AGP Executive Report

Romantasy Rush: Sarah J. Maas’s latest A Court of Thorns and Roses novel drew midnight crowds to bookshops across Australia, with the release tapping into BookTok’s booming romantasy readership. AI and Publishing: Australian publishers are explaining how they assess whether books were written by AI, as calls grow for fairer copyright protections for creators. New Australian Books: Singer-songwriter Ziggy Alberts will publish his first children’s book, No Fin Steve, on November 10; meanwhile, fans of Midnight Oil are launching a book celebrating late drummer Rob Hirst. Writers and Readers: Adelaide Writers’ Week has revealed its new program, and the federal government is backing young readers with a $1.1 million book boost.

AI and Copyright: UNSW’s proposed Copyright Plus framework would give Australian creators more control over AI use of their work and a share of the value it generates. That debate is gaining urgency: an ARIA poll found most Australians oppose changing copyright laws for big tech, while publishers are watching for signs of AI-written books. New Voices: Twelve-year-old Newcastle poet Blake Mackenzie won the Australian Poetry Slam’s youth title with poems on racism and AI; he and adult champion Bivor share a $20,000 prize package, including publishing opportunities. Literary Events: Adelaide Writers’ Week has unveiled its new program. Readers and Writers: Labor has pledged $1.1 million to support young readers.

New Releases: Sarah J. Maas’s latest ACOTAR novel hit Australian shelves on 27 October, drawing fans to midnight launches and strong first-day sales. Australian Music & Books: Midnight Oil fans have helped preserve Rob Hirst’s drum kit for the Australian Performing Arts Collection; the gathering also marked the launch of his posthumous book, World Is Almost at Peace. Publishing Industry: IVE Group has installed a new automated digital book-production line at its Western Sydney site, boosting its capacity for fast-turnaround, short-run printing. Australian Stories: Adelaide author Evie Kanakaris has published the first book in a children’s series teaching Greek, inspired by her family’s efforts to keep their language and heritage alive. Adelaide Writers’ Week has also unveiled its new program. AI & Copyright: ARIA polling reports most Australians oppose changing copyright laws to benefit big tech, a debate with major implications for writers and publishers.

Bookshop Buzz: Fino Books has opened in North Fitzroy, with poetry nights, story time and writers’ workshops bringing local readers together. Young Readers: Labor is backing young readers with a $1.1 million book boost, while 12-year-old poets from Newcastle and Alice Springs have been named Australia’s 2026 Poetry Slambassadors. AI and Copyright: An ARIA poll found strong public opposition to changing copyright laws for AI, as authors who paid to publish their books allege poor service and AI-generated art. Publishing Industry: APC is set to close after 46 years as Future exits Australian print publishing. Australian Books: Author and illustrator Terry Denton, known for his work with young readers, has died. Australian Brands Abroad: News Corp has licensed the Delicious name to a UK publisher, bringing the magazine back there after its former publisher collapsed.

Poetry: Newcastle school student Blake Mackenzie and Alice Springs poet Bivor won the 2026 Australian Poetry Slam, sharing a $20,000 prize and performance opportunities at home and overseas. Bookshops: Fino Books has opened in Melbourne’s North Fitzroy, with a handpicked mix of new and secondhand titles, poetry nights, story time and writers’ workshops. Copyright: An ARIA poll found most Australians oppose changing copyright laws to benefit AI companies, keeping the interests of authors and publishers in focus. Publishing: APC is set to close after 46 years as Future exits Australian print. Young Readers: Labor has committed $1.1 million to support young readers.

Children’s Books: Indigenous translators and illustrators have teamed up with the AFP on two picture books in Western Arrarnta and Old Tiwi, helping children and parents learn about online safety in culturally appropriate ways. AI and Copyright: A new poll finds most Australians oppose giving AI companies free rein to train on locally made books, films and music as the government weighs copyright rules. Young Readers: Labor is backing young readers with a $1.1 million book boost. Publishing Practices: Authors say they paid hundreds to publish their books but received poor service and AI-generated art, raising fresh concerns about paid publishing services.

Author Services: Australian writers say they paid hundreds of dollars to Patrick White Publishing for poor editing and illustrations they allege were AI-generated. Young Readers: Labor has pledged $1.1 million for a book-focused initiative to support young readers. AI and Copyright: Campaigners warn that weakening Australia’s copyright protections could let AI companies use creative work without permission. Print Publishing: APC is set to close after 46 years as publisher Future exits Australian print. Remembering Terry Denton: The Australian children’s author and illustrator has died.

Readers and Schools: Labor has pledged $1.1 million for young readers, putting book access back on the Australian agenda. Publishing Pressures: APC is set to close after 46 years as Future exits Australian print, while the delayed Powerhouse cookery book has drawn criticism. AI and Copyright: Australian creatives and media groups are warning that weakening copyright protections for AI companies could leave creators with less control over their work. New Australian Writing: A Claremont writer and ecologist has won WA’s Hungerford Award for a debut manuscript. Remembering Terry Denton: The beloved Australian author and illustrator has died. Fiction News: Liane Moriarty’s follow-up to Big Little Lies turns again to the darker side of suburban Australia.

Australian Publishing: Future is exiting Australian print, with APC set to close after 46 years — another blow to the local publishing landscape. Books and Museums: The $1.5 million Australian Culinary Archive cookbook, planned for Powerhouse Parramatta’s opening, has slipped to 2027 after years of work. Children’s Books: Illustrator and author Terry Denton has died at 76. Best known for the bestselling 13-Storey Treehouse series with Andy Griffiths, he helped draw generations of young readers into books. Copyright and AI: Australian creatives’ concerns are growing, with international media groups warning against weakening copyright laws for AI companies. Australian Stories: Michael B Barry’s new history Catalpa recounts the daring 1876 Fremantle Prison escape that took six Irish Fenians to freedom.

Terry Denton: The much-loved Australian illustrator has died aged 76. Best known for the anarchic 13-Storey Treehouse books with Andy Griffiths, Denton created more than 90 books; The 78-Storey Treehouse became the fastest-selling book in Australian publishing history. Copyright and AI: International media groups have backed Australian creatives’ warning over proposed copyright changes, amid reports that Kylie Minogue and Nick Cave’s work has been used to train AI without compensation. Books and readers: A new biography by Jeff Sparrow revisits poet and political organiser Lesbia Harford, whose work was largely overlooked during her lifetime. Romantasy’s rapid rise is also in focus as a new A Court of Thorns and Roses instalment reaches readers. Print industry: Trade title APC is set to close after 46 years as owner Future exits Australian print.

AI and Copyright: An Australian warning says weakening copyright protections for AI companies could trigger a “race to the bottom”. A view from the Frankfurt Book Fair argues AI can assist writing, but authorship rests with the human making the creative decisions. New Reads: This week’s fiction and non-fiction picks range from revenge and romance to parenting and peasant history, alongside a new illustrated Harry Potter edition. Readers’ Events: Australian authors shortlisted for the Stella Prize will appear at a free Ruffy event, while an Australian singer is starting a book club with Jack Kerouac’s On the Road and a Sarah J. Maas novel among the first picks. Local Writing: A debut manuscript by a Claremont writer and ecologist has won Western Australia’s Hungerford Award.

Canberra Writers: Chimera Con 2026 will bring prose, comics, games and art together, with organiser Americo Alvarenga drawing on his own path from screenwriting to literary community-building. Regional Reads: Stella Prize authors are set to inspire at a free event in Ruffy. Australia’s Favourite: Tim Winton’s Cloudstreet topped ABC Radio National’s Top 100 Australian Books, chosen from 280,000 votes; The Book Thief and Boy Swallows Universe placed second and third. AI and Copyright: Australian creators are warning against weakening copyright rules for AI, as publishers say music by Kylie Minogue and Nick Cave has already been used to train models without payment. Adaptation: Australian novelist Diana Reid says writing the Sense and Sensibility screenplay meant studying Austen’s style closely—and inventing most of the dialogue herself.

Stella Prize: Former nominees Edwina Preston and Louisa Lim will headline a free Ruffy event, part of Stella’s community programming after January’s fires. New Children’s Books: This month’s picks range from Tara Crowe’s dystopian YA novel Little Mice to fantasy adventures and comic-making guides. AI and Copyright: International media groups are backing Australian creatives’ warnings over proposed copyright changes, as reports say Anthropic trained AI on pirated books by Nobel laureates including Anne Carson and Han Kang. Australian Classics: Tim Winton’s Cloudstreet topped the ABC’s countdown of Australia’s 100 best books.

AI and Copyright: Australian creators are warning against proposed copyright changes as reports say AI models trained on Kylie Minogue and Nick Cave’s work without payment. The dispute reaches books, too: pirated works by Anne Carson and Han Kang were reportedly used to train Anthropic’s AI. Australian Classics: Tim Winton’s Cloudstreet has topped the ABC’s countdown of Australia’s 100 best books. New Australian Fiction: WA writer Rebecca Higgie is exploring the afterlife in a near-future novel set in Perth.

AI and Copyright: A court found Anthropic infringed copyright by downloading millions of pirated books to train Claude. Reporting says works by 25 of the 27 Nobel literature laureates since 2000 were caught up, including Anne Carson and Han Kang. The UK Society of Authors has also withdrawn from an ethical-AI charter after member backlash; Australia’s Society of Authors remains a co-creator. Australian Books: Tim Winton’s Cloudstreet topped ABC Radio’s poll of the 100 best Australian books, while Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies sequel turns its attention to suburban Australia. Books on Screen: Sarah Bailey’s crime novel The Dark Lake is heading to television, with filming in Perth next year expected to create about 300 local jobs. Creative Rights: International music publishers say Kylie Minogue and Nick Cave recordings were used to train AI without permission or payment, as debate over Australian copyright protections intensifies.

AI and Copyright: Music publishers say AI companies are pressuring Australia to weaken copyright rules, while songs by Kylie Minogue and Nick Cave have already been used to train AI without payment. Australian Fiction: Canberra’s “Little Bones” has taken the city’s top book award, while Tim Winton has shared the story behind the nation’s favourite Australian book. An ABC countdown has also prompted fresh debate after overlooking eight iconic Australian novels. New Voice: Sydney bookseller Joshua Hortinela’s debut, Hate You to Love You, brings a cosy new romance featuring a Filipino Australian lead.