Fiona L. Woods's Blog, page 224

A New Panzerism

 Panzer on unintended consequences:
It's a thin line between cute and chaos.
Cute is ...
when the kitty swats the reflection of a fly in the mirror.
Chaos is ...
when the kitty chases the fly ... It's the fly's fault. He made me do it.
 and ...
dives head first into the mirror ...
and ...  the whole thing comes crashing down.



* From Cat Wisdom for humans

Amazon Publishing, DPLA Ink Deal to Lend E-books in Libraries - Publishers Weekly

 Today's trip into the Catosphere took Panzer to the Publishers Weekly site. With a lot of digging in the posts, our intrepid eternally curious kitty found a post about Amazon and libraries.
I will check it out.
According to the post by Andrew Albanese, as stated in a May 18 press release Amazon Publishing and the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) platform have finally reached an agreement. Per the agreement, DPLA participating libraries will be allowed to lend 10,000 of Amazon Publishing's ebooks and audio books to their patrons. Patrons (and libraries) will need to use the SimplyE app to download the ebooks and audio books and read/listen to them.  Amazon Publishing is a separate entity from the Amazon platform indie authors  use to publish their books. The post includes numerous links to other information about Amazon and DPLA. 
Panzer says, "Hmm ... This little kitty never heard of SimplyE. Guess we'll need to do some research so we can read Amazon Publishing books from the library."

Note: This is a medium length post. Bring a cup of tea and a muffin for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow the links included in the post, bring a thermos of tea, five muffins and two chocolate chip cookies (biscuits).
To read the post tootle over to Amazon Publishing and libraries

Windows 11 may be on the way: All the hints Microsoft has dropped so far - CNet

This morning Panzer's trip into the Catosphere took him to the CNet site. While digging in the posts, our inquisitive kitty found one about Microsoft. The post doesn't have anything to do with writing (or cats) but it is interesting.
  Goodbye Windows 10?
According to Alison DeNisco Rayome post, Microsoft plans an announcement June 24 about Windows future. The company already announced the end of support for Windows 10 in 2025. The post includes sections on possible new features for Windows, a possible new name and other information based on hints Microsoft has released.
 Panzer says, "But ... But ... They just did that B-I-G Windows 10 update and held Mom's computer hostage for half an hour while it downloaded and updated."
 Note: This is a h-u-g-e post. Bring a thermos of lemonade, three muffins, two cookies (biscuits), and a bowl of chocolate ice cream for today's reading selection.
 To read the post tootle over to Windows 11

Crime Conn Express - Do Some Damage

 In case you're looking for something to do tomorrow, Panzer found a Crime Fiction panel discussion for you to attend.  According to the Do Some Damage site, the CrimeCONN is usually held in Connecticut, but because of the Covid-19 pandemic it was virtual this year. Thursday night from 7pm to 8pm is the final panel. The panel will include crime fiction authors Timothy Hallinan and Cara Black and for Akashic Books Noir Series John Temple. Well hurry up!
 The panel discussion is free, but you must register to attend. The post includes a link to register. It appears there are only a certain number of attendees allowed, so hurry and register to attend.

Panzer says, "Be sure to check your time zone to make sure you attend on time."
To read about the panel, tootle over to Crime Conn Express

Legible Launches Browser-Based Reading and Publishing Platform - Publishers Weekly

 Panzer was rudely woken up this morning by clapping and cheering coming from the Catosphere. Dragging his poor, tired, little, kitty body into the Panzermobile, he headed into the Catosphere. Following all the hullabaloo took him to the Publishers Weekly site. There he found a post about the new Legible reading and publishing platform.
Want to give it a try?
According to the post by Ed Nawotka, Legible.com has launched their new browser-based platform in beta mode in the U.S. and Canada. Browser-based means you can read their books on your cellphone, tablet or computer. Currently, they have books uploaded by some publishers, books in the public domain, and books uploaded by authors. Legible will be offering a subscription service, a sponsorship program and a publishing program. The subscription service will offer books for reading for a monthly fee. The sponsorship program will give schools and businesses the opportunity to pay a fee and allow multiple people to read the same material for a set amount of time. The publishing program will let authors upload their own books to the platform. There's a link to the publishing platform included in the post. If you fill out the form to get information about the publishing program, you can choose to visit the site and look at the books there.

Panzer says, "This little kitty followed the Legible Publishing link. It looks like an interesting new publishing venue."
Note: This is a long-medium length post. Bring a glass of lemonade and a bowl of ice cream for today's reading selection.
To read the post tootle over to Legible platform

McIlvanney Prize long list 2021 Announced! - Bloody Scotland

I will read all those books.
Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when he heard clapping and cheering outside. Following all the jocularity took our curious kitty boy to the Bloody Scotland site. With no digging at all he discovered the long list for the McIlvanney Prize for the Scottish Crime Book of the Year was announced today.
 There's a YouTube video of the announcement embedded at the site. Below the video is the long list of nominees.
 To watch the video and/or read the list of nominees tootle over to McIlvanney Prize nominees

Walk It Off - SleuthSayers

  You can't function without us.

Today Panzer made a quick stop at the SleuthSayers blog. There he found a post by Bob Mangeot about how cats help their human underlings with crime fiction writing.
 To read the post tootle over to Sleuth Sayers

A New Panzerism

 Panzer on recorded history:
I really need a kitty-sized collar camera.
Then ...
I could capture wonderful leaps, acts of amazing balance,
and ... It's magic!*
 sudden feats of startling magic,
when ...
hairballs appear without warning.



* From Cat Wisdom for humans

Authors Upset Over Goodreads Bugs - Publishers Weekly

 Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when he heard crying and shouting coming from outside the Panzermobile. Following all the noise, took our brave kitty boy to the Publishers Weekly site. With hardly any digging at all he discovered a post about Goodreads was causing all the upset.
According to the post by Michael Seidlinger, authors' reader book reviews and star ratings are disappearing from their ebooks on Goodreads. Goodreads workers acknowledge there's a problem with the disappearances. They are working on resolving it, but there's no date for when it will be fixed. Some authors, however, have been able to complain directly and have had their reviews and star ratings returned. Goodreads is owned by Amazon.
Inquiring kitties want to know.
 Panzer says, "It would be interesting to know if the disappearances are only in one genre or spread out everywhere."
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 Goodreads

OverDrive to acquire Kanopy - Publishers Weekly

 Today's trip into the Catosphere took Panzer to the Publishers Weekly site. With no digging at all he found a post about OverDrive and Kanopy.
 According to the post by Andrew Albanese, OverDrive is buying Kanopy. OverDrive is the major supplier of materials to libraries. Kanopy is a library service which makes documentary videos, movies and educational videos available to library patrons for free. There are links included in the post about OverDrive's previous acquisitions. There's no real information about what the acquisition will mean for the continuation of Kanopy.
Goodbye Kanopy?
 Panzer says, "Mom watches educational videos on Kanopy. This little kitty wonders what will happen now."
 Note: This is a short, short medium length post. Bring a cup of tea for today's reading selection.
 To read the post tootle over to Overdrive and Kanopy