Transit Lounge Publishing is an independent Australian literary

small press A small press is a publisher with annual sales below a certain level or below a certain number of titles published. The terms "indie publisher" and "independent press" and others are sometimes used interchangeably. However, when a distinction ...

founded in Melbourne in 2005. It publishes literary fiction, narrative and trade non-fiction. The books it publishes show the diversity of Australian culture. Distribution is by NewSouth. Transit Lounge was founded by two librarians, Barry Scott and Tess Rice. The first book they published was ''Sing, and Don’t Cry: A Mexican Journal'' by

Cate Kennedy Cate Kennedy (born 1963) is an Australian author based in Victoria. Life and career Kennedy was born in 1963 in England at Louth, Lincolnshire. She was educated at the University of Canberra and the Australian National University. She has ...

. In 2011 they published ''Tales from the Cancer Ward,'' a memoir by filmmaker Paul Cox. It is a member of the Small Press Network, a group of small and independent Australian publishers.

Selected award-winning books

*''The English Class'' (2010) by Ouyang Yu, winner of the Multicultural Award at the 2011

New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards The New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, also known as the NSW Premier's Literary Awards, were first awarded in 1979. They are among the richest literary awards in Australia. Notable prizes include the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction, th ...

*''Exile: The Lives and Hopes of Werner Pelz'' (2012) by Roger Averill, winner of the Non-fiction book at the 2012

Western Australian Premier's Book Awards The Western Australian Premier's Book Awards is an annual book award provided by the Government of Western Australia, and managed by the State Library of Western Australia. History and format Annual literary awards were inaugurated by the Wes ...

*'' Black Rock White City'' (2015) by A. S. Patrić, winner of the 2016

Miles Franklin Award The Miles Franklin Literary Award is an annual literary prize awarded to "a novel which is of the highest literary merit and presents Australian life in any of its phases". The award was set up according to the Will (law), will of Miles Franklin ...

and his subsequent books ''Atlantic Black'' (2017) and ''The Butcherbird Stories'' (2018) *'' From the Wreck'' (2017) by Jane Rawson, winner of the 2017

Aurealis Award for best science fiction novel The Aurealis Awards are presented annually by the Australia-based Chimaera Publications and WASFF to published works in order to "recognise the achievements of Australian science fiction, fantasy, horror writers". To qualify, a work must have ...

, shortlisted for both the

Barbara Jefferis Award The Barbara Jefferis Award is an Australian literary award prize. The award was created in 2007 after being endowed by John Hinde upon his death to commemorate his late wife, author Barbara Jefferis. It is funded by his $1 million bequest. Origi ...

2018 and the Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction in 2017 *''Soon'' (2017) by Lois Murphy, winner of the 2017

Aurealis Award for best horror novel The Aurealis Awards are presented annually by the Australia-based Chimaera Publications and WASFF to published works in order to "recognise the achievements of Australian science fiction, fantasy, Horror fiction, horror writers". To qualify, a ...

*''The Hunter and Other Stories of Men'' by David Cohen, winner of the 2019

Russell Prize The Russell Prize (Russell Prize for Humour Writing) is an Australian literary prize awarded every second year by the State Library of New South Wales The State Library of New South Wales, part of which is known as the Mitchell Library, is a ...

*''Real Differences'' (2019) by S. L. Lim, winner of the 2020 UTS Glenda Adams Award for New Writing, New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards *''Revenge: Murder in three parts'' (2020) by S. L. Lim, winner of the 2022

Authors

Other authors of books published by Transit Lounge include

Justine Ettler Justine Ettler (born 1965) is an Australian author who is best known for her 1995 novel, ''The River Ophelia'', which was shortlisted for the 1995 Aurealis Awards for Excellence in Australian Speculative Fiction - Horror Division - Best Novel. Sh ...

Mark Holden Mark Ronald Holden (born 27 April 1954) is an Australian singer, actor, TV personality, record producer, songwriter, and barrister. He was a pop star in the 1970s and had four top 20 hit singles, " Never Gonna Fall in Love Again" (May 1976 ...

, Patrick Holland, Angela Savage,

Philip Salom Philip Salom (born 8 August 1950) is an Australian poet and novelist, whose poetry books have drawn widespread acclaim. His 15 collections of poetry and six novels are noted for their originality and expansiveness and surprising differences from ...

, Aaron Smith, Nike Sulway,

Vicki Viidikas Vicki Viidikas (25 September 1948 – 27 November 1998) was a twentieth-century Australian poet and prose writer. Her first poem, ''At East Balmain,'' was published when she was 19 years old. Her poetry, fiction and drawings were published in ...

Sonya Voumard Sonya Voumard is an Australian writer and lecturer who has taught non-fiction for many years at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and most recently at Southern Cross University. Voumard has published one work of fiction (2008), two book l ...

Geraldine Wooller and

Cyril Wong Cyril Wong (; born 27 June 1977) is a poet, fiction author and literary critic. Biography Born in 1977, Cyril Wong attended Saint Patrick's School, Singapore, and Temasek Junior College, before completing a doctoral degree in English literatur ...

References

{{Reflist Book publishing companies of Australia Small press publishing companies Publishing companies established in 2005