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Australians nominated for 2019 Hugo Awards

Thursday, 4 April 2019
Several Australian writers and artists are among the finalists for this year’s Hugo Awards for science-fiction. Australian author Foz Meadows has been named a finalist in the Best Fan Writer...

Scribe acquires ‘major title’ on women of ISIS

Thursday, 4 April 2019
Scribe has acquired UK and Commonwealth rights to The Guest House for Young Widows: the women of ISIS, by journalist, writer and academic Azadeh Moaveni. Scribe publisher Henry Rosenbloom describes...

Black Dog Books imprint to be absorbed into Walker’s flagship list

Wednesday, 3 April 2019
Walker Books Australia has announced that the Black Dog Books imprint will be absorbed into the flagship Walker Books Australia list from May 2019. Founded by Andrew Kelly and Maryann...

Melbourne City of Lit announces Booksellers in Residence program

Wednesday, 3 April 2019
The Melbourne City of Literature has announced a new initiative for Victorian booksellers to spend a week in an overseas bookshop in another City of Literature. Under the Booksellers in...

Storylines National Awards 2019 winners announced

Wednesday, 3 April 2019
The Storylines Children’s Literature Trust of New Zealand has announced the 2019 winners of three national awards. The winning entries in each category are: Joy Cowley Award for picture book...

Carey shortlisted for 2019 Walter Scott Prize

Wednesday, 3 April 2019
Peter Carey's novel A Long Way From Home (Penguin) has been shortlisted for the UK's Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction. Set in the 1950s, A Long Way From Home...

Scribble wins Bologna Prize for children’s publishing

Wednesday, 3 April 2019
Scribe’s picture-book list, Scribble, has won the Bologna Prize for Best Children’s Publisher of the Year in the Oceania category. Scribble was chosen from a shortlist of four, which included...

Federal government expands asset write-off scheme

Wednesday, 3 April 2019
The federal government has proposed an expansion of its ‘instant’ tax deduction threshold for small businesses, increasing the asset threshold from $20,000 to $30,000. The eligibility criteria will also be...

Gleeson, James nominated for 2020 Hans Christian Andersen Awards

Wednesday, 3 April 2019
Libby Gleeson and Ann James have been nominated by IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People) Australia as the Australian candidates for the 2020 Hans Christian Andersen Awards. Gleeson...

McGregor awarded $2000 by Kat Muscat Fellowship Committee

Tuesday, 2 April 2019
Express Media and the Kat Muscat Custodial Committee have awarded $2000 to Caitlin McGregor, to develop a ‘series of essays around care’. McGregor was highly commended for the 2019 Kat...

EWF announces 2019 festival ambassadors

Tuesday, 2 April 2019
The Emerging Writers’ Festival (EWF) has announced the five writers appointed ambassadors for the National Writers’ Conference, which runs from 22-23 June at State Library Victoria. The ambassadors are Katherine...

Thirty Big W stores to close

Tuesday, 2 April 2019
Woolworths will close approximately 30 Big W stores over the next three years, following a review of the chain’s 183 stores, reports ABC News. Two distribution centres in regional Queensland...

Hardie Grant acquires Tim Costello memoir

Tuesday, 2 April 2019
Hardie Grant has acquired world rights to a memoir by former CEO of World Vision Australia Tim Costello. The memoir, titled A Lot with a Little, will ‘take readers on...

Hachette acquires new Max Barry novel

Monday, 1 April 2019
Hachette Australia and Hodder & Stoughton have jointly acquired British Commonwealth rights to a new ‘high-concept’ novel by Max Barry, reports the Bookseller. Hodder & Stoughton associate publisher Oliver Johnson...

ALS Gold Medal 2019 longlist announced

Friday, 29 March 2019
The longlist for the 2019 Australian Literature Society (ALS) Gold Medal has been announced. The longlisted titles are: Aqua Spinach (Luke Beesley, Giramondo) Beautiful Revolutionary (Laura Elizabeth Woollett, Scribe) Blakwork...

2019 Ernest Scott Prize shortlist announced

Friday, 29 March 2019
The shortlist for the 2019 Ernest Scott Prize for History has been announced. The shortlisted titles are: Galleries of Maoriland: Artists, Collectors and the Māori World 1880–1910 (Roger Blackley, Auckland University...

Melbourne’s Embiggen Books to close

Friday, 29 March 2019
Melbourne independent bookshop Embiggen Books will close in June 2019. Co-owners Warren Bonett and Kirsty Bruce established Embiggen in Noosaville on the Sunshine Coast 12 years go, before moving to...

Literature podcasts among award finalists

Friday, 29 March 2019
The finalists of the 2019 Australian Podcast Awards have been announced. Podcasts in the literature, arts and music category are: Chat 10 Looks 3 Mamamia Book Club The Garret: Writers...

WAYRBA 2019 shortlists announced

Friday, 29 March 2019
The shortlists for the 2019 West Australian Young Readers’ Book Awards (WAYRBA) have been announced. The shortlisted titles in each category are: Picture books A Bag and a Bird (Pamela...

IPEd announces inaugural ambassadors

Friday, 29 March 2019
The Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd) has announced its inaugural ambassadors. The IPEd ambassadors are: Karin Hosking (ACT) Rebecca Harris (Qld) Matthew Sidebotham (ACT) Sophie Dougall (Qld) Hazel Baker (NSW)...

Over 200 attend 2019 Leading Edge Books conference

Wednesday, 27 March 2019
Just over 100 booksellers, more than 100 publishers and suppliers and 35 authors attended this year’s Leading Edge Books (LEB) conference, which was held in Adelaide from 17-19 March. LEB...

PRH to publish new McInerney novel, debut children’s book

Wednesday, 27 March 2019
Penguin Random House has acquired ANZ rights (including audio) to a new novel and debut children’s book by Monica McInerney. The two-book deal was struck by Fiona Inglis at Curtis...

ABA announces 2019 conference program; Halls to give keynote

Wednesday, 27 March 2019
The Australian Booksellers Association (ABA) has announced the program for its 2019 conference, to be held at Pullman Melbourne on the Park from 23-24 June. The conference will be organised around the...

First AWW from Jo Dyer attracts new audiences; Dalton tops bestsellers

Wednesday, 27 March 2019
Adelaide Writers’ Week (AWW) has reported it brought new demographics to the 2019 festival, which ran from 2-7 March 2019. In her first year as AWW director, Jo Dyer said...

Ledden-Lewis wins 2019 Kestin Indigenous Illustrator Award

Wednesday, 27 March 2019
Bundjalung artist Charmaine Ledden-Lewis has won Magabala Books’ 2019 Kestin Indigenous Illustrator Award. A freelance artist based in Blackheath, NSW, Ledden-Lewis receives $10,000, a mentorship and the opportunity to illustrate...