Indigo Posts Fiscal 2019 Loss - Publishers Weekly

Today, Panzer made a quick trip to the Publishers Weekly site. With a little digging in the posts there he discovered one about Indigo Books and Music.

I'll watch them this year.

According to Publishers Weekly's Jim Milliot, Canada's Indigo Books and Music just reported their 2019 sales. Indigo's fiscal 2019 year ended on March 30 2019. The fiscal report shows sales were down 3 percent against fiscal 2018 sales. The company says store renovations, closures and other operating expenses contributed to the lower sales figure.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... One bad year doesn't mean anything as long as it doesn't continue into this year."

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

To read the post tootle over to Indigo

Amazon quietly started promoting a new kind of store after pulling the plug on its pop-up kiosks - Business Insider

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when he heard shushing and hushing outside the Panzermobile. Following all the "Be quiet" noises outside took our inquisitive kitty to the Business Insider site. There he discovered a post about Amazon's newest stores.

There's something useful in here somewhere.

According to Dennis Green, Amazon has been opening some new stores. The post begins with a screen shot from the Amazon website featuring the Presented by Amazon stores. Below that is a list of the main points of the post. Scrolling past that is the actual post. Amazon closed all their mall pop-up kiosks in April and now have four mall locations for the Presented by Amazon stores. The new stores are retail outlets although Business Insider is unsure about the type of merchandise to be sold in them. There's a link in the post to the Amazon website where you'll see links to each of the four new stores. Following each of those links will take you to a page which lists the address, phone number and a location map for the individual store.

Panzer says, "It's a rabbit warren of links. Don't get lost."

Note: This is a medium length post. Bring a cup of tea and two chocolate chip cookies (biscuits) for today's reading selection. If you follow the links, bring another cup of tea, a muffin and a headache tablet (because you're going to have a headache after following all those links.)

To read the post tootle over to new Amazon stores

PRH takes minority stake in Sourcebooks - Publishers Weekly

I really enjoyed my extra vacation day.

After taking off the Memorial Day weekend Panzer cleaned out the Panzermobile today. When he was sweeping the mat under the passenger seat, he found a wadded up post. Smoothing it out our fastidious kitty boy discovered it was a Publishers Weekly post about the Penguin Random House acquisition of a minority stake in Sourcebooks.

According to Jim Milliot,  Penguin Random House (PRH) has acquired a 45 percent stake in Sourcebooks. The post states there will be no changes to Sourcebooks, except a new management board has been created. The board chair will be Sourcebooks founder Dominique Raccah. The board will also include two PRH members.

Panzer says, "For the authors working with Sourcebooks this little kitty hopes there are no changes there."

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 PRH minority stake in Sourcebooks

Memorial Day

Clock Is Ticking on B&T Retail Shutdown - Publishers Weekly

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when he heard crying and wailing. Following all the heart-wrenching noises took our brave kitty to the Publishers Weekly site. With no trouble at all he found the post about Baker and Taylor that was causing all the angst.


According to Publishers Weekly's Jim Milliot, Baker and Taylor is shutting down its retail wholesaling business. Baker and Taylor will no longer ship books from publishers to independent booksellers. Booksellers will now have to order their books directly from the publishers. Publishers have begun setting up programs to fill the void left by Baker and Taylor's withdrawl from the market. The post includes links to previous posts about the shutdown and information about the publishers' plans.

It will all work out.

Panzer says, "By closing down their retail wholesaling business Baker and Taylor is causing a little bit of a mess for independent booksellers."

Note: This is a medium length post. Bring a cup of lemonade and two sugar cookies (biscuits) for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow all the links, bring a thermos of cocoa and half a dozen muffins. (You'll need something more substantial than lemonade and cookies (biscuits) if you're going to follow all those links.)

To read the post tootle over to Baker and Taylor

Sweden's Storytel Continues Its Global Expansion - Publishers Weekly

Today, Panzer made a quick trip into the Catosphere to the Publishers Weekly site. With a little digging in the posts our inquisitive kitty found one about Storytel.

It seems to be everywhere I look.

According to the post by Ed Nawotka, Sweden's Storytel plans to continue its global expansion with the addition of Brazil and Germany to the 16 countries it already serves. Storytel doesn't actually set up business in other countries, instead it's expansion is fueled by the acquisition of companies in the other countries. Through this expansion the company now offers audiobooks, ebooks and publishes print books.

Panzer says, "Storytel may be trying to beat Amazon by taking over the audiobook market outside the U.S."

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

To read the post tootle over to Storytel

Walmart Launches Three Sub-$99 Tablets to Challenge the iPad - The Digital Reader

Today as Panzer was taking his afternoon nap he was rudely shaken from his kitty bed by laughing and chortling coming from the Catosphere. Hopping into the Panzermobile our brave kitty boy followed all the noise to The Digital Reader site. There with a little digging in the posts he found one about Walmart's new tablets.

$64? Really?

According to The Digital Reader site owner Nate Hoffelder, Walmart has three new tablets for sale in-store now. The tablets sell for $64, $79 and $99. All use the Android OS. There's a link in the post to a Bloomberg post about the Walmart announcement. Also included in the post is a link to the sales page at the Walmart site for the 8-inch $64 tablet.

Panzer says, "Read all the reviews at the Walmart site."

Note: This is a short post. Bring half a cup of tea for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow the links to Bloomberg and Walmart, bring the other half a cup of tea and a muffin..

To read the post tootle over to Walmart tablets

Amazon Literary Partnership Announces More than $1M in 2019 Grants - Publishering Perspectives

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when his sensitive kitty ears were assailed by clapping and cheering. Following all the hullabaloo took our kitty boy to the Publishing Perspectives site. With no digging at all he found a post about the Amazon Literary Partnership.

According to the post by Publishing Perspectives editor Porter Anderson, the Amazon Literary Partnership has awarded $1M in grant funding to the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), the Port Townsend Writers Conference (Centrum), Clarion West and 63 other literary nonprofit organizations. The Amazon Literary Partnership is ten years old and gives the grants annually. A complete list of all the nonprofit recipients is included in the post. Also included are links to other posts with information about the grants.

After all this work I deserve a nap too.

Panzer says, "MeWoW! NaNoWriMo!"

Note: This is a h-u-g-e post. Bring a gallon of tea and a dozen muffins for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow the included links, bring another gallon of tea, another dozen muffins and a sleeping bag for a cat nap in the middle.

To read the post tootle over to Amazon Literary Partnership

A New Panzerism

Panzer on helping Mom with her spring cleaning:

Mom said it's time for spring cleaning. She started in the bathroom.

She got one of those jars of mashed up flower stuff humans put on the toilet tank.

I think she called it a poo-poo poo-pery jar.

Then she said she had everything clean in there.

Well ...

I don't think so.

I want to help her with her spring cleaning.

So ...

A quick flick with my awesome right paw ...

Oh look ... It floats. *

And ...

A splash ...

And the toilet tank top is cleaned off.

Anything else you need help with Mom?



* From Cat Wisdom for humans

Jens Klingelhofer Rolls Out a New 'Bookwire Os' Expansion of Service - Publishing Perspectives

I'll just lay here and recuperate.

Panzer had to go to the vet yesterday for his annual vaccinations so he didn't post; but today he's back in the Catosphere. Our recovering kitty made a stop at the Publishing Perspective site. There with a little digging in the posts he found one about Bookwire.

According to Publishing Perspective's Editor-in-Chief Porter Anderson, Bookwire CEO Jens Klingelhofer has announced an expansion in services. In addition to the company's ebook distribution, it will now offer audio book and POD book services. The post includes screen shots of Bookwire's new dashboard. Also included are links to other posts/sites for information about Bookwire and the announcement.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... Another company enters the audio book market."

Note: This is a long post. Bring a cup of tea and two muffins for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow the links, bring a half a thermos of tea and three more muffins.

To read the post tootle over to Bookwire OS expansion

Reedsy Has Launched an Epub to Mobi Converter - The Digital Reader

Today, as Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere the Panzermobile was suddenly shaken by clapping and cheering. Following all the jocularity took our brave kitty boy to The Digital Reader site. There he found a post about Reedsy's new Epub to Mobi converter.

According to The Digital Reader site owner Nate Hoffelder, Reedsy has a new Epub to Mobi converter available. The post states the converter is easy to use and works well. There's a link included in the post to the converter.

The more I save the more catnip I can afford.

Panzer says, "Hmm ...This makes a conversion easier and less expensive."

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

To read the post tootle over to Reedsy's epub to mobi converter

A New Panzerism

Panzer on the joys of Spring:

It's that great time of year again ...

Spring!

That time when tantalizing wisps of Summer coming are in the air.

I can feel my muscles ripple beneath the undulating waves of my beautiful sun-ripened fur.

I am strong ...

I am brave ...

I am a hunter ...

Oh no!

 Spring is a waste of time.

I forgot ...

Scotch Broom is blooming ...

And ...

I have hay fever!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day
To All the Mothers
in the Catosphere And Everywhere!

Amazon: Over 1,000 Authors Each Earned Over $100 Grand in Royalties in 2018 - The Digital Reader

Where's my $100,000?

Today Panzer made a quick stop at The Digital Reader site. There he found a post about Amazon's indie authors.

According to Nate Hoffelder, Amazon released a report that includes information about indie authors' royalties from book sales through the company. Amazon says in their report that over a thousand authors made over $100,000. There's a link included in the post to download the twelve page PDF report. The author information is included on page 11 of the report.

Panzer says, "It's not necessary to download the report. Just read the post at The Digital Reader site and you'll have all the information you need. Believe this little kitty. Mom downloaded the report and read it to me. Skip it."

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

To read the post tootle over to Amazon authors

Authors Guild Praises Nora Roberts' Legal Action on Digital Plagiarism - Publishing Perspectives

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when the Panzermobile was shaken by clapping cheering outside. Following all the hullabaloo took our traveling kitty boy to the Publishing Perspectives site. There with a little digging he discovered a post about the Authors Guild and Nora Roberts.

Gotcha!

According to Porter Anderson, the Authors Guild has voiced its support for Nora Roberts in her fight against plagiarism. In April Nora Roberts sued Cristiane Serruga for plagiarism for copying Roberts and others' books. Serruga claims her ghost writers plagiarized others works without her permission. In a post on her site, Roberts not only addressed Serruga's plagiarism but Amazon's lack of control of plagiarists and the authors' stolen works. Panzer told you about the lawsuit last week. There are several links included in the post to learn more about Roberts' lawsuit.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... You know there's software to check for that, right?"

Note: This is a huge post. Bring half a thermos of tea and half a dozen muffins for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow the links in the post, bring another thermos of tea and a dozen muffins.

To read the post tootle over to Authors Guild

To read the post about Nora Roberts lawsuit tootle over to Nora Roberts

A New Panzerism

Panzer on camping:

What's His Name told Mom Spring is here ...

And ...

He wants to enjoy the great outdoors.

So ...

He wants to go camping with her ...

In a pup tent ...

And ...

Doesn't sound like fun to me.

Roast hot dogs.

It's got to be a joke ... Right?

I mean ...

Enjoy the outdoors with a puppy and a bunch of dogs?

France's Lagardere Studios Announces a Book-to-Screen Deal With Wattpad - Publishing Perspectives

Today as Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere he decided to make a quick stop at the Publishing Perspectives site. With a little digging in the posts our ambitious kitty found one about Wattpad.

Now for a well earned nap.

According to Publishing Perspectives Editor-in-Chief Porter Anderson, Wattpad Studios and France's Lagardere Studios have announced a partnership agreement. The agreement gives Lagardere Studios the first option to produce Wattpad material in French. The material will be produced for television, movies or digital. There are several links to other posts about Wattpad and partnership agreements the company has entered into included in the post.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... Wattpad is really increasing their footprint across the movie and television platforms."

Note: This is a long post. Bring a half thermos of tea and half a dozen muffins for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow the links included in the post, bring another thermos of tea and a dozen muffins.

To read the post tootle over to Wattpad

Nora Roberts sues Brazilian author, cites 'multi-plagiarism' - AP News

Panzer was shaken from his kitty bed by clapping and cheering coming from the Catosphere. Hopping into the Panzermobile, our speedy kitty boy followed all the noise to the AP News site. With a little digging he found a post about bestselling author Nora Roberts.

You will get caught.

According to Hillel Italie, Nora Roberts has sued Brazilian author Cristiane Serruya. Author Nora Roberts alleges in her suit filed in Brazil that Cristiane Serruya plagiarized her work multiple times. Serruya has said ghost writers she was using did the plagiarizing, but she's still selling the books in question. Amazon removed the books after Roberts notified them of the offenses, but other sites are still selling them.

Panzer says, "You steal it, you still have to pay the price eventually."

Note: This is a h-u-g-e post. Bring a thermos of tea and a dozen muffins for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to Nora Roberts