[SIZE=4]Daily Book News Friday, 30th January 2026[/SIZE]

DAILY SUMMARY:

A wave of industry news saw new imprints and rights deals, from Puffin Press’s starry-party acquisitions and Tor’s tarot trilogy to Collective Book Studio’s Tiny Torch children’s line and a Sharjah–Cairo translation pact. The Association of American Publishers elected Tyrrell Mahoney as chair while the ABA revived its Indies Choice Book Awards, and a record-breaking year for the Audie Awards introduced four new audiobook categories. Awards news ranged from the Wingate Prize to the Crime Writers’ Association’s Diamond Dagger, with longlists released for the Ockham and Edgar awards. On the indie front, microdrama apps made billions and Ireland’s Writers Centre unveiled new opportunities, while reviewers celebrated fiction and nonfiction highlights, from Madeline Cash’s satire to George Saunders’ Bardo return.

Publishing Industry News

Collective Book Studio starts Tiny Torch Books imprint

The Collective Book Studio expanded into children’s publishing, unveiling the Tiny Torch Books imprint and appointing Rebekah Lovato Piatte to lead it. The imprint aims to publish picture books and early readers that emphasise curiosity and exploration.

Tyrrell Mahoney elected chair of AAP board

Chronicle Books president Tyrrell Mahoney was elected chair of the Association of American Publishers, leading the board for 2026–27. Joining her are vice-chair Brenna Clark Gray of Audible and secretary‑treasurer Kristin Motlagh from Disney Publishing.

NYPL Schomburg Center unveils ‘100 Black Voices’ list

The New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center curated a “100 Black Voices” list of novels, memoirs and poetry by Black writers, offering all titles in e‑book and audiobook formats to NYPL card holders to celebrate Black History Month.

ABA relaunches Indie Booksellers Awards

The American Booksellers Association revived its Indies Choice Book Awards, expanding categories for adult, young adult and children’s books. Winners will earn cash prizes and inclusion in ABA marketing campaigns, re‑energising a programme dormant since 2016.

Puffin Press unveils new acquisitions at starry party

At a glitzy launch event, Puffin Press announced a clutch of new titles for its children’s list, securing books by historian Elisabeth Kamakawiwoole, novelist Cristin Williams and actor‑writer Tamzin Merchant. The publisher touted the acquisitions as a bold statement for its forthcoming catalogue.

Tor buys Katee Robert’s tarot fantasy trilogy

Tor acquired Katee Robert’s epic fantasy trilogy “The Tarot Trials,” billed as a richly imagined adventure inspired by tarot mythology. The rights deal adds another commercial series to Tor’s lineup and signals growing appetite for fantasy romances.

White Rabbit signs Simon Reynolds’ shoegaze history

Music imprint White Rabbit snapped up Simon Reynolds’ book “Still in a Dream: Shoegaze, Slackers and the Reinvention of Rock, 1984–1994.” The deal will see the noted critic chronicle the rise and legacy of shoegaze bands, accompanied by interviews and cultural analysis.

BISG offers tools to modernise rights trading

Publishing Perspectives reported from a BISG meeting where rights professionals received new standards for translation royalty statements and digital rights management. Speakers emphasised transparent accounting and data tools to improve global rights transactions.

Unredacted files show Anthropic planned mass book scanning

The Bookseller obtained unredacted legal filings revealing that AI firm Anthropic considered destroying books during mass digitisation to train its language models. The revelation sparked renewed debate over copyright and ethical data use in artificial intelligence.

Sweet Cherry launches Salaam Cherry imprint

Children’s publisher Sweet Cherry announced Salaam Cherry, an imprint dedicated to faith‑filled stories for young Muslim readers. The imprint’s first releases will focus on joyful everyday experiences and aim to improve representation in children’s publishing.

British Book Awards names star‑studded judging panel

Organisers of the 2026 British Book Awards unveiled judges including chef Prue Leith, activist Yulia Navalnaya and Strictly star Oti Mabuse. The eclectic panel will assess categories from Fiction and Children’s to Book of the Year.

Sharjah and Cairo agree heritage translation pact

The Sharjah Institute for Heritage and Egypt’s National Centre for Translation signed a memorandum to co‑print and translate up to forty Arabic heritage titles. The agreement includes training workshops for publishers and aims to create a regional rights hub for heritage literature.

Athens Book Bazaar showcases 9,000 titles

Athens opened its 29th book bazaar with 200 publishers offering more than 9,000 titles, with books starting at a euro. The open‑air fair runs through mid‑February and hopes to boost sales amid economic challenges.

Samsung launches 13‑inch colour e‑paper display

Good e‑Reader reported that Samsung introduced a 13‑inch colour e‑paper screen designed for digital signage. The A4‑sized display features a 1600×1200 resolution, bio‑resin housing, low‑power consumption and remote content management, signalling further convergence of e‑paper and retail tech.

Self‑Publishing & Independent Publishing News

Microdrama apps generate billions; TikTok launches PineDrama

Dan Holloway’s roundup noted that mobile microdrama apps such as ReelShort and DramaBox earned billions of dollars and inspired TikTok’s new PineDrama service. The trend highlights lucrative serial storytelling platforms and potential opportunities for self‑published writers.

Irish Writers Centre opens prizes and residencies

Books Ireland spotlighted February opportunities from the Irish Writers Centre, including the Young Writer Delegates Programme and the Cúirt New Writing Prize. The initiatives offer emerging authors mentorship, residencies and cash awards for poetry, fiction and non‑fiction entries.

Audiobook News

Audie Awards finalists announced with new categories

The Audio Publishers Association announced finalists for the 31st Annual Audie Awards and revealed a record 42 percent increase in submissions. This year’s ceremony will introduce four new categories—Adaptation/Original Work, Ensemble Performance, New Voice and Production & Sound Design—and features high‑profile nominees including Beyoncé, Cher, Chris Pine and Uzo Aduba.

Notable Book News & Book Reviews

Amir Tibon wins Wingate Prize for ‘The Gates of Gaza’

BookBrunch reported that journalist Amir Tibon won the Wingate Literary Prize for his book “The Gates of Gaza,” a personal account of growing up in Israel and the blockade’s impact. The prize, awarded jointly with Jewish Quarterly, honours English‑language writing about Jewish themes.

Peter Venison claims inaugural Gambling Book of the Year

Nonagenarian author Peter Venison took the first Gambling Book of the Year award for “Sol: My Friend and Adversary, Sol Kerzner,” his biography of the flamboyant hotel tycoon. Judges praised the insider chronicle of South Africa’s casino boom.

Sherborne Prize unveils travel writing shortlist

The inaugural Sherborne Prize for Travel Writing announced a six‑book shortlist vying for its £10,000 purse. The contenders range from memoirs and nature writing to geopolitical journeys, with the winner to be named later this spring.

Ockham New Zealand Book Awards reveal longlists

Books + Publishing listed the longlists for New Zealand’s Ockham Book Awards, featuring titles across fiction, illustrated nonfiction, poetry and general nonfiction. The twenty‑four fiction contenders include novels such as “1985” and “All Her Lives,” and the longlists highlight the vibrancy of Aotearoa literature.

Australian authors make Edgar Award shortlists

The same outlet noted that several Australian writers made the 2026 Edgar Award shortlists, with Charlotte McConaghy and Katherine Kovacic nominated in the novel and juvenile categories respectively. Winners of the US crime‑writing awards will be announced in April.

ALA announces winners of annual literary awards

Frontlist reported that the American Library Association’s Youth Media Awards honoured books across categories including the Newbery and Caldecott medals. Winning titles recognised excellence in children’s and young adult literature, highlighting diverse voices and themes.

Mark Billingham receives Crime Writers’ Association’s Diamond Dagger

BBC News reported that crime novelist Mark Billingham was awarded the Crime Writers’ Association’s Diamond Dagger for sustained excellence. The honour celebrates his contributions to the genre and recognises his long‑running Tom Thorne series.

‘Lost Lambs’ by Madeline Cash – a clever satire of conspiracy culture

The Guardian’s book of the day praised Madeline Cash’s novel “Lost Lambs” as a sharp, comic take on modern conspiracy obsessions, following a dysfunctional American family through surreal escapades. Reviewers applauded its inventive language and empathy for flawed characters.

Hollie McNish’s ‘Virgin’ audiobook breaks taboos

In a Guardian audiobook review, poet Hollie McNish’s collection “Virgin” was celebrated for busting myths around purity and sex. McNish’s own narration adds humour and intimacy to essays blending memoir with feminist critique.

Graeme Base reflects on his picture‑book classics

The newspaper profiled Australian author Graeme Base, who discussed how his 1980s picture books “Animalia” and “The Eleventh Hour” became unexpected worldwide hits. Base admitted initial marketing missteps and spoke about the continuing appeal of his intricate illustrations.

‘American Psycho’ musical underscores modern masculinity crisis

A Guardian feature looked at the stage adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’s “American Psycho,” arguing that its gory satire resonates in an era of toxic masculinity and political extremism. The article connected Patrick Bateman’s obsession with status to current cultural anxieties.

George Saunders’ ‘Vigil’ revisits the Bardo

NPR’s Maureen Corrigan reviewed George Saunders’ new novella “Vigil,” noting that it returns to the liminal Bardo world from “Lincoln in the Bardo.” Corrigan found the outing witty but uneven, with Saunders satirising corporate greed through a CEO stuck between life and death.

Brooke Nevils tells her story in ‘Unspeakable Things’

NPR interviewed former NBC producer Brooke Nevils about her memoir “Unspeakable Things,” in which she recounts being sexually assaulted by anchor Matt Lauer and its aftermath. Nevils reflected on trauma, public scrutiny and reclaiming her narrative.

January’s best reviewed fiction

Literary Hub’s monthly roundup highlighted widely praised novels released in January, including Julian Barnes’s “Departure(s),” Ben Markovits’s “The Rest of Our Lives” and Daniyal Mueenuddin’s debut “This Is Where the Serpent Lives.” The list synthesised critical consensus across major review outlets.

January’s best reviewed nonfiction

A companion piece celebrated standout nonfiction, featuring titles such as Val McDermid’s “Winter,” William J. Mann’s “Black Dahlia” and Jung Chang’s “Fly, Wild Swans.” Reviewers commended the books for historical insight and narrative flair.

Lit Hub Daily: January 29 roundup

Lit Hub’s daily newsletter linked articles on artificial intelligence’s inability to feel empathy, a Ukrainian graphic novel about a 1960s uprising, a reality‑TV star’s turn as novelist and advice on query etiquette. The digest offered readers a curated selection of literary and cultural commentary.

Source & Discussion: View original thread