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Arrkay and Tempo break down the creative process and tease the upcoming episodes! 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 Check out Tempe O'Kun's books "Sixes Wild" and "Windfall" here: http://furplanet.com/shop/?affillink=YOUTU2907 Here's a playlist of his other Culturally F'd videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIPk-itLl1jPS7tnT4hdJwBI-CeLF8Kb_

Roo and Tugs get together for our annual episode to express gratitude for all that we appreciate in the last year, about the furry fandom in general, and our communities. This is a huge, landmark episode, so listen all the way through!





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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 USA: Unpublished, 2018.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!)
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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 USA: Unpublished, 2018.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 4 – Gratitude 2021 - Roo and Tugs get together for our annual episode to express gratitude for all that we appreciate in the last year, about the furry fandom in general, and our communities. This is a huge, landmark episode, so listen all the

Papabear,

So, I showed my grandma a fursuit that I liked online, and said that it was cute, and I'd like to make one someday if I had the money to, because I love to build fursuits. She looked at me really concerned, and said, "Other than being a furry, what do you like to do? Are there any careers you'd like in the future?" I know it sounds harmless, but her tone and concern showed that she didn't like me being a furry at all. She's VERY religious and isn't very open-minded on most subjects. I love her, but I need some help. Do you have any advice?

Checkmate (age 11)

* * *

Dear Checkmate,

Yes. Be happy that your nana isn't being crass about your furriness, but respect that she is not entirely comfortable with it. You are more than just a furry, so talk to her about all the other stuff in your life. She is concerned about your future, so talk to her about what you would like to do in your future and what you see yourself doing. Furry isn't everything. You can still share a lot with her about you and your family. Also, ask her about and talk about HER life. Show interest in her. She has been around a lot, so take advantage of her experiences and wisdom. Also, if you can, do things together and make new memories. Your gramma won't be around forever. Enjoy her presence in your life now.

Hugs,
Papabear​​

How the fur did we miss this? Oh well, here comes the second one already… “FOX Entertainment has released the second of two new football-oriented Dogs Playing Poker 2D animated shorts they’ve produced with Emmy Award and Golden Globe nominee Denis Leary, based on the Icebox animated series Poker Night, inspired by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge’s iconic 1900s art series, ‘Dogs Playing Poker’. The latest Dogs Playing Poker short aired this past Saturday during FOX’s NFL coverage. Dogs Playing Poker centers on five dog friends – Brownie (Leary), Daphne (Elaine Hendrix, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll), Ditka (Roy Wood, Jr., The Daily Show), Froyo (Bobby Kelly, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll) and Stan (Adam Ferrara, Rescue Me) – as they banter about football and other timely sports topics.” Animation World Network has more info and some previews too.

image c. 2021 FOX Entertainment

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Fur Dancing sensation Ronnie Noodles joins us this week to discuss his involvement in the fandom and his dance crew; Last-Fur-One.  Taebyn and I discuss various other subjects.  Who is Livingston the Fish? Can a duck be comatose? Are Monks dangerous?  These questions and many more will be answered as we MooBarkFluff you with fun and mayhem.

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Bearly Furcasting #39 - Ronnie Noodles, Little Stories, Really Bad Jokes

We made it past a checkpoint and things might get a little better.

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Episode 482 - Day One - We made it past a checkpoint and things might get a little better.LINKS Patreon- https://www.patreon.com/SouthpawscastTelegram Fan Chat- https://t.me/joinchat/P2iJgznWiMDBt5xSFurplanet - www.furplanet.comBDB - www.baddogbooks.com 

Fox and Burger Podcast #1: Introductions, Why This Podcast, and Life in Asia. ---- Welcome to the Fox and Burger Podcast! In this episode, me and Burger explain a little bit about ourselves and why we made the podcast. Social media links: Fox: https://twitter.com/foxnakh Burger: https://twitter.com/L1ghtningRunner Official podcast account: https://twitter.com/foxandburger Footage used: https://youtu.be/3mlT8FK5Bu8 https://youtu.be/PNUnknCu26w https://youtu.be/Ia30yct_coY https://youtu.be/yN3_6efimoQ https://youtu.be/mXM0abqgbAw https://youtu.be/B2AWSAa31Ko

https://youtu.be/43sBTh3hhMQ if you like, plz support us! http://patreon.com/draggetshow you can also donate to the show at: http://paypal.me/draggetshow timestamps below 0:00 status the ferret & bennie's intro 1:11 heyyyyyyyyy! http://draggetshow.com shirts - https://dragget.merchminion.com/ https://soundcloud.com/the-dragget-show also on spotify, iTunes, etc. discord:https://discord.gg/2zmT6g3f telegram: https://t.me/draggetshow Dragget Show #232 - Gwynyth Paltrow's Exploding Vagina Candle - 1/22/21 - https://youtu.be/43sBTh3hhMQ if you like, plz su…

In the midst of a global pandemic, animation keeps on marching ahead. (Why? Because it can!) Try this out: “Tasty Tales of the Food Truckers is about three crazy friends who travel the world in their souped-up, sentient food truck seeking out rare ingredients to turn into exotic dishes. Led by Sonny, the fearless bear/cook who aspires to be a chef, together with Andi the genius problem-solving red panda and Tong the social media savvy monkey influencer, the trio visits countless food destinations in their friendly green food truck, Julia, to take on culinary challenges.” Animation World Network has more details. Currently Tasty Tales is headed to Asian markets later this month, but we can all hope they decide to give it a try in North America!

image c. 2021 T&B Media Global

Hi, Papabear,

I've recently come out as transgender (Female to Genderqueer, I use they/them pronouns).

I've been having problems getting anyone to use my pronouns because of my feminine name (which I chose), and even my own husband won't use my pronouns. It's frustrating.

Should I just get used to not being addressed properly, or should I change my name and work towards a top surgery to come across as more masculine? Is there another option?

Thank you for your time.

Atlas

* * *

Dear Atlas,

Thank you for your excellent (and very relevant) question! I've been waiting for someone to ask me this :-3 Okay, so, here we go . . .

First of all, I would like to stress that you should never ever ever get surgery in order to please other people. Surgery is extremely serious and should never be performed unless it is either to correct or to fix a life-threatening or other serious medical issue or because you yourself have a deep personal commitment to the procedure (and I mean deep). I would say the same thing about any hormone therapy you might consider. If you don't want to do something like that, then you certainly shouldn't do it just so people can get a grip on their perception of you. No, what is important is how you see yourself and what you want for yourself. It is your body and your life.

As for pronouns, I can understand, I think, what you are feeling. While I am not transgender myself, I am a gay bear who is attracted to masculine men and I feel masculine myself. For this reason, I feel it is very cringy when people call me "sister" or "girlfriend" or use the feminine pronoun on me, as some of my gay friends are inclined to do. No, I'm not a girl and I am not your sister. If a gay friend of mine likes to be called those things and wants me to use "she/her" when referring to them, I'm fine with that. But don't do it to me, please. 

When my late husband, Jim, called me "girlfriend" and "sister" a couple of times, what I did was quickly correct him. "No, Jim, I'm not a girl. Please don't call me by any feminine pronouns or other descriptions." It took a couple of times, but he eventually got out of the habit and we were fine.

Pronouns are an interesting thing. Some people think using "they/them" to refer to one person is wrong, but in English we do it all the time. Example: "My friend Bob left their keys in the car." No one has a problem with that, and, in fact, important dictionaries such as the Oxford English Dictionary and Webster's have been saying that using they/them in the singular is perfectly fine, grammatically speaking. For years, as a book editor, I struggled with the awkwardness of editing text to say he/she and his/her in some of the manuscripts I corrected. I was told, when I was a young assistant editor working in Detroit, that I should do this. It made for very clumsy prose, in my opinion. More recently, after some research and consulting with authorities in the language, I am now happy to use they/their in the singular.

There have been proposals by some in the gay and also straight community that we should just dispose of feminine and masculine pronouns entirely and use they/them all the time. The counterargument is that this denies the majority of people of all genders and sexes the right to be called by a masculine or feminine pronoun if that is how they self-identify. 

Sooooo (deep breath), the bottom line, in my opinion, is for English speakers to adapt to the idea that they/them has evolved somewhat and can now be applied to use for general discussions of the singular but also for trans people or anyone else who has that preference. English is a living language, and words change their meanings and usage all the time (e.g., "gay" used to mean "happy" and that was all it meant; "ugly" was often used as a synonym for "mean"; and so on).

Sorry for the long walk-through, but now to your specific question: How does one get family, friends, and coworkers to start referring to you with they/them pronouns? Look at it in the same way a teacher might. When you are teaching someone, and they (they!) get an answer to a question wrong, you calmly and clearly correct them. Each time they get the answer wrong, you correct them. You keep doing this over and over until they get it right. Repetition is how people learn. So, repeat, repeat, repeat. Eventually, they will either get the concept, or they will be so exhausted by your endlessly correcting them that they will finally relent and use the proper words. Depending on the person, it will take more or less time. But do not give up. Don't get angry or sad or upset. Just smile and correct them. It's like someone mispronouncing your name. What would you do? Why, you would correct them, of course. Same goes for this situation.

Hope this helps.

Big Bear Hugs,
Papabear

Sábado, 16 de Enero, 2021 de Nuestro Salvador Jesucristo, Guayaquil, Ecuador-Iberoamérica (Cartas del cielo son escritas por Iván Valarezo) The FATHER’s HOLY HEART is healed and happy with YOU baptized in water by invoking His HOLY NAME FIRES now: Astonishingly: Our heavenly

Pet play, possibly one of the kinks and communities closest to the furry fandom; yet, ironically, one that's not as popular or as represented as it should be inside it. The idea of getting into a different head-space, behaving in an animalistic way, or wearing gear such as collars, leashes, and harnesses should be more than familiar to your average furry; and, even then, I think this is the first work that I've seen dealing directly with this theme. In this anthology by Thurston Howl Publications, we get to explore those who love being a pup, a horse, or anything else, and those who love them in turn. The anthology starts with what I consider to be its best: "Waggy" by TJ Minde. This is the story of Hayden and Wagner, a human/anthro couple where the anthro, the eponymous "Waggy," helps ease his human partner into dog play when they go out on vacation. While I liked both characters and the overall emotional tone of the story, I loved more the way the author handled the kink, gradually explaining it to his partner and the reader, followed by several scenes where they put those lessons into play. Though I have to say that the story felt a little slow at times, which is unsurprising since (according to my Kindle) just this one is around 1/4 of the length of the whole anthology. Next comes "The Familiar" by Linnea "LiteralGrill" Capps. In this story we follow Katherine, a girl in a rural society who must deal with her feelings for her neighbor, Sarah, but things get complicated when Sarah asks Katherine to serve as her familiar spirit. To be honest, I was quite surprised when I first read it, not only because it felt more like erotic-horror (especially in the latter parts of the story), but also because the "kitten play" in it is done in a more literal way than the rest of the anthology because of the fantasy elements in it. In fact, it reminded me more of something I could find in a collection such as Howloween. In "Deference of Shining Joy" by Al Song we have a series of vignettes concerning Kyle, a dhole who's part of a string quartet, and his interactions with the rest of the members of this polyamorous quartet as they practice for their upcoming concert at the next "pup night." While the representation for this type of relationship was nice and all members in it were likable, I feel that the "pet play" did not have as much of a role for the individual vignettes as it did for the collective one, and that maybe the story was a little too ambitious for the format, perhaps being better told in something longer like a novella. Next up is "What You Really Want" by Thiger. In this story we follow an unnamed man in an unhappy marriage who discovers pony play after getting more acquainted with George, the sexy jackal that he met at the gym. While I liked the kinky-ness of both George and the overall story, and appreciated some of the later character developments that happen as it goes along, I do have to say that the relationships shown here were not really up my alley. The protagonist's relationship with his wife is not good (which is fine taking into account the context), but the one that he develops with George is not exactly what I'd call healthy either. In a slightly similar setup we have "Good Boy" by Faolan. In this story we follow Mark, a wolf who is fed up with his work and who gets introduced into dog play by a friend of his. While the pet play community was somehow mentioned or referenced in some of the previous stories, this is the first one where we see a hint of it thanks to Remy, Mark's friend, who offers some much needed by now explanations on the actual mechanics of the play like the gear, what does it mean to "play," the difference with BDSM, etc. not to mention that it's the first where we can see the community as that, a community, when Remy takes Mark to a party with other pups. This makes it great for those not as familiar with pet play, yet also could make it drag on for others that do have more experience. Next comes "The Wingman's Pup" by Jaden Drackus. In this story, we follow Drake, a wolfox captain of a starfighter team (no, not that one) who has to learn to let go of control. For me, both its high and low points are its characters. On one hand, Drake can be a little too annoying and wishy-washy at times for my taste, especially taking into account how the pup play is in many ways his kink and not so much that of his partner. On the other hand, Wash, Drake's wingman and partner, is understanding, patient, and hot as hell; while the rest of the crew are also very supportive of Drake, making it sweeter from that point of view but also bringing into question why the scenario as a whole was such a big problem for him in the first place. Last but not least is "The Competition" by Thomas "Faux" Steele. In this story we follow three protagonists: a dog, a cat, and a horse; all of which ended up playing as each other's species, and just like in "Deference of a Shining Joy," this story is divided in several parts, one for each protagonist, where the character in turn retells the story according to their point of view. While each of the PoVs has its own individual ups and downs, in general the story makes a good example of how each of these types of plays differs from each other, but it does so at the cost of some of the character development, which gets cut short because of how you basically get three short stories at the length of just one. Overall, I won't deny that I was expecting something different when I picked up this anthology. As a pup myself, I hoped to see more discussions on what the kink is, how it works, what the community's like, and, in many ways, serve as a sort of introduction for the... uninitiated. However, I can see why these stories were picked as let's not forget that this is a pet play erotic anthology, not Pet Play 101, and on that front, it fulfills its promise. Besides, even if it had been meant to be something more instructional, it's not like you could have each and every story going over the same explanations over and over again. If you're completely unfamiliar with pet play and its many variants, this anthology might not be the best place to answer the many questions you might have. But if you're already familiar with all these concepts, I can assure that you'll have a better time. As for me, I'll be waiting for Dogpile 2 to see what tomorrow might bring.

An interesting new graphic novel is on its way — interesting for furry fans, fantasy readers, and anyone exploring their own identity. Try this: “Three years ago, Ash’s mom, Kristin, left home and never came back. Now, Ash lives in the house where Kristin grew up. All of her things are there. Her old room, her old clothes, and the shed where she spent her childhood creating a fantasy world called Koretris. Ash knows all about Koretris: How it’s a haven for girls, with no men or boys allowed, and filled with fanciful landscapes and creatures. When Ash’s friends decide to try going to Koretris using one of Kristin’s spell books, Ash doesn’t think anything will happen. But the spell works, and Ash discovers that the world Kristin created is actually a real place with real inhabitants and very real danger. But if Koretris is real, why is Ash there? Everyone has always called Ash a boy. Ash uses he/him pronouns. Shouldn’t the spell have kept Ash out? And what does it mean if it let Ash in?” Girl Haven by Lilah Sturges and Meaghan Carter is coming this February. Check it out over at Comics Beat.

image c. 2021 Oni Press

It is incredible how much the five human senses can shape the way writers describe a scene in literature. This is especially apparent in the niche realm of furry literature and anthropomorphic erotica. Sometimes, we take them for granted. The tiniest of details can change how we perceive sexual intercourse and the way it is imagined in our heads whenever we read a work of erotic fiction. Thus, we have SENSORY DE-TAILS, an erotic anthology edited by Thurston Howl, which focuses on the five human senses: sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing.

Be warned though, some of these stories contain some elements that play into their respective themes of the anthology, which can make readers uncomfortable. They include, but aren’t limited to depicted expressions of ableism, sadomasochism and even dubious consent in one story. None are too extreme, but it is better to be safe than sorry for some of the interested readers out there. And there are content warnings in the book at the beginning of each story!

“Paths” by Kyell Gold

For the first short story appropriately centered around Sight, we have “Paths” by Kyell Gold focusing on a gay blind fennec fox named Kesh, who is convinced by his best friend, a lesbian possum named Jenny, to join her in attending a costume convention. While she is dressing up as a superheroine named Vicious Vixen, Kesh is convinced to costume as a blind shaman fox named Puquanah, or "Puck" for short. Both hope to have fun at the convention, especially after Kesh’s boyfriend recently dumped him, as well as to hopefully hook up with other convention goers in costume. One of them is a seemingly charming cougar dressed as a fantasy soldier only known as "Xiller." Sexy and contemplative hijinks ensue.

For those who do not know, Puck is a character (who is also a gay blind fox like our main character) from Rukis Croax’s fictional Red Lantern universe, specifically in her “Off the Beaten Path” trilogy while Vicious Vixen and Xiller belongs to Kyell Gold’s “In the Doghouse of Justice” and his “Volle” novels respectively. As someone who has read both series and “In the Doghouse of Justice”, it was a genuine surprise that enhanced how I read the story. From understanding the inside jokes to drawing parallels between each fictional character as well as how much Kesh and the various con attendees stayed in character, it greatly immersed me into the narrative. However, even if the reader has no idea who anyone is cosplaying as, it does not change how sexy and entertaining “Paths” is as a standalone work.

The way Kyell Gold describes how Kesh interacts with the world is realistic without leaving too little to the imagination. The lack of description in the setting beyond what is heard, smelt, touched, or tasted actually manages to display some of the chaotic nature of fandom conventions. You, as the reader, are with him as he navigates the con with Jenny, without Jenny and when he is alone or intimate with someone else. Without diving too much into spoilers, you are also understanding in how much Kesh feels frustrated towards the way people view his blindness as a disability.

If I needed to complain about something, I wish Kyell maybe could have delved into the backstory of the ex-boyfriend; I feel like it is a small nitpick. Overall, “Paths” is a strong start with great character, a unique but subtle commentary on cosplay and a dedication between fandoms. Highly recommended.

“These Are the Days of Our Lives” by Weasel

In this cute yet sexy submission apparently based on a true story, a purple-colored Doberman secretly prepares to propose to his loyal, equally horny terrier boyfriend out on a walk, where they end up having public sex.

Unfortunately, while the story itself is not bad and is adorably sexy, I feel like it does not wholly commit to what I wanted to see in SENSORY DE-TAILS. In my opinion, while Weasel does focus on incorporating sight and aspects of color, he could have gone further with it into the plot. Like, why not have the Doberman change color based on his mood or something? There is so much to consider in terms of literary possibilities.

In all fairness though, “These Are the Days of Our Lives” does have so much to go for it, from the corny but comedic dialogue to how much chemistry the Doberman and terrier have. The location itself is wonderfully mystifying and the way that Weasel describes the characters and the gothic atmosphere surrounding it and the protagonists’ sexual excitement really makes it a delight to read. I personally could have benefited from more plot; it is still a sensual and romantic piece of short fiction to read, whether by yourself or with a partner by your side.

“Violets” by Joel Kreissman

The first story for Smell does incorporate the sense further into the narrative, as we follow an arctic fox named Lucy trying out a new artificial pheromone with the help of her extraordinarily supportive and sweet boyfriend, a bisexual fox named Tom. See, Lucy’s therapist wishes for her to try wearing the pheromone in private and public before starting gender confirming surgery, hoping that it will help them become more used to the different scent that will be produced if Lucy decides to fully transition into a vixen.

Basically, the entire story focuses on Lucy trying out the artificial pheromone while she and Tom have a dinner date together. There is not much to cover in terms of plot, yet Joel Kreissman does an excellent job describing the differences between Lucy’s original scent and the artificial pheromones that, as Tom describes, makes Lucy feel like she's in heat.

As to be expected, “Violets” has a musk-descriptive sex scene between Tom and Lucy that is one-third intense, one-third romantic, one-third sensual and 100% erotic for any reader. I don’t know what else to say other than that it is simply a good story about how far you will go for those you truly love.

“Filthy Coyote” by Shoji

The next short story for Smell is “Filthy Coyote” by Shoji. This is also a very good addition to the anthology, though for me, it starts off sketchily. An otter named Remmy and his fox boyfriend James are struggling to live in Hollywood, with the latter trying to be one of thousands of baristas hoping to become a famous singer despite his lack of initiative for change and jealous nature. Needing to save enough money for the monthly rent, Remmy makes a deal to sleep with their Spanish-speaking landlord, a musky, dominating coyote by the name of Alejandro. After the deed is done though, not only does Remmy realize it was probably the most phenomenal sex he has had in some time, but it reveals the cracks underneath his and James’ seemingly perfect relationship.

On the one hand, I can understand the eroticism of tenant/landlord relationships in pornography, but ever since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and people started losing their jobs and homes, it has really soured for me. Unless it is written carefully, the basic premise all comes down to: protagonist needs to avoid becoming homeless by trading their body for leniency on the rent. Nowadays, I’m not a fan of this particular trope in erotica.

Luckily, Alejandro is not only a likable character as far as landlords go, but he is the catalyst that essentially changes Remmy (and hopefully James) into a better person in the context of the story. Shoji makes the right decision by making none of the characters perfect. Each has flaws that do not make them bad people, yet the story shows they need to make serious introspections on their lives, especially in regards to the relationship between Remmy and James. I don’t know what else to say other than I wished we could’ve gotten more to read.

“The Things We Do” by Tarl "Voice" Hoch

For Touch, we have “The Things We Do” by Tarl "Voice" Hoch, among the more obscure and…strangest of the stories here. And that is saying quite a bit, as we follow a non-binary rabbit in the future named Xe who is talked by their best friend/occasional lover Zain into performing a strange dare in order to join some kind group we never get a full explanation of. That dare involves going into the darkest pitch-black alleyway in New Seattle and touching the other end while avoiding whatever dangers lurk in the darkness. One of these so-called dangers is a nameless yet sentient and massive spider (with a large cock) who is infatuated by Xe. And much ado about kinky spiders.

I have not been this weirded out by an erotic story in some time. And I’m not saying it is a bad thing. Far from it. As far as ideas go, the plot of “The Things We Do” is going to leave you wondering what you read, but it will also make you hot under the collar in the descriptive way Voice describes Xe’s exotic predicament. While there are some hints of dubious consent, the primordial spider—whatever the heck it is—makes it absolutely clear he will take "no" for an answer.

The primary themes surrounding attraction, gender, consent, and identity help mold this together as a decent read for the sci-fi readers and the supernatural readers. The pairing is not for me, but I can still understand the appeal. Overall, a nice addition.

“Black, White, Red” by Kuroko

“Black, White, Red” by Kuroko goes further into the theme of Touch by delving into heavy themes of sadomasochism, involving a female human being slowly yet sensually dominated by a female cabbit (cat + rabbit?) for what I assume to be a pornographic video. There is very little to discuss here or analyze beyond how refreshing it is to read female-on-female erotica in a mostly male anthology.

If you like S/M stories that utilize an anthropomorphic animal’s claws and tearing apart clothing, you will enjoy this story. I personally could’ve been more entranced by having a deeper narrative or complex characters beyond the usual dominant and submissive roles, but I liked this fine. Go check it out. Kuroko knows their writing skills.

“The Spirits of the Woods” by Nathanial LeCount Edwards

The best way I can go on to describe “The Spirits of the Woods” goes along the lines of "erotic fairy tale," which I mean in all the best ways. In the aftermath of a cataclysmic thunderstorm that destroys his father’s crops, a nameless buck is drawn into the nearby forests by a mysterious figure. It is a woodland fairy, who tells the buck that if he wishes to have his family’s farm restored, he must meet with three of the fey guardians that rule over the woodland forest. Should he speak a single word or remove his blindfold however while traversing the path to them, the buck will fail, and likely become one with the forest itself. Once again, sexy hijinks ensue as he loses each of his senses, except his ability to touch, as he completes each task.

“The Spirits in the Woods” is my favorite story for good reason. With its simplistic protagonist in a mythical realm of hunky forest guardians he must please, what makes this even hotter is the way Edwards incorporates the theme of Touch into the plot. For every other sense the buck loses, it only emphasizes the erotic imagination of each scene for the readers. The feeling of uncertainty you have for the buck, mixed together with the amorous way each guardian is described without actual visual descriptions only helps to enhance the three sexual encounters for our protagonist.

Written in a timeless prose and enriched deeply in the aesthetic of fairy tale fables, I can think of very little to complain about. It is a great addition to the anthology.

“Blind as a Bat” by Jay Coates

Jay Coates brings us “Blind as a Bat”, which plays once again into the blind aspect, but this time, it focuses on the way Hearing can be utilized in complete darkness.

A male bat named Silver brings his mouse girlfriend Sierre to his apartment for, what else, but a night of passion. However, wanting to make the moment more interesting and exotic for her, Silver turns off all the lights and teases Sierre as she tries to listen for him in the darkness of the dwelling, especially as he can hang upside down from the ceiling, which is cleverly utilized when they try a few different sex positions.

I love it when a short story incorporates the traits of animals and utilizes it into their anthropomorphic forms. The way that Jay Coates writes makes you practically hear each time someone whispers or taps the floor. I feel like it is a little too similar in narrative to the previous story, which is nobody’s fault. However, it does make me wonder if it would’ve been more interesting to have Silver be the protagonist, and we are allowed to see his point-of-view. In the few works of fiction out there that have a bat as the protagonist, we rarely see echolocation visualized, and I frankly would like to see Jay try to go even further in exploring it.

“Symphonic Completion” by Al Song

Here we come to my second-favorite story in SENSORY DE-TAILS. Al Song fittingly combines music, romance, and sex into a slice-of-life setting, which I believed at first would be difficult to pull off in a literary medium, but he managed to succeed. “Symphonic Completion” is about a fruit bat named Gus, who is struggling between maintaining a long-distance relationship with Francis, his loving kangaroo boyfriend, trying to have a social life beyond college classes and trying to maintain old friendships, while also trying to write his own musical composition.

Out of all the accepted submissions in this anthology, I feel like “Symphonic Completion” hits the most at home for me personally. As someone who has also gone to college, fell in love, forged friendships I thought would last forever and even had a long-distance relationship, I completely understand Gus’ frustrations of juggling so much responsibility on a daily basis. The feelings of sadness from your friends growing distant due to having their own lives, needing to give up social life in exchange for income, as well as making a relationship work across different time zones. These elements really made me connect with the protagonist.

Anyway, how are the sex scenes in this?

Frankly, they are nothing short of amazingly well-written and thematically ambient. Some slice-of-life stories often don’t need to be erotic, but the way Al Song incorporates it into the story makes sense. Gus is described as almost always thinking of music (his and Francis’ first time even happens mixed with a real-life symphony) and finds a way to incorporate music-based words into the narrative. This makes the sex feel like watching two lovers dance in tune with beautiful symphonies.

What else can I say? It is a good story with melodically charged sex, complex characters, and an excellent taste in classical music.

“Titillating Trivia” by Linnea "LiteralGrill" Capps

The first entry in the final category of Taste is “Titillating Trivia”. Written by Linnea "LiteralGrill" Capps, the main character is a hare named Walter, who likes to hang out with his friends and play a game of shots and junk food to a trivia gameshow. After correctly guessing that a beaver’s anal secretions are used in creating food flavorings such as vanilla, cherry, etc., his friends are quick to ask why Walter would know such obscure trivia, to which he reluctantly explains a bi-curious encounter he once had with an outspoken, motorcycle-obsessed male beaver he met on a gay hookup app.

Overall, the story is simplistic and ingeniously contains real-life knowledge into the sexual encounter, but not without including a memorable main couple between Walter and the beaver, named Anthony. I probably would have liked to see more of the two, especially after their first sexual encounter, and maybe LiteralGrill could have dived deeper into the biology of beavers regarding their unique gland aroma; however, it is good for what it is. I can only think of a couple other stories I have read in the past that explored such an interesting bit of trivia in furry erotica, and if you like a good story that includes that with a character exploring his sexuality, you will enjoy this very much.

“Tasteful Education” by Patrick D. Lambert

The final entry for the anthology is “Tasteful Education”, and boy is it the goofiest of all the previous stories. Though, not without maintaining a sexually charged plotline that seems to toe the line between motivational erotica and erotic parody. The main character we follow is Jay, a flamboyant crocodile college student who is unashamed about being loose with his frat brothers and even teachers. Wanting direction in his life after graduation, he miraculously decides to become a sexual therapist, and—somehow, too easily in fact—employs the college’s hunky coach, who is a closeted polar bear, into being his assistant during a secretive sex class he holds with other horny male students in the locker rooms. That's when the fun begins.

Much like a couple of the stories on here, I feel like “Tasteful Education” could have gone even further with the plot it presents and went more into incorporating the theme of Taste. Don’t get me wrong: the intellectual way that Jay discusses foreplay, consensual teasing and how to arouse your partner is educational. Yet I feel like Patrick D. Lambert had an opportunity to go even further into regarding such a stereotypically fun scenario but is only limited to two characters when the climax—pun slightly intended—has an entire audience watching them. Maybe it is just me wanting to read an orgy.

However, I still really enjoy what the writer has given us. The hands-on demonstration between Jay and the coach is incredibly luscious with smell and taste, as the crocodile keeps the coach on sweaty edge throughout the ‘class’. As for the protagonist himself, I don’t know where Patrick D. Lambert came up with such an idea for a character, but I don’t care. He somehow managed to create a hilarious, sexy, well-meaning, well-spoken, and slutty crocodile I really want to see in a sequel in the future.

In conclusion, SENSORY DE-TAILS is a furry anthology that I highly recommend. Each of the submitted authors provides a unique story that reminds furry writers and readers how much the five senses play a role in fiction. Anyone out there can write a short story, but it takes dedication to make the pages come to life and make the reader feel as if they themselves are experiencing it for themselves. This can come from the way a lover’s scent is described to how their touch feels against yours, to even the background noises of an entire scene. The five senses are an essential tool for the writer to pull us into the illusion of a fictional world.

Should there be a Volume 2 of SENSORY DE-TAILS in the future, I will be more than excited to see what these writers and others will have to bring to the table next time.

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If you were not able to attend FC2021VR con: Welcome to Hollywoof! Taebyn and I hosted a live recording of our podcast. We had a great time and it was awesome seeing so many wonderful furs. As usual, our podcast may have gone off the rails, but we had a super time!
This special episode was recorded live at Further Confusion 2021. It contains all the goofs and unedited flubbs! We hope you enjoy. 

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

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