22 Great Writing Conferences in May 2021 - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

Today Panzer made a stop at the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site. With a little digging in the posts our inquisitive kitty found one about writing conferences scheduled in May.

Mystery is my middle name.

The post by Erica Verrillo lists twenty-two conferences. The conferences are all either online or by phone. There are poetry conferences, fiction conferences, nonfiction conferences, and even a science fiction conference. It looks like there's a conference for everyone except mystery writers. Use the included links to see how much each conference is charging to attend.

Panzer says, "Unfortunately, some of the conferences have April registration deadline dates, so it's too late to signup to attend them."

Note: This is a long post. Bring a thermos of cocoa, three muffins and four chocolate chip cookies (biscuits) for today's reading selection.

 

To read the post tootle over to  May Writing Conferences

Plenty of Plaudits to Go Around - The Rap Sheet

 Panzer made a trip to The Rap Sheet site today. There our intrepid kitty traveler found a post about mystery and thriller writer awards competitions.

 

That's a lot of awards.

According to J. Kingston Pierce's post, there has been a plethora of writers' groups and organizations announcing their awards contests recently. Shortlists of the contenders have been announced for the Crime Writers of Canada, the International Thriller Writers, and the British Crime Writers Association. The contestants and the title of their work for each of the awards for the different organizations are listed in the post and there are links to each organization.

 

Panzer says, "Hmm ... This little kitty didn't know there were that many different mystery and thriller writers."

 

Note: This is a long post. Bring a thermos of tea and ten muffins for today's reading selection and all the links included in the post.

 

 To read the post tootle over to Mystery writing contests shortlists

A New Panzerism

 Panzer on love:

The opposite of love isn't hate. It's indifference.

You want love? Get a dog.

Feed me and I'll stop being indifferent

towards you ...

for a while ...

maybe.

*From Cat Wisdom for humans

Cartoon of the Day: Cats - Mystery Fanfare

 

Almost as funny as Cat Wisdom.

Panzer here.

You really need to go read this cartoon.

Cat cartoon

Google is Sunsetting FeedBurner Email Subscriptions in July 2021 - The Digital Reader

Today Panzer decided to make a quick stop at The Digital Reader site. There he discovered a post about the demise of FeedBurner.

 

According to The Digital Reader site owner Nate Hoffelder's post, Google has decided to kill FeedBurner. Included in the post is a copy of Google's release about the company's plans. If you look at the top of the column on the right here, you will see the option to subscribe to posts from my site. That is the kind of subscription service FeedBurner offers. In addition to FeedBurner there are several email subscription services which will still be available.

 

I know some humans who use it.

Panzer says, "If you use FeedBurner, you better start looking for a replacement."

 

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

 

To read the post tootle over to Feedburner

All About Amazon Vella

 

Let's look into this.

For the last week all Panzer has been hearing in the Catosphere is about Amazon's Vella. To help you learn about it our inquisitive kitty began a search of his own to gather information.

 

Panzer found opinions and information in a post on a blog, in a YouTube video and on the Amazon site. Vella is Amazon's newest publishing endeavor. On it you can read serialized stories and novels. In that way it's similar to Wattpad. The reader does, however, pay for each installment after the first. That's how Amazon and authors get paid.

 

Panzer says, "Here's some of the interesting stuff I found out there."

 

Note: This will be a day long project for you, so make your own eating and camping arrangements.

 

To read the Kindlepreneur's post tootle over to Vella information  

To read Amazon's instructions tootle over to Amazon Vella

To watch the YouTube video about Vella tootle over to Vella

No Post

There's not enough hours in the day.

 

No post today.

 

Mom has to catch up on a project.

We'll be back tomorrow.

A New Panzerism

 Panzer on the lack of foresight:

Your fault not mine.

A Cat Riddle:

Why is a cat without access to their litter box like a car without a steering wheel?

Answer:

They both can go anywhere.

London Book Fair Opts for a Digital-Only Edition in 2021 - Publishing Perspectives

 Today, Panzer's trip into the Catosphere took him to the Publishing Perspectives site. There he found a post about the London Book Fair.

 

Online-only shouldn't surprise anyone.

According to the post by Porter Anderson, the London Book Fair will be online this year. The fair will be divided into two sections in June. The first will be the week of June 7 and the second will be June 29 - July 1. There's no visitor signup information available yet, but the post contains a link to register to get information emailed to you when it's available. After the post about the London Book Fair there's a section about more online book fairs and awards programs.

 

Panzer says, "Be sure to read the information after the registration for visitor information or you might be getting some advertising you didn't expect."

 

Note: This is a long-medium length post. Bring a big cup of tea, a muffin and a chocolate chip cookie (biscuit) for today's reading selection.

 

To read the post tootle over to London Book Fair

Announcing the 2021 Hugo Award Finalists - Tor.com

 It's been a while since Panzer has been to the Tor.com site, so he decided to stop in there today. With no digging at all our illustrious kitty found a post listing all the Hugo Award finalists.

 

Just reading all the names gave me a headache.

According to the post the Hugo Award finalists were announced earlier this month. The Hugo Awards are given annually in the science fiction genre. In order to vote for your choices in the finalists, you must be a member of DisCon III. The post includes a link to signup information. There are twenty different categories ranging from best novel to best illustrator.  Each category has six finalists in it, so we're not going to list them all here.

Panzer says, "I didn't even get nominated.  ... Cat Sigh ... Oh, wait! ... We don't write sf. ... So ... Never mind."

Note: This is a h-u-m-o-n-g-o-u-s list. Bring a thermos of tea, three muffins and a cupcake for today's reading selection.

To read the list of nominees tootle over to Hugo Award finalists

John O'Groats Book Festival to return with online programme - John O'Groats Journal

 Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere today when he stopped in at the John O'Groats Journal site. With just a little digging our inquisitive kitty boy found a post about the John O'Groats Book Festival.

 

Starts in ten days. I'm  ready.

According to the post by Alan Hendry, the John O'Groats Book Festival will be online this year. The Book Festival will begin April 24 and run for three weeks. It will feature such Scottish authors as Freeland Barbour, Gillian Galbraith, Barbara Henderson, James Hunter, as well as several others. The post does say the author presentations will be recorded ahead of the Book Festival. More information about the Festival and how to register will be posted to the Book Festival's Twitter account and Facebook page. To follow, both icons are at the top of the post.

 

Panzer says, "Looks like all the conferences are still going to be online again this year."

 

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 John O' Groats Book Festival

 

A New Panzerism

 Panzer on appearances:

Have you ever watched a cat with their catnip?

They roll around in it ...

And ...

 

Eat it ...

 

Mom. Hey Mom, I need you now!

And ...

Drool all over themselves.

Hmm ...

I don't mind looking stupid once in a while.

Lefty Awards Tomorrow

 Panzer has a short post today. 

 

Better hurry!

Our kitty boy wants to  remind you tomorrow, April 10 at 4:00 pm PT, the Left Coast Crime Lefty Awards will be presented. (You will need to determine the time in your time zone.)

 

Panzer told you about the free online program back in March. This is not a writers' convention.

To register for the program tootle over to register

To read  Panzer's previous post tootle over to Leftys

Pandemic Won't Cancel CrimeFest Prizes - The Rap Sheet

 Panzer didn't even make back home for a nap, before he heard clapping and cheering outside the Panzermobile. Following all the jocularity took our busy kitty boy to The Rap Sheet site. There he found a post about CrimeFest.

 

Some familiar names on that list, but not mine.

According to the post by J. Kingston Pierce, although The International Crime Fiction Convention CrimeFest has been cancelled this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic the prizes will still be awarded. The winners will be announced online. The post includes the complete short list. The post also includes a link to a post on the Shots site with information about some of the entries and the history of CrimeFest.

Panzer says, "This little kitty wishes they had the whole convention online."

Note: This is a long list of all the contestants. Bring a cup of tea and a muffin to read all the titles of the contestants. If you plan to follow the link to the Shots post, bring another muffin.

To read the post tootle over to CrimeFest

Booksellers File Antitrust Lawsuit Against Amazon, Publishers - The Digital Reader

Today when Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere he decided to make a stop at The Digital Reader. With just a little digging in the posts our favorite kitty boy found one about a new lawsuit against Amazon.

 

How many lawsuits can one firm file against Amazon?

According to the post by The Digital Reader site owner Nate Hoffelder, a lawsuit has been been filed against Amazon and the Big Five publishers by booksellers. Last month Panzer told you about the lawsuit against the company for ebook price fixing. The new lawsuit is for print book price-fixing.

 

Panzer says, "I don't understand any of this."

 

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

 

To read the post tootle over to antitrust lawsuit

To read Panzer's previous post tootle over to Amazon e-book case 

No Post

 

I hope it's worth it.

 

 No post today.

 

 Mom is busy with a work project.

 We'll be back tomorrow.

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.

She said she wants the bathroom to be spring-time good-smelly.

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

Then she said she had everiything clean in here.

Well ...

I don't think so.

I want to help her with her spring cleaning.

So ...

A quick flick of 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

Happy Easter

 

 HAPPY EASTER

 

From Panzer, Mom and What's His Name

 

Ebook sales show no sign of slowing down in 2021 - GoodEReader

Today Panzer made a quick stop at the GoodEReader site. With hardly any digging in the posts at all, our illustrious kitty found one about ebook sales this year.

 

Makes sense to me.

According to Michael Kozlowski's post, ebook sales were up 21 percent in January when compared to January last year. The post also contains information about audio book sales and hardback and paperback book sales.

 

Panzer says, "Those sales figures don't surprise this little kitty. Humans still can't go out, so they're staying home and reading."

 

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

 

To read the post tootle over to E-book sales

April Fool's Day

 

 

Happy April Fool's Day!

 

From Panzer

 

George R.R. Martin signs five-year, eight-figure deal for more HBO projects - The Guardian

 Today as soon as Panzer entered the Catosphere he heard clapping and cheering outside the Panzermobile. Following all the jocularity took our adventuresome kitty boy to The Guardian site. There he discovered a post about Game of Throne author George R.R. Martin was causing all the hullabaloo.

 

Five years? How old is he now?

According to the post by Sian Cain, George R.R. Martin has signed a contract to work on a Game of Thrones prequel called House of the Dragon. The new project is planned to be shown in 2022. The post has several links, including one to the original one announcing the project. A couple of days ago Panzer told you about the plans for more Game of Thrones connected projects.

 

Panzer says, "Yay! I knew it! More Dragons!"

 

Note: This is a medium length post. Bring a cup of tea and a muffin for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow the links in the post, bring a thermos of tea, a thermos of cocoa, ten muffins, six cupcakes, four chocolate chip cookies (biscuits), and a sleeping bag for a nap in the middle.

 

To read the post tootle over to George R.R. Martin