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Member only guide to the Australian book industry.
We strongly recommend you study the schedule of attending publishers and agents and make sure you understand what they are accepting at this event. Your manuscript should match the genres/categories the publisher or agent is seeking. We share this schedule, and the valuable information contained within it, to give you the best chance at preparing for the booking and pitching process.
Read our guidelines for choosing which publishers and agents to book at Virtual Literary Speed Dating, and make sure you’re best placed to nab the pitch spot you want when bookings open.
Wednesday 21 October 2026
Please note, all times are in AEDT. Please check your time zone to determine your local time.
Time slot
Publisher/Agent
Accepted genres:
Specifically seeking:
Spoilers?
10:00-11:30 am
Hachette Publishing
Lee Moir | Editor
BOOKED OUT
“Aussie content and Own Voices stories would be fantastic, but I’m happy to keep things quite broad.”
Up to the author
Walker Books
Eve Tonelli | Publisher, Australia and New Zealand
Specified genres only.
No picture books.
Yes
12:00-1:30 pm
Sarah McKenzie Literary Management
Sarah McKenzie | Agent/Director
“Page-turning stories, compelling voices, unique perspectives. Actively pursuing diverse and marginalised voices, and First Nations authors.”
Allen & Unwin
Genevieve Buzo | Associate Publisher
“I’m actively building my list with a particular focus on titles for millennial and Gen Z readers. I am looking for fiction that sits anywhere interesting or unexpected along the literary-commercial spectrum, whether that’s voice-driven with a hooky story engine, or elevated concepts accessibly told (think Tina Brown’s highbrow-lowbrow matrix). I’d love to see family sagas, particularly about mothers/sisters; novels about friendship and friend groups; novels that reveal juicy secrets about hidden worlds, from cults to schools to restaurants.
I’m open to accessibly written genre fiction (specifically fantasy, romance, romantasy, speculative and historical) a la Kaliane Bradley’s The Ministry of Time, and am looking for horror, particularly feminist horror, gothic horror, haunted houses, dark academia or witchcraft (or any combination). I’m drawn to fresh, suspenseful voices in crime and thriller and I’m also interested in publishing authors from diverse backgrounds.”
2:00-3:30 pm
Penguin Random House Australia
Meredith Curnow | Publisher
“Looking for original voices, interesting storytelling, books that worry at/work through ideas, stories that make you feel something.”
Chrysoula Aiello | Senior Editor
Annabel Barker Agency
Bella Suckling | Associate Agent
3:00-4:30 pm
Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing
Marisa Pintado | Publishing Director
“Junior fiction series accepted (not standalones) and children’s/YA graphic novels, in line with the focus of my list.”
4:00-5:30 pm
Shaw Literary
Martin Shaw | Agent
“Outstanding literary fiction, irresistible commercial fiction and strong non-fiction”
Friday 23 October 2026
What I’m looking for:
High Spot Literary
Catherine Wallace | Agent
“Please clarify whether books are standalone or part of a series.”
Melbourne University Press
Foong Ling Kong | Publisher & CEO
“We go for voice-led, ideas-led books, underpinned by sound research. Books in the MUP list are twice peer-reviewed.
Illustrated pitches are advised to look at MUP’s Miegunyah Press titles for an idea of what we publish – no lifestyle, no cookbooks.
Please ensure you view MUP’s submissions page prior to booking to ensure MUP is the right home for your work.”
Ultimo Press
Alisa Ahmed | Managing Editor
“I’m looking for character and voice driven fiction with a key point of difference – Own Voices and diverse casts are particularly interesting to me. I’d love to find accessible literary fiction that is propulsive, and commercial fiction that explore issues pertinent to our society – particularly by writers of colour.”
NewSouth Publishing
Harriet McInerney | Publisher
“Narrative and literary non-fiction. In particular history, politics, popular science, environment, essays and experimental approaches to non-fiction.”
Sally Heath | Publisher, Adult Non-Fiction
“Commercial Australian stories.”
Affirm Press
Laura Franks | Editor
“Specifically looking for cosy sci-fi and “weird” fiction, and works from diverse voices based long-term in Australia.”
Hardie Grant Publishing
Pam Brewster | Publishing Director
Text Publishing
Penny Hueston | Senior Editor
Yes / Up to the author
The accepted genre information listed in the event schedule may differ to the general submission guidelines listed on the websites of the publishers/agents. Only the genres listed in the below schedule will be accepted at this event.
Virtual Literary Speed Dating booking cancellations are not entitled to any refund or credit, as per our refund policy, so please take care when making your booking.
If you are booking two pitches, you must book them in the same booking form.
This manuscript should be the one that you detail as part of your booking.
