Kate Mildenhall’s debut novel Skylarking is about the ferocity of young female friendship: teenagers Kate and Harriet live on remote cape in 1880s NSW and are inseparable until a mysterious, older fisherman arrives and disrupts their world. Skylarking has been compared to Hannah Kent’s Burial Rites and has received praise for its evocative illustration of the intense bond between young women. In this piece, Kate shares the literary friendships that inspired her, both as a writer and when she was growing up. 

What do 30 Rock, American Dad! and The Office have in common? Steve Hely wrote for them! He also penned the acclaimed literary satire How I Became A Famous Novelist (which won the Thurber Prize for American Humour) and travel memoir The Wonder Trail (which received this review in the New York Times – ‘if you can let Mr. Hely’s joking offset his featherweight work ethic, there aren’t many who make better company.’)

So, basically he’s a funny guy. Black Inc. is delighted to welcome Steve to Australia in August for Melbourne Writers Festival. Here, Steve offers his essential, bare-bones tips for writers, comedy and otherwise.

Tom Griffiths new, landmark work The Art of Time Travel explores the craft of discipline and imagination that is history and received glowing praise on release last month. The Australian called it ‘a manifesto for a new understanding of Australia’ and the Monthly recommended that it ‘should be in every school and library’.

In his launch speech at The Australian National University, Frank Bongiorno offered his own thoughts on why the books is such a special one: ‘The Art of Time Travel will explain to such readers better than any other book I know what it is that historians do, and why what they do should matter to everyone.’ Read his speech in full below.

Jess Hill has won the inaugural Women's Leadership in Media award.

Skylarking is the debut novel from Kate Mildenhall, based on true events that occurred near Jervis Bay between two best friends, Kate and Harriet, in the 1880s. Lucy Treloar called it ‘a brave, beautiful and richly textured book that delicately explores the fault lines in love and friendship’. It is Aviva Tuffield’s first acquisition for Black Inc. and has a stunning, heart-breaking ending.

In August, Kate will appear at Byron Bay Writers Festival, Bendigo Writers Festival and Melbourne Writers Festival, as well as several bookshop events in Melbourne. Kate works at State Library Victoria and lives in Hurstbridge with her family. Read an extract below.

Joan London launched The May Beetles by Baba Schwartz at the Jewish Museum of Australia on July 18th. Her launch speech is now available to read online.

Ryan O’Neill knows how to write a short story. His fiction has appeared in The Best Australian Stories, The Sleepers Almanac, Meanjin, New Australian Stories, Wet Ink, Etchings and Westerly. His work has been shortlisted for the Age Short Story Prize and he currently teaches at the University of Newcastle.

This month, we are publishing Ryan’s new collection of stories, Their Brilliant Careers. A playful set of linked stories, this comic tapestry of the writing life takes Australian writing in a whole new direction. In this revised version of one of our most popular articles, Ryan shares his secrets for novice and experienced short story enthusiasts alike.

Debut Australian literary fiction, a New York Times-bestselling essay collection, a coming-of-age memoir from one of our country’s best loved comedians and the cleverest, most cunning satire of literature in recent memory – the August line-up at Black Inc. features some of our most exciting books of 2016. We’re also giving away $500 worth of books! You can give them to your loved ones or keep them for yourself.

Black Inc. are thrilled to have acquired Ruby J. Murray’s second novel, The Biographer’s Lover.

Nona and Me by Clare Atkins has won the 2016 Northern Territory Book of the Year Award. Clare shares the award with Mary Anne Butler for Highway of Lost Hearts.