BookCon 2026: Where Fans Reign Supreme? - Publishers Daily

Watch where you're walking.

On his stop at the Publishers Daily site today Panzer learned after missing six years BookCon is back.

 

According to Iyana Jones and Sam Stratford's post, BookCon was a huge book sales success for publishers. However, some fan attendees weren't happy with the lack of crowd control or attendee ticket checking.

 

Panzer says, "So many people there, but nobody to make sure you know whose tail didn't get stepped on. Not good planning." 

 

Note:This is a long post. Bring a cup of cocoa, three chocolate chip cookies (biscuits), and a chocolate brownie. (You can never have to much chocolate.)

 

To read the post tootle over to BookCon 2026 

Killer Nashville Magazine Drip Drip Drip Content Update

Don't get your paws wet.

Panzer made a quick stop at the Killer Nashville Magazine site. 

 

There he discovered the weekly leaky faucet drop of new content.

 

This time the material consist of two writing craft features.

 

To read the new content trundle over to Killer Nashville Magazine 

Panzerism

Panzer on board games:

 

I love playing checkers with Mom and What's His Name.

 

Especially that part where the noble jungle kitty sneaks through the tall carpet grass.

 

He waits patiently.

 

He slithers forward ...

 

and ...

 

You're free! Fly away!*

pounces on the checker board where all the plastic pieces take flight

 

like ...

 

a herd of butterflies.

 

 

 

 

 

*From Cat Wisdom for humans 

New Puzzle: What? It's mine.

Hint

Here's today's jigsaw puzzle: What? It's mine.

 

Remember at the puzzle site click the square in the lower left corner at any time to see the finished puzzle.

 

Have fun.

 

To do the puzzle trundle over to Cat Jigsaw Puzzle

Free to Watch Classic Mystery Movie: The Triumph of Sherlock Holmes

Who was Sherlock Holmes? Ask GPT.

Here's this weekend's classic mystery movie Panzer found on the Cult Cinema Classics channel on Youtube.

 

The Triumph of Sherlock Holmes is a 1935 black and white classic movie. It's 1 hour 23 minutes long.

 

Make some popcorn, get your favorite beverage, get comfy, and enjoy the movie.

 

To watch the movie trundle over to Classic Sherlock Holmes Movie 

Free to Listen Romantasy Audiobook: My Queendom for a Horse

I'll find a movie for you now.

Panzer found this enemies to lovers romantasy on the author's channel on Youtube.

 

The horse shifter audiobook My Queendom for a Horse is written by Bridget E. Baker. It's narrated by Cindy Gunderson and 9 hours 31 minutes long.

 

To listen to the audiobook tootle over to Romantasy Audiobook

Free to Listen Clean Romance Audiobook: down but not out

See you tomorrow.

Panzer found this clean romance on the author's Youtube channel.

 

down but not out is written by B.E. Baker. It's narrated by Jennifer Jill Araya and 9 hours 47 minutes long.

 

To listen to the audiobook tootle over to Clean Romance Audiobook 

Free to Listen Paranormal Cozy Mystery Audiobook: Seer Today Gone Tomorrow

Let's see what else I can find for you.

Here's today's small town cozy mystery Panzer found on the author's channel on Youtube.

 

Seer Today Gone Tomorrow is written by Ada Bell. It's narrated by Liza Jacob and 6 hours 21 minutes long.

 

To listen to the audiobook tootle over to Paranormal Cozy Mystery 

Print Book Pricing and Printing Costs - Barnes and Noble Press Blog

I need a nap after all these changes.

Panzer's next stop was at the Barnes and Noble Press Blog site.

 

According to an announcement there, the minimum print book price must be set at $14.99.

 

Panzer says, "If you don't set your price there or higher, your book will be de-listed."

 

Note: This is a short announcement. You don't need to bring anything to snack on.

 

To read the post tootle over to Barnes and Noble 

Understanding D2D's Activation and Maintenance Fees - Draft2Digital Blog

The AI slop should be banned.

Panzer stopped in at the Draft2Digital Blog site today. There he found a post about their new activation and maintenance fees.

 

 Kris Austin's post explains the activation fee is a result of the large number of AI author accounts and the maintenance fees are to cover the costs of maintaining low sales accounts.

 

 Panzer says, "That AI slop makes us all look bad."

 

Note: This is a medium post. Bring a cup of tea. 

 

To read the post tootle over to Activation and Maintenance Fees slo

Amazon is ending support for Kindle devices from 2012 and earlier - liliputing

Just like computers. You have to buy a new one.

Panzer was traveling around in the Catosphere when the Panzermobile was suddenly buffeted and shaken by crying and moaning outside. Following all the angst took our brave kitty boy to the liliputing site. There he discovered Amazon was the cause of the problems.

 

According to Brad Linder's post, Amazon is stopping all support for any Kindle devices made in 2012 or older. This means the devices will no longer work with the Kindle store.

 

Panzer says, "This little kitty better get all 5,000 ebooks he bought downloaded on his Kindle NOW."

 

Note:This is a medium length post. Bring a cup of tea and a muffin to snack on.

 

To read the post tootle over to Amazon Support 

In Europe's Translation Market English Dominates, Japanese Grows, AI Disrupts - Publishers Weekly

No mention of translating feline in European markets.

Today in his travels in the Catosphere Panzer found a post on the Publishers Weekly site about European translation markets.

 

The post contains extensive information about the popularity of translations from English and Japanese material. The last section concentrates on using AI for translations. Included in the post are several links to other information.

 

Panzer says, "This little kitty would like to know which genre translations are the most popular."

 

Note: This is a very, very, very, long post. You'll need to decide what to bring to snack on.

 

To read the post tootle over to Europe's Translation Markets 

Pew Survey Finds Readers Still Prefer Print Books - Publishers Daily

 Panzer made a stop at the Publishers Daily site where he found some interesting results from a Pew Research Group survey..

 

That prediction was wrong.

According to Jim Milliot, the survey shows print books are still the preferred reading format in the U.S. Included in the post is a link to the survey results.

 

Panzer says, "So ... Ebooks are not taking over the world."

 

Note: This is a long-short post. Bring a cup of tea to drink.

 

To read the post tootle over to Pew Survey 

Killer Nashville Magazine Online Update

It's like a leaky faucet. One drip at a time.

Today, Panzer discovered the Killer Nashville Magazine site has added new content for the April issue. The two features are both in the Writers Craft section.

 

To read them tootle over to Killer Nashville Magazine 

A Panzerism

 Panzer on the Creator's creations:

 

The Creator only made a certain number of perfect creations.

 

Ones ...

 

with fur ...

 

with tails ...

See ... No thumbs.*

 

with pointy ears ...

 

and the extraordinary ability to purr.

 

The others he gave opposable thumbs. 

 

 

 

 

 

*From Cat Wisdom for humans 

Jigsaw Puzzle: You want to keep that finger? Move it.

Hint

Here's today's new jigsaw puzzle.

 

Remember at the puzzle site to see the completed puzzle click the square in the lower left corner.

 

This one is a challenge.

 

 Have fun.

 

To do the puzzle tootle over to Kitten Jigsaw Puzzle

Free to Watch Classic Mystery Movie: Jim Hanvey - Detective

Pizza's good warmed up. Save me some.

Here's today's classic mystery movie Panzer on the PizzaFlix channel on Youtube.

 

Jim Hanvey-Detective is a black and white 1937 murder mystery. It's 53 minutes long.

 

Make a pizza, grab your favorite beverage and enjoy the movie. 

 

To watch the movie tootle over to Classic Murder Mystery Movie 

Free to Listen Fantasy Romance: Firebolt

Romantasy or not?

Just like yesterday, Panzer found an audiobook called a fantasy romance, not a Romantasy. He found this one on the Lucinda Audiobook channel on Youtube.

 

Firebolt is written by Adrienne Woods. It's 10 hours 38 minutes long. 

 

 Note: If you read the Comments section, you'll see listeners like it and some don't. You decide.

 

To listen to the audiobook tootle over to Fantasy Romance 

Free to Listen Mystery Audiobook: The Deadly Daiquiri

That's it for today. See you tomorrow.

Here's a witchy murder mystery Panzer found on the author's channel on Youtube.

 

The Deadly Daiquiri is written by Teagan Maher. It's 5 hours 25 minutes long.

 

To listen to the audiobook tootle over to Murder Mystery Audiobook

Free to Listen Clean Fantasy Romance: The Diviner

Off to find a mystery for you.

If you like romantasy before it had that name, here's a fantasy romance audiobook Panzer found on the author's channel on Youtube.

 

The enemies to lovers romance The Diviner is written and narrated by Cindy Gunderson. It's 10 hours 28 minutes long.

 

To listen to the audiobook tootle over to Romantasy Audiobook 

Windham-Campbell Prizes Announces This Year's Recipients - Publishing Perspectives

It says why each winner was chosen.

With a quick stop at the Publishing Perspectives site Panzer discovered a post about the Windham-Campbell Prizes.

 

Erin L. Cox's post lists the four categories of the prizes and the two winners in each. Winners are chosen worldwide.

 

 Panzer says, "All that money they win would buy a lot of kibble treats."

 

Note:This is a long medium length post. Bring a cup of tea and a muffin to snack on.

 

To read the post tootle over to Windham-Campbell Prizes 

Ingram Library in Deal with Bound to Stay Bound Books - Publishers Daily

Let's see what else is out there.

Panzer found a news release about Ingram Library on the Publishers Daily site.

 

According to the news release, Ingram Library will have Bound to Stay Bound Books available on their direct to libraries sales platform.

 

 Note: This is a short news release. You won't need to bring anything to snack on.

 

To read the full news post tootle over to Ingram 

No Post

 Lost power for most of the day, so no publishing news today.

 

Paws crossed, we'll be back tomorrow. 

New Killer Nashville Magazine Issue

That's it for today.

Panzer found selected features from the April issue of Killer Nashville Magazine have been uploaded at the magazine's site.

 

An interview and two writers' craft features are available.

 

To read the issue tootle over to Killer Nashville Magazine 

PEN America Finds Literary Translators Underpaid, Underappreciated - Publishers Daily

I didn't know any of this about translators.

Today, Panzer made a stop at the Publishers Daily site where he found an interesting post about translators.

 

The post is about a PEN America report released last month about translators and how they're paid and recognized for their work. The last section of the post is an examination of how AI is impacting book translations. Included in the post are links to other reports and analysis relating to translation work.

 

Panzer says, "This little kitty didn't know translators were paid by the word."

 

Note: This is a very long post. You'll need to decide what to bring to snack on.

 

To read the post tootle over to PEN America 

A Panzerism

Panzer on the Zen of teaching cats:

 

When you tell a dog to sit,

it means he can relax and get off

his feet for a minute.

 

But ...

if you tell a cat to sit, 

that cat has to wake up, stretch,

Listen to me ... It's not going to happen*.

and ...

then get up to sit.

 

So I think you can take sit off the list of things to teach a cat to do.

 

 

 

 

 

*From Cat Wisdom for humans 

Jigsaw Puzzle What is that?

Hint

Here's today's new jigsaw puzzle.

 

At the puzzle site you can always see the finished puzzle by clicking the square in the lower left corner.

 

Have fun!

 

To do the puzzle tootle over to What is that?

Free to Watch Classic Mystery Movie: The Spanish Cape Mystery

 

Save me some popcorn. Go heavy on the butter.

Panzer found today's mystery on Rita's Reels channel on Youtube.

 

 The Spanish Cape Mystery is a 1935 black and white Ellery Queen murder mystery movie. It's 1 hour 14 minutes long.

 

Make some popcorn, grab your favorite beverage and have fun.

 

To watch the movie tootle over to Classic Mystery Movie 

Bloody Scotland The Podcast New Episode

I'm a big fan of his writing too.

If you're a fan of crime fiction author Sir Ian Rankin, Panzer found an interview with him on the Bloody Scotland Podcast.

 

The episode is 42 minutes long. In addition to the interview with Ian Rankin, it includes one with Leodora Darlington.

 

To listen to the interview tootle over to Bloody Scotland Podcast 

Free to Listen Small Town Romance Audiobook:The Small Town Boy's Redemption

Off to look for something else for you.

If you like sweet romance, Panzer found this one on the Say With Jay channel on Youtube.

 

The Small Boy's Redemption is written by Jessie Gussman. It's narrated by Jay Dyess and 6 hours 26 minutes long.

 

To listen to the audiobook tootle over to Small Town Romance 

Free to Listen Classic Myatery Audiobook: Tommy and Tuppence: Partners in Crime

See the channel's name?

If you like classic mystery in audiobook format, Panzer found this one on the Bedtime Detective Stories  channel on Youtube.

 

Tommy and Tuppence: Partners in Crime was written by Agatha Christie. It's 5 hours 57 minutes long.

 

To listen to the audiobook tootle over to Agatha Christie 

Free to Listen Regency Romance: The Arrangement

I'll find something else for you.

Panzer found this clean Regency romance on the Forever and Always Regency Romance Audiobooks channel on Youtube.

 

Panzer couldn't find any author listed for The Arrangement on the site. The audiobook is 1 hour 54 minutes long.

 

Note: The audiobook is AI narrated.

 

To listen to the audiobook tootle over to Regency Romance 

HarperCollins Partners with 'AI-Powered Animation House Toonstar - Publishers Weekly

I want to see this.

At the Publishers Weekly site Panzer found a post about publisher HarperCollins.

 

According to Sam Spratford's post, HarperCollins announced Toonstar will make animated episodes of select novels for them. The post contains links to more information about both companies.

 

Panzer says, "AI-Powered animation? What is that?"

 

Note: This is a medium length post. Bring a cup of tea and a chocolate chip muffin to snack on.

To read the post tootle over to HarperCollins

Watch Out for This Scam Impersonating Editors at Major Publishing Houses - Writer Beware(R)

Be prepared. Read the examples.

Here's an interesting post Panzer found at the Writer Beware (R) site.

 

Victoria Strauss' post about impersonation scams includes examples of the emails sent to authors. In the emails scammers claim to be editors or agents interested in the author's work.

 

Panzer says, "AI-generated?"

 

Note:This is a very, very long post. You'll need to decide what to bring to snack on.

 

To read the post tootle over to Impersonating Editors 

2026 Derringer Award Finalists - Short Mystery Fictioin Society Blog

Recognize anyone on the lists?

At his stop at the Short Mystery Fiction Society Blog Panzer discovered a post with the newly announced finalists for the SMFS Derringer Awards.

 

There are five categories for the Derringers. The categories are Best Flash Fiction, Best Short Story, Best Long Story, Best Novelette and Best Anthology.

 

The winners will be announced May 1.

 

To read the list of the finalists tootle over to 2026 Derringers Finalists 

 

 

Does the "Shy Girl" AI Accusation Mean Writers Should Stop Using the Em Dash? - Anne R. Allen's Blog ... with Ruth Harris

AI fights give me a headache.

Here's a helpful post for writers wondering about AI generated material Panzer found on the Anne R. Allen's Blog ... with Ruth Harris site.

  

Anne R. Allen's post brings up interesting points authors face with their writing in today's AI fiction generated world. Included in the post are links to other information about accusations of AI generated fiction.

 

Panzer says, "This little kitty wants to know: What's that Em Dash thingy everybody is talking about and how do you make one?"

  

Note: This is a long post. Bring a cup of hot chocolate and four chocolate chip cookies (biscuits) for today's snack.

 

To read the post tootle over to AI Accusation