B&N Makes HQ Layoffs - Publishers Weekly

Not what I would call good.

Today, Panzer made a quick trip to the Publishers Weekly site. With a little digging in the posts our illustrious kitty found one about Barnes and Noble.

According to the post by Jim Milliot, Barnes and Noble has done some layoffs in the U.S. headquarters. Among those let go (fired) are the literary fiction and the science fiction/fantasy book buyers. The company also took advantage of the Covid-19 shutdown to re-arrange the stores' interiors, furniture and books.

Panzer says, "This little kitty wants to know if this means Barnes and Noble won't be selling literary fiction or science fiction/fantasy books any more."

Note: This is a long-short length post. Bring a cup of tea for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to Barnes and Noble layoffs

A New Panzerism

Panzer on hunting prowess:

I approach my quarry with stealth.
I slink forward on silent paws.
I sniff the wind quickly, measuring the strength and direction.

Moving with the sun at my back,

I am the world's greatest hunter. *

I dive ruthlessly forward ...

I pounce ...
And ...
Once again ...

The hunt is successful.

The food dish is mine.



* From Cat Wisdom for humans

Microsoft to permanently close physical retail locations; will incur pre-tax charge of $450M - GeekWire

Nothing will ever be the same.

Today as Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere, the Panzermobile was suddenly shaken by crying and gnashing of teeth outside. Following all the hubbub took our brave kitty boy to the GeekWire site. With no digging at all he found a post about Microsoft's bricks and mortar stores. While the post doesn't have anything to do with publishing, Panzer found it interesting and thought you might too.

According to the post by Taylor Soper, Microsoft is permanently closing all 79 of its retail outlets. The stores have been closed since March because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The company announced today it won't re-open any of the stores.

Panzer says, "Well, they didn't really have that many stores, but now you can't "test drive" any of their hardware before you buy it."

Note: This is a long medium post. Bring a cup of iced tea and two chocolate chip cookies and a brownie for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to Microsoft

George R. R. Martin Gives Quick Update on Winds of Winter Progress - Tor.com

Today as Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere he decided to make a stop at the Tor.com site. With no digging at all our inquisitive kitty found a post about bestselling author George R. R. Martin. He's the author of the Game of Thrones books and one of Panzer's favorite authors.

Don't bother.

According to Andrew Liptak's post, George R. R. Martin posted on his own blog that because of the Covid-19 quarantine he has been spending a lot of time working on his novel Winds of Winter. It also turns out he's has some tv shows and two movies in the works as well. Andrew Liptak quotes extensively from George R. R. Martin's post. There is a link in the post to George R. R. Martin's site if you want to read his original post.

Panzer says, "Don't bother to read the Comment section. Some of them got deleted by the Moderator, some are whiny and a few are okay; but mostly it's a waste of your time."

Note: This is a medium length post. Bring a cup of tea (or whatever you want to drink) and a muffin or two for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to George R. R. Martin update

Post-Pandemic Publishing for Indie Authors - Smashwords

I'm really tired of this virus. Are you?

Panzer decided to make a stop at the Smashwords site today.  Our illustrious kitty boy uses Smashwords distribution for his ebooks so he likes to check the blog there to see what's happening. With hardly any digging at all he found a post about the Covid-19 pandemic's impact on indie ebook authors.

Mark Coker's blog post is divided into eight sections. The first sections of the post delve into the world health and economic and financial impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. The next sections deal with how these will impact the indie author environment. The final section of the post is the "Indie Author Action Plan" and contains steps for authors to follow to maintain their long-term career goals.

Panzer says, "This is an interesting post."

Note: This is a humongous post. Bring a thermos of your favorite beverage and six muffins and six chocolate chip cookies and some chocolate fudge for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to Indie Authors

FastPencil Rebrands as Opyrus - The Digital Reader

Today Panzer's trip into the Catosphere took him to The Digital Reader site. With a little digging in the posts, he found one about the FastPencil company.

Looks like they have a membership?

According to The Digital Reader site owner Nate Hoffelder's post, he received an email from FastPencil stating they are rebranding/renaming the company Opyrus. The company is a paperback and ebook publisher. The company's email is directly quoted in the post. The post includes a link to the site so you can check out the services offered and the prices. There's also a link to a raffle the company is having.

Panzer says, "We've never used their services so we don't know anything about them except what we read at their site."

Note: This is a short length post. Bring a half a cup of tea for your reading today.

To read the post tootle over to Fastpencil is Opyrus/

A New Panzerism

Panzer on moral concepts:

Mom said, "Bad Kitty," when I scratched the furniture.

You know ...

What's His Name always says she's pretty smart.

So ...

I thought about what Mom said for a long time ...

in between my morning nap and my noon nap.

And ...

This is what I decided:

Sorry ... You're wrong again Mom.

There are two ways to look at it ...

My way ...

And ...

The wrong way.



* From Cat Wisdom for humans

Happy Father's Day!

From Panzer, Mom and What's His Name

First Day of Summer

Summer Is Finally Here!  

Enjoy It!

Windows 10 Basics: How to pause updates - The Verge

Don't put it out until it's fixed.

Today Panzer found an interesting post over at The Verge site. While the post doesn't have anything to do with publishing, it does address one of Panzer's problems with Windows 10.

In previous versions of Windows you could have Windows ask you before it did an update or you could stop updates. Panzer couldn't find any option for either of these in Windows 10 until he found this post by Allya Chaudhry.

Turns out while there is no longer an option to have Windows ask first before an update or stop the updates, there is an option to pause update installs. Unfortunately, it's only for a week and then you need to go back in and pause it again, but at least you're spared those huge updates that won't let you turn off the computer or reduce you computer to crawl-speed or worst of all change your computer into a doorstop because there's something wrong with the update.

So, if you're interested in learning how to pause those pesky updates, tootle over to Windows 10 updates

Coronavirus Worklife: Rakuten Kobo's Michael Tamblyn: Lessons from the Contagian - Publishing Perspectives

Today, Panzer stopped in at the Publishing Perspectives site. With a little digging and reading in the posts, our inquisitive kitty boy found one about Kobo and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Will this virus thingy ever go away?

Porter Anderson's post contains extensive quotes from Kobo's Michael Tamblyn's presentation at the Digital Publishing Summit. Turns out since Kobo was purchased by Rakuten a number of Kobo's employees were already working remotely before the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Because of this, the pandemic didn't impact a lot of Kobo's employees. What was impacted, however, was Kobo's ereader production. Their ereaders are produced in China and Taiwan. Both were hit hard by the pandemic. This caused a slowdown in ereader production. The post contains a lot of information about Kobo employees' work-from-home efforts and ereader and ebook sales during the pandemic.

Panzer says, "This little kitty likes Kobo."

Note: This is a humongous post. Bring a gallon of tea and six muffins for your reading selection today.

To read the post tootle over to Rakuten Kobo

KKR Completes OverDrive Purchase - Publishers Weekly

Today, Panzer decided it was time to make a stop at the Publishers Weekly site. With a little digging in the posts our illustrious kitty boy found one about the sale of Overdrive. Panzer told you about the pending sale in December of last year.

What will it mean for libraries and schools?

According to Jim Milliot's post, equity firm KKR's purchase of Overdrive has now completed. The proposed purchase was announced on Christmas Eve 2019. Many were surprised by the sale since owner Rakuten had only owned the company since 2015.  OverDrive provides libraries and schools with ebooks and audio books.

Panzer says, "Inquiring kitties want to know why KKR bought Overdrive."

Note: This is a short post. Bring a cup of tea for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to Overdrive
 To read Panzer's previous post about the purchase tootle over to KKR and Overdrive

Nook gets a reprieve under Daunt - The Digital Reader

It's been a while since Panzer has been to The Digital Reader site so he decided to make a stop there today. Digging in the posts, our traveling kitty pilot found one about the Barnes and Noble Nook ereader.

The post by The Digital Reader site owner Nate Hoffelder, contains a quote from an interview in The Bookseller by Barnes and Noble CEO James Daunt. According to the quote, CEO Daunt intends to make improvements to the Barnes and Noble Nook ereader. He also want to increase sales at the B&N online ebook store. The Covid-19 pandemic has already increased ebook sales in the U.S. and he intends to continue this upturn. The post has several links, including one to The Bookseller interview and other Barnes and Noble information posts.

How could you say no to this kitty?

Panzer says, "Of course sales increased.  My ebooks are there ... and ... who could turn down my cute, humble, little kitty face on the front of my ebooks?"

Note: This is a medium length post. Bring a cup of tea and a muffin for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow the links included in the post, bring a thermos of tea and more six muffins.

To read the post tootle over to Barnes and Noble Nook ereader

A New Panzerism

Panzer on persistence:

Greatness is never easy.

It requires focus, intense effort, and endurance.

But after much struggle I have made it.

I am at the top of the world.

I am the greatest!

Your King has spoken. *

I am the King of all I survey!

What ... ?

What do you mean get off the curtains?

No ... You can't make me.



*From Cat Wisdom for humans

Internet Archive to End 'National Emergency Library' Initiative - Publishers Weekly

Today as Panzer entered the Catosphere he was surprised to hear clapping and cheering coming from outside the Panzermobile. Following all the happiness, took our kitty pilot to the Publishers Weekly site. With no digging at all he found a post about the Internet Archive's National Emergency Library was causing all the noise.

According to a post by Andrew Albanese, since the Internet Archive and it's National Emergency Library are being sued for copyright infringement, the Internet Archive (IA) has shut down the National Emergency Library. Panzer told you about this lawsuit when it was filed. Four publishers filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the Internet Archive for scanning books and letting people have copies. All of this is being done without the authors' or publishers' permission and without payment to them. The IA says they can do it because they are a "library." The National Emergency Library was something IA setup during the Covid-19 pandemic to give people access to scanned textbooks as well as the other books they already had. The judge has yet to make a ruling in the lawsuit. There are several links to other information about the lawsuit and the Internet Archive included in the post.

Repeat after me: Stealing is stealing.

Panzer says, "Anybody can call themselves a library."

Note: This is a long post. Bring a cup of tea and two muffins for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow all the links and read all the other posts, bring a gallon of tea, two dozen muffins, your dinner, and a sleeping bag for a nap in the middle of your reading.

To read the post tootle over to Internet Archive's National Emergency Library
To read Panzer's earlier post tootle over to Internet Archive copyright infringement

Apple Discontinuing iBooks Author on July 1, Encourages Writers to Transition to Pages - MacRumors

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere, when he heard crying and the gnashing of teeth outside the Panzermobile. Following all the noise took our inquisitive kitty to the MacRumors site. There with no digging at all he found a post about Apple's iBooks Author software.

Not the best news of the day.

According to the post by Juli Clover, Apple sent an email to users of the iBooks Author software that the company is discontinuing the software. It will no longer be sold in the app store either. Instead the company wants iBooks Author users to start using Pages. According to the company, many of the iBooks Author features have been added to Pages. Effective July 1 iBook Author is gone.

Panzer says, "It's one of those human things. If people like it and use it, then you have to get rid of it. Then you can make a brighter, prettier, harder to use one and force people to use it."

Note: This is a short post. Bring a cup of tea for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to iBooks Author

Changes Loom as Public Libraries Begin to Reopen - Publishers Weekly

As Panzer was napping, he was rudely shaken from his kitty bed by clapping and cheering coming from the Catosphere. Dragging his poor little kitty self into the Panzermobile, he headed out. Following all the hullabaloo took him to the Publishers Weekly site. There with no digging at all he found a post about libraries reopening was causing all the noise.

According to the post by Andrew Albanese, libraries will be reopening soon. A survey done by the American Library Association (ALA) found that 37 percent of the libraries that responded planned to begin "phase reopening" in June or July. Reopening won't be as it was before Covid-19. It means libraries will need to be rearranged to provide social distancing and staff will need masks and gloves. During the pandemic library users took advantage of digital book checkout, but now a lot of users want to go back to libraries for hands-on books (paperbacks and hardbacks). This post contains several links to information about libraries, the lockdowns, digital books, budgets, and other information.

Now ... About that nap.

Panzer says, "MeWoW! Libraries are going to open again!"

Note: This is a huge post. Bring a thermos of tea and six muffins for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow all the links in the post, bring a gallon of tea and gallon of water and two dozen muffins, plus your lunch.

To read the post tootle over to public libraries

A New Panzerism

Panzer on freedom of speech:

It seems that politics have become a battle of bumper sticker slogans.

What's His Name took the car keys I hid under the couch ...

This is not good.

Because ...

My sticker says, Panzer for President.

Now ...

I don't have a bumper ...

For my sticker ...

I demand free bumpers for everyone!

Industry Notes: EIBF Condemns Loss of Minneapolis Bookstores; Booker Delays Announcement - Publishing Perspectives

Panzer decided to make a trip to the Publishing Perspectives site. There our traveling kitty boy found a post about the two bookstores that were burned down last week in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

According to the post by Porter Anderson, the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF) has condemned the burning of the two bookstores in the Minneapolis, Minnesota, riots. One of the two bookstores, Uncle Hugo's (named for SF's Hugo Award) sold science fiction books and the other bookstore, Uncle Edgar's (named for MWA's Edgar Award) sold mystery books. Both stores sold new and used books, hardbacks and paperbacks, and signed and first edition books. The two bookstores were located next to each other in the same building. The bookstores' owner, Don Blyly, started Uncle Hugo's in 1974. Apparently, because of a "civil insurrection clause" in the bookstores' insurance, things are moving slowly for a payout after the fire.** Don Blyly's son has started a Go Fund Me page that has a goal of $500,000 to help with the recovery and rebuilding of the bookstores and inventory. The post contains links to sites with accounts about the fire and the bookstores. There's also a link to the Go Fund Me page.

Please donate whatever you can.

Panzer says, "This little kitty says there is no reason to burn down bookstores."

Note: This is a long-medium length post. Bring a cup of tea and two muffins for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to Minneapolis bookstores

**The Rap Sheet site is reporting Don Blyly's insurance will be making a payment. However, the Go Fund Me page is still collecting money for what the insurance doesn't cover.

To read The Rap Sheet post tootle over to The Uncles

No Post Today

Panzer here.

No post today because Mom is finishing a project.

We'll be back tomorrow.

Pursuit as Happiness by Ernest Hemingway - The New Yorker

I'm ready. You can start now.

Panzer made a stop at The New Yorker site and found an unpublished story by Ernest Hemingway.

Panzer says, "Mom says she'll read this story to me and I'll like it because it's got fish in it."

Note: This is a long short story. Bring a cup of tea and two muffins to eat while you're reading it.

To read the story tootle over to Pursuit as Happiness

Publishers Charge the Internet Archive with Copyright Infringement - Publishers Weekly

Today Panzer's trip into the Catosphere took him to the Publishers Weekly site. With no digging at all our busy kitty boy found a post about the Internet Archive. Panzer has told you about the Internet Archive's practice of scanning books and making them available for free before.

Stealing is stealing.

According to Jim Milliot's post, four publishers have filed a lawsuit for copyright infringement against the Internet Archive (IA). The four publishers filing the lawsuit are Hachette Group, HarperCollins, John Wiley and Sons, and Penguin Random House. In the lawsuit the publishers assert that by copying the books without permission and without payment to the authors or publishers, IA is committing copyright infringement. The Association of American Publishers and the Authors Guild have issued statements in support of the lawsuit.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... This little kitty says it's about time somebody took this guy to court. It's not a library. It's a pirate site."

Note: This is a long-medium length post. Bring a cup of tea and two muffins for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to Internet Archive copyright infringement case
To read Panzer's previous post tootle over to Authors Guild 

A New Panzerism

Panzer on the power of imagination:

I can always dream.

Have you ever wanted to rub catnip into the fur of the neighbor's yapping dog?

Think about it ...

Dozens of cats wanting to cuddle with the little pooper trooper.