Free Fiction Monday: Dark Corners

Hurry and read it before it's gone.

Today, Panzer found a free short story at Kristine Kathryn Rusch's site. The story, Dark Corners, has a short introduction explaining what happened before the story begins. This story is part of the Faerie Justice series. The story is only free this week.

 

To read the short story tootle over to Free Fiction Monday

 

Supply Chain Problems for Publishers and Authors - Various

 Back in August Panzer told you about the upcoming supply chain problems Ingram was warning publishers to prepare for in the coming months. 

 

Other sources are now experiencing supply problems as well. Some authors' are reporting bookstores are unable to get their book orders filled by their publishers. Other authors aren't getting their books delivered to their book signings.

It's a mess and getting worse.

These problems are attributable to publishers' printers not being able to get the paper necessary to print the books and/or not being able to get the printed books delivered to the publishers. This is due to paper manufacturing problems and delivery problems caused by the pandemic.

If you plan to publish any books (paperback or hardback) before the end of the end of the year, you should read these posts to help plan your strategy.

Panzer says, "Every time humans think they have this Covid thingy under control, its cousin just comes right back."

 

To read the post at Kristine Kathryn Rusch's blog tootle over to supply chain woes

To read the post at Publishers Weekly tootle over to supply chain disruptions

To read Panzer's previous post tootle over to Ingram supply chain troubles 

Business Musings: Gamblers and Artists

There was no post yesterday due to the wind storm that took out our power for a few hours, but it's back on now.

Today, after Panzer got the Panzermobile fueled up and the battery charged, he headed out into the Catosphere. Our big bad kitty stopped in at Kristine Kathryn Rusch's blog. It didn't take any digging at all to find an interesting post about writing.

Ms. Rusch's post is in response to some comments left on her blog (and other places) in regards to other posts she's written recently. In her post she addresses whether writing equates to gambling. Is writing a game of chance? Is it a crap shoot? Or a poker game?  A game where the winner takes all the chips with their mega-bucks bestseller and the rest of us lose? According to Ms. Rusch, the answer is "No." She provides examples from her own writing past to show it's not a matter of luck. She gives quotes from Stephen King to show it's a matter of studying to perfect your writing craft.  And it's a matter of work.

Gamble? No pockets for my winnings.

Panzer says, "I knew writing wasn't gambling. Cats don't gamble. Silly waste of time and money. Mom sits in her chair at the laptop and I dictate my adventures to her every day. That's it."

Note: This is a very l-o-n-g post with examples and quotes, but well worth your time. Bring a h-u-g-e glass of milk and about a dozen cookies.

To read the post, tootle over to gamblers and artists

Free Kristine Dexter Fiction

I need some sleep.

Panzer has been very busy the last two days. He's getting the final edits done on Cat Wisdom, so today's trip into the Catosphere was very short.

Our poor bedraggled kitty boy made a quick stop at author Kristine Kathryn Rusch's blog. Writing as Kristine Dexter, Ms. Rusch has a short suspense story called Scheduling Conflict available at her site.

What would you do if you were a police detective and got a phone call from someone confessing to a bank robbery? And it didn't appear there was a robbery? And what if the woman had the sexiest voice you had ever heard? You'll have to read the story to find out what Police Detective Riley Scott did. You can read it free at the site until Monday when it will be removed.

Panzer says, "Hurry over there before it disappears."

To read the story, tootle over to free fiction

Business Musings: Sure, I Trust You

No! No! No! No agent!

Panzer decided to make a stop at Kristine Kathryn Rusch's blog today. My big bad kitty Panzermobile pilot spent so much time there reading the latest post he almost didn't make it home in time for dinner. And you all know that must have been a pretty important post for him to be late for kitty food!

Ms. Rusch's post is about agents and publishers. There are some real horror stories included. (Both her own and other authors' stories.) There are stories of under payment of royalties. Of not being able to "fire" an agent. And of having to sign non-disclosure agreements after settlements. My poor little kitty was so upset when he got home he hid under the bed for at least 5 minutes before he came out to eat.

Panzer says, "This is really scary stuff!"

Note: You'll need at least 3 cups of tea for this v-e-r-y, v-e-r-y, v-e-r-y l-o-n-g post.

To read the post, tootle over to Business Musings: Sure, I Trust You

Free Fiction: Chains by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Oooo! Ghosts!

It's been such a l-o-n-g time since Panzer visited Kristine Kathryn Rusch's site that he decided to stop in there today.

My big black kitty found Ms. Rusch has a FREE Christmas ghost mystery story available there this week. We all know how much my kitty boy loves genre hopping stories, so he couldn't wait to come back and let you know about it.

Panzer says, "Here's another holiday gift."

Important Note: This story is only FREE this week, then it goes back to regular price at all the e-tail stores, so hurry.

To read the full story, tootle over to  Free Fiction Monday: Chains

Free Fiction Monday: “When Thomas Jefferson Dined Alone”

Hurry! Before it's gone!

Panzer was out trawling the Catosphere looking for FREE stuff. Every once in a while he gets the urge to hunt for FREE stuff and today was the day. He stopped in at Kristine Kathryn Rusch's blog and found a FREE short story for you.

Ms. Rusch writes in all genres so you never know what you'll find in the short stories at her blog. This story has some spooky aspects and some time travel in it. That spooky stuff includes some history about U.S. presidents and their wives.

You should bookmark Ms. Rusch's blog. On Mondays she posts one of her short story FREE.  You can't download or share the story, but they're FREE for the week. At the end of the week the stories will only be available for sale at all the ebook (r)e-tailers: Amazon, Kobo, Nook, etc.

To read this story while it's FREE, you need to tootle over to Free Fiction Monday: “When Thomas Jefferson Dined Alone”

Free Fiction Monday: Second Fiddle

FREE! FREE! FREE!

Panzer checked out author Kristine Kathryn Rusch's blog for her FREE Fiction Monday.

She's got a Detective Ned Zaleski story FREE for this week only. Zaleski is matching wits with a time-traveling Sherlock Holmes.

If you want to read the story while it's FREE, tootle over to Free Fiction Monday: Second Fiddle

Free Fiction Monday: SeniorSource

Free! Free! Free!

Panzer here. It's Monday and that means Kristine Kathryn Rusch has another of her FREE fiction stories up at her blog. It's only FREE for this week and then it goes back to full price.

To read the FREE version, tootle on over to Free Fiction Monday: SeniorSource

The Business Rusch: The Gift That Keeps On Giving

What's Estate Planning?

 Panzer found a post at The Business Rusch blog that every writer should read.

Kristine Rusch's post deals with the fact it's important for more than one reason that we make sure we have our estates in place. We need to make sure we have taken all the necessary steps to ensure our estate is administered with our final wishes in mind. We especially want to make sure our copyrights are properly protected for our beneficiaries benefit.

Kristine has plenty of examples to illustrate her points of discussion. At the end of the post there are several links to resources to help you gain the information you'll need to put your estate together. (This is a very long post.)

If you're interested in estate planning for the writer, Panzer says tootle over to The Business Rusch: The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Free Fiction Monday (on Wednesday): Love and Justice

We all know how much Panzer loves free stuff. He was out in the Panzermobile today and found a great free story at Kristine Kathryn Rusch's blog.

Did you ever wonder what happened to Cinderella and Prince Charming? Over at Kristine's blog you can find out. And it's not happy ever after.

It was posted on Monday and will be gone by next week, so you'll need to hurry over before the story disappears from view. You'll want to bookmark Kris' blog and check back each Monday for Free Fiction. Oh, yeah, sorry ... no cats in this one.

Tootle over to Free Fiction Monday: Love and Justice

Kristine Rusch on Paypal Censorship and Agent Disrespect

Panzer went tootling around the catosphere today. He knows he's not allowed out all by himself. So ... he's grounded for a week.

However, he did find something interesting when he stopped by Kristine Rusch's blog.

Kristine blogs about the Paypal censorship issue and an offensive tweet by a certain agent at A Couple Mid-Week Updates: A Business Post

Well, okay. Maybe he's only grounded for today.

The Business Rusch: Competition

Panzer found this discussion of non-compete clauses in publishing contracts at Kristine Rusch's blog The Business Rusch: Competition.

Read it. Remember it. Bookmark it.

Panzer says, "Kris Rusch could save you a lot of time and trouble."

Free Resources For Writers and Readers

I'm posting the Wednesday Free Writer's (and Reader's) Resources today.  Our schedule got mixed up when Panzer had to go to the kitty doctor yesterday. Nothing wrong. Just his annual exam and vaccinations, but that rabies shot always makes him so cranky!  He's feeling much better today.

So, without further explanation here are your resources:

1)  Freelancer's Survival Guide  by Kristine Kathryn Rusch. This ebook has 70 different sections, including advertising, motivation, agents, and everything else you need to know to join the writing life. This is such a great resource. You can read the free ebook copy online section by section or get the whole guide. Or you can purchase your own copy.

2) Free Story Spinner  by Bonnie Neubauer. This free writer's tool is the greatest little story starter. Click the spinner and it will give you a setting, the starting phrase for the story, and four words you must include in the story. You can use the free version on the site page, or purchase your own copy.

3) Free New Monthly Ebook   from the University of Chicago. Each month the U of Chicago features one new free ebook readers can download.

4) Free Mystery Podcasts  from Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine. Free podcasts of mystery short stories which have appeared in EQMM.

Enjoy!

Kristine Kathryn Rusch Free Fiction Monday: Destiny

It's Free Fiction Monday at Kristine Kathryn Rusch's blog today.  Today's story is titled Destiny.

Guess what?

It's got a Fey shapeshifter named Solanda who's a cat. The cat lives with a five-year-old girl named Esmerelda who is in need of a little cat magick.

Find the story at Free Fiction Monday: Destiny and see what a cat can really do when she puts her mind to it.

It's rated G. It's free. And best of all: Panzer gives this one four paws up.

Kristine Kathryn Rusch - The Business Rusch: Deal Breakers

Oops! Yesterday's book review for Black Silk should have included: Panzer gives this ebook a PG 18 rating.

Now on to today's post.

Kristine Kathryn Rusch will be a featured speaker at the Novelists, Inc. conference in October. In preparation for her presentation she has put together a post on her opinion of how to negotiate a contract.

Rusch lists several points to consider when negotiating your contract. She uses examples from her own experience to discuss and illustrate the points. As with all of her The Business Rusch posts this should be required reading for writers in today's changing publishing world.

Read The Business Rusch: Deal Breakers before you negotiate your next publishing contract.

Be sure to read the Comments section, too.