Feed aggregator

撰文／澍星；審稿／藍風

　　武漢肺炎疫情自2019年12月26日至今，已持續延燒將近有一年兩個月的時間。第37屆FancyFrontiera開拓動漫祭在2月10日於官網發布〈場內加強防疫措施公告〉，要求參與活動的設攤單位「排隊隊伍不可超過三人」及「不得進行非販售之活動」，如：簽名、合照、握手會、拍賣⋯⋯等。

　　知名繪師竹本嵐於同日當晚發出聲明，宣布本次活動將不會出攤，原因是近期的身體狀況不佳及諸多考量下做出的決定。本人也特別表明不是肺炎，且在調整飲食與休息的狀況下情況已有好轉，請各位粉絲不用擔心！

　　目前未有更多創作者發布缺席聲明或表態，本報將會針對後續消息持續追蹤！

Hello again everyone! It’s February, so in honor of Black History Month, the FWG wanted to feature interviews with Black authors, publishers, and creators within the furry fandom. Today we’ll be interviewing Rhyner — a Black/Mexican transmasc queer dragon who hosts the What The Fuzz?! podcast which interviews furries of color to ask “real questions to dig into the people under the fur.”

In the world of furry writing, Rhyner actively updates Rhyner Writes, a blog where he discusses general topics for furry audiences. He was also a member of the inaugural Oxfurred Comma Inclusivity Award committee.

With this in mind, just one last thing from Rhyner before we get to the interview — “Please keep in mind: no one person can represent an entire group and that includes myself. I can only speak to my experiences and shared experiences as a mixed person. One story doesn’t paint the picture.”

FWG: What is your favorite work that you have written?

Rhyner: Normally you’d think it’d be a story I’ve written, but honestly nothing I’ve written has ever given me as much joy as the articles I have up on my website. The one in particular that folks seem to love is about overcoming anxieties to chat with others over Telegram or forums. While it’s something incredibly small it means a lot to me to be able to help someone with something that is so easily overlooked.

FWG: What do you think makes a good story?

Rhyner: A “good” story to me is a plot driven by realistic, grounded characters. They can have fantastical powers or be facing the annihilation of the universe, but if they don’t have relatability it’s not going to keep anyone invested in what’s going on. For instance “Breaking Bad” and “A Silent Voice” are wildly different stories that have pretty much nothing in common. Why am I so drawn to the plight of some old boomer selling meth on the side? Why do I care about what happens to some deaf girl? It’s because I can understand their struggles, and I latch onto them little by little. We see them at their worst, we see them do terrible things, but we see them do great things too. It’s that heavy helping of humanity that makes a story resonate with me no matter how recycled the plot itself is. But hey, if you want to throw some lore in there too it sure wouldn’t hurt!

FWG: What does Black History mean to you?

Rhyner: Black history at this moment means to me… Retreading my footsteps. It means going somewhere I’ve been before but things don’t look the same. People like me who grew up in “liberal California” were told racism was over when MLK gave his speech. We were told they desegregated schools and everything was fine after that. The Civil War being fought over slaves? “No, of course not! That was about states’ rights.” Since the start of June I’ve started to learn the real history. The resurgence of BLM flooded my timeline with things I never heard about before. The MOVE bombing, the rise and fall of Black Wallstreet, mass incarceration, and the list goes on and on. It’s painful to have to go back and re-learn your own history. Like getting bleach out of your clothes. But I’m glad to learn and I’m hungry to learn more.

FWG: Do you feel that your Blackness has affected your writing?

Rhyner: Yes. Normally I’d say it wouldn’t, but I have to write every script for my podcast. It wasn’t easy to come to terms with the fact that people will treat me differently simply because I’m black, but thanks to this Summer I quickly understood how the world saw people like me. I’ve had to make it clear why these things affect me since it could very easily be my black mother or black roommate or black best friends that end up meeting an unfortunate and untimely demise. With that in mind, going forward with writing outside of the scripts I don’t think I could go back to writing with a main character who doesn’t face similar struggles. 

FWG: Do you feel that issues in the outside world affect your writing in the fandom?

Rhyner: Yes. Although racial issues specifically really only pop up in the scripts for my podcast as mentioned before I find themes of social anxiety to be a prevailing topic amongst my blog posts. There isn’t a lot of furry literature to my name, but the stories I have started out there on SoFurry that aren’t just, well, erotic have themes of feeling unable to connect with others. 

FWG: If you could convince everyone to read a single book, what would it be and why?

Rhyner: The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander. It is nothing short of incredible how much information and thought was put into the careful articulation of every page in this book. It paints a massive, overwhelming picture of what black people are facing and have been facing in the United States from the start of slavery to now. It painstakingly goes over how the drug war started, how it was used as a weapon against black people, and what effect it’s had on us today. It’s a must read if you care about civil rights. Period. 

FWG: You interview a lot of BIPOC furs for your podcast. Have they ever mentioned furry writing or publishing? If so, what kinds of comments have you gotten about it?

Rhyner: Yes, some have. For example one guest known for his outlandish NSFW drawings, is also something of a storyteller. I thought to get his perspective on why writing tends to be overlooked in the fandom and he remarked that it was quite simple, really. Fursuits and art are instantly satisfactory while reading a story takes time – time that could be spent looking at 30 or more pictures in the same time span. It’ll be continually be difficult to get noticed as a writer in the fandom. All we can do is make it easier to get the works out there and put it front and center. 

Another guest on the show described the struggles of starting up a furry driven publishing business. Despite this, I found his drive to be inspiring. After all when forced to compete with Sofawolf, Furplanet, and others – why not have some fun with it? 

FWG: Is there anything the furry writing community could be doing to be more welcoming to Black creators?

Rhyner: The best thing the furry community can do is to be open and uplift. Be open to the storylines brought on by BIPOC creators of all backgrounds. If you’re a publisher, feature black creators during black history month, Indigenous furs during their month, and so on. If you’re a reader and happen upon a story you enjoy that’s from a black person or another person of color be sure to share their work.

Don’t be afraid to call out bigotry when you see it.

FWG: Do you have any projects incoming you’d like to tell people about?

Rhyner: Well, What’s The Fuzz?! Is available on all platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and you can see the full list on my website again rhynerwrites.com anything else I’ve got cooking will be posted up on my Twitter @whatsthefuzz_

FWG: Any last words for our readers?

Rhyner: 2020 was a hard year for everyone and BIPOC individuals in particular. Police brutality raided our timelines. Ignorant questions cornered us at every turn whether it be at the mall, at work, or at home. The audacity of it all. To shepherd BIPOC people, as a monolith, into the role of reluctant teacher to quench the curiosity of the average white moderate. 

In the end, we were expected to dust ourselves off and bounce back like nothing happened. Everything changed, but also nothing changed at all. It’s 2021 now. 

Don’t shield the racist in your group chat. Ban them. Keep Nazis out of furcons, group chats, furmeets – everything. They have no place in this fandom and never will. Don’t just use the hashtag #BLM to make your account prettier. Act on it. We need people to understand the difference between an anti-racist and the person who says they aren’t racist. 

My advice to you? Check out blacklivesmatters.carrd.co sometime and look through the educational resources. There are articles, books, movies, TV shows, documentaries, plays, interviews, audiobooks, and more about the topics of racism in all of its ugly, insidious forms. 

Don’t forget that no BIPOC person owes you an education. You have everything at your disposal to educate yourself. Looking forward to seeing you at Howlfest. Take care.

We would like to thank Rhyner once again for taking the time to sit down and talk with us. We hope you’ll join us again next week as we interview another Black creative within the furry fandom. Until next time, may your words flow like water.

Another graphic novel for young readers, this one written and illustrated by Norm Feuti. “Ally the alligator is perfectly happy being alone . . . until one day a noisy bird named Beak lands on her snout. Beak thinks Ally is lonely and needs a friend. He has all sorts of friendship goals in mind, like riding bikes together, going to the movies together, and even solving mysteries together! But when a Long-Billed Party Pooper crashes Beak’s nest-warming party, Ally decides to show Beak something important to her: Sticking up for what’s right.” Beak & Ally Volume 1: Unlikely Friends is available now in hardcover from Harper Collins.

image c. 2021 Harper Collins

The tabletop RPG Werewolf: The Apocalypse teaches players to relate to people from very different cultures than their own. Arrkay does the talking but Tempo did the writing. You can support our fight to educate the masses about Gaia's fuzzy protectors by pledging on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/culturallyfd NOTES 0:31 - Ron Spencer 0:39 - Ron Spencer 0:42 - Steve Prescott 0:57 - Ever After High (2013) 1:50 - Cursed (2005) 1:55 - Ron Spencer 2:15 - Steve Prescott & Sherilyn van Valkenburgh 2:30 - Alex Sheikman 2:33 - Steve Prescott & Sherilyn van Valkenburgh 3:24 - Gingitsune (2013) 4:40 - Underworld (2003) All other art is Dark Natasha. Tempo wrote this episode. You can find his books here: https://furplanet.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=798 Official Art: White Wolf Games, Onyx Path Publishing, Renegade Games https://www.renegadegamestudios.com/ Additional Art: Dark Natasha https://www.darknatasha.com/ https://www.patreon.com/Darknatasha Preview Image: Slate https://www.furaffinity.net/user/slate Music: "From the Dark" Epsilon Zero https://epsilonzero.bandcamp.com/album/requiem Merch, Sweet Tees and stuff: http://www.culturallyfd.com https://teespring.com/stores/culturally-fd-merchandise Support Culturally F'd: https://www.patreon.com/culturallyfd Plus a Newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/gsz8us7 Listen in on TEMPO TALKS with Tempe O'Kun https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIPk-itLl1jPyIK2c7mK-LpbvfDNqfcSW Here's a playlist of his other Culturally F'd videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIPk-itLl1jPS7tnT4hdJwBI-CeLF8Kb_

Let me preface this review by saying that I got this as an ARC, so take it with a grain of salt. There's no guarantee that the final book, be it in title or in content, will be as I read it, and therefore your experience might be completely different from mine.

Carnage. A museum, a haunted house, and a fitting name for the events described in this work. Carnage is a single-author anthology by Weasel from Sinister Stoat Press where a group of three friends get to experience in the flesh the exhibitions contained within.

CW: With a name like this, I won't go into detail of all the graphic violence and gore that it contains. Besides that, you can also expect such stuff as: Necrophilia, sexual abuse, cannibalism, self-harm, and many other things.

Since you cannot spell Carnage without "Car," the anthology starts with "Hell on a Two-Lane Blacktop." In this story, we follow Rick, a psychotic panda in search of a new victim, the plot in a way echoing that of Death Proof, but more violent, gay, and with the antagonist as the protagonist this time. A very good fit for the first story in this collection as it's bloody, with a villainous narrator, and an ending that could be considered bittersweet at best; setting the tone well for what's next to come.

Back in the framing story, our trio of protagonists get split into three halls. The first one, The Unrevealed, paying more attention to the violence than the other two and having a more sexual connotation.

Starting this hall is "Toothache." With a very self-explanatory title, this is the story of the pit bull Barry and his many struggles with, well, a toothache. Out of this hallway, this could be considered the least sexual, or at least the one where sex does not matter as much to the actual plot; with its biggest saving grace being the way it plays with the typography, the only story in this collection to do so and with great effect.

Continuing on this hall we have "Death Wish," my favorite of this set. This is the story of a wolf, using a hookup app to lure and seduce people before killing them, who meets his match in SluttySkunkBoi, his, well, newest match. The power struggle between both characters is a delight to read, mixing the horror and eroticism really well, not to mention that it has one of the most satisfying endings for me.

Last for this section we have "The Junkman." In this story we follow Gordi, a deer who's about to have his first face-to-face meeting with a coyote he met online, but he soon learns of the perils of online dating. Unlike all of the previous stories, this one starts to break from the mold by having a slower pace and being less graphic; exchanging both of these elements for a slightly more expanded plot and character development. An enjoyable read, but definitely the weakest of its kind in this anthology.

With only two stories in it, the second hall, Absolution, has a more balanced mix of both types of stories presented in the previous one. "Desolation," its first story, follows JC, a horse trying to escape from his toxic relationship, and Riley, a rabbit who'll do anything in his power to stop that from happening. "Desolation" is more aligned to the same formula used by "The Junkman," focusing more on its characters than on graphic violence, yet doesn't neglect the latter as much as the previous one.

Second and last for this hall is "Eaten Alive." This is the story of Zack, a meerkat who decides to cancel his betrothal, only to later on be distracted by the screams coming from the shower where his ex-fiance was. "Eaten Alive" has the honor of being the only straight story in this anthology, but I'd say that's its only high point. Following the same formula used in the first stories but lacking any of their charm, the bulk of this story could basically be described as nothing more than a mechanical description of the murder that takes place. No tension, no setup, and with forgettable characters, this is easily the worst story in the anthology for me.

Thankfully, the third and last hall happens afterward. With good plots, good character development, nice horror, and a length of around half of the complete work, the hall of Breaking Free / Letting Go has the best stories in my opinion. The hall starts with "Madness Vase," the story of a couple who, after spending a night at the cemetery, start experiencing weird things in their home. While the story follows many common Haunted House tropes, I have to say that I loved the emotional beats throughout it and even more its outcome.

Following "Madness Vase" is "How Well You Walk Through Death." In this story we follow Axel, a lion who decides to go to the funeral of his abusive ex, but sometimes there are things that not even death can stop. Personally, my favorite story in this collection, not only for its slow-boiling horror and its emotional impact, but also because it gave some hints on non-Cthulhu Lovecraft works. Bonus points for enby representation too.

Technically not part of this hall, but still fitting in, we have "Love in the Time of Death." In this story we follow a stoat who decides to hook up with a cop in a zombie-infested world. As expected of this sub-genre, this story goes back to being more gore-y than the rest in this hallway, but I'd say its biggest shortcoming is how predictable it is, feeling a little disappointed with the ending since it felt like it was finally going into a different direction.

Last, but definitely not least, is "Down into the Inferno." This is the story of a bear with a mission: finding Cliff, his deer boyfriend who disappeared after going to an extreme SM bar. Possibly the best story, at least from a horror perspective, not shying away from the gore but depending exclusively on it. There's mystery too, good sex scenes that enhance that plot, and incredible pacing. Very solid all the way around.

Overall, Carnage is a very good entry for the horror genre, and I don't mean that as just "furry horror." Brutal when it needs to be, emotional from time to time, and gut-wrenching all around, I'd say that most of these stories accomplished what they meant to do. Sure, it does have its lows and more than a few errors (as expected of an ARC), but I did have a nice time reading it. If you're squeamish, many of these stories might not be to your taste; but if you're into horror, you're likely more than ready to tackle all, or at least most, of them head on.

Carnage, by Weasel

Greetings!

I have been in the furry fandom for about 6 or 7 years, give or take, and have been making fursuits for about two. i don't post about my fursuits to online forums, but I do distribute to friends and family. Recently, I came under some drama because of one.

I had made a black wolf suit a while ago and gave it to a friend, who sold it last year as they no longer wanted the suit or the character the suit was based of off. Recently, adult content featuring this suit has popped up, and most people don't care, but my friend group, and people who know me personally/know my friends and work, have been harassing me and the person who originally owned the suit.

I believe the person who owns the suit now converted it into a murrsuit, as I made repairs to the suit before it was sold because of a popped seam in the armpits, and on the neck of the head, and there weren't any naughty holes in it then.

I have tried to explain the situation to others, but I can't seem to get it through to them. Any advice?

Alix Coyfolf

​* * *

Dear Alix,

I've come across many similar situations from my readers in my inbox.  While the specifics are different, the results are the same. A furry gets accused of something they didn't do and no one will believe them when they deny it, even when they present evidence to the contrary.

When this happens, the letter writer always asks me for advice on what they can do to convince their friends and family they are innocent. Wrong question. You did nothing wrong. The real question is this: WHY don't they believe you? There could be a couple of reasons for this. Are you an untrustworthy person who has lied before? If so, like the boy who cried wolf, you are unlikely to be believed. 

I don't think this is usually the case, however, with the people who write to me, including you. Far more likely is that these other people don't like who you are or don't agree with what you are doing. Therefore, when they find some "evidence" that justifies their point of view, they believe it and will not change their minds about it because it validates their opinions. This is the same reason we have Trump voters. Despite all the evidence to the contrary that he is a horrible person and an incompetent leader, people voted for him because he validates their worldview concerning white superiority and the fear of people who are different. In your case, the idea that you make murrsuits validates their worldview that all furries are perverts, so they stick with that interpretation.

Another possible reason is that they are looking for people to put down so that they feel superior themselves. This is the trolling syndrome and is also true of bullies. Many people who have low self-esteem become bullies or trolls and look for signs of weakness in others in their community. Whether or not that "weakness" is true or not, they will glom onto it and begin a campaign of trashing you so that they can say, "Hey, look, that person is a loser. They aren't like me. I'm awesome and superior to them." (They don't talk like that, but you get what I mean.)

So, my advice? Since you can't argue with stupid people and hateful people, all you can say is this: "Well, I have told you my side of the story, which is true. If you refuse to believe me, that's on you, not me." The burden is on them to fix the relationship, not you. The good news, if you want to put a positive spin on things, is that now you know which of your friends are derps and should be avoided.

Then look for better people to befriend. They are out there. I know a lot of them. Fortunately, sounds like not all of your friends believe this lie, so that's a great thing!

Good Luck,
Papabear

This week: We're 1/6 of the way to the cast being vaccinated, followups from Austin and DC, FA gets bought back, and good lord buying a home is hard.

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Southpawscast

You can also still use our coupon code 'knot' at AdamEve.com for some goodies :3

LINKS
KXAN article- https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/i-won-austinite-exiting-homelessness-after-8-month-stay-at-city-owned-hotel/
Telegram Chat- https://t.me/joinchat/P2iJgznWiMDBt5xS

Episode 484 - Gotta Keep It Vaccinated - This week: We're 1/6 of the way to the cast being vaccinated, followups from Austin and DC, FA gets bought back, and good lord buying a home is hard.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SouthpawscastYou can also still

Roo and Klik get together to discuss the amazing world of....PAWBS, er PAWS! Do have a bean addiction? Do you not understand it? We can help!





NOW LISTEN!
SHOW NOTES
SPECIAL THANKS

Everyone who wrote in!

PATREON LOVE
The following people have decided this month’s Fur What It’s Worth is worth actual cash! THANK YOU!

Get Stickered Tier Supporters

Nuka goes here

Kit, Jake Fox, Nuka (Picture Pending), Ichi Okami, Taz

Fancy Supporter Tier



Rifka, the San Francisco Treat and Baldrik and Adilor

Deluxe Supporters Tier

 

Guardian Lion and Katchshi and Koru Colt (Yes, him)

Plus Tier Supporters

Skylos
Snares
Simone Parker
Ausi Kat
Chaphogriff
Lygris
Tomori Boba
Bubblewhip
GW
Moss

McRib Tier Supporters

August Otter

 
MUSIC

Opening Theme: RetroSpecter – Cloud Fields (RetroSpecter Mix). USA: Unpublished, 2018. ©2011-2018 Fur What It’s Worth. Based on Fredrik Miller – Cloud Fields (Century Mix). USA: Bandcamp, 2011. ©2011 Fur What It’s Worth. (Buy a copy here – support your fellow furs!)
Space News Music: Fredrik Miller – Orbit. USA: Bandcamp, 2013. Used with permission. (Buy a copy here – support your fellow furs!)
Second Segment – Ghost, Mystery Skulls, USA: Warner Bros Records, 2011. Used with permission.
Patreon - The Tudor Consort, Inflammatus, Creative Commons, 2010
Closing Theme: RetroSpecter – Cloud Fields (RetroSpecter Chill Mix). USA: Unpublished, 2018. ©2011-2018 Fur What It’s Worth. Based on Fredrik Miller – Cloud Fields (Chill Out Mix). USA: Bandcamp, 2011. ©2011 Fur What It’s Worth. (Buy a copy here – support your fellow furs!) S9 Episode 5 -Paws - Roo and Klik get together to discuss the amazing world of....PAWBS, er PAWS! Do have a bean addiction? Do you not understand it? We can help! - NOW LISTEN! SHOW NOTES SPECIAL THANKS Everyone who wrote in! - PATREON LOVE

This week, one** furcon is deferred and one cancelled: Mexican furcon Furnexion, originally planned for 26 Feb has deferred to 10 Dec this year. The furcon adds that as the venue and packages have been reserved, no refunds will be given. All tickets and dealers’ den arrangements will be carried over to their December event. […]

**Note: Qutens is raising money for a legal defense – not for a legal case said in the video. Don’t Hug Cacti, DHC for short, a prominent fursuit maker in the community is currently facing backlash from claims alleging that one of their owners, Lucky Coyote, had engaged in sexual misconduct. The controversy sparked late […]

On February 2, FurAffinity, now more than 16 years in operation, has announced numerous changes to the furry art sharing platform. A new logo, policy changes and feature developments checked for FurAffinity as they recently changed their owner – Dragoneer, previous community manager after nearly 6 years of ownership under instant messaging platform IMVU. WATCH: […]

撰文／艾倫德；潤稿／諾理；審稿／藍風

　　2021年1月29日下午，繪師刺刺（Bristle）發布臉書貼文，預告在1月31日午後開設【老素，我有問題！】繪圖教學直播約1小時的免費繪畫教學，直播觀看人數超過百人，蔚為討論風潮。

　　繪師刺刺表示：「基本上這次直播課程就是對線條的觀察與繪製時的應用」。本次直播教學主要先從觀念開始，再到基本的草稿、以及繪製線稿的步驟與注意事項；另外也有教導繪圖時，下筆線條的粗細差異。

　　關於開設教學直播的動機，刺刺表示:「基本上（我）看到很多畫家剛起步的不少，但是關於繪畫相關的教學文章卻很少，或是內容會令人覺得複雜。所以，我想要分享自己在繪圖上的一些方法與技巧給大家！」

　　刺刺也開玩笑的表示，每一個進來的都免費附贈刺刺一組「那…那個只是假…假餌…而已…啊！我沒說大家是魚喔（？」的圖。關於下次的直播課程，則會有陰影的相關教學，也歡迎想學習繪畫的民眾前往收看。

Hound Heroes is a new superhero graphic novel series for some of the youngest readers, available now from Scholastic. “Meet the Hound Heroes: Fearless Captain Chihuahua, the big-hearted Great, Great Dane, super-speedy Poodle Girl, cyborg pup Power Pug, and the loveable yet irritating Super Sheep Dog. Together they make up earth’s furriest heroes! In this first adventure, the Hound Heroes’ origin story is revealed when a spaceship crashes in their backyard, giving them super powers! But they aren’t the only ones who benefit — neighborhood alleycat The Claw also gains powers, and she only wants one thing: To destory the Hound Heroes!” Okay, so it’s more for “dog people” than it is for “cat people” — unless you’re into super-villains perhaps! Hound Heroes Volume 1: Beware The Claw is written and illustrated by Todd Goldman.

image c. 2021 Scholastic

MOOBARKFLUFF! Click here to send us a comment or message about the show!

Goku, Furban Explorer Extraordinaire, drops in this week to talk with Bearly and Taebyn about their adventures in fursuiting. So many dangerous places Goku goes! If you want to see Goku's photos on telegram their channel is: https://t.me/KasigFuchsGokuFurBex.  

Finn Brenner emailed us and here are the links talked about in his email to make a working Turing machine:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdmODVYPDLA&feature=emb_title

And here's the scientific article that proves it:

https://arxiv.org/pdf/1904.09828.pdf

If you can help out Caladon Dalimar with his go fund me, here is the link: http://gf.me/u/zg2cqq

Chickens seem to be prevalent in this week's podcast. Taebyn has several giggle fits, and Bearly has to figure out which actors are on which shows.  We do a classic comedy bit from Abbot and Costello, and Taebyn answers some trivia questions.  Come spend some time with us and forget your worries and your strife!

Support the show

Thanks to all our listeners and to our staff: Bearly Normal, Rayne Raccoon, Taebyn, Cheetaro, TickTock, and Ziggy the Meme Weasel.

You can send us a message on Telegram at BFFT Chat, or via email at: bearlyfurcasting@gmail.com

Bearly Furcasting #41 - (F)Urban Explorer Goku, Classic Comedy Bit, Five Minute Fur, and Trivia

The ROAR franchise has a reputation for publishing high-quality SFW furry stories from some of the best writers in the fandom. ROAR 10 is one more testament that this reputation is well-deserved. The theme of this volume is “community,” and the anthology features sixteen varied author interpretations that all manage to hit that target spot on…if from very different angles.

"Bourbon Jack" is a Leo Award-winning short story by Linnea Capps. It’s the story of a fisher taking on the Appalachian trail in a test of both his preparation and his determination. The tale is solidly written and full of sympathetic and entertaining characters. An excellent opening on the theme from a tight, small-knit community perspective.

"Squonk and the Horde of Apprentices" by Pete Butler-Davis tells of a dragon and his forest friends who have hornswoggled the local Wizard into taking them all on as apprentices. It is an infinitely cute story, at times silly, amusing, and very light. I enjoyed it, though the humor didn’t land quite as solidly as intended for me. It was cute, but a story that perhaps is slightly less funny than it believes itself to be.

"The Widehorn Herd" by Madison Keller is one installment in the author’s Sam the Beaver stories. In this one, Sam and her mini Texas longhorn boyfriend go home to meet the herd. As a solitary animal, Sam struggles with the tight-knit community that is bovine family life. I always enjoy these stories, and though I was very frustrated with Oscar’s blindsiding Sam with the herd’s expectations in this one, it made for great conflict.

In "Outsiders" by Kyell Gold, an exiled fox must choose between the friends he’s made in his tropical refuge and the sudden opportunity to go back home to his original friends and family. Gold’s writing is always top-notch, and his characters shine in "Outsiders" as they always do. I enjoyed the brisk, action-adventure feel of this one a great deal.

"No Choice About It" by MikasiWolf is a flash-fiction piece that is more a brief treatise on the nature of war, free will, and fate. It is a lovely bit of writing, and though the ending is easily spotted out of the gate, knowing what was coming did not spoil the read for me in the least. Different and beautiful.

"The Hero Of Brambleward" will not be included in this review a it was written by myself.

"Once We Were Meercats" by Huskyteer is an eerie sci-fi piece about a colony of engineered Meercats who build cities on other planets for human colonists to eventually occupy. I’m a big fan of Huskyteer’s work, and this story did not disappoint. It is clever and beautifully written. The ending waxed a little ephemeral, and I’m not sure I fully parsed what exactly happened, but that tone fit nicely with the ominous feeling of the rest of the piece.

"Year Forty-Four" by Lloyd Yaeger is one of my favorite stories in the anthology. It somehow manages to marry small-town, social slice of life seamlessly with a sci-fi colony adventure. It was touching, believable, and, at its core, incredibly real and relatable. I loved it.

"Folding in the Wolf" is another story that I found very real and touching. Written by Bill Kieffer, the tale follows a horse and wolf who have body-swapped and are now attempting to integrate into the horse’s herd during a family reunion. The opening scenes were ambiguous enough that I had to re-read a few times to make sure I was getting what was actually going on, but once fully oriented in the situation, I had no problem embedding, empathizing, and following along to the very sweet and moving ending.

"Thoughts and Prayers" by Thurston Howl comes with some trigger warnings, and so I won’t delve too much into the content except to say that I agree with the editor’s note that this is an important and powerful work. It is a story I would like to make everyone I know read, and I hope that the trigger warnings don’t scare you off. Beautifully done and heart-breakingly accurate.

"Schism" by Anhedral is a different sort of werewolf story about a doctor who chooses to work in a community set aside for those who have been turned into werewolves by a viral outbreak. It is another important story and one that seems incredibly timely at the moment. Well written and with sweet notes that I have to admit left me a little teary-eyed at the end.

"A Scrappy Start" by Cathy Smith is the story of a wizard’s feline apprentice who dallies with a ship’s cat and produces an unlikely heir. It is whimsical and cute, but the way the story skips about made it seem choppy and a bit discordant to me. The POV is primarily omniscient with moments here and there embedded in a single character, and the time skips quite a bit as well. I think it would have been smoother and easier on the reader if the story had just been fully fleshed out, a bit longer, and embedded in one character per scene or segment.

"The 180-Pound Gorilla" by Tim Susman is another flash piece. This one lands firmly in my top three in the book, and I would also label it as a must-read for just about everyone. It is written in the voice of a fable and fits that title perfectly. Both quaint and massive, intimate and universal. I enjoyed every word.

"The Corvid King" by Amy Clare Fontaine is a fun, romping addition to the massive collection of stories surrounding the King Arthur mythos. It begins when Arthur is brought forward in time, awakening as a crow in the modern era. Desperate to find his purpose, he allies himself with a city cart horse and trots off in search of Avalon. This was whimsical and sweet, with a lovely message and solid writing.

"The Human-English Lexicon: Notes From An Anthro-Xeno Biologist" by A. Humphrey Lanham is another quick flash piece and another delightfully fun read. It is brief, witty, and made me chortle at least once, which is clearly its aim. A very clever story with bonus points for an epic title that is nearly as long as the tale itself.

"Curiosity Kills" by Blake Hutchins is the final story in ROAR 10. While I’m not usually a fan of the fashion which ends an anthology with a massive story or novella, perhaps it is only because I haven’t found one as amazing as "Curiosity Kills" waiting at the end of other books. This was my favorite story in the anthology, and I will happily read it again… and again. The tale is a classic noir detective story and captures that aesthetic flawlessly. It is tight, twisty, and full of delicious “punny” language. It was the perfect, strong note on which to finish the book.

Overall, ROAR 10 gets ten out of ten from me. There is a lot to love inside these pages, a lot to learn, and a lot that is simply too important not to read.

ROAR 10, ed. Mary E. Lowd

Bound Tales is an imprint of the ever-reliable Thurston Howl Publications. One of their recurring titles is the anthology called SPECIES… and the latest release is about none “otter” than everyone’s favorite water-weasels. “SPECIES: Otters showcases drama, action, and adventure. Otters construct planet-circling water slides, uncover covert knowledge sunk to the bottom of a river, and confront what it means to be an otter. With stories by Frances Pauli, Mary E. Lowd, and Madison Keller, this anthology invites you to dive into masterfully crafted anthropomorphic fiction!” Edited by Significant Otter — of course. You can find out more over at the Storenvy page.

image c. 2021 Thurston Howl Publications

Fox and Burger Podcast #2: Interpreting for Uncle Kage, Cons During COVID, and More - Feat Kofulion. ---- In this episode of the Fox and Burger Podcast, we're honored to have Kofulion as our first guest! Kofu was born and raised in Taiwan, later moving to the US. He has been in the fandom for over 10 years, attending several cons along the way. In 2019, he served as one of the interpreters for Infurnity's online Q&A with Uncle Kage. He has the unique perspective of being in contact with both the Asian and US side of the furry fandom. Join us as we get to talk to him about his experience over the years! Social media links: Fox: https://twitter.com/foxnakh Burger: https://twitter.com/L1ghtningRunner Kofu: https://twitter.com/kofukitty Official podcast account: https://twitter.com/foxandburger Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 1:12 Kofu's Introduction 4:44 Where does "Kofu" Come From? 6:24 Kofu's Fursona Backstory 7:31 How Has the Fandom Changed? 10:01 Arlington Furmeet and Uncle Kage's Story Hour 13:10 What Was It Like Interpreting for Uncle Kage? 14:54 Behind the Scenes, Preparation for the Interview 16:49 Learning Multiple Languages 17:59 Interpreting at FurPoint 20:01 English to Chinese Interpreting 23:14 Translation/Interpreting as a Profession for Bilinguals 25:34 What Training Do You Have in English? 27:14 Finally Watching The Lion King in English 29:22 Watching Movies with Subtitles 33:27 Traditional vs. Simplified Characters 38:15 Watching Anime with Subtitles 38:49 How Many Cons Have You Have Attended? 42:29 Which One Was Your Favorite Con? 44:53 GOHs Coming to Asia 46:56 How Was FurryMIT 49:14 Cons in the Age of COVID 52:08 Comparing Asian and Western Fandoms 56:07 Outro References: Infurnity Online, Uncle Kage's Story Hour: https://youtu.be/gBQJaeQ-QSk Footage Used: https://archive.fursuit.me https://archive.fursuit.me/picture.php?/23595/category/763 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO17m_-VUWc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PYdsoeCuEg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e41kFLl-Hw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8wbCkvzRac https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVCXd97OV98 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKvsdd6mD8c https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRWcldpzDc4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNUnknCu26w https://www.furaffinity.net/view/7449220/

Max Lang and Magic Light Pictures made a name for themselves more than ten years ago with an animated adaptation of Julia Donaldson’s picture book The Gruffalo. (Soon after, we and everyone else were talking about the film!) Well nothing breeds success like success, so now Magic Light is back with a new stop-motion/CGI adaptation of the author’s 2003 book The Snail and the Whale. “The film’s remarkably realistic and vibrant animation begins with a tiny peach-colored snail who longs to journey outside the confines of her seaport-adjacent rock home and see the depths of the sea and vastness of the wide world. Writing a note on her rock in glistening snail slime that she’s looking to hitch a ride around the world, the snail is visited by a large humpback whale who offers her a ride on his tail for the adventure of a lifetime. As the snail and the whale encounter warm beachside sunsets, brisk mountain ranges, rainbow reefs as well as dangerous storms and sinister sharks, the snail has an existential awakening about her place in the world and wonders what her purpose could be as a small creature on such a large planet.” Animation World Network has a whole lot more, including previews and a look behind the scenes.

image c. 2021 Magic Light Pictures

At its core, tennis is simple: two players hitting a ball back and forth across a net. LOVE MATCH: BOOK 3 takes the simple game and puts it under a microscope, detailing Rocky’s on- and off-the-court adventure to become one of the best players in the world. The challenges he faces outside of the game as a result of being an immigrant from Africa give additional flavor to an already vivid story. He’s also one of the few players on the tennis pro tour who is gay. That adds a bit of flair as well. All of the challenges that he encounters make this novel by Kyell Gold compelling. Gold’s detailed descriptions of the action, tennis and otherwise, lead to an excellent page-turner that leaves the reader rifling through the pages from point to point.

The relationships that Rocky has are the focal point of the novel. Exes, best friends, romantic interests, all are presented with their own special flavor. It’s difficult not to like Rocky as a character; he’s doing the best he can to look out for his friends. He tries to do the right thing. Some of the more memorable moments come from Rocky’s late mother through often idiomatic sayings that provide guidance for his current situation. Rocky gets put into many difficult situations, and he always tries to make the right decision, even if it might be hard. Even then, it’s still a priority that he takes care of his friends and family. I couldn’t help but to be happy for when things went well for him.

One of the challenges of writing a book about sports is it can tend to turn formulaic. There are only so many ways to say a point was scored without bogging the reader down with every detail. Gold shines here, portraying action in a fast-paced way that keeps you on your toes without feeling disoriented. Even with singles and doubles tournaments going on concurrently, Gold does well to stay engaging and clear. For someone with clear intimate knowledge of the sport, the task of keeping it understandable to someone that lacks that knowledge is not small but is handled with ease. Even if you’re not familiar with tennis, I’d highly recommend picking up LOVE MATCH: BOOK 3.

Love Match - Book 3 (2013-2015), by Kyell Gold

Hello again everyone! It’s February, so in honor of Black History Month, the FWG wanted to feature interviews with Black authors, publishers, and creators within the furry fandom. Today we’ll be interviewing Christopher Weartherall, known in the fandom as Ryuukiba.

Ryuukiba is a wusky writer living in Denver who has been a part of the furry fandom for eleven years. His love of word building what a society would look like if it were ran by anthropomorphic animals lead him to begin writing stories in his own world called Fauhna following the fuzzy creatures that live there.

With the introductions out of the way, let’s get on with the interview!

FWG: What do you think makes a good story?

Ryuukiba: In order to create a story that is moving and impactful, a writer must find ways to creatively express the dynamic nature of experience. Whether the tale is wholly fantasy, or driven by realism, each story is defined by the novelty and intensity of the experiences of it’s characters.

There are many ways to foster a level of dynamism that makes a story excite and enthrall the reader. Some authors focus on gathering experiences from reality, while others focus on conceiving experiences that transcend it.

FWG: What does Black History mean to you?

Ryuukiba: The history of Black communities is varied and expansive. Around the world there are many microcosms of black experience shaped around different cultures and environments. While the spread of our communities about the world was initially involuntary, a hallmark of black experience is how our people take what we are given and find way to make it our own, to make it better. Throughout history, Black communities have pioneered groundbreaking advances in art, science, and social reform, no matter the adversity we have faced due to discrimination and oppression.

The study and appreciation of black history should be focused around this ability, and not the lamentation of past transgressions. Black history month is a grand opportunity for those outside our communities to acknowledge and embrace the power black people wield. Through this acceptance others can recognize the black community as something more beyond the myriad misconceptions that have been developed over the centuries.

FWG: Do you feel that your Blackness has affected your writing?

Ryuukiba: There are many elements of my experience that influence my writing, such as my status as a furry, and my experience as a member of the LGBT community, but my Blackness is not typically at the forefront of my mind when going through my creative process. I focus instead on cultivating stories that explore different realities from many perspectives, seeking to highlight the diversity of experience and the beauty of individuality.

FWG: Do you feel that issues in the outside world affect your writing in the fandom?

Ryuukiba: Most definitely! Although our experience’s in the fandom distinguish us from the rest of society in a way, a key element of the fandom is finding ways to exploit and reform elements of the outside world to suit our own purposes.

Furthermore, I find it exciting to use my writing as a sounding board to conceptualize how the issues we currently face will affect the times to come. Through the furry lens I can explore modern conflicts from a perspective unlike our own, mirroring it, or warping it to reflect my own idealized future.

FWG: Tell us a bit about your book. What was your favorite moment when writing it?

Ryuukiba: Sheath and Felix is a Novel about two gay floofs who fall in love, only to be unwittingly dragged into a conflict of unfathomable proportions when Sheath learns that he is the son of the creator of the universe and it is his destiny to save all of creation from imminent doom.

I started writing the tale as a series of short stories on DeviantArt in 2011 and over the years the vignettes added up to become a novel. I quite enjoyed the process of worldbuilding for the tale. The extended multiverse I ended up creating around it is filled with fantastical elements such as luminous beings borne from mysterious crystal, an occult society that makes sacrifices to an interdimensional leviathan, and an insane twin deity so powerful it could destroy reality in the blink of an eye. Using these and other elements I plan to intertwine future writings with the tale and its sequels.

FWG: If you could convince everyone to read a single book, what would it be and why?

Ryuukiba: Brave New World, by Adolus Huxely is an intriguing exploration of human motivation. It paints a picture of a world where everyone’s purpose is known from the moment of birth and society has reached a state of near perfect design. Alongside this utopian fantasy exists a world where some cling to the traditions of the past. Either out of personal desire or obligation, these “savages” have little comprehension of the “perfect” world outside their borders, and when one of them is introduced to the brave new utopia it is realized that true contentment may not be found in indulgence, peace, and purpose alone.

FWG: Do you have any projects incoming you’d like to tell people about?

Ryuukiba: I am currently in the process of writing the sequel to Sheath and Felix, in which Sheath continues his journey to discover his true potential and avert near certain doom amidst a civil war that has broken out amongst the people of his world.

In addition to this I am working on worldbuilding for a series called NeoTerra which will focus around the version of earth found in my multiverse. The series will tell the tale of an intergalactic war which happened between the Fauhnans of Fauhna and the Humans of Earth from the perspective of Octavia, a Transfemme professor of History living in the year 12822.

FWG: Any last words for our readers?

Ryuukiba: There are many elements to human experience that are combined in various ways to create each and every individual in existence. For as long as history has been written, we have found reasons to spark enmity over differences small and large. Now, more than ever, it must be emphasized that it is through the shared embodiment of our uniqueness that we can excel most as a civilization. If we continue to distract our minds from discovery and creation with enmity and strife, we will lead ourselves on a path to near certain doom.

Each and every one of us must make room in our experiences to express our own uniqueness and accept the uniqueness of others. through this exchange of our personal gifts we will foster a culture of admiration and acceptance that will lead us into a new era of curiosity and discovery.

We would like to thank Ryuukiba once more for sitting down to chat with us. Readers can learn more about the book by visiting the official Sheath & Felix website. Be sure to visit next week for another Black History Month interview. Until next time, may your words flow like water.