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

StreetLib Releases eBook App for iOS, Android, and the Web - The Digital Reader

More distribution for my ebooks.

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when he heard oohing and aahhing. Following all the noise took him to The Digital Reader site. With a little digging around he found a post about StreetLib.

According to site owner Nate Hoffelder, ebook distributor StreetLib's new app is available for iOS and Android. The new StreetLib Read is cloud-based, so your ebooks can be read on multiple devices. The app is available through StreetLib, Google Play and iTunes. There's a link in the post to the StreetLib site.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... Another ebook distributor for you to use."

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

To read the post tootle over to Streetlib

iTunes v12.7.0.166 No Longer Supports iBooks - The Digital Reader

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when he heard wailing and crying and gnashing teeth. Following all the hullabaloo took our brave kitty boy to The Digital Reader site. With just a little digging he found a post about the newest iTunes version.

According to the post by site owner Nate Hoffelder, Apple left an important element out of the new version of iTunes. Windows users (like Panzer) no longer have access to iBooks. This means Windows users also don't have access to their ebook library. It also means transferring ebooks from the library to an iPad (etc.) is a major endeavor. The Comments section has some suggestions from readers about how to transfer your iBooks to your iPad.

I'm a cat. I want things to be simple.

Panzer says, "Umm ... Does Apple want to decrease sales of ebooks in the iBook store by not offering access to Windows Users?"

Note: This is a short post. Bring a cup of tea and half a muffin for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to iTunes v12.7.0.166

EU Lawmakers Add Spotify and iTunes to Ban on Geo-Blocking - The Digital Reader

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when he heard booing and hissing coming from ahead of the Panzermobile. Following all the noise took him to The Digital Reader site. There our big brave kitty found a post about geo-blocking and the European Union.

According to the post by site owner Nate Hoffelder, the European Union (EU) Commission voted to ban geo-blocking. Our traveling kitty wanted to what geo-blocking is. Reading the post he believes it's when an online retailer redirects you to one of their shopping sites in your own country, instead of the cheaper site in a different country you wanted to go to. The EU also added retailers who sell copyrighted materials to the ban. This means sites such as Spotify and iTunes can no longer redirect you to purchase your membership/service in your own country. Needless to say, this does not bode well for online retailers.

I'll never understand humans.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... Almost at the bottom of the post is the example that you could buy a product from an online retailer in another country even if there's no delivery to your country. Umm ... Why would you do that? It would cost you a small fortune to get it to you ... If you could even get it from the other country."

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

To read the post, tootle over to European Union lawmakers

Hachette Audio Enhance YA Audiobooks With Booktrack Technology Platform - Press Release

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere today when he heard music. Following the melodious sounds took our kitty traveler to the Book Business Site. There he found a post about a Hachette press release announcing their partnership with Booktrack to produce audiobooks.

Is the music really worth it?

According to the post, Hachette will use the Booktrack platform to produced enhanced audiobooks. On October 4 Hachette begins sales of their enhanced YA (Young Adult) audiobooks. Enhanced means a soundtrack with music is added to the audio reading track. The audiobooks will be available at Audible, iTunes/iBooks and other retail sites. A link is available in the post to the Hachette's sales page. If you scroll down the page you'll see the initial four audiobooks being offered. If you click on the book you can listen to a sample of each audiobook. There's also a link to the Booktrack site where you can signup for an account, but read the Terms of Service first.

Panzer says, "With the music it does sound like listening to a movie."

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

To read the post, tootle over to Hachette audio

Apple Services Shut Down in China in Startling About-Face

I can see across the ocean from up here.

Panzer was out in the Catosphere yesterday just taking in the sights and enjoying himself. Our big bad kitty boy happened to stumble across a post at The New York Times site about Apple. Not wanting to disrupt your habit of reading his Monday Panzerism, he decided to save it until today.

According to the post by Paul Mozur and Jane Perlez, Apple is having problems in China. China's State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television regulator shut down Apple's iBooks Store and iTunes Movies. One reason for the shut down may be that these two are in competition with some Chinese Internet companies. Speculation is that Apple Pay may be next because it too is in competition with other Chinese companies.

Panzer says, "It seems to this little kitty ... If you're a U.S. company and successful in China, you are going to get spanked and sent home."

This is a long and complicated post. You will need a cup of tea and two muffins for today's read.

To read the post, tootle over to Apple

Apple and Amazon Audiobooks Agreement Under Investigation In Germany

Panzer was enjoying a quiet trip in the Catosphere today when our kitty boy decided to stop in at the Yahoo! Finance site. There he found some interesting news about Amazon and Apple.

We'll have to watch this.

According to a post from Reuters, German Federal Cartel Office chief Andreas Mundt says the organization is investigating Amazon and Apple's dealings in Germany. The investigation will center around Amazon's Audible selling audiobooks to Apple's iTunes. According to complaints filed earlier by German booksellers, Amazon, Audible and iTunes control 90 percent of the audiobooks market in Germany. The agreement between the companies will be at the center of the investigation.

Note: This is a one cup of tea post.

To read the post, tootle over to Apple Amazon Audiobooks

Apple launches Apple Music in China - Reuters

Whew ... That's a long trip to China.

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere today when clapping and cheering interrupted the quiet. Following the trail of all the noise took him to the Reuters site.

According to a post he found there, Apple will begin offering iBooks as well as iMovies and iTunes in China this fall. Apple announced the service will be available on Adroid phones. This will be a subscription service with an additional per item charge.

Panzer says, "Hmmm ... China is a huge market for ebooks, movies and music."

To read the post, tootle over to Apple in China

Free Suspense Radio Online Radio | BlogTalkRadio

Radio Show or Podcast?

Panzer stopped in at the Suspense Radio Blog Talk Radio site. My Catosphere traveling kitty likes to listen to the Crime and Science show featured there. The shows are meant for crime fiction writers who need a scientific orientation lesson for their story. Although this is called Blog Talk Radio, these are just like the podcasts in the iTunes store. The main difference is you don't have to have an account to listen to the radio shows.


Panzer says, "Blog Talk Radio is also a good site for starting your own podcast. Check the right side of the site and you'll see a sign-up notice, if you're interested in doing a podcast."

To listen to some Crime and Science, tootle over to Suspense Radio Online Radio | BlogTalkRadio

Use Internet Radio For Your Marketing

Internet Radio?

Panzer was over at The Future of Ink blog today. He found a post about how to use Blog Talk Radio as a marketing tool.

Blog Talk Radio is similar to iTunes. You can do your own radio show (podcast) or your can be a guest on someone else's show (podcast).

The post my bad boy found contains the instructions on how to be a guest on someone else's show. If you'll only be "appearing" once as someone's guest, you don't have to worry about a schedule, script and guests each week yourself.

If you want to check out what others are doing on the radio, tootle over to Blog Talk Radio

If you want to check out marketing on Blog Talk Radio, tootle over to Internet Radio

Changes at ACX and Audible

This doesn't sound good.

Panzer found some important news in the Catosphere today.

If you have an audio book you produced and are selling through ACX or you plan to do one, this important announcement is for you. Whether you use ACX for exclusive distribution through Amazon, Audible and iTunes or not there will be changes to your agreement. ACX plans to change their royalty payment structure effective March 12, 2014. According to their announcement, they are lowering the royalty payments, but increasing their so-called "Bounty Payment" for new members who buy an author's audio book as their first purchase.

To read the entire announcement, tootle over to Important Announcement

Smashwords: Smashwords Ebook Publishing Workshops on Youtube

FREE Videos!

When Panzer was out in the Catosphere today he found five FREE Youtube videos about indie ebook publishing. These are Smashwords videos so they do lean toward Smashwords publishing.

 The videos cover everything from a primer on ebook publishing to increasing your sales at the Apple iTunes Store.

Be warned, there's a total of eight hours of videos, so grab a BIG cup of tea before you tootle over to Smashwords: Smashwords Ebook Publishing Workshops on Youtube: I've posted a series of five ebook publishing workshops at Youtube.  Each is embedded below. Whether you're considering publishing...

Self-Publishing Audiobooks: Is it Worth it? Self-Publishing Advice

Panzer has been thinking about doing one of the stories from Cats and Crime as a podcast. (No, Silly, Panzer wouldn't be recording it. Remember, he can't read!)

We've been tootling around the catosphere looking for help. We came across an interesting blog post by Mark Hawker about audiobooks. He discusses where to go for help finding a narrator, getting distribution, iTunes, Audible.com and other important considerations. 

To see if audiobooks might be in your future, tootle on over to Self-Publishing Audiobooks: Is it Worth it? Self-Publishing Advice

Distribution to iTunes

I've been doing a feasibility study of creating a podcast of one of the short stories from my ebook collection. I want to giveaway the podcast to use as a marketing tool for the launch of the collection.

I've been looking into using distribution to iTunes of the podcast as part of the marketing.

If you're interested in looking into using iTunes for distribution, Carsten Cumbrowski's  The Ultimate Guide to Podcasting is an excellent starting point. This really is an ultimate guide. He covers the software you'll need, the professional quality requirements you'll need to meet, and links to other material you don't even know you need to read. He includes just about everything you'll need.