AI-generated books are infiltrating online bookstores - Axios

Today's trip into the Catosphere took Panzer to the Axios site. There with a little digging in the posts our adventuresome kitty traveler found one about AI-generated books.

 

I knew it was coming.

The post by Scott Rosenberg has information about Amazon and other book retailers being buried under AI-generated garbage books. To make it worse, AI-generated book reviews are making it look like the garbage doesn't stink. Included in the post are quotes from and links to other sources about the AI books problems.

 

Panzer says, "There's a certain online "education" site you can go to to learn how to get GPT to write any kind of book you want."

Note: This is a very long post. Bring a glass of lemonade and two cookies (biscuits) for your reading.

To read the post tootle over to AI Book Publishing

U.S. Book Show: B&N CEO Says Chain Is in Midst of Significant Change - Publishers Weekly

Today, Panzer was just tootling around in the Catosphere when the Panzermobile was buffeted by clapping and cheering outside. Following all the hullabaloo took our brave kitty boy to the Publishers Weekly site. There he discovered a post about Barnes and Noble was causing all the noise.

Change is good.

According to a post by Ed Nawotka, Barnes and Noble's CEO James Daunt discussed his changes to the chain's bookstores at the U.S. Book Show. These included store managers have more autonomy, books' shelving location changes and online bookstore changes. The post includes other changes as well.

 

Panzer says, "A lot of this little kitty's ebook sales come from the B&N online store."

 

Note: This is a long-medium length post. Bring a large cup of tea, a muffin and two chocolate chip cookies for today's reading selection.

 

 To read the post tootle over to Barnes and Noble changes

Non-Amazon Online Bookstores - Travels with Kaye

We're still in "Stay at Home" mode here in Washington state, so Panzer has been doing a little cleaning to keep busy. When he was washing the Panzermobile today he discovered a post in one of the wheel wells. Flattening it out, our fastidious kitty boy discovered it was a post from the Travels with Kaye site and contained a list of online bookstores. It's a post from April, but for anybody who's still in "Stay at Home" mode its a useful list.

Yay! So much time and so many books!

According to the post by site owner Kaye George, this is a list of online bookstores not including Amazon. The list came about when Amazon said books were not a priority and shipments would be slower than usual. There are over 30 online bookstores on the list. There are both print and ebook stores.

Panzer says, "This little kitty didn't know there were this many online bookstores."

Note: With all of the online bookstores on the list this is a long post. Bring a cup of tea and two muffins for while you read the list.

To read the post tootle over to online-bookstores

B&N Temporarily Closes 400 Outlets - Publishers Weekly

Mom. Can I come out now.

Panzer decided to make a quick trip to the Publishers Weekly site today. With no digging at all our resourceful kitty found a post about how Barnes and Noble bookstores are responding to the Coronavirus (Covid-19).

According to the post by Jim Milliot, due to the Coronavirus pandemic 400 Barnes and Noble bookstores have closed to foot traffic. This means shoppers are no longer allowed in the stores. Some Barnes and Noble bookstores, however, now have curbside pickup available. This allows shoppers who order their books online to then pick them up at a local Barnes and Noble bookstore.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... That means a lot of bookstore workers lost their jobs. ... Wait! ... Amazon is hiring warehouse people!"

Note: This is a short post. You'll only need a cup of tea for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to Barnes and Noble bookstores

Lifeway to Close All Stores - Publishers Weekly

Lost another one.

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when he decided to make a stop at the Publishers Weekly site. With a little digging around in the posts our inquisitive kitty boy found one about Lifeway bookstores.

According to Emma Wenner, Lifeway Christian Resources has announced they will close all their bookstores by the end of 2019. The company plans to move from a brick-and-mortar retail to an online presence. The company sells Bibles and Christian books and resources. There are links included in the post to other information sources.

Panzer says, "This little kitty hates to see any brick-and-mortar bookstore close."

Note: This is a short-medium length post. Bring a cup of tea for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow the links, bring a muffin too.

To read the post tootle over to Lifeway

Will Walmart's eBook Gift Card Effort Succeed? - Bookworks

Today's trip into the Catosphere took Panzer to the Bookworks site. There our speedy kitty pilot found a post about the new Walmart ebook gift cards. Panzer told you about Walmart and Kobo's recent partnership to sell ebooks and ereaders at Walmart stores and at the new online store.

Maybe it will work this time.

Nate Hoffelder's Bookworks post examines Walmart's newest entry into the ebook gift card arena. The post includes a brief history of the ebook gift card. Turns out according to the history that this isn't Walmart's first time selling ebook gift cards. The company first jumped into the market in 2014 in Canadian Walmart stores and continued selling the gift cards into 2017. The history section includes several links to sites for more information about ebook gift cards. The gift cards available in the new U.S. Walmart stores are carried in a special section of the store. Each ebook gift card can only be used for a specific book. The post also includes photos of the store shelves to show how the cards are displayed.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... This little kitty isn't sure if the ebook gift cards will work except for birthdays and Christmas gifts."

Note: This is a h-u-g-e post. Bring Half a thermos of tea and three muffins for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to Walmart

To read the post about the Walmart and Kobo eBookstore partnership tootle over to Walmart eBookstore

Online Bookstore Bookwitty.com Shuts Down - Publishers Weekly (PW)

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when the Panzermobile was buffeted by wailing and crying. Following all the noise took our brave kitty to the Publishers Weekly (PW) site. There with no digging at all he discovered a post about online bookseller Bookwitty.com.

According to the post by Ed Nawotka, three year old Paris-based online bookstore Bookwitty.com is closing. The company sent an email to its contributors that the site is shutting down. Bookwitty.com was the online arm of Bookwitty, a distributor of books to third-party sellers. No reason other than the company could not provide the service customers deserved was given; although, the post does say a hoped for $10 million cash infusion did not materialize.

Maybe their inventory was just too big.

Panzer says, "Bookwitty.com had 27 million books for sale. That is a lot of books."

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

To read the post tootle over to Bookwitty.com