To celebrate the online launch of Bookseller+Publisher’s Junior e-mag, we have three print subscriptions of B+P to help give away.

Junior is a great resource for teachers interested in children’s and young adult books. Each edition is packed with news, interviews and reviews on children’s books from around Australia and New Zealand.Junior is published three times per year as part of Bookseller+Publisher magazine and is now available as a free e-mag. View the Junior e-mag on the website:www.booksellerandpublisher.com.au/junior/

Teachers can also sign up (on the same page) to The Junior Newsletter to receive a monthly newsletter of interviews and reviews, as well as the next Junior e-mag as soon as it is published. Those who sign up to The Junior Newsletter before 15 August 2011 will have the chance to win one of three print subscriptions to Bookseller+Publisher magazine worth $140.

The winners of the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards were announced this morning and we were squealing with delight in the office to see that Cath Crowley has won the coveted award in the Young Adult category for her critically acclaimed, award-winning Graffiti Moon.

Our biggest congrats go out to Cath who has been part of the Booked Out family since 2005 and one of our most popular writers-in-residence for secondary schools in Melbourne and across Australia.

Watch a video of Cath talking about her work in schools.

The Australian Book Industry Awards shortlist have been announced and – no surprise, really – there are quite a few friendly names on the press release. Extra special excitement is reserved for Mr Benjamin Law, a relatively new addition to the Booked Out family (but we’ve loved his writing for oh, like ages). He’s shortlisted in THREE categories, including the gold logie of the awards, Book of the Year 2011.

• Benjamin Law – The Family Law

Shortlisted for Biography of the Year, Newcomer of the Year (debut writer) and Book of the Year

• Jane Godwin & Anna Walker – All Through the Year

Shortlisted for Book of the Year for Younger Children

• Freya Blackwood – Maudie and Bear

Shortlisted for Book of the Year for Younger Children

• Cath Crowley – Graffiti Moon

Shortlisted for Book of the Year for Older Children

• Morris Gleitzman – Now

Shortlisted for Book of the Year for Older Children

• Jon Bauer – Rocks in the Belly

Shortlisted for Literary Fiction Book of the Year

• Anna Krien – Into the Woods: The Battle for Tasmania’s Forests

Shortlisted for Newcomer of the Year (debut writer)

The winners will be announced on July 25.

P.S. Prime Minister’s Literary Awards announced later today…

FICTION

• Rosalie Ham – There Should be More Dancing

Margery Blandon has led a life of principles. Now she finds herself sitting on the 43rd floor of the Tropic Hotel, preparing to throw herself to her death. There Should be More Dancing is a story of Margery’s reckonings on loyalty, grief and love.

YOUNG ADULT FICTION

• Michael Gerard Bauer – Ishmael and the Hoops of Steel

Ishmael, Razz and the gang take on their final two years of high school.

• Karen Healey – The Shattering

Keri, Janna and Sione have two things in common: they each have an older brother who committed suicide, and they each have a connection with Summerton. As the three teenagers delve deeper into the mystery they uncover secrets that will shatter everything they thought they knew.

• Sue Saliba – Alaska

When Mia follows her sister halfway across the world to Alaska, she discovers that love can be found in the most unexpected and beautiful of places. But can Mia find the courage to follow her heart in Alaska? And what if the one you love is not all that you wish them to be?

JUNIOR FICTION

New titles in the Our Australian Girl series:

• Sofie Laguna – Grace and Glory
• Sherryl Clark – Rose’s Challenge
• Gabrielle Wang – Poppy and the Thief

We know, we know “the book is always better than the movie”. Still, you cannot deny the excitement of learning that a much-loved novel is about to be given a visual interpretation. With actors – no longer a description but a real face to clap eyes on!

Max Barry is no stranger to the world of book to film adaptation. All of his novels are under development for film. Famously, his cult favouriteJennifer Government has been optioned by George Clooney’s production company and Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan, The Wrestler) has signed on to direct his latest, Machine Man which hasn’t even been published yet as a hard copy book! But that’s not even what’s getting our adrenaline going.

The film adaptation of Syrup is currently being filmed in New York. And in order to allow his loyal readers to virtually tag along, Max has beenblogging and tweeting from the big apple about his experience of being “on set”. Fortunately for Max so far, there’s been no artistic clashes and he’s been gushingly ecstatic about everything from the actors to the lighting.

There’s also some pretty cool paparazzi shots here and here and if you’re still not satisfied, you can read about the development of Machine Man here.

Max’s latest novel, Machine Man comes out August 9.

Booked Out was proud to see so many of our talented speakers and friends on the shortlist for the WA Premier’s Book Awards when they were announced this week.

Congratulations to the following Booked Outers and to all the speakers who were short-listed this year. It is a tough competition, with a dramatic increase in the number of entrants this year from 2010. Winners will be announced in September.

• Scot Gardner, Happy as Larry (Young Adults)
• Leanne Hall This is Shyness (Young Adults)
• Anna Krien, Into the Woods (Non Fiction)
• Fiona McGregor “Indelible Ink” (Fiction)
• Isobelle Carmody “The Red Wind” (Children’s Books)

We’re a fortunate crew here at Booked Out. If we’re ever feeling a little low on energy or inspiration as winter gusts its way in we have some never-fail remedies to which we can turn, as warm as Esther’s hot chocolate (with marshmallows) and as sparky as a campfire. BLOGS! Who would have thought that such an unexciting word could encompass the rich medium of musings, ideas and inspiration shared so generously by all sorts of thinkers, artists and doers? And it just so happens that many of our favourites (not that we are at all biased) are created by folk we are proud to represent.

One of those is Katherine Battersby (pictured), a children’s writer and illustrator and a recent addition to our Queensland list. Her blog races around the web under the name of The Well Read Rabbit, delivering unique epistles fizzing with spark. With a lovely interplay of words and images she considers topics big and small in the realm of children’s and YA literature, hopping from rabbits to book publishing and from illustration to self doubt with a playful eye. Her visual diary images are a delight, and a fascinating insight into how ideas and experiences can be grown into images and then into books by a deft and creative hand. So if a particularly frosty southerly is blowing your way this week, grab a hot cuppa and allow yourself five minutes to drink in some impish inspiration.

• Tanya Massy, Booked Out.

Teachers, Just A Few Weeks Left to Finish Your Bookings…

Term 2 finishes in two-three weeks across Australia. Whilst we can always help with last minute bookings, now is the time you want to be wrapping up your enquiries for Book Week, Literacy Week, or any date in Term 3.

Whilst our diligent agents beaver through their to-do lists (we relate to your report writing times!), a surefire way to get ahead of the bunch is to get in touch and follow up or place your final enquiries now.

Did you know, we still have dates in Book Week and / or Literacy Week for some touring speakers such as Deb Abela, JC Burke, Michael Bauer, Brian Falkner, Corinne Fenton, Pat Flynn, Meme McDonald, James Moloney, Narelle Oliver, and David Miller?

Our resident YA know-it-all, Bec Kavanagh, takes on a recent article from the the Wall Street Journal, which slammed Young Adult Fiction for being grotesque, overly graphic, and generally more depraved than in the good old days.

She blogged her response at the site of the A Thousand Words Festival (Melbourne’s own YA festival, founded and run by Kavanagh),here.

The Wall Street Journal uses this tagline for the article: “Contemporary fiction for teens is rife with explicit abuse, violence and depravity. Why is this considered a good idea?” Kavanagh points out that the article argues it’s case with a (questionably) limited sample of only ten novels. We add that the thrust of the article seems to be confusing censorship and/or banning with active parenting.

Today alone we in the office have heard three radio shows comment on and respond to this article; and there is sure to be more. Kavanagh’s assertion in her blog that the dark side of life is more visible nowadays, and for fiction to ring true to an audience should be represented, seems to hold water. Indeed, the strength I feel in Kavanagh’s article is the importance she attaches to the relatable voice, ready and waiting to help teens through what is universally acknowledged as a tough time of life.

It is times like this that Melbourne truly does feel like the city of literature. The entire city has been buzzing about books as festivals collide in and around the city. In the past week, we Booked Outers have been soaking up the literary rays of Reading Matters, The Emerging Writers Festival and the National Young Writers Month.

At an EWF event on Monday night authors Fiona Wood, Tim Pegler and CYL program coordinator Adele Walsh discussed YA fiction with author and blogger extraordinaire Andrew McDonald. There can be no doubt that young readers are reading voraciously when multiple city venues play host to the multitudes of local and visiting authors without missing a beat. At several events recently, the notion of ‘young’ readers has been raised. Why do we classify young adult as a genre unto itself? Does this somehow patronise a readership that is reading well-written, quality fiction and is attracting more and more adult readers?

Tim Pegler suggests that we ‘own’ the genre. A good if slightly controversial idea. Perhaps the YA genre is a way to classify books that are relevant, pacey, emotionally raw and often subversive rather than a way to knock back talented authors from the shelves holding ‘general fiction’ in bookshops. This line is blurred more frequently, especially with the introduction of ‘adult’ and ‘junior’ cover for the same book. Zoe Sadokierski’s brilliant session at Reading Matters looked at this and more, and she would know, having illustrated over 200 YA book covers. Perhaps the classification is unnecessary altogether as crossover titles find their way onto shelves and reading lists for readers of all ages. Reading Matters guest (and the visitor that inspires the ‘Marcus sigh’ when his name comes up in later conversation) Marcus Zusak is an excellent example, as ‘The Book Thief’ has grabbed readers from every age and background imaginable, making them talk excitedly about the power of the written word.

YA fiction is a place for vibrant role models to leap out from pages, encouraging all kinds of readers to identify with characters and explore the world around them between the safety of two covers. A “Damsels in Distress” panel at Reading Matters saw authors Lucy Christopher, Leanne Hall and Ursula Dubosarsky talking about their female characters. A prime example of fiction that can stand proud against many pieces written for ‘adults’, the work of these authors is built around characters that later become vibrant discussion points in classrooms and schoolyards.

YA authors know what readers want. How often do you hear an adult author say that they spent all night in the park (and getting asked by youths to pose as their mother and sign a tattoo permission form) to really get out of their comfort zone to identify with their characters? Cath Crowley can truly say that she knows what it is like to walk the streets of Melbourne now at night. The fact that many adults don’t read, read very little, read fluff, or read YA fiction (!) could be seen as a thumbs up from reader to writer. Perhaps it’s because they think about their audience and what they want from a book. This issue was discussed at the Reading Matters between Richard Newsome and Oliver Pommovanh and echoed in a similar discussion by panellists at the EWF on Monday.

So perhaps it’s time to give these authors the credit that they very well deserve, and admit that we all enjoy quality fiction, regardless of the shelf it’s placed on in the book shop.

• Bec Kavanagh, Booked Out