Daily Book News Thursday, 15th January 2026
DAILY SUMMARY:
A rights‑hungry Wednesday saw publishers snapping up debuts and long series, while prizes and protests kept the literary world buzzing. Open Road bought RosettaBooks, HarperCollins nabbed Meg Mason’s next novel, Canelo scored a 10‑book queer hockey romance series, and a deluge of appointments and departures signalled shifting fortunes in the trade..
Publishing Industry News
Fleet, the UK imprint of Little, Brown, has acquired Observer columnist Séamas O’Reilly’s first novel, giving the columnist’s fictional debut a home and promising readers more of his trademark wit.
Academic publisher Boydell & Brewer is finalising a deal to purchase the James Clarke and Lutterworth Press imprints, expanding its specialist list and preserving two respected religious‑publishing brands.
Open Road Integrated Media has bought RosettaBooks’ catalogue of more than 700 classic titles – including *Brave New World* and *I Am Legend* – bringing two ebook pioneers together and keeping Rosetta’s founder Arthur Klebanoff on as a consultant.
HarperCollins Australia picked up ANZ rights to Meg Mason’s forthcoming novel *Sophie, Standing There* via Curtis Brown, with publisher Catherine Milne calling the “cheerful” story a rebellious departure from Mason’s darkly comic *Sorrow and Bliss*.
UK publisher Canelo snapped up world English print rights to Eden Finley and Saxon James’s self‑published *Puckboys* series in a ten‑book deal, aiming to give the ice‑hockey‑set MM romances – originally Kindle hits – a wider print audience.
Picador has acquired Daniel Trilling’s upcoming non‑fiction work on nationalism and the far right, describing it as an urgent exploration of how far‑right ideas cross borders; the book is scheduled for April release.
Design magazine Cultural Union is launching a luxury print publishing arm, promising a series of high‑end books on global architecture and design, with the first titles due next month.
Independent comics publisher Oni Press has appointed Sam Kusek as director of business development; the Kickstarter alumnus will oversee crowdfunding strategy, licensing and new product lines for comics, games and merchandise.
Jamie Raab is leaving her role as publisher‑at‑large at Macmillan after seven years to focus on childhood literacy and political activism, capping a distinguished career that included co‑founding Celadon Books.
Travel guide publisher Lonely Planet recruited Simon & Schuster veteran Colin Shields as senior director of sales and marketing for North America, hoping his decades of distribution expertise will expand its footprint.
Hachette UK has named Ella Patel as head of diversity, equity and inclusion; the THRIVE co‑chair and former Quercus fiction publicity head will spearhead initiatives to diversify the publisher’s workforce and authorship.
Canadian independent publisher Orca Book Publishers has purchased Polestar Calendars, the long‑running calendar company founded in the 1980s, broadening Orca’s product range beyond books.
Vancouver’s Arsenal Pulp Press announced that Jaguar Book Group will handle Canadian distribution of its titles from February 1, 2026, while Ampersand Inc. continues as sales agent.
Kids Can Press has promoted Jennifer Grimbleby to senior managing editor and Genie MacLeod to senior production editor after long service at the children’s publisher.
PowerHouse Books will no longer be distributed by Simon & Schuster Australia after 31 December 2025; the distributor requested return authorisation requests by 1 February and physical stock by 3 March 2026.
The 53rd New Delhi World Book Fair opened on 10 January and is projected to draw over two million attendees; the free‑entry event hosts more than 1,000 publishers from 35 countries and features rights tables and a CEO‑only conference, underscoring India’s booming ₹80 000 crore book market.
A TNPS report notes that Yemen’s decade‑long conflict has paradoxically sparked a literary renaissance: writers have pivoted from poetry to novels, won regional awards and, in exile, self‑publish works and negotiate translations, creating fresh acquisition prospects.
With more than 100 authors withdrawing and director Louise Adler resigning, Adelaide Writers’ Week was cancelled; the same controversy saw author Craig Silvey charged with possessing child exploitation material and his books pulled from curricula.
Author Craig Silvey appeared in court facing charges of possessing and distributing child exploitation material; police alleged he might hinder the investigation, though he was granted bail.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson launched the UK’s National Year of Reading with ambassadors ranging from authors Frank Cottrell Boyce, Nadia Shireen and Richard Osman to footballer Leah Williamson and actor Paterson Joseph, aiming to spark a national love of books.
Self‑Publishing & Independent Publishing News
After selling over a million ebooks and audiobooks online, Eden Finley and Saxon James’s hockey‑romance series *Puckboys* will hit print shelves thanks to a world‑English deal with Canelo, highlighting how indie successes can attract traditional publishers.
Academic & Scholarly Publishing
Scotland’s government extended its “fair work” policies to universities, requiring them to tackle zero‑hour contracts, pay gaps and inequalities before receiving Scottish Funding Council grants, with implementation set for 2027.
A Royal Geographical Society report found that academic precarity pushes scholars on short contracts to undertake “safer” projects to secure employment; researchers said fixed‑term contracts undermine well‑being and discourage more adventurous work.
Times Higher Education reports that scholars from information science to philosophy are building large TikTok followings to explain research on AI, ethics and other topics, arguing that meeting audiences on algorithm‑driven platforms counters misinformation and justifies public funding.
The Scholarly Kitchen summarised feedback on UKRI’s open‑access policy: researchers and librarians praised the principle but warned that metadata requirements, grant identifiers and repository plugins were confusing, urging funders and publishers to simplify compliance.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services reopened applications for its FY26 discretionary grant programmes after legal uncertainties, encouraging libraries to apply for heritage preservation, workforce development and digital infrastructure funds.
Notable Book News & Book Reviews
The inaugural Nero Book Awards crowned Benjamin Wood’s dystopian novel *Seascraper* (fiction), Sarah Perry’s memoir *Death of an Ordinary Man* (non‑fiction), Claire Lynch’s *A Family Matter* (debut fiction) and Jamila Gavin’s children’s book *My Soul, A Shining Tree*, each winning £10,000.
Quill & Quire’s spring preview highlighted a wave of novels from Yann Martel, Don Gillmor, Wayne Johnston and others, including the final translation of Marie‑Claire Blais’s *Soifs* series, promising a rich season for Canadian fiction.
The magazine’s preview of 2026 picture books spotlighted titles such as *A Friend Is a Friend Is a Friend*, *Bollywood Beat!*, *A Door Is to Open* and more, hinting at themes ranging from intergenerational friendship to cultural dance and quirky imagination.
BookBrunch reports that comic artists Jamie Smart and Neill Cameron will headline the Phoenix Comic Fest in 2026 alongside a slate of children’s authors and illustrators, promising a star‑studded celebration of comics.
The Caine Prize marked its 25th anniversary by honouring Zimbabwean author NoViolet Bulawayo with the Best of Caine Award and holding celebratory events in Zimbabwe, reflecting the prize’s impact on African literature.
At the UK’s National Year of Reading launch, politicians and footballers joined best‑selling authors to champion literacy and encourage a national reading movement, underscoring the campaign’s broad appeal.
The BBC reported that Booker‑winning author Julian Barnes will stop writing fiction after publishing his forthcoming novel *Departure(s)*; the 79‑year‑old said he hopes his last book is “a good one to go out on,” capping a career spanning over four decades.
The Guardian’s review of former actor Jennette McCurdy’s debut novel praises its unflinching portrait of a college student’s affair with her professor and the wider generational wounds behind it, describing the book as a darkly funny follow‑up to her memoir.
Critic Fiona Sturges writes that Griffiths’s memoir begins with her learning of poet Kamilah Aisha Moon’s death during her wedding to Salman Rushdie and weaves grief, rage and resilience through personal and societal tragedies.
After author Craig Silvey was charged with child exploitation offences, schools in Western Australia and Victoria removed his novels from reading lists and halted stage adaptations, prompting debate over separating art from artists.
NPR’s round‑up of 20 discussion‑worthy reads, including *Audition*, *Buckeye*, *Cursed Daughters* and *Death of the Author*, promises to rescue indecisive book clubs with varied genres and themes.
Lit Hub reports that the 2026 Story Prize finalists are Andre Alexis (*Other Worlds*), Lydia Millet (*Atavists*) and Ayşegül Savaş (*Long Distance*); one will receive the US$20,000 award for the year’s best short‑story collection.
Five writers – Johanna Hedva, LaTasha N. Nevada Diggs, Lauren Rebecca Weinstein, Mayukh Sen and Sarah Aziza – were named 2026 United States Artists Writing Fellows, each receiving a US$50,000 unrestricted grant to support their creative work.
Quill & Quire notes that Canadian novelist Andre Alexis is a finalist for the 2026 US$20,000 Story Prize for his collection *Other Worlds*, joining Lydia Millet and Ayşegül Savaş.
Obituaries remember Hal Wake, the long‑time artistic director of the Vancouver Writers Fest and former CBC Radio host, who died at home on 7 January; colleagues praised his championing of diverse voices and his gentle leadership.
Books+Publishing summarised a New York Times report: U.S. print book sales held steady at 707 million units in 2025, with adult fiction driving growth at 184 million units, while nonfiction and YA slumped; industry challenges include higher costs, AI disruption and book bans.
The Indie Book Awards revealed their 2026 shortlists across six categories, celebrating fiction, nonfiction, debut fiction, illustrated nonfiction, children’s and YA titles by Australian authors and praising the creativity and diversity of the nominees.
