In an event last night the Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA) were held. This award is hosted by the Australian Publishers Association and recognises the great working in all aspects of the book industry. I prefer these awards over the Stella or the Miles Franklin simply because they celebrate great work in publishing and bookselling as well. Congratulations to all the winners and I’ll leave it to you to decide if M.L. Stedman deserved all the major awards.
- Book of the Year: The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman (Random House Australia)
- Newcomer of the Year: The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman (Random House Australia)
- Literary Fiction Book of the Year: The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman (Random House Australia)
- General Fiction Book of the Year: The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton (Allen & Unwin)
- General Non-fiction Book of the Year: QF32: The Captain’s Extraordinary Account How One of the World’s Worst Air Disasters Was Averted by Richard De Crespigny (Pan Macmillan Australia)
- Biography of the Year: Jim Stynes: My Journey by Jim Stynes and Warwick Green (Penguin Group Australia)
- Book of the Year for Older Children: The 26- Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths (Pan Macmillan Australia)
- Book of the Year for Younger Children: The Very Hungry Bear by Nick Bland (Scholastic Australia)
- Illustrated Book of the Year: The Lost Diggers by Ross Coulthart (HarperCollins Australia) and Lake Eyre: A Journey through the Heart of the Continent by Paul Lockyer (HarperCollins Australia)
- The Publishing Technology Book Innovation Award: Bolinda Publishing for: Borrowbox Digital Library Solution
- Publisher of the Year: Allen & Unwin
- Small Publisher of the Year: Text Publishing
- Distributor of the Year: United Books Distributors
- Publisher Promotional Campaign of the Year: Allen & Unwin for The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton
- Chain/ Franchise Bookseller of the Year: Dymocks Melbourne
- Independent Bookseller of the Year: Shearers Bookshop
- Specialist Bookseller of the Year: Boffins Bookshop
- Regional Bookseller of the Year: Lorne Beach Books
- Bookseller Promotional Campaign of the Year: Diary of a Reading Kid (Shearers Bookshop)