Fiona L. Woods's Blog, page 217
August 27, 2021
Barnes & Noble Climbs Back - Publishers Weekly
Today's trip into the Catosphere took Panzer to the Publishers Weekly site. There he found a post about Barnes and Noble bookstores.
Everybody loves books.
According to the post by Jim Milliot, Barnes and Noble is making a comeback after the Covid-19 pandemic. Total store sales are up 5 percent this year over 2019. CEO James Daunt has given store managers more control over book ordering, returns, and book placement within the stores. Barnes and Noble continues closing under-performing stores. CEO Daunt foresees Nook sales increasing this year too.
Panzer says, "I'm glad B&N will continue the Nook."
Note: This is a long-medium length post. Bring a glass of iced tea and two chocolate chip cookies (biscuits) for today's reading selection.
To read the post tootle over to Barnes and Noble
Everybody loves books.According to the post by Jim Milliot, Barnes and Noble is making a comeback after the Covid-19 pandemic. Total store sales are up 5 percent this year over 2019. CEO James Daunt has given store managers more control over book ordering, returns, and book placement within the stores. Barnes and Noble continues closing under-performing stores. CEO Daunt foresees Nook sales increasing this year too.
Panzer says, "I'm glad B&N will continue the Nook."
Note: This is a long-medium length post. Bring a glass of iced tea and two chocolate chip cookies (biscuits) for today's reading selection.
To read the post tootle over to Barnes and Noble
August 26, 2021
24 Superb Writing Conferences in September 2021 - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity
Panzer was eating his dinner when it was interrupted by oohhing and aahhing coming from the Catosphere. Using the Panzermobile, he followed all the noise to the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site. There he found a post about writers conferences in September.
Found this just for you.
Erica Verrillo's post contains information about 24 writing conferences in September. Included in the post are poetry, fiction and nonfiction conferences. Some conferences are in-person, some are online and some are a combination of both. Each conference description includes a link to more information about costs.
Panzer says, "Be sure and read all the information because at least one of the conferences is already closed."
Note: This is a long, long, long post. Depending on which conferences you want to read the information about, you'll need to decide what you want to bring and eat while you read.
To read the post tootle over to writing conferences
Found this just for you.Erica Verrillo's post contains information about 24 writing conferences in September. Included in the post are poetry, fiction and nonfiction conferences. Some conferences are in-person, some are online and some are a combination of both. Each conference description includes a link to more information about costs.
Panzer says, "Be sure and read all the information because at least one of the conferences is already closed."
Note: This is a long, long, long post. Depending on which conferences you want to read the information about, you'll need to decide what you want to bring and eat while you read.
To read the post tootle over to writing conferences
Pulling Out the Macavitys - The Rap Sheet
Panzer was shaken from his noon nap by clapping and cheering coming from the Catosphere. Dragging his poor tired little kitty body into the pilot's seat of the Panzermobile, he headed into the Catosphere. Following all the jocularity took him to The Rap Sheet site. There he discovered all the noise was for the announcement of the Macavity Award winners.
J. Kingston Pierce's post lists the winner and the fellow-nominees in each Macavity category. The categories are for novel, first novel, short story, biography, and the historical. Mystery Readers International subscribers and friends nominate and then vote for the winner in each category.
Mom should subscribe and vote.
Panzer says, "So ... It's kind of like the readers' favorite award?"
Note: This is a long-short length post. Bring a glass of iced tea for today's reading selection.
To read the post about the Macavity winners tootle over to Macavitys
J. Kingston Pierce's post lists the winner and the fellow-nominees in each Macavity category. The categories are for novel, first novel, short story, biography, and the historical. Mystery Readers International subscribers and friends nominate and then vote for the winner in each category.
Mom should subscribe and vote.Panzer says, "So ... It's kind of like the readers' favorite award?"
Note: This is a long-short length post. Bring a glass of iced tea for today's reading selection.
To read the post about the Macavity winners tootle over to Macavitys
August 25, 2021
Amazon is About to Shut Down Their Excuse for Charging Kindle eBook Delivery Fees - Nate Hoffelder
Today, Panzer made a trip to Nate Hoffelder's site. There with a little digging in the posts our inquisitive kitty boy found one about Amazon's 3G Kindle's demise in December. Panzer told you in a post earlier this month about the shutting down of 3G in December.
According to the post by Nate Hoffelder, the fee Amazon has been charging authors and publishers for ebook delivery was instituted in 2010 so Amazon could recoup the costs of using 3G. With 3G disappearing in December Nate Hoffelder makes the argument there should be no reason for Amazon to continue to charge the delivery fee. Amazon, however, has made no mention of removing the fee. There's a link included in the post which will take you to a Verge post about Amazon's announcement.
What can we do about it?
Panzer says, "This little kitty didn't know the delivery fee was connected to 3G."
Note: This is a long-short length post. Bring a small glass of lemonade for today's reading selection. If you plan to read Panzer's previous post and follow the link in that post, bring another glass of lemonade and a muffin.
To read the post tootle over to delivery fees
To read Panzer post about the 3G Kindles tootle over to Amazons Kindles
According to the post by Nate Hoffelder, the fee Amazon has been charging authors and publishers for ebook delivery was instituted in 2010 so Amazon could recoup the costs of using 3G. With 3G disappearing in December Nate Hoffelder makes the argument there should be no reason for Amazon to continue to charge the delivery fee. Amazon, however, has made no mention of removing the fee. There's a link included in the post which will take you to a Verge post about Amazon's announcement.
What can we do about it?Panzer says, "This little kitty didn't know the delivery fee was connected to 3G."
Note: This is a long-short length post. Bring a small glass of lemonade for today's reading selection. If you plan to read Panzer's previous post and follow the link in that post, bring another glass of lemonade and a muffin.
To read the post tootle over to delivery fees
To read Panzer post about the 3G Kindles tootle over to Amazons Kindles
August 24, 2021
SF Author W. Bradford Smith Fund Raiser
Those of you who follow this blog regularly know we usually cover black cats, indie publishing, writing, and humor in our posts.. This post will be a little different. SF author W. Bradford Smith (aka Orrin Jason Bradford) is battling cancer. Because the alternative treatment he's receiving isn't covered by his insurance, he has to pay for it himself. A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise money to help cover his medical expenses.
Your Tweets, Facebook and Blog posts will help too.
He also has a site set up where you can purchase his ebooks directly from him, if you're more comfortable with that instead of GoFundMe. He also has other ways to donate available on that page. To read about how he's progressing with the treatments and to pledge tootle over to GoFundMe To read about other ways besides GoFundMe to help finance his treatments tootle over to contribute
Your Tweets, Facebook and Blog posts will help too.He also has a site set up where you can purchase his ebooks directly from him, if you're more comfortable with that instead of GoFundMe. He also has other ways to donate available on that page. To read about how he's progressing with the treatments and to pledge tootle over to GoFundMe To read about other ways besides GoFundMe to help finance his treatments tootle over to contribute
August 23, 2021
A New Panzerism
Panzer on observable truths:
There is an ancient cat proverb that I just made up:
To catch a bird requires stealth.
For his dog-sized brain.
Meanwhile ...
The dog next door is running around yapping at birds flying over his house.
I fear he needs help ...
There is an ancient cat proverb that I just made up:
To catch a bird requires stealth.
For his dog-sized brain.Meanwhile ...
The dog next door is running around yapping at birds flying over his house.
I fear he needs help ...
August 21, 2021
A Cat Led A Rescue Team To An 83-Year-Old Woman Who Had Fallen Down A Ravine - NPR
Today Panzer's lunch was interrupted by clapping and cheering coming from the Catosphere. Hopping in the Panzermobile, he followed all the joyous noise to the NPR site. With just a little digging in the posts there, he found one about a cat in Cornwall, England, that saved his human.
He's my cousin.
The post by Josie Fischels says the cat was meowing and meowing and meowing at the location where his human had fallen down a ravine. A neighbor investigated and then called a rescue team to help the woman.
Panzer says, "It was, of course, a black cat that saved the woman."
Note: This is a short-medium length post. A small glass of iced tea will be enough for today's reading. A tip of the fedora to The Conscious Cat site for the original link.
To read the NPR post about Piran the hero cat tootle over to black cat hero
He's my cousin.The post by Josie Fischels says the cat was meowing and meowing and meowing at the location where his human had fallen down a ravine. A neighbor investigated and then called a rescue team to help the woman.
Panzer says, "It was, of course, a black cat that saved the woman."
Note: This is a short-medium length post. A small glass of iced tea will be enough for today's reading. A tip of the fedora to The Conscious Cat site for the original link.
To read the NPR post about Piran the hero cat tootle over to black cat hero
August 20, 2021
Forming an Entity: When Should Authors Create an LLC or S Corp? - Authors Guild
On today's trip into the Catosphere Panzer found an interesting video about when, why and if authors need to form an LLC or an S Corp.
Guess I'm not ready for either.
The video is part of the Authors Guild's Money Matters seminar series. It's moderated by Erin Lowry with entertainment associate Daniel Sheerin and accountant Robert Pesce.
Including questions and answers at the end, the video is almost an hour long. It's available for viewing at the Authors Guild site or on YouTube. To watch the video tootle over to LLC or S Corp
Guess I'm not ready for either.The video is part of the Authors Guild's Money Matters seminar series. It's moderated by Erin Lowry with entertainment associate Daniel Sheerin and accountant Robert Pesce.
Including questions and answers at the end, the video is almost an hour long. It's available for viewing at the Authors Guild site or on YouTube. To watch the video tootle over to LLC or S Corp
August 19, 2021
Publishers Blast Internet Archive's 'Extraordinary' Demand for Sales Data - Publishers Weekly
Today, Panzer made a stop at the Publishers Weekly site. With a little digging in the posts he found one about the ongoing court case against the Internet Archive. Panzer already told about the case earlier this year.
A waste of time and money.
According to the post by Andrew Albanese, the lawyers for the publishers suing the Internet Archive (IA) for copyright infringement have filed a response to IA's lawyers' demand for 10 years of monthly book sales data from the publishers. The lawsuit against IA for copyright infringement is because IA takes hardcover books, scans them and then "loans" the "ebooks" to people and also gives copies to libraries. IA says they need the 10 years of monthly sales data to prove they're not harming publishers' books sales by what they're doing. The publishers' lawyers say gathering 10 years of monthly sales data is extraordinary and unwarranted and has never been allowed in a lawsuit before. They also say the sales data has nothing to do with the case.
Panzer says, "Hmm ... Internet Archive wants 10 years of monthly sales data on 500,000 books? Maybe the judge should order IA to pay for the cost of gathering all that data."
Note: "This is a long post. Bring a quart of lemonade, two chocolate chip cookies (biscuits) and a brownie for today's reading. If you plan to follow the links in the post, bring a gallon of lemonade, a baker's dozen chocolate chip cookies (biscuits), six brownies, and a sleeping bag for a nap in the middle.
To read the post tootle over to Internet ArchiveTo read Panzer previous post tootle over to 10 years of sales data
A waste of time and money.According to the post by Andrew Albanese, the lawyers for the publishers suing the Internet Archive (IA) for copyright infringement have filed a response to IA's lawyers' demand for 10 years of monthly book sales data from the publishers. The lawsuit against IA for copyright infringement is because IA takes hardcover books, scans them and then "loans" the "ebooks" to people and also gives copies to libraries. IA says they need the 10 years of monthly sales data to prove they're not harming publishers' books sales by what they're doing. The publishers' lawyers say gathering 10 years of monthly sales data is extraordinary and unwarranted and has never been allowed in a lawsuit before. They also say the sales data has nothing to do with the case.
Panzer says, "Hmm ... Internet Archive wants 10 years of monthly sales data on 500,000 books? Maybe the judge should order IA to pay for the cost of gathering all that data."
Note: "This is a long post. Bring a quart of lemonade, two chocolate chip cookies (biscuits) and a brownie for today's reading. If you plan to follow the links in the post, bring a gallon of lemonade, a baker's dozen chocolate chip cookies (biscuits), six brownies, and a sleeping bag for a nap in the middle.
To read the post tootle over to Internet ArchiveTo read Panzer previous post tootle over to 10 years of sales data
August 18, 2021
Bloody Scotland Programme
Today, Panzer made a trip to the Bloody Scotland site. There our brave kitty boy found information about this year's Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival.
It will be recorded to watch until September 30.
According to the announcement on the site, the authors attending both in-person and online have been announced. Kathy Reichs, Stephen King, Ian Rankin, and Val McDermid and others are scheduled to be presenters. The festival will run September 17 - 19. "Tickets" are available now. Since this will be a hybrid event, tickets can be purchased individually for the different events or for sections of the events. Ticket prices are listed at the bottom of the landing page. If you want to see the different presentations are, click the Events button at the top of the post and that will take you to the page which lists the location, day and time of the different presentations.
Panzer says, "Now, this little kitty needs to get Mom to convert pounds into dollars and dollars into kitty kibble for me so I can figure out how much it's going to cost me to watch the festival online this year."
Note:This is a medium length post. Bring a glass of lemonade for today's reading. If you plan to read the information about all the presentations, bring a thermos of lemonade, three chocolate chip cookies, and two brownies. Oh and bring a calculator too.
To read the post tootle over to Bloody Scotland
It will be recorded to watch until September 30.According to the announcement on the site, the authors attending both in-person and online have been announced. Kathy Reichs, Stephen King, Ian Rankin, and Val McDermid and others are scheduled to be presenters. The festival will run September 17 - 19. "Tickets" are available now. Since this will be a hybrid event, tickets can be purchased individually for the different events or for sections of the events. Ticket prices are listed at the bottom of the landing page. If you want to see the different presentations are, click the Events button at the top of the post and that will take you to the page which lists the location, day and time of the different presentations.
Panzer says, "Now, this little kitty needs to get Mom to convert pounds into dollars and dollars into kitty kibble for me so I can figure out how much it's going to cost me to watch the festival online this year."
Note:This is a medium length post. Bring a glass of lemonade for today's reading. If you plan to read the information about all the presentations, bring a thermos of lemonade, three chocolate chip cookies, and two brownies. Oh and bring a calculator too.
To read the post tootle over to Bloody Scotland
