A New Panzerism

 Panzer on inherent value:

What a cat wants ...

Mother Nature got that one right.

he gets.

What a dog wants ...

he has to beg for.

Memorial Day

 

 

 

55 Writing Contests in June - No entry fees - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

Today, Panzer stopped in at the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site. There our illustrious kitty boy found a post about writing contests with June deadlines.

 

Interesting contests.

Erica Verrillo's post lists 55 writing contests. The contests are for fiction, nonfiction and poetry. There are novel, short story, poetry, essay, and flash fiction contests. Some have entry restrictions, so be sure to read the rules before submitting.

 

Panzer says, "There's something for everyone in these contests. Have fun."

 

Note: This is a long post. Bring a big cup of tea and two muffins for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow any of the links, you'll need to decide what to bring to eat and drink.

 

To read the post tootle over to writing contests

No Post

Cats have no deadlines. None.

 

Sorry.

 

No post today.

 

Mom is under a deadline.

 

We'll be back tomorrow.

The 'Nibbies': The British Book Awards Name Their 2022 Winners - Publishing Perspectives

Today's trip into the Catosphere took our curious kitty boy to the Publishing Perspectives site. There he discovered the winners of the Nibbies have announced.

It's a very long video.

Porter Anderson's post lists the fourteen book and audio awards. There are seventeen more awards for the industry for a total of the thirty-one awards. The beginning of the post includes a brief history and information about the British Book Awards. This year's conference was held in-person. A YouTube video is embedded of the presentations. The actual conference opening begins at the 29:20 mark.

Panzer says, "This little kitty recognized Paul McCartney, William McIlvanney and Ian Rankin's names on the list of winners."

Note: This is a medium length post. Bring a cup of tea and a muffin for today's reading selection. If you plan to watch the YouTube video, you'll need to decide what to bring to eat and drink.

To read the post tootle over to The Nibbies

A Panzerism

 Panzer on accessorizing:

Arrggh ... oh no ... arrggh ... coff ... coff.

I don't know. It fell of somewhere.*

What do you mean this collar with a bell looks great on me?

How would you know?

You're the one with the wardrobe that's perfect for radio.

* From Cat Wisdom for humans

Publish KDP Paperbacks and Hardbacks in Sweden and Poland! - KDP Community

Today's trip into the Catosphere took Panzer to the KDP Community site. There he found a post that KDP authors' paperback and hardback books are now available for sale in Sweden and Poland.

 

Maybe I'll adjust the prices there.

According to the post, authors who chose Worldwide, UK or EU distribution have their books automatically made available in Amazon's Sweden and Poland markets. There are links in the post to make changes for your books distribution.

 

Panzer says, "Hmm ... Two new marketplaces."

 

Note: This is a short post. You don't need to bring anything for today's reading. If you want to follow the links in the post and make changes to you books, you decide what to bring to eat and drink.

 

To read the post tootle over to Publish in Sweden and Poland

Wattpad Continues to Evolve After Acquisition by Naver - Publishers Weekly

 Today, Panzer made a stop at the Publishers Weekly site. There he found a post about Wattpad.

It was expected.

According to Ed Nawotka's post, it's been a year since Korean business Naver bought Candadian business Wattpad. Now, Allen Lau, cofounder of Wattpad, has announced he's leaving Wattpad to become executive advisor at Webtoon. Jeanne Lam, Wattpad president, will be taking over the managing of Wattpad.

Panzer says, "This little kitty was surprised he stayed as long as he did."

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

To read the post tootle over to Wattpad

No Post

Wake me in the morning.

Panzer here.

No post today.

Mom has work to do.

Back tomorrow.

Black Orchid Novella Award Competition

 Panzer was checking his calendar today and our illustrious kitty discovered the Black Orchid Novella Award Competition ends on May 31.

 

Come on! Hurry!

The competition is run by The Wolfe Pack and Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine. Submissions are limited to mystery novellas. This is an international competition. Entries must be submitted by snail mail.

 

Panzer says, "Read all the rules carefully. And hurry!"

 

To read the post tootle over to Black Orchid Award

German Nonfiction Prize to Offer NFTs With Creatokia Marketplace - Publishing Perspectives

Today, when Panzer was cleaning out the Panzermobile. he found a wadded up post in the glove box. Flattening it out, our fastidious kitty boy discovered it was a post from the Publishing Perspectives site about the German Nonfiction Prize.

 

According to Porter Anderson's post, the German publishers and booksellers association, Borsenverein des Deutschen Duchhandels, has announced it's getting into NFTs. The association will make five German nonfiction books available as NFT's. The books are listed in the post. The NFTs can be purchased using either tokens or euros. The post includes links to other information.

 

I'm not buying tokens. It's nap time.

Panzer says, "Don't know what a token is? Mom went down the Alice in Wonderland Rabbit Hole to find out for you. Click the Tokens link below to read all about tokens and blockchains and stablecoins and cryptocurrency and a crypto crash that just happened."

 

Note: This is a long-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, you'll need to decide what to bring to drink and eat. If you plan to follow the link below to learn about cryptocurrency, tie a rope around your wrist so you can find you way back out of the Rabbit Hole.

 

To read the post about buying the NFTs of the books tootle over to German Nonfiction Prize

To read the post about cryptocurrency tootle over to tokens 

A Panzerism

 Panzer on giving to charity for the greater good:

Mom told me she and What's His Name are going to a charity auction tonight. She said all the money raised will go to take care of retired greyhounds.

She said it's a good cause ...

And ...

That humans always support good causes.

So ...

After thinking about it a while ...

I want to start a charity for retired cats.

 

I'll be waiting by the mailbox. *

You humans won't even have to leave home.

Just mail me your check, cash or catnip.

On second thought ...

Just send the catnip.

* From Cat Wisdom for humans

First Image of Black Hole at the Center of the Milky Way - Various

Yesterday Panzer sent you to information about the SFWA Conference. Today he's sending you to information about the black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. Yesterday was fiction. Today is reality.

 

According to various posts, the Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration has announced the first image of the black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. Included in the posts is information about how black holes work and how the image was captured. An image of the black hole was released on Twitter earlier this week. Both the CNet post and the Associated Press (AP) post listed below include the image.

 

There is so much out there to see.

Panzer says, "It's fantastic."

 

Note:These are long posts. Bring your lunch to read them both. If you plan to follow the links in the posts, you'll need your dinner too.

 

To read the CNet post tootle over to Milky Way's Black Hole

To read the AP post tootle over to Milky Way Image 

Connie Willis and Neil Gaiman to Host the 57th Nebula Awards! - SFWA

 Today Panzer's trip into the Catosphere took him to the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America's (SFWA) site. There our sci-fi and fantasy loving kitty boy found information about the SFWA Conference and the Nebula Awards.

 

According to the post at the SFWA Nebula Awards page, authors Connie Willis and Neil Gaiman will be co-hosting the Nebula Awards at the conference. The page includes a link to the Nebula finalists. The Nebula presentations will be on May 21. It will be online and free to attend.

The SFWA Conference will be May 20 - 22 and also online. The charge for the conference will be $150.

 

It's not easy to use.

For information about the conference and the events planned:

 

On the banner at the top of the Nebula page Click The 2022 SFWA Nebula Conference; 

Click the About button; 

then at the bottom of the About page Click the Visit 2022 SFWA Conference Online Site.

Panzer says, "This little kitty could only find the Facebook attendance for the Nebulas presentation."

 

Note: This is a medium length post. Bring a cup of tea and a chocolate chip cookie (biscuit) for today's reading. If you plan to follow the link to see the list of finalists, you'll need to decide what else to bring to eat and drink. If you plan to follow all the links and read about the conference, you might want to consider bringing your lunch.

 

To read the post tootle over to Nebula Awards

To go to the SFWA Facebook page tootle over to SFWA 

Auto Narrated Audio Books - Google Play Books

As Panzer was napping he rudely shaken from his kitty bed by clapping and cheering coming from the Catosphere. Not particularly happy with the situation, he got into the Panzermobile and followed all the hullabaloo to the Google Play Books site.

Now ... I'll try again.

There he discovered Google has a new service to turn you book into an AI narrated audio book. All the instructions are available at the site. In the description it does say the service works for nonfiction books. After you list the book for sale on Google Play Books you can download the file and sell it at other sites that "accept AI narrated audio books."

Panzer says, "It does look interesting, but always read all the terms and FAQs."

 

 Note: Since you'll be busy reading, watching and doing, don't bring anything to eat or drink today.

 

To read about Google Play AI audio books tootle over to Auto Narrated Audio Books

4 New Agents Seeking Nonfiction, Literary Fiction, Middle Grade, YA, Mystery, Romance and more - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

Before his morning nap Panzer made a quick trip into the Catosphere to the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site. There he uncovered a post about new agents.

 

Now ... About that nap.

According to Erica Verrillo's post, she found four new agents who are looking for authors in a variety of genres to represent. The title above lists the genres. The post begins with a short introduction followed by a longer description of the interests of each agent.

 

Panzer says, "Don't wait to query them. New agents need authors to represent now."

 

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

 

To read the post tootle over to New Agents

Amazon stops selling digital goods in its Android app to escape Google's Play Store tax - Android Police

Panzer was taking a nap when he was shaken from his kitty bed by crying and the gnashing of teeth coming from the Catosphere. Hopping in the Panzermobile, our brave kitty boy followed all the noise to the Android Police site. There he found a post about Amazon and the Google Play Store.

 

Let's see what happens.

According to Ryne Hager's post, Amazon is no longer selling digital works in the Android app. Beginning in June Google will be charging the seller for digital sales through the Play Store. With this development Amazon decided to no longer sell digital items through the Play Store. Consequently, Amazon customers can no longer purchase digital items through Amazon's app and instead are told to buy direct from Amazon. The post includes samples of what Amazon customers see when they try to purchase using the app.

 

Panzer says, "It will be interesting to see if customers do leave Google and go to Amazon to buy direct."

 

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

 

To read the post tootle over to Google Play Store

Supply Squeeze, Changing Consumer Behavior Challenges Publishers - Publishers Weekly

Today, as Panzer was tootling around in the Catophere he decided to make a stop at the Publishers Weekly site. There our intrepid traveler found a post about problems publishers are having.

 

Supply chain problems are still here.

The post by Ed Nawotka covers information from a webinar on May 4 by the Ingram Content Group. The webinar discussed the fact several issues are causing problems for publishers right now. These include supply chain problems, cost increases, and port delivery problems. Other contributing factors are labor shortages and paper shortages. Customer buying habits are also changing. Customers are buying and reading more ebooks and audio books.

Panzer says, "They're also looking at print on demand."

 

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

 

To read the post tootle over to Supply Chain

 

Cartoon of the Day: Cats - Mystery Fanfare

Cats know what's valuable and what's not.

When he was cleaning under the pilot's seat in the Panzermobile today, Panzer found this cartoon from the Mystery Fanfare site.

Enjoy!

 

To read the cartoon tootle over to  Mystery Fanfare

A Panzerism

Thanks Mom. I needed a good laugh.

Panzer on a balanced diet:

You're kidding right?

For Cat Moms Only

 Happy Mother's Day!

From Panzer

Mother's Day

 

 

 

From Mom, Panzer and What's His Name

 

Happy Mother's Day

To the Moms Who Have Departed Over the Bridge

From Your Children

 

10 Myths of Writing About Crime - Writers Digest

When Panzer was washing the wind screen today, our fastidious kitty boy discovered a post stuck under the wiper blade. Pulling it out he discovered it was a post from the Writer's Digest site about crime writing myths.

 

They're all interesting.

In his post author Ron Franscell debunks ten myths writers have seen on TV about crime solving. For example, the ability to determine an exact time of death for the victim. This is actually a fallacy. However, because writers have seen it on TV a multitude of times, it has found its way into crime fiction. There are nine other myths that have also managed to become ingrained in crime writing. The post contains an explanation about why each myth is wrong.

 

Panzer says, "If you click the link at the end of the post, you'll be taken to signup for Ron Franscell's Writer Digest class."

 

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

 

To read the post tootle over to Crime Writing

HBO Isn't Hiding the Dragons in the Latest House of the Dragon Teaser - Tor.com

 As Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere today, suddenly the Panzermobile was shaken by clapping and cheering. Following all the hullabaloo took our brave kitty boy to the Tor.com site. It didn't take any digging at all to discover all the noise was about HBO's House of the Dragon.

 

Dragons!

The post by Molly Templeton explains the newest teaser is out for House of the Dragon. This is the ten part series which takes place two hundred years before Game of Thrones. The post includes a mini-synopsis of the story, a link to click at the top of the post to view the newest teaser on YouTube, a link to the previous teaser, and the character posters. The new series premiers August 21.

 

Panzer says, "This little kitty can't wait for the series to start."

 

Note: Because of the character posters and teaser trailers, this is a long post. Bring a cup of tea and a large muffin.

 

To read the post and watch the teaser tootle over to House of the Dragon

Amazon Kindles now support EPUB Books (sort of), but MOBI and AZW support is ending in 2022 - liliputing

Panzer made a quick stop at the liliputing site today. With just a little digging in the posts our busy kitty boy found one about Amazon and EPUB formatted ebooks.

 

According to Brad Linder's post, Amazon now allows Kindle and Kindle app users to load EPUB ebooks to their devices. The post includes a list of all the formats Amazon currently supports for ebooks and documents to load on Kindle devices. Also included in the post are instructions about how to load the EPUB ebooks and the other formatted ebooks and documents on to the Kindle and Kindle apps.

 

Not good. Mom has a lot of mobi ebooks.

Panzer says, "Amazon is doing away with support for the MOBI and AZW formats this year. That means those formats can't be loaded on Kindle devices or the Kindle app after the support ends."

 

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

 

To read the post tootle over to Amazon Kindle

A Solar Eclipse on Mars

If you've followed us for a while you know Panzer loves Mars. 

If you look up, you can see Mars at night.

So he was excited to find a NASA YouTube video of a solar eclipse on Mars posted earlier this year. The eclipse was caused when one of Mars moons, Phobos, crossed the surface of the sun. The event was captured by the Mars Rover Perserverance.

Panzer says, "Enjoy the view."

 

To watch the video tootle over to Mars Eclipse

The Big Thrill

Today, Panzer made a stop at the International Thriller Writers site. There our ingenious kitty discovered the May issue of The Big Thrill is available.

I'm available for interviews.

This issue of The Big Thrill contains interviews with thriller authors, book reviews and articles. Hovering over the banner across the top of the page will allow you to click on some of the individual interviews. As you move down the page clicking on the individual books on the left will allow access to the review of the book. Under the paid advertising on the right side of the page is a Table of Contents for the entire issue and clicking on an entry will take you to it.

Panzer says, "There are a lot of interesting author interviews here. Unfortunately no cats were interviewed for this issue."

Note: This will be a long, long, long read. Depending on what you want to read, you'll have to decide what to bring for today's reading adventure.

To read the issue tootle over to The Big Thrill

A Panzerism

 Panzer on the basic cat tenet:

None. Got it? *

Cats do not behave badly ...

because ...

there are no rules for cats.

* From Cat Wisdom for humans

Beltane

Happy Beltane

From Panzer, Mom and What's His Name

Cartoon of the Day: Cats - Mystery Fanfare

Exactly what I would say.

While he was cleaning the Panzermobile today, Panzer found this cartoon from the Mystery Fanfare site.

Enjoy!

 

To read the cartoon tootle over to Mystery Fanfare