From this week Books+Publishing will cease publication of the Wednesday morning edition of the Daily newsletter, and will instead include the day’s news in the... Read more

The National Library of Australia is among the national collecting institutions that will be able to reopen to the public from 30 May, according to... Read more

Allen & Unwin (A&U) has acquired ANZ rights to a new nonfiction title from musician Clare Bowditch, from Pippa Masson at Curtis Brown. The Day... Read more

The annual Civica Libraries Index—produced in partnership with ALIA—has revealed the growing popularity of Australian authors among library borrowers, as well as a ‘huge spike’ in ebook and audiobook borrowing, in the year leading up to March.

The Brisbane, Canberra and Melbourne writers festivals are among the latest recipients of Copyright Agency emergency funding, as are Perth’s Centre for Stories, Sydney’s WestWords and TasWriters.

This week the winners of this year’s Text Prize and the Chief Minister’s NT Book Awards were announced. The shortlists were revealed for the Environment Award for Children’s Literature, as were the longlists for the Booksellers’ Choice 2020 Book of the Year Awards.

Overseas, Bloomsbury’s global revenue and profits were both up in 2019, however revenue was down 9% in the Australasia region. In the UK, independent publishers have spoken of their ‘huge relief’ after receiving funding from Arts Council England’s £160m emergency coronavirus package, as UK publishers prepare for a crowded autumn release schedule. In the US, the Romance Writers of America will introduce a new award—the Vivian—to replace its annual RITA awards, following the resignation of its president and board of directors earlier this year in response to accusations of racism at the organisation.

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As Covid-19 restrictions are relaxed and stores begin to reopen, long-time sales rep Mandy Wildsmith argues that bricks-and-mortar bookshops are here to stay. Nineteenth-century Melbourne... Read more

The Lost Soul Atlas (Lothian, July), Zana Fraillon’s return to the middle-grade genre, is a dual-narrative fable that follows Twig’s quest through the Afterlife and... Read more

Acquisitions Nonfiction Lyn Tranter at Australian Literary Management has sold rights to Ruby Princess: The Deadly Cruise by Duncan McNab to Pan Macmillan via Ingrid... Read more

Bluey: Big Backyard and Bluey: The Creek are first and second respectively on this week’s bestseller chart, having flipped their positions from last week. There... Read more

On a lonely highway in outback Australia sits a solitary service station run by the equally solitary Frank, whose teenage granddaughter has been sent to... Read more

This may be Greg Woodland’s debut novel, but his career as a screenwriter shows through in the dialogue—especially in his rendering of the distinctly Australian... Read more

The Lost Soul Atlas marks Zana Fraillon’s triumphant return to middle-grade after a stint writing YA and picture books, with Fraillon once again tackling significant... Read more

Children’s narrative nonfiction has come a long way since I was a child, and Carole Wilkinson’s new book about the intrepid Matthew Flinders is a... Read more

‘Kids’ minds are nimble. They quickly and easily bend to unusual styles of writing—even if they haven’t seen them before—and this in turn allows kids to see how they can explore and experiment with their own voice and their own creativity.’—author Zana Fraillon on the respect and admiration she has for young people’s ideas and their understanding of the world, and how she approaches writing for different ages.

Books+Publishing is partnering with US trade news magazine Publishers Weekly to provide our subscribers with exclusive access to the weekly digital edition of PW magazine.... Read more

NewSouth Books, a division of UNSW Press Ltd, welcomes Princeton University Press (PUP) to the group of publishers and other university presses it represents in Australia and New Zealand.

‘The PUP mission aligns with our university press at UNSW Sydney and we are long-time admirers and readers of this prestigious, award-winning list,’ said Kathy Bail, CEO, UNSW Press. ‘NewSouth Books’ customised sales and distribution services will ensure these books reach students, academics and a wide range of new readers in our community and region. We are delighted to be collaborating and working with this distinguished publisher.’

PUP International Sales Director Andrew Brewer said: ‘As a global publisher with an international author-base, we know how significant this market is. NewSouth Books’ trade sales reach and local marketing acumen are rightly revered. Their team, led by Sales & Marketing Director Jane Kembrey, is perfectly positioned to enhance Princeton University Press’ standing in the region.’

Based in Sydney, NewSouth Books will oversee regional marketing initiatives to trade and specialist readerships and partner closely with PUP on production for local market demands. The new partnership is effective 1 July 2020.

PUP books will continue Australia and New Zealand distribution with Footprint Books through 30 June 2020. PUP titles previously purchased from Footprint Books will not be accepted by NewSouth Books for return. Authorised returns relating to orders placed with Footprint should be sent to Footprint by 30 June 2020.

From 1 July 2020, all orders for PUP titles should be sent to ADS (adsc@alliancedist.com.au) or please contact your NewSouth Books Account Manager.