Ebook Revenues Rising Abroad For American Publishers

63 % Woo hoo!

Interested in (e)book sales outside the U.S. for American publishers? Panzer found some interesting information at the Digital Book World site. According to figures from the Association of American Publishers international ebook sales are up 63%. Wow!

If you want to read more about international sales for American publishers, tootle over to Ebook Revenues Rising Abroad For American Publishers

Anne R. Allen's Blog: Is Your Author Website Working Against you? Top 10...

No more blinking?

Once again Anne R. Allen's blog has a great post for those author's who have a website/blog. She has ten tips for making sure your website/blog is a reader magnet.

It is true number one on her list is don't use gifs. We admit it. We have/do use gifs. (My favorite gif is Panzer blinking his eyes at you. Remember it?) So this blog might not pass her test!

If you want to compare your website to the ten tips, tootle over to  Anne R. Allen's Blog: Is Your Author Website Working Against you? Top 10...: I visit a lot of author websites and blogs. Most are delightfully creative. I love how so many of the sites—especially the blogs—express th...

Bill Crider's Pop Culture Magazine: Free for Kindle for a Limited Time

My tummy hurts!

Panzer isn't feeling well. He had to go to the vet -- I mean doctor -- and get his vaccinations today. So we have a short post.

My bad boy stopped in at Kevin's Corner Kevin Tipple's blog before our visit to the doctor's and saw a link to a FREE mystery book. You all know how much my bad boy loves FREE stuff!

If you're interested in getting a free book, hurry over to Bill Crider's Pop Culture Magazine: Free for Kindle for a Limited Time: Amazon.com: Yellow Medicine (Billy Lafitte #1) eBook: Anthony Neil Smith, Craig Johnson: Books : Deputy Billy Lafitte is not unfamiliar wi...

Nero Wolfe Black Orchid Contest

Oooo! A contest!

Short post today.

The Wolfe Pack is having their annual Black Orchid Contest.

Panzer asks, "Are you looking for a place to submit your noirish mystery? Try here."

Read the rules at Nero Wolfe Black Orchid Award
 

CrimeFictionWriter: Show your work

Show your work!sho

Panzer stopped in at writer Michael Bracken's Crime Fiction Writer blog.

Michael is blogging about the importance of transferring the information that's in your head to your story so the reader knows why something happens. This is something Panzer and I ran into yesterday. We were describing a scene outside the window of the building where the heroine was and realized the window had just materialized in the room. We should have described the existence and location of the window earlier when she walked into the room.

If you want to learn about the importance of showing your work, tootle over to CrimeFictionWriter: Show your work: One of the things I disliked most about learning math was the constant requirement that I show my work. If I knew the answer to the math pro...

Monetizing Serialized Fiction

Monetizing?

Panzer visited steampunk author Lindsay Buroker's blog. He found an interesting guest post by Zachary Bonelli.  Zachary is the author of the serial Voyage.

Zachary discusses the difference between a novel and a serial. A novel is divided into chapters which cannot standalone. A serial is divided into novellas which are each self-contained stories and can standalone. Pretty simple, huh?

The next question Panzer wanted answered was how the monetizing works. According to Zachary and the information he quotes, if each of the novellas of the serial are sold for 99 cents, readers will be more likely to pay the small amounts and the author will make more sales. Later, the novellas can all be put together and sold as a "boxed set" for a higher price. In this way the author will maintain a long-term income stream.

To read Zachary's story of how Voyage was put together as a serial and how the "monetizing" works, tootle over to Monetizing Serialized Fiction

Malice Domestic Agatha Awards

Panzer was out in the Catosphere and stopped in at the Examiner. They had the announcement of the 2012 Agatha Awards Winners.

And the winners are . . .

Best Novel: The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny
Best First Novel: Lowcountry Boil by Susan M. Boyd
Best Non-fiction: Books to Die For ... by John Connolly/Declan Burke
Best Short Story: Mischief in Mesopotamia by Dana Cameron
Best Children's/YA Novel: The Haunted Lighthouse by Penny Warner
Best Historical Novel: Dandy Gilver and an Unsuitable Day for Murder by Catriona McPherson

If you want to read the whole announcement, tootle over to Agatha Award Winners.

Indie Authors - What Is The Future of The E-reader?

"No!"

(Panzer meant to post this last week, but there wasn't room.)

Nook and Kindle to disappear in 2014?  Over at the To Become A Writer blog Renee Pawlish says it could happen. According to her we may be formatting our ebooks for iPads next year.

Panzer says, "Say it isn't so!"

If you want the lowdown on what Pawlish says, tootle over to Indie Authors - What Is The Future of The E-reader?

Anne R. Allen's Blog: 7 Ways Authors Waste Time "Building Platform" on S...

Whew!

Panzer was out in the Catosphere today looking for something besides marketing ideas. He has spent so much time over the last few months trying to build his author platform!

Well guess what he found. The ultimate anti-platform guide by Anne R. Allen. He read it over and then insisted I read it. Now he wants you to read it.

Whew! Facebook? Twitter? Tumblr? Nah. Now we can rest and get back to writing our next book.

If you want to know if building your platform is worth it, tootle over to Anne R. Allen's Blog: 7 Ways Authors Waste Time "Building Platform" on S...: Authors are getting hammered with more and more demands on our time. We get escalating pressure to blog more! tweet more!! send more newsl...

How To Sell 300,000 Copies Of Your Book

300,000? 300,000!

Panzer was out in the Catosphere and stopped in at Alex Cavanaugh's blog. There's a terrific post there by RaShelle Workman.

RaShelle explains exactly what she did to sell 300,000 copies of her books. You read that right ... 300,000 copies!

Panzer says, "That is cat - fantastic!"

If you want to know RaShelle's super secret plan to writing sucess, tootle over to 300,000 sold!

Apple Case Gets Interesting

Attorneys?

Panzer has been reading the information online about the Apple Court Case. He doesn't care about the ebook pricing issues involved. He calls it research in case he ever includes a court scene in one of his stories.

Panzer says, "Whatever you might think about the Apple case, it is fun to follow all of the ins and outs of the attorneys in the case."

So, if you're interested in the latest news from the case, go to Apple Court Case and then let us know what you think.

Book Design Awards

I'm sorry!

Panzer is so sorry he's late with this announcement! It got lost in the Catosphere.

Here are the 2013 winners of the Pub West Book Design Awards at Book Design Awards

Nook E-books

Hmmm? $1.99?

Panzer found an interesting post about B&N's Nook over at the Mashable blog.

Just as Amazon does, Nook will begin their own independently published short story line. Each of the stories will be in the 5,000 word range and will sell for $1.99.

If you want to read all about this new line, tootle over to Nook Snaps.

Ireland’s New Stamp Features a 224 Word Short Story

Special Delivery!

Panzer was out in the Catosphere today and he stopped in at the Passive Voice blog.

Guess what he found?

Ireland has a new stamp. And that stamp has a short story on it. Can you believe it? A whole short story on a stamp.

Panzer says, "It gives a whole new meaning to Special Delivery!"

To see what it looks like, tootle on over to Ireland’s New Stamp Features a 224 Word Short Story

A Panzerism

Panzer on butterflies:

Mom likes butterflies and so do I.
She likes their bright colors and so do I.
She likes the way they flutter around and so do I.

But it sure seems something that pretty should taste better.

What Makes a Reader Pick Up a Book By a Debut Author?

I don't agree.

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere looking for marketing ideas. He found an interesting post from April at Jody Hedlund's blog.

Jody discusses the five things she believes a reader looks for when deciding if a debut author's book is worth looking at. Among the five are the standard have a good cover and have lots of reviews, but also included are word of mouth, written by a friend and whether it's traditionally or indie published. She has an argument for why readers consider each point.

Panzer agrees with all of the points discussed except whether readers actually care if a book is traditionally or indie published. A few years ago that was important, but today that's no longer true. A whole editing industry has grown up around indie publishing. Indie published books are as well edited now as traditionally published books.

If you're interested in Jody's view, tootle on over to What Makes a Reader Pick Up a Book By a Debut Author?

Clean Indie Reads

"Clean Indie Reads," he said.

Looking for a blog that promotes "clean" ebooks? Well, Panzer found just the blog for you! No profanity. No sex. None of that.

The blog is brand new, so the selection is somewhat limited, but that will change over time. These ebooks are NOT free, but they are prescreened for you so you won't get any surprises when you're reading your newest purchase.

If you're looking for good, clean reading, tootle on over to Clean Indie Reads

Miss Writerly Crankypants: Cat Wars: Grumpy Cat vs. Cranky Cat

He is so bad!

Panzer can't believe it. Miss Writerly Crankypants has a cat that is badder than he is!

This cat is so bad even Panzer wants to stand on the sidelines and just watch the fight between Grumpy Cat and Cranky Cat.

For the complete story of Cranky Cat tootle over to  Miss Writerly Crankypants: Cat Wars: Grumpy Cat vs. Cranky Cat: Cranky Cat the Tail-less Miss Crankypants has had more cats than just about any feline aficionado. She's had black cats, white ca...

Simon & Schuster vs B & N

It's just not worth the trip!

Panzer found another fight going on in the Catosphere. It just never settles down out there!

It seems Simon and Schuster authors are banned from having signings at B & N and according to William Kent Krueger he doesn't know why. Of course, everybody is convinced it will drive business to Amazon. (Yes, Amazon again.)

Panzer says, "Will this craziness never end? It's enough to make a cat stay home and lay in the sun."

If you want to read about the latest spat in the Catosphere, go to B & N ban by Simon and Schuster be sure and read the comments section too.