Smashwords Coupons Enhanced to Enable More Flexible Book Promotions - Smashwords Blog

Panzer stopped in at the Smashwords site today. With only a little digging, our traveling kitty discovered a post about new coupons generated by Smashwords' Coupon Manager.

Planning a Christmas sales campaign?

According to the post by Smashwords' founder Mark Coker, Smashwords has added metered coupons to the Coupon Manager feature for authors (and publishers). The metered coupons allow an author (or publisher) to designate a specific number of coupons available to readers. Previously added to the Coupon Manager was the ability to place a descriptive label on each coupon. This allows for tracking the use of specific coupons during a campaign.

Panzer says, "These labelled coupons make tracking the success of a promotional sales campaign easy."

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

To read the post, tootle over to Smashwords Coupons:

James Patterson Cancels the Publication of The Murder of Stephen King - GalleyCat

Panzer's trip into the Catosphere today took him to the GalleyCat site. There our adventuresome kitty boy found a post about bestselling author James Patterson.

Why would you call it that?

According to a post by Maryann Yin, James Patterson decided not to publish his novel The Killing of Stephen King. The novel was written for the James Patterson BookShots series. These are books 150 pages or less. After learning about fans who had caused problems for author Stephen King Mr. Patterson decided not to publish the book.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... Humans ... Why would you even consider a title like that to begin with?"

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

To read the post, tootle over to James Patterson

eBooks Die While Used Print Book Sales Live On (It Didn't Have to be That Way) - The Digital Reader

Wow! Sales are down 21.8%?

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when he heard wailing and crying. Following all the noise took our brave kitty pilot to The Digital Reader site.  A little digging and he found a post about the decline in ebook sales.

In the post The Digital Reader site editor Nate Hoffelder quotes from a post by Bob Lefsetz that ebook sales are down 21.8 percent. However, a close reading seems to show the post is about sales that are of ebooks converted from older traditionally published books included in that sales decline. According to the post, the publishers have these ebooks priced at almost as much as the original dead tree books. These high ebook prices are sending readers to used bookstores for used dead tree copies of the ebooks. The post includes a link to the original post the opening quotes come from.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... Does Kindle Unlimited's all you can read 'sales' count in that decline or are they ignored as 'sales'? Inquiring cats want to know."

Note: This is a short-medium post. Bring a cup of tea and half a muffin for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to ebooks

A New Panzerism

Panzer on cat decorum:

This is an important secret for all my cat friends to learn:

When What's His Name goes whining to Mom about tripping over me ...

and ...

You'd think he'd learn it doesn't work.

Mom makes me apologize to him ...

I wait until she turns her back to walk away

and then ...

I whisper very softly to What's His Name ...

"But it was your fault."

J.K. Rowling Reveals Her Patronus on Twitter - GalleyCat

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when he heard ooohing and aaahing outside the Panzermobile. Following all the noise took our intrepid traveling kitty to the GalleyCAT site. There he found news about Pottermore.

Mom's Protector and Guardian.

According to a post by Maryann Yin, J.K. Rowling announced her Patronus on Twitter. Using the quiz at Pottermore, she discovered her Patronus is the heron. Found in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban the Patronus is a guardian that protects against the Dementors. In a separate GalleyCAT post announcing the Patronus quiz going live, there is a link to Pottermore. At Pottermore you either have to already be a member or signup there to take the quiz and get your Patronus.

Panzer says, "Mom doesn't need a Patronus. She has me to protect her."

Note: These are both short posts, but together they make a medium read. Bring a cup of tea and a muffin for both of today's reading selections.

To read the post about J.K. Rowlings's Twitter announcement, tootle over to J.K. Rowling Patronus

To read the post about the Patronus and the link to Pottermore, tootle over to Pottermore

Amazon adds another Prime benefit: free podcasts from Audible Channels and free audiobooks - Tech Crunch

Panzer made a trip to the Tech Crunch site today. There our kitty pilot discovered a post about Amazon's Prime membership service.

Amazon is everywhere.

According to the post by Sarah Perez, Amazon announced new benefits to their Prime members. Members will now have free access to 50 periodically changing Audible audio books and free access to Audible Channels. Audible is owned by Amazon. As Ms. Perez points out, although neither Amazon nor Audible call Audible Channels podcasts, that is what they are.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... Audible Channels podcasts ... iTunes podcasts ... Competition? This kitty thinks so."

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

To read the post, tootle over to Amazon Prime

Amazon is hiring for its new bookstore in Boston - TeleRead

Today, Panzer's trip into the Catosphere took him to the TeleRead site. After a little digging around our big bad kitty found a post about Amazon.

This needs watching.

According to Nate Hoffelder's post, Amazon is currently hiring employees for its new Amazon Books bookstore in the Legacy Place mall in Dedham, Massachusetts. The employee job descriptions seem to make it evident that the new store will carry the same books and electronics products as the original Seattle, Washington, bookstore.

Panzer says, "Amazon seems to be opening stores in fast succession since this is to be the fifth bricks and mortar store."

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

To read the post, tootle over to Amazon bookstore

Press Release: Rakuten Kobo Keeps Sainsbury's Ebook Customers Reading Digitally - Book Business

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere today when he stopped in at the Book Business site. There our exploring kitty pilot found a post about a press release from Rakuten Kobo.

Hurry! There's no time to spare.

According to the post, while Sainsbury's Entertainment on Demand is leaving the digital entertainment world, Rakuten Kobo has stepped in to allow Sainsbury's customers to migrate their ebook libraries to the Rakuten Kobo ereader system. Sainsbury's customers will be notified by email by October 25 with transfer instructions.

Panzer says, "You'll need to hurry when you get your transfer instructions. All transfers must be completed by December 1."

Note: This is a short-medium post. Bring a cup of tea and half a muffin for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to Rakuten Kobo

A New Panzerism

Panzer on cat history:

I heard What's His Name tell Mom that cats were originally domesticated to keep rodents out of stockpiled grain.

You know ...

Most of the time What's His Name doesn't know what he's talking about.

I mean ... Domesticated cats ... That is a ridiculous statement.

But ... When I think about it ...

Maybe he's right with the rest of it.

Because ...

Where are my good kitty treats?

I mean ... Mom's stockpiled containers on the counter of flour, corn meal and rice have absolutely no rodents in them.

So ...

Facts are facts.

I'm doing an exemplary job.

This Ebook Publisher Doesn't Have Authors. It Has Writers' Rooms. - Wired

One episode? That's not too hard.

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere today when he decided to make a stop at the Wired site. There our intrepid kitty pilot found an interesting post about publisher Serial Box.

According to the post by Charley Locke, Serial Box is at its heart a publisher, but not a publisher of novels but a publisher of episodes from a novel. The episodes are each written by a different author. Readers can purchase one episode or the whole "series" on iTunes.

Panzer says, "When you look at the cost to buy the whole series, it's about the same as a hardback novel."

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

To read the post, tootle over to Serial Box Books

Are You an Amazon Hypocrite?

A hypo what?

Panzer made a quick trip to The Digital Reader site today. With a little digging around he found an interesting post about Amazon shoppers.

In his post Nate Hoffelder quotes from a piece by Mary Schmich that appeared in the Chicago (Illinois) Tribune newspaper which describes some Amazon shoppers as hypocrites. In the piece Ms. Schmich likens shoppers who profess their love for their local independent bookstore/pet store/mom and pop store but shop at Amazon as hypocrites.

Panzer says, "I'm not a hypo-whatever she said. I shop at both. If I need it right now, I can go straight to the pet store. If I want it and the pet store doesn't have it, I order it online from Amazon."

Note: This is a short post. A cup of tea is all you need for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to Amazon hypocrite

Amazon is expanding its retail operation to 100 pop-up stores around the US - The Verge

A kiosk? About the size of a litter box..

Today, Panzer's trip into the Catosphere took him to The Verge site. There our big bad kitty found a post about Amazon's newest retail sales plans.

In a post by Nick Statt Panzer learned Amazon plans to open 100 pop-up stores (kiosks) in shopping malls across the U.S. The pop-ups will sell electronic devises, including Kindles and other Amazon products. Shoppers will also be able to get information about Amazon services such as Prime and Originals. However, no books will be sold there.

Panzer says, "Hmmm ... Seems like stuff I could just buy online."

Note: This is a longish-short post. Bring a cup of tea and half a muffin.

To read the post, tootle over to Amazon pop-up stores

Riggio Vows to Fight for B & N - PW (Publishers' Weekly)

Panzer was digging around at the Publishers' Weekly site. There our busy kitty found a post about Barnes and Noble's retail sales.  Panzer told you last week about their steep sales decline.

According to the post by Jim Milliot, Barnes and Noble founder and current CEO Len Riggio says he has plans to turn around the bookstore chain's retail sales. While still planning to open the new concept bookstores with restaurants which will sell alcohol, Mr. Riggio does say, if the concept stores don't perform as predicted, they may be changed. He also stated part of the cause of the decline in the bookstores' recent retail sales was book inventories were not maintained at sufficient levels at the stores and expenses were cut by reducing store personnel. Mr. Riggio intends to remedy both.

Do you think he reads the blog?

Panzer says, "Hmm ... This kitty has said it before ... No Books equals No Sales."

Note: This is a shortish-medium post. Just bring a cup of tea for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to Len Riggio

To read Panzer post last week about Barnes and Noble's sales decline, tootle over to retail sales

A New Panzerism

Panzer on being a happy camper:

This brilliant kitty learned something new today.

Mom's big hot furnace thingy in the basement is broken.

The nice repairman gave Mom something he called a space heater.

I watched everything he did.

And ...

It looked like a little campfire to me.

And this one is portable.

So ...

I put a marshmallow on stick

And ...

Eureka! It works just like the big campfire in the basement did.

Sales at Barnes and Noble Down Over 6% in Q1 - PW (Publishers' Weekly)

Today's trip into the Catosphere took Panzer to the Publishers' Weekly site. There our kitty pilot discovered a post about Barnes and Noble's quarterly sales report.

It's simple. No books = No sales.

According to the post by Jim Milliot, Barnes and Noble's sales for the first quarter are reportedly down 6.6 percent over the same time period last year. The retail sales loss is blamed on lower overall book sales and lower adult coloring book sales in particular. According to CEO Len Riggio, there was a lack of inventory at the stores which is being rectified.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... A book store without books ... What could go wrong? ... No sales? ... This kitty thinks so."

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

To read the post, tootle over to Barnes and Noble sales

Margaret Atwood's Rescue Cat - The Walrus

Flying cats and cats with feathers.

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when he happened upon The Walrus site. It didn't take any digging at all to find a post about the Rescue Cat comics.

In her post Margaret Atwood explains her return to comics with the Angel Catbird series published by Dark Horse Comics. As Ms. Atwood points out, this isn't your usual Sunday newspaper comics. After reading the post and comic strip samples there, it's obvious these must be shape shifters caught between shifting. If you want to see how Angel Catbird came to be, the beginning is included in the post. You'll also learn a lot about Ms. Atwood's lifelong enjoyment of comics and love cats.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... Let's see ... There's Angel Catbird and Cate Leone and Count Catula. The comics look interesting. Where can I get a copy?"

Note: This is a l-o-n-g post. Bring a thermos of tea and three muffins for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to Rescue Cat

Publishers Association Issues Brexit Manifesto - PW (Publishers' Weekly)

Panzer made a quick stop at the Publishers' Weekly site. There our inquisitive kitty found a post about publishers and Brexit.

Hmm ... A manifesto.

According to the post by Nicholas Clee, the United Kingdom's Publishers Association has issued a manifesto they want the government to adhere to in the negotiations to leave the European Union (EU). While there are other matters discussed in the post, stronger copyright rules are a main concern to the organization.

Panzer says, "Copyright protection is important to everybody except the bad guys."

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

To read the post, tootle over to Brexit Manifesto

A New Panzerism

Panzer on alerting your human to hidden danger:

I heard Mom tell What's His Name that it's time for a trip to the vet's.

I need to warn her about how they're going to hold her down while they take her temperature.

It's pretty bad ...

If you stay, can I have the car keys?

But ...

If Mom's like me and puts up a good fight, they'll take it out and let her go.

I know she can do it.

I hope they don't keep her overnight.

Scholastic Releases "Fantastic Beasts" Cover Design - PW

There's no cats on them.

Panzer  was tootling around in the Catosphere and stopped in at the PW (Publishers' Weekly) site. Our adventuresome kitty happened to find an announcement there about the cover design releases for J. K. Rowling's Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

According to the post by John Maher, Scholastic released the covers for the screen play of the movie Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and the covers for two movie tie-in books. The covers are included in the post.

Panzer says, "I did my cover reveal today, so I thought it was only fair to give equal time to Scholastic for J. K. Rowling."

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

To read the post, tootle over to Fantastic Beasts

New Paperback Books Coming

Mom and I have been busy for the last month putting together two new dead tree paperback books. They're called My Kitten Journal and My Cat Journal.

Mom says these are part of "The Healthy Pet Series." I say they're the most important part of the series.

The books have a section for My Cat (or Kitten)'s name, birthday, microchip number, and all that stuff humans worry about. Then there's a section for What I Need For My Cat (or Kitten) like cat food, a litter box, a water dish, and other stuff that makes us happy. Then there's the section Treats For My Cat (or Kitten) which is the toy section! The rest of the book is just stuff about clipping claws, brushing teeth, taking a bath (like that's going to happen), and going to the veterinarian's clinic.

Mom says the books will be in bookstores in few weeks. They'll be at Amazon too.

I know you've been waiting to see the covers ... And ... I've been waiting to show you because Mom let me pick the models for them. What do you think of that lady kitty on My Cat Journal? I think she's pretty cute.

Here's what they look like:

Legacy West Announces New Barnes & Noble Concept Store - Press Release

Panzer's trip into the Catosphere today took him to the Book Business site. There our traveling kitty boy found some news about Barnes and Noble.

Couple of drinks. Read a book. Right.

According to a post at Book Business, Legacy West said in a press release yesterday that in March 2017 Barnes and Noble is opening one of their new concept stores in the Legacy West development in Plano, Texas.

Panzer says, "Yes, kittens, this is one of those stores with the restaurant that serves alcohol to increase your reading pleasure."

Note: This is a l-o-n-g post, because in addition to the actual announcement of the store opening there is an explanation of Barnes and Noble's business history and a description of Legacy West plans. Bring a thermos of tea and two muffins to read today's entire reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to Barnes and Noble