P.D. James Mystery Novelist Dies

We lost one of the good ones.

Panzer found some bad news in the Catosphere today.

My bad boy kitty reporter stopped in at the New York Times site. In a post by Marilyn Stasio he discovered one of his favorite mystery authors P.D. James died on Thursday. Ms. James was the author of the Scotland Yard detective Adam Dalgliesh mysteries.

Panzer says, "May you rest in peace in the forever land of crime and mystery."

To read the full post, tootle over to P.D. James

NaNoWriMo Winner!

Happy Cat Dance! We finished 50,200 words today!

Happy Thursday!

Happy Turkey Dinner Boy was it good!

Amazon's New Marketing Plan

Can you buy an ebook, too?

Panzer found an interesting post over at the AdWeek site.

In a post by Lauren Johnson my big bad kitty learned Amazon has set up holiday kiosks in the New York Transit Systems' subway stations. Amazon will have 100 kiosks with digital screens located in the stations. Subway travelers will be able to use the kiosks to do their holiday shopping.

Panzer says, "What a great marketing idea."

To see what the kiosks will look like and to read the post, tootle over to NY Subway Riders

Kobo Self-Publishing In France, Germany and Italy

Europe, here I come.

Panzer was out in the Catosphere today and he found a site called Publishing Perspectives.

My big bad kitty adventurer found a post by Olivia Snaije about Kobo in Europe. Ms. Snaije addresses Kobo's efforts to help self-publishing authors in France, Germany and Italy achieve success. According to the post, Kobo helps authors understand the importance of marketing and advertising. They also work with authors who have their work translated with marketing using their Kobo Next page.

Panzer says, "Makes me wish I was a European kitty so I could get all that extra help."

To read the post, tootle over to Kobo publishing (Be advised this page can be slow loading. So just try again.)

A New Panzerism

A little back scratch would be nice, too.

Panzer on Tools:

Mom, what do you mean cats can't use tools?

Not true.

I think of you as my PTU.

That's Personal Transportation Unit.

Now, pick me up and carry me to the window while you're petting my head, you silly tool.

Past NaNoWriMo Participants Give Tips

I'll never catch up on my naps.

Panzer has been busy working on this year's NaNoWriMo novel. My bad boy thought you all might be interested in reading Daniel Leffert's Publishers' Weekly post. Mr. Leffert has interviews with Jason M. Hough, Hugh Howey, Marissa Meyer, Karen Harrington, and Gennifer Albin. All are former NaNoWriMo participants who went on to publish novels.

Panzer says, "34,000 words done. Only 16,000 words left before November 30. Me-OW-OW-OW!"

To read the full post, tootle over to NaNoWriMo

Smashwords: Ebook Publishing Gets More Difficult from Here - H...

I need a nap.

There was so much yowling and caterwauling today that Panzer couldn't get his noon nap. He staggered out to the Panzermobile and hit the Catosphere to chase down all the noise. It turns out, all the yowling was about a new post at the Smashwords blog.

According to Mark Coker's post the future of indie authors is about to change. There are so many indie authors that readers are getting buried under all the ebooks. On top of all those ebooks, there are literally thousands of free ebooks for readers to chose from.

What's an indie author to do to rise above that pile of ebooks?

Mr. Coker has twenty things (although there are actually more buried in these twenty) an indie author can do.

Of course there's the old standby of write more ebooks.  And use professional services. And do series. And more. And more. This is a marketing plan in a blog post.

Panzer says, "Bookmark Mr. Coker's post. You'll use it again and again."

To read the whole post, tootle over to Smashwords: Ebook Publishing Gets More Difficult from Here - H...:

Barnes and Noble Re-enters Audiobook Market

Again?

Panzer heard some mewling today and he headed out to see where it was coming from. According to Calvin Reid over at the Publisher's Weekly site, Barnes and Noble is getting into the audiobook market.

What?

Yes, all of you who are my bad boy's friends do remember right. He did tell you back in June that Barnes and Noble was leaving the audiobook market. At that time B&N announced their customers needed to backup their audiobooks before the audio files turned into random ions in the Catosphere.

Now, they've announced they've come out with a new app for Android devices. You can download the app in the Google Play store. According to Mr. Reid's post, Barnes and Noble will carry 50,000 audiobooks. The post also includes a link to Nook's site to download the app.

Panzer says, "Hmmm. I wonder how long they'll stay in the market this time?"

To read the full post, tootle over to Nook audiobooks app

Amazon-Hachette Settlement Benefits Publishers and Authors

I believe it.

Panzer was over at The New Yorker site today. My bad boy reporter found a post by Vauhini Vara about the Amazon vs Hachette settlement.

Ms. Vara believes the new contract between Amazon and Hachette will prove beneficial to both writers and publishers.

How can that be, you ask?

Well, Ms. Vara says the new contract will give publishers more money which they can use for more and bigger advances for writers.

Panzer says, "Hmmm. Hachette sure is big-hearted to give all that money to authors."

Be warned: You'll need a big cup of tea because this is a very long post.

To read the post, tootle over to Amazon vs Hachette

A New Panzerism

How fast can a can run?

Panzer says:

Some of my favorite memories from kittenhood go back to those times when Mom and What's His Name would come back from the hunt.

They'd bring in cans of food for me and other stuff for them.

Then we'd all sit around by the glow of the TV

and ...

Mom would recount how much the food was on sale.

Whatever that means.

I'm not really sure, but I think sale means how fast the prey runs.

Smashwords: The Amazon Hachette Dispute Comes to a Pyrrhic End...

I'm back!

Did you miss Panzer this week? There was rain and wind and ice and downed trees. That meant my bad boy couldn't get to the Catosphere.

But ...

Now he's back!

My big black kitty found a post over at the Smashwords blog about the results of the end of the Hachette vs Amazon dispute. Mark Coker has some interesting ideas about who won and who lost in the settlement.

Panzer says, "I can't believe Amazon lost the battle."

To read the entire post tootle over to Smashwords: The Amazon Hachette Dispute Comes to a Pyrrhic End...: 

A New Panzerism

I'm ready.

Panzer says:

Mom told me old cats sleep 20 % more than kittens.

Getting old sounds pretty good to me.

What Is Amazon's Impact On Publishing?

Back to work.

Panzer is still behind in his daily NaNoWriMo word count. My speedy little black kitty made a short trip to Book Life today.

Panzer found a post about a panel discussion arranged by the New American Foundation about Amazon's impact on publishing. Panel participants were bestselling indie author Hugh Howey, book store owner Sarah McNally, and National Public Radio host Manousch Zomorodi.

Panzer says, "Of course Amazon has an impact on publishing."

To read the post, tootle over to Amazon

Goodreads Choice Awards Are Open For Voting

This way to vote.

Panzer stopped in at Goodreads today.

You've heard of Goodreads, right? It's a place where readers talk about (and review) the books they're reading. It's also a place where authors can interact with their readers, have giveaway contests, and join discussion groups.

Each year Goodreads gives out the Goodreads Choice Awards. Members get to vote for their favorite books. Well, the polls are open and it's time to vote.

Panzer says, "Did I forget to mention Amazon owns Goodreads?"

To vote or to join, tootle over to best books of 2014

Office Apps For iPad, iPhone, And Android

I'm getting mine.

Panzer was out cruising around when he found a deal at Office Blogs he couldn't pass-up.

Microsoft is offering FREE Office apps to iPad, iPhone and Android tablet users. You'll be able to get Word, Excel and Power Point apps starting today. There are examples of what the apps will look like on the devices and links to download them.

Panzer says, "FREE is always good."

To read the full post, tootle over to Office

Studio C Creates a Trio of ‘Hunger Games’ Parody Songs - GalleyCat

I'm just exhausted.

Panzer is behind on today's word count for his NaNoWriMo novel, so he only made a quick trip into the Catosphere. My big bad kitty boy found some FREE Hunger Games parody songs for you over at the GalleyCAT site.

Panzer says, "It's only Day 5. I don't know if I can last for another 25 days!"

To get the songs, tootle over to Studio C Creates a Trio of ‘Hunger Games’ Parody Songs - GalleyCat

Sherlock Holmes Now In The Public Domain

I can't believe it.

Panzer was out taking a nice little trip in the Catosphere today. My adventurous kitty was looking for a new docking spot for the Panzermobile.  He found one at the Los Angeles Times site

Panzer couldn't believe what he read there. According to a post by Michael Schaus, Sherlock Holmes is now in the public domain. That means anybody can write anything (or do a movies or tv show or video) using Holmes as a character.

But wait. How did that happen?

Mr. Schaus reports that the Supreme Court refused to review a 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that Sherlock Holmes wasn't protected under copyright. That's all it took.

Panzer says, "As soon as I read the 1927 version of The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Author Conan Doyle, I knew I was a puzzle solver and a mystery writer. What's going to happen to Mr. Holmes now?"

To read the whole post, tootle over to Sherlock Holmes

A New Panzerism

Finders keepers. It's yours.

Panzer on ownership:

Why are you telling me there's a mouse in the kitchen?

You saw it first; its yours.

Seriously ...

It's okay, you can have it.

It's NaNoWriMo Time!

NaNoWriMo started yesterday. This is the time of year when writers hunker over their computers, drink gallons of coffee, go without food or sleep to emerge on November 30 with a 50,000 word novel.

If you want to join the craziness, tootle over to NaNoWriMo

Foes want probe, but antitrust law favors Amazon

Doesn't look bad to me.

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere and he found a post he missed a couple of days ago.

According to Jay Greene at The Seattle Times newspaper site, it may be harder to prove Amazon is a monopoly than The New Republic magazine's Franklin Foer and Authors United's Douglas Preston might think. Mr. Greene addresses two salient points against Mr. Foer and Mr. Preston's assertion that Amazon is a monopoly. First: there is no argument that Amazon is the biggest dog in the pen ... but ... there are other dogs in there too. Second: the argument that Amazon causes harm to consumers is refuted by the fact Amazon wants to lower the prices of ebooks to the consumers.

Panzer says, "Lower prices makes sense to me."

To read the full post, tootle over to Foes want probe, but antitrust law favors Amazon | Business & Technology | The Seattle Times