Friday, October 16, 2026

Must Read Issues Statemen on Cover Illustration Contracts - Locus

Contains a link to a post on Locus as a continuation to a post on Writer Beware (R) abou Must Read Magazine's contract terms for cover illustrators.
Just talking in my sleep.
Panzer's next stop was at the Locus site. 
 
There he found a continuation of yesterdays' post at Writer Beware (R) about contract rights grabs by Must Read Magazines. The Locus post quotes Must Read Magazine's explanation of the contract's terms.".
 
Panzer says, "Hmm ... Maybe ... don't use a specific story's plot/theme/premise as your cover illustration."
 
Note: This is a long medium length post. Bring a glass of milk and three chocolate chip cooks for today's snack.
 
To read the post tootle over to Must Read's Statement 

Charter of Ethical AI Use in the Creative Industries - Society of Authors

Contains a link to the Charter and two other documents mentioned in the Charter.
It doesn't say I can't use my spell checker.
Panzer made his first stop of the day at the U.K.'s Society of Authors site.
 
There with no digging in the posts at all he found the organization's new Charter which it is asking other organization to sign. At the bottom of the post are two "Plus signs". Each opens one of the reports mentioned in the Charter.
 
Panzer says, "This little kitty got confused about what specific uses are ethical or not ethical."
 
Note: This is a long post. Bring a cup of tea and a muffin for today's snack.
 
To read the post tootle over to Ethical AI Use

Wednesday, October 14, 2026

MACAVITY AWARD WINNERS 2026 - Mystery Fanfare

Contains a link to the list of Macavity Award winners.
They missed a lot of good indie books and stories.
Tootling around in the Catosphere today, the Panzermobile was suddenly buffeted by clapping and cheering outside. Following all the noise took our intrepid kitty traveler to the Mystery Fanfare site.
 
There he discovered a list of the winners of this year's Macavity Awards was posted. The list also includes the nominees for each award. The poem that's about Macavity (the cat the awards are named after) is at the end of the post.
 
Panzer says, "This little kitty didn't see any indie books or short stories on the list."
 
Note:This is a long post. You'll need to decide what you want to bring to snack on.
 
To read the post tootle ovesr to Macavity Award Winners...

Book Publishers Are Quietly Using More AI. Staff Are Revolting - Wired

Contains a link to a post at Wired about publishers use of AI.
I wonder if cover designer know about this?
Today, Panzer stopped at the Wired site where he discovered a post about publishers and AI.
 
According to interviews with employees at HarperCollins, Simon and Schuster and Hachette, all three are using AI in ways unknown to the public. These run from email to cover material.. If you've read about the books pulled by publishers because of "suspected" AI use, you'll find this post about their own use of AI interesting.
 
 Panzer says, "It's not that big a jump from back cover copy to front cover illustration."
 
Note: This is a long, long post. You'll need to decide what you want to bring to snack on. 
 
To read the post tootle over to Publishers and AI 

More Rights Grabs from Must Read Magazines - Writer Beware (R)

Contains a link to a post on the Writer Beware (R) site about the Must Read Magazine's contracts for illustrators.
Pay Attention! These are professionals.
Panzer made a trip to the Writer Beware (R) site where he found an interesting post about Must Read Magazines.
 
After the trouble Must Read Magazines contracts caused with writers the new owners are using similar ones with illustrators. The outcome looks to be the same this time.
 
Panzer says, "This little kitty doesn't think it looks like they learned anything from the writer uproar."
 
Note: This is a very, very long post. You'll need to decide what you want to bring to snack on. 
 
To read the post tootle over to Writer Beware (R) 

We're making it easier to identify A-I generated content globally - News from Google (Blog)

Contains a link to a post on the Google site about a watermark detector.
Here's an announcement Panzer found on the Google blog site.
 
According to the post, Google has made their AI watermark detector available to everyone. The detector can read other AI company's watermarks as well as Google's. The detector works for video and audio watermarks. The post contains links to other information about the detector and Google.
 
Panzer says, "The post lists the other company watermarks the detector can read." 
 
Note: This is a short announcement. You won't need anything to snack on unless you decide to follow the links to other information.
  
To read the post tootle over to SynthID Detector 

Monday, October 12, 2026

A Panzerism

 Panzer on the human idea of closure:
 
Mom's goldfish Molly died. Mom says she wants closure.
 
Silly idea. Cats don't waste their time that way.
 
A cat joke
Mom. Molly was a goldfish.
Humans should understand each moment passes away forever. It's gone. There's no way to enter the past.
 
The past is like water disappearing down the toilet with Molly. She's gone to some unknown unknowable place.
 
A better place for Molly? Perhaps. 

Sunday, October 11, 2026

A Puzzle - I am not lost.

Contains a lin to a jigsaw puzzle titled I am not lost.
Hint
Here's your new jigsaw puzzle.
 
At the puzzle site if you click the square in the lower left corner, you can see the finished puzzle.
 
Have fun!
 
To go to the puzzle site tootle over to Cat Jigsaw Puzzle

Saturday, October 10, 2026

Free to Watch Classic Mystery Movie: Bowery at Midnight.

Post contains a link to the classic mystery thriller movie Bowery at Midnight.
See you for Puzzle Day tomorrow.
Panzer found this movie on the Hastings Mystery Theater site on Youtube.
 
Bowery at Midnight is a 1942 black and white thriller movie. It's 1 hour 7 minutes long.
 
 Have a pizza delivered, get your favorite beverage and enjoy the movie.
 
To watch the movie tootle over to Classic Mystery Movie

Free to Listen Clean Romance Audiobook:Falling Into Fiction

Contains a link to the audiobook romance Falling Into Fictiion
I'll see what else is out there.
Here's your romance audiobook Panzer found on the author's channel on Youtube.
 
Falling Into Fiction is written by Victorine E. Lieske. It's 6 hours 42 minutes long. 
 
To listen to the audiobook tootle over to Clean Romantic Comedy

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