He's sold more than 50 million books. There's 'some little Utah connection' in many of them. - The Salt Lake Tribune

It's been very hot today. I just can't stay awake.

Panzer made a stop at The Salt Lake Tribune site today. There our intrepid kitty traveler found a post about bestselling fantasy author Brandon Sanderson.

 

The post begins with how and why he became an author. It then continues with where he gets his ideas and setting locations from. The post also includes a link to a Youtube interview with him.

 

 Panzer says, "It's interesting where some of his ideas come from."

 

Note: This is a long post with the interview on Youtube. You'll need to decide what you want to bring to snack on.

 

To read the post tootle over to Utah Inspiration 

Sarah J. Maas Inks Multiyear, Worldwide Deal with IMG Licensing (Exclusive) - The Hollywood Reporter

Will she be as rich as J.K. Rowling?

Panzer stopped in at the The Hollywood Reporter site today. 

 

There our inquisitive kitty boy found a post by Lily Ford about romantasy author Sarah J. Maas. The post has a list of the items included in the licensing agreement the author signed with IMG.

 

Panzer says, "This little kitty would like to know if IMG came to her or if she went to them."

 

Note: This is a short medium length post. A cup of tea should be enough for today's snack.

 

To read the post tootle over to Sarah J. Maas 

Free The Literary Life With Mitchell Kaplan Podcast:Autho Dean Koontz Interview

 

My work is finished for today.

For those who enjoy author interviews Panzer went to The Literary Life With Mitchell Kaplan Podcast. There he found an interview by Mitchell Kaplan of bestselling author Dean Koontz.

The episode Dean Koontz on His Life and His Work is 46 minutes long, including intro and advertisements.

 

 If you don't subscribe to any of the listed listening platforms, then on the left side of the page under the photo you can click the center start button and listen to it on the page.

 

The episode is free (with advertisements) for your listening.

 

To listen to the interview tootle over to Dean Kootz Interview

Free Talking Book Publishing Podcast: On Making a Living as a Writer with Sheila Lowe

It's really hot out here.

Panzer thought you might enjoy a Talking Book Publishing podcast episode with bestselling mystery author Sheila Lowe.

The episode On Making a Living as a Writer is an interview with Sheila Lowe by Kathleen Kaiser and Adanna Moriarty. It's 51 minutes long.

The episode is free and can be listened to online or downloaded.

Enjoy!

To listen to the episode tootle over to Sheila Lowe

Free The Creative Penn Podcast:Your Publishing Options With Rachael Herron

She has interesting people on.

Panzer thought you might like this episode from The Creative Penn Podcast. The episode features Joanna Penn and bestselling author Rachael Herron discussing indie publishing and traditional publishing and the pros and cons of each.

The episode Your Publishing Options is fifty-six minutes long. The show notes are below the podcast. The post contains links to other podcast episodes and information.

 

To listen to the episode tootle over to Joanna Penn and Rachael Herron

Monday's Bloody Scotland Event Replay

 Good News! 

 

I'll watch it again.

If you missed Monday's Bloody Scotland event, the replay is now available. The event is an interview between bestselling authors Michael Connelly and Ian Rankin.

 

Panzer says, "Did I mention it's still free?"

 

Note: The replay will be available until December 19.

To watch it tootle over to Michael Connelly and Ian Rankin

George R. R. Martin Gives Quick Update on Winds of Winter Progress - Tor.com

Today as Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere he decided to make a stop at the Tor.com site. With no digging at all our inquisitive kitty found a post about bestselling author George R. R. Martin. He's the author of the Game of Thrones books and one of Panzer's favorite authors.

Don't bother.

According to Andrew Liptak's post, George R. R. Martin posted on his own blog that because of the Covid-19 quarantine he has been spending a lot of time working on his novel Winds of Winter. It also turns out he's has some tv shows and two movies in the works as well. Andrew Liptak quotes extensively from George R. R. Martin's post. There is a link in the post to George R. R. Martin's site if you want to read his original post.

Panzer says, "Don't bother to read the Comment section. Some of them got deleted by the Moderator, some are whiny and a few are okay; but mostly it's a waste of your time."

Note: This is a medium length post. Bring a cup of tea (or whatever you want to drink) and a muffin or two for today's reading selection.

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

Local trio buy Santa Fe Southern Railroad - Sante Fe New Mexican

Panzer was just tootling along minding his own kitty business when he heard clapping and cheering outside the Panzermobile. Following all the jocularity took our inquisitive kitty boy to the Sante Fe New Mexican site. There he discovered a post about the sale of a railroad spur line to three New Mexico residents.

Trains are really noisy.

According to the post by Robert Nott, the Santa Fe Southern Railroad has been purchased (in alphabetic order) by Bill Banowsky, George R.R. Martin (yes, the Game of Thrones author) and Catherine Oppenheimer. The 18 mile long spur line runs from Sante Fe, New Mexico to Lamy, New Mexico. The trio hope to have a holiday train trip, a speak-easy bar and other entertaining train excursions. They also hope to interest movie makers into using the train for location shoots.

Panzer says, "Some humans never outgrow playing with trains."

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 Santa Fe Southern Railroad

John Grisham: Why Indie Bookstores Are Essential - The Literary Hub

Panzer made a quick trip to The Litarery Hub site today. There our speedy little kitty boy found a post with a clickable link to The Literary Life with  Mitchell Kaplin podcast.

We need to help indie bookstores stay alive.

The podcast is Michell Kaplin interviewing super-bestselling author John Grisham about indie bookstores. In the thirty minutes long podcast John Grisham discusses why he loves indie bookstores, their importance to authors and why he thinks they'll survive the Covid-19 pandemic.

Panzer says, "This is an interesting interview. You might want to subscribe to the iTunes podcast to listen to Mitchell Kaplin's other interviews."

Note: Since this is a podcast, you'll want to sit down with a cup of tea and muffin while you listen to it.

To listen to the podcast, tootle over to John Grisham

Stephenie Meyer to Publish New 'Twilight' Book 'Midnight Sun' - The New York Times

Panzer was just minding his own kitty business tootling around in the Catophere when the Panzermobile was shaken up and down and back and forth by clapping and cheering coming from outside. Following all the hubbub took our favorite kitty boy to The New York Times site. There he discovered a post about bestselling author Stephenie Meyer.

Werewolves are just like dogs only stupider.

Johnny Diaz's post says Stephenie Meyer will have a new book titled 'Midnight Sun' due out on August 4. You might know Stephenie Meyer as the author of the 'Twilight' books. The books were set in the Pacific Northwest in the forests in Washington state. The stories have romance, adventure, vampires and werewolves. The books were also made into movies. There are links included in the post to the publisher's announcement about the new 'Twilight' book and to other posts about the previous books.

Panzer says, "This little kitty thought we all needed some good news today, instead of more virus gloom and doom news."

Note: This is a long-medium length post. Bring a cup of cocoa and two chocolate chip cookies and a coconut macaroon for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to Stephenie Meyer

The prince of punching up: why Stephen King rules Twitter - The Guardian

Panzer was tootling around in the Panzermobile in the Catosphere when he suddenly heard chuckling and clapped ahead. Following all the noise took our inquisitive kitty to The Guardian site. With no digging at all he discovered a post about Stephen King was causing all the hoopla.

I've been on Twitter longer than he has.

According to Sian Cain, bestselling horror author Stephen King now rules Twitter. He used his over 5 million Twitter followers to save the book review column in the Portland Press Herald (Maine) newspaper. That's not all. He tweets about what he's watching on TV and movies that he likes and what he's reading that he likes. He says he doesn't tweet about what he doesn't like. He does make one exception mentioned in the post, but you'll have to read the post to find out about it.

Panzer says, "Mom and I follow him on Twitter. He's pretty funny sometimes."

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

To read the post tootle over to Stephen King

'Doesn't believe in contracts': Literary agent sues bestselling author - The Sydney Herald

Today, Panzer took a long leisurely trip in the Catosphere. When he started looking for a place to land the Panzermobile he chose The Sydney Herald site. There our traveling kitty pilot found a post about bestselling Australian author Kate Morton.

According to the post by Angus Thompson, bestselling Australian author Kate Morton is being sued for breach of contract by her former Australian agent. Although they worked together starting in 1999, Kate Morton and the agent, Selwa Anthony, didn't have a signed contract until 2005 when her first novel sold. Their author-agent relationship continued until 2015 when Selwa Anthony was fired. Since Kate Morton now lives in England she has an agent there. Ms. Anthony says she should be receiving a 15 percent commission on royalties from any books she sold for Ms. Morton for as long as the books are on the market. Ms. Morton says she did not understand the contract she signed that way and thought the 15 percent commission was only for her advances on the books. This is a complicated case. Kate Morton has filed a counter-suit which adds to the complications.

My head hurts after reading all that.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... This little kitty says an author should never, never sign any contract they don't understand and it should be re-examined periodically. Also, an author should get an attorney to explain it to them. Don't ask the agent who wants you to sign it to explain it to you."

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 bestselling author Kate Morton

Crime Authors Who Served Time In Prison - Crime Reads

Today's trip into the Catosphere took Panzer to the Crime Reads site. There our traveling kitty boy found an interesting post about crime fiction authors.

Why would you want to go back inside?

According to Matthew Iden's post, some crime fiction authors got their story ideas from their own experiences. The post contains information about eight crime fiction authors who actually spent time in prison for committing crimes. These are crimes ranging from bank robbery to murder. Some became bestselling authors while in prison and some after they were released. Some were released from prison and became model citizens and some were released and then committed more crimes and were sent back to prison. Included is biographical information about both men and women crime fiction authors who were prisoners.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... Bestsellers, huh? Who says crime doesn't pay?"

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

To read the post tootle over to crime authors

Not Dead Yet - George R.R. Martin

I can't keep my eyes open any longer.

Panzer had just laid down for his nighttime sleep when he heard all kinds of racket coming from the radio in the Panzermobile. Heading into the Catosphere it only took a couple of seconds to find the source of all the noise.

Bestselling author George R.R. Martin of Game of Thrones fame announced on his blog that he's not dead yet. Turns out some fans confused him with Sir George Martin (of Beatles fame) who passed away. So, George R.R. Martin wants everyone to know he's alive and well.

Note: This is a very short post (about the same length as this one).  You won't even need a full cup of tea to read it.

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