Sweden's Storytel Buys Audiobooks.com - Publishers Weekly

Today's trip into the Catosphere took Panzer to the Publishers Weekly site. There with just a little digging in the posts our illustrious kitty traveler found one about Sweden's Storytel.

 

What will Amazon do?

According to the post by Ed Nawotka, Sweden's Storytel is acquiring Audiobooks.com Storytel's acquisition of Audiobooks.com allows the company access to the U.S., U.K. and Australian audio book markets. Storytel already has audio book markets in 25 countries globally.

Panzer says, "I never heard of audiobooks.com. Of course, that's not surprising because Mom won't let me drive the car."

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

To red the post tootle over to Storytel and Audiobooks.com

Spotify's move into audiobooks is a seismic shift in the publishing landscape, but the ripples will take time to be felt - The New Publishing Standard

As Panzer entered the Catosphere today, the Panzermobile was violently shaken by oohhing and aahhing coming from outside. Following all the noise took our brave kitty boy to The New Publishing Standard site. There he found a post about Spotify and audio books.

This could get really interesting.

According to Mark Williams post, Spotify is getting ready to start an audio book subscription service in the U.S. similar to its music service. The company is advertising for an "executive to join the Spotify Studios team" with  experience in audio books. There doesn't appear to be a specific timeline for the rollout of the new service. Obviously,  Spotify's audio book service would be in direct competition with Amazon's Audible. There are several links included in the post to other information about Spotify, the company's podcast service, the company's music service, audio book services in general, and other topics.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... This little kitty wants to know if Spotify can do for audio books what it did for music."

Note: This is a humongous post. Bring a thermos of lemonade, three muffins and three brownies. If you plan to follow the links in the post, bring a gallon of tea, six chocolate chip cookies (biscuits), three more muffins, your lunch in case you're still hungry, and your sleeping bag if you need a nap when you finish reading. (You have been warned. There is a lot of information in this post and the links.)

To read the post tootle over to Spotify and audiobooks

Allessi to Head New Workman Audio Imprint - Publishers Weekly

Today as Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere just minding his own kitty business, the Panzermobile was shaken by clapping and cheering coming from outside. Following all the noise, took our brave kitty boy to the Publishers Weekly site. There he discovered a post about Workman Publishing's audio imprint.

I've heard of Findaway Voice before.

According to Jim Milliot, Workman Publishing now has an audio book division. Ana Maria Allessi has been named publisher of the new division. Workman Publishing will be using Findaway for distribution of the audio books. Findaway is also used by Smashwords authors for production and/or distribution of audio books.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... Another publisher joins the audio book market."

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

To read the post tootle over to Workman audio imprint

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

HMH Trade Forms Audiobook Unit - Publishers Weekly

Today's trip into the Catosphere took Panzer to the Publishers Weekly site. There he discovered a post about HMH's new audiobook unit.

I guess I better look into audio books.

According to Jim Milliot, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) plans to launch an audiobook unit this fall. The new division will be called HMH Audio. Plans are for 75 audio books yearly.

Panzer says, "Everybody is jumping into the audio book marketplace."

Note: This is a short-short-medium (that's not a typo; it really is a short-short-medium) post. Bring a cup of tea and half a muffin for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to HMH audiobook unit

Audio is publishing's new star as sales soar across genres - The Guardian

Today's trip into the Catosphere took our intrepid kitty traveler to The Guardian site. With some digging around in the posts, he found one about audio books.

According to James Tapper, audio book sales are rising at unexpected rates. Sales in 2017 were up 21.5 percent. The increasing sales figures in the audio book market have drawn new competition for Amazon's Audible too. Audio book popularity has inspired some agents to convince their author clients to release their fiction and nonfiction books in audio book format only. It appears audio books may be the newest thing to take a bite out of traditional book publishing sales right behind ebooks.

What do you of my face on the cover?

Panzer says, "Hmm ... Is there a market for kitty narrated audio books?"

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

To read the post tootle over to audio books