Weekly Book Newsletter (end March 2022)
28 May 2014

Angela Meyer’s ‘Captives’ x

In her first book of fiction, writer and literary journalist Angela Meyer demonstrates her gift for painting vivid pictures with a few adroit, restrained brush strokes. ‘Few’... Read more
 

Craig Sherborne’s ‘Tree Palace’ x

Set in the Wimmera Mallee in Victoria’s north-west, award-winning author Craig Sherborne’s second novel Tree Palace is about a group of street smart survivors living on society’s... Read more
 

Miller receives Melbourne Uni lifetime achievement award x

Alex Miller was presented in May with the University of Melbourne Faculty of Arts Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award. The award is given to ‘an individual who... Read more
 

‘Sydney Review of Books’ expands newsletter x

The Sydney Review of Books has launched an expanded newsletter, which includes a weekly round-up of literary news and events. Editor James Ley told Books+Publishing... Read more
 

New Tasmanian literary journal launched

Tasmania-based Walleah Press publisher Ralph Wessman and writer Jane Williams have launched a new online-only literary journal. The first issue of Communion is online now... Read more
 

Death in July festival to run in Ballarat x

The inaugural Death in July festival for Australian women’s crime writing will be held at the Museum of Australian Democracy in Ballarat, Victoria from 4-5... Read more
 

Alison Wong selected for writers’ exchange in China x

Author and poet Alison Wong will take part in an inaugural writers’ exchange in China this year, reports Booksellers NZ. Wong, a New Zealand writer... Read more
 

Auckland mayor announces new writers’ grant worth NZ$10,000 x

Auckland mayor Len Brown has announced a new writers’ grant worth NZ$10,000 (A$9266) per year, reports Scoop. Speaking at the Auckland Writers Festival on 15 May,... Read more
 

NZ author wins Jim Baen contest x

New Zealand author Sean Monaghan has won the 2014 Jim Baen Memorial Writing Contest for his short story ‘Low Arc’. The award, which is presented in... Read more
 

NSW Writers’ Centre announces Kids & YA Festival x

The NSW Writers’ Centre will hold a Kids & YA Festival on 28 June with panels, workshops and discussions on children’s writing and publishing, to be... Read more
 

In brief x

Thousands participate in National Simultaneous Storytime Over 460,000 participants in 3100 libraries, schools and childcare centres took part in National Simultaneous Storytime at 11am on... Read more
 

Melbourne’s Dockland library to hold grand opening x

The City of Melbourne will hold a grand opening for The Library at the Dock in Melbourne’s Docklands on 31 May. The event will showcase the... Read more
 

ALIA releases library trends reports x

The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) has released a series of reports into the future of the Australian library and information sector. The reports... Read more
 

International library news x

OverDrive to distribute Smashwords titles In the US, ebook provider OverDrive will distribute titles from self-publishing platform Smashwords, reports Publishers Weekly. As part of a... Read more
 

Comments from abroad: Pintado, Chambers and McDonald on children’s publishing x

How does the children’s and YA book market in Australia compare with those overseas? Three children’s books experts—Marisa Pintado from Hardie Grant Egmont, Susannah Chambers... Read more
 

Bookseller entrepreneur: Mitchell Kaplan x

Bookshop owner and former president of the American Bookseller’s Association Mitchell Kaplan gave the keynote speech at this year’s Australian Bookseller’s Association conference in Melbourne.... Read more
 

Holland-Batt appointed poetry editor at ‘Island’ x

Sarah Holland-Batt has been appointed poetry editor at Island. Holland-Batt is a lecturer in creative writing and literary studies at Queensland University of Technology and... Read more
 

Collins appointed to SWF board x

The Sydney Writers’ Festival has appointed Peter Collins to the festival’s board of directors. In a statement announcing Collins’ appointment, the festival said Peter Shergold... Read more
 

Society of Editors (NSW): blurbs and publicity workshop x

The Society of Editors (NSW) will hold a professional development workshop on 21 June with freelance editor Susan Keogh on writing effective blurbs and publicity material. Keogh will... Read more

Self-published author Lili St Germain signs global deal with HarperCollins x

HarperCollins is delighted to announce a three-book deal with bestselling author Lili St. Germain. Lili, a Perth-based mother who started writing fiction on maternity leave, is the creator of the chart-topping Seven Sons series – a gripping dark romance set in the outlaw world of biker clubs with a heroine who is determined to take revenge on the men who destroyed her family and left her for dead. The Cartel trilogy returns to the world of the Gypsy Brothers Motorcycle Club and traces the events leading up to Seven Sons.

The first four titles in the Seven Sons series – Seven Sons, Six Brothers, Five Miles, Four Score – have sold nearly a quarter of a million copies worldwide since January 2014. Lili was Smashwords’ no.1 bestselling author on the release of Six Brothers in February 2014 and Four Score shot to the top of the charts on its release this week.

HarperCollins Australia’s Commercial Fiction Publisher Anna Valdinger says, “From the first chapter I knew I had to publish Lili. There is an immediacy and pace to her writing that keeps you utterly hooked, the sexual tension sizzles off the page – plus she has a wicked way with a cliffhanger. Lili St. Germain is a highly successful and proactive author but I am confident that the team at HarperCollins can build her to even greater heights, taking her to a broader audience in Australia as well as in other English speaking and foreign language markets.”

Lili says, “I’m thrilled to be working with HarperCollins, and I couldn’t be happier that they approached me. They know my world, they love my characters and they support my vision. From the moment I was asked what I’d like to work on next, I knew the Cartel series and HarperCollins would be a force to be reckoned with. I’m looking forward to a long and mutually enjoyable partnership.”

HarperCollins will be publishing the first book, Cartel, in print and e-book internationally in February 2015, with Kingpin following in June 2015 and Empire concluding the trilogy in October 2015. All three books are available for pre-order now.

 

Hillary Clinton memoir published 10th June 2014 x

Hillary Clinton’s memoir, Hard Choices, is published globally on 10/6/14. Hard Choices is Hillary Clinton’s personal chronicle of her years at the centre of world events and shows how those events drive her view of the future.  Media interest is unprecedented and Simon & Schuster are supporting its publication with our biggest campaign ever. Make sure you have enough stock on publication. All orders to UBD on 1800 33 88 36.

 

Bloomsbury congratulates James Ley x

Bloomsbury would like to congratulate James Ley, winner of the 2014 Pascall Prize for Criticism, awarded at the Sydney Writers’ Festival last Friday. James’s literary criticism has appeared in many publications, including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Australian, Australian Book Review and The Times Literary Supplement. His commitment to long-form literary criticism led him to become editor of the Sydney Review of Books, an online journal that publishes essays and criticism by Australian writers every week. Bloomsbury will publish James’s book, The Critic in the Modern World: Public Criticism from Samuel Johnson to James Wood, next month.

 

HarperCollins launches direct-to-digital publishing list for unearthed new talent x

HarperCollins Australia has unveiled an exciting opportunity for unearthed writers with a new direct-to-digital publishing list. Harper Impulse ebooks are fun, fast-paced reads in all commercial genres from epic fantasy to erotica. The first tranche of titles will be released internationally on June 1.

Impulse Editor Kate Steinweg says, ‘it’s exciting to have a digital channel through which to launch new talent we believe in. We’re looking for writers who know how to tell a grippingly good story, and have already found many wonderful authors through our newly launched manuscript portal, The Wednesday Post.’

HarperCollins Publishing Director Shona Martyn says ‘the changing world of publishing provides both challenges and opportunities. With the closure of many bricks-and-mortar bookstores, sadly it has become harder for publishers to launch new authors into print because of simple economies of scale.  Fortunately the ability to publish direct-to-digital means we can give even more authors opportunities to find their market.’

Impulse ebooks will be available through all major e-retailers worldwide.

For more information on our eclectic list of titles, visit: itunes.com.au/harperimpulse

For media enquires, contact sarah.barrett@harpercollins.com.au

 

‘Minecraft’ tops the charts – place orders now to secure stock x

Minecraft has topped the Australian charts two weeks in a row now, with both Combat and Construction Handbooks taking #1 and #2 on this week’s Nielsen BookScan chart (all four titles in the top 15) .

The UK has just reported the fourth consecutive week at #1 in Nielsen BookScan charts. Minecraft: The Official Beginner’s Handbook has spent the last 100 days in the bestseller charts in the UK.

As many of you are already know, there has been unprecedented demand for Minecraft book product and, due to various factors, there has been a worldwide stock shortage. This has been frustrating for fans, retailers and ourselves and we have been doing everything we can to ensure stock is available in our market.

To this end, we now have three significant shipments of stock arriving from July until the end of the year. We urge you to work closely with your Hardie Grant Egmont sales manager on stock allocations and to place orders by 5th July to guarantee your success in this juggernaut. The stock issues we are facing around the globe mean that without allocations and orders we cannot guarantee supply.

Please also note that due to factors outside of our control all Minecraft Handbooks will be A$16.95  /NZ$16.99 from 1 July 2014.

Place your orders with your Hardie Grant Egmont sales rep by 5th June to ensure supply.

Three Shipments:
Into Store: 1st week of August
Into Store: 1st week September
Into Store: 1st week November

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

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