryszard Kapuscinski 

Tuesday, 30 January 2007
Polish writer and journalist Ryszard Kapuscinski has died of cancer at the age of 73. As the Polish Press Agency's sole foreign correspondent during the 1960s and 70s, Kapuscinski travelled...

Contemporary fiction festival 

Monday, 29 January 2007
The NSW Writers' Centre has added a new event to its calendar: the Contemporary Australian Fiction Festival.The inaugural Contemporary Australian Fiction Festival will be held on Saturday 26 March, with...

Abdel-Fatah on deciBel longlist 

Monday, 29 January 2007
Young Australian Muslim author Randa Abdel-Fatah has been named on the longlist for the UK's deciBel Writer of the Year award, for her debut YA novel Does My Head Look...

Henderson joins Hachette; promotion for Radnidge 

Tuesday, 23 January 2007
Fiona Henderson has been appointed as a publisher at Hachette Livre Australia.‘Fiona's appointment, along with Vanessa Radnidge's recent promotion to publisher, effectively doubles Hachette's commissioning capacity and, along with a...

Hardie Grant appointments and promotions 

Tuesday, 23 January 2007
Hardie Grant Books MD Julie Pinkham has announced a number of recent appointments and promotions.Fran Berry has been promoted to publishing director. ‘Fran will now lead the publishing endeavours of...

Funtastic?s Scott a new publishing GM 

Tuesday, 23 January 2007
Mark Scott has been formally appointed as general manager of Funtastic's publishing division.Scott has been acting in the role for the last four months, overseeing a restructure of Funtastic's publishing...

Bestsellers this week 

Tuesday, 23 January 2007
The big Christmas sellers continue to wield their influence on the bestsellers charts this week; looks like all those people who weren't lucky enough to find a copy of The...

Aurealis shortlist announced 

Tuesday, 23 January 2007
The shortlists for the Aurealis Awards, Australia's premier awards for speculative fiction, have been announced.With 12 categories covering science fiction, fantasy and horror novels and short stores for adults and...