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**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.

https://static1.e621.net/data/13/e8/13e8401fbc739e1eeadf7b303c2f3532.png

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power features so many progressive values—but it's greatest strength is how normal it makes them all feel. Special thanks to Dralen, Kohaku, and Slate. 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_

It’s nice to see James Kochalka back around — though perhaps in a bit less of an adult vein than the last time we heard from him! Banana Fox #1: The Secret Sour Society is a new full-color graphic novel from Scholastic: “The great detective Banana Fox is called back to duty to find a missing turtle. But the deeper he digs, the more he discovers, and it’s worse than he thought! The Secret Sour Society is back, and they’re mixing up a bunch of trouble. Can Banana Fox and his sidekick, Flashlight, put an end to the Secret Sour Society once and for all?” Find out in hardcover or paperback.

image c. 2021 Scholastic

The Good Furry Award, an award recognising those who made outstanding contributions to the furry fandom, has opened nominations for their third iteration this year. Nominations close at the end of May and winners will be released in June. 好兽奖——2020年奖项提名开始 为了表彰那些为兽圈做出杰出贡献的毛兽而设立的好兽奖Good Furry Award，今年的第三届评选已经开始提名。 提名将截止于5月底，获奖者将在6月公布。

Furry fandom arts award Ursa Major Awards has opened their 2020 awards nominations. Covering various aspects of furry media, literature and arts, there will be 12 awards categories this year, bringing back the Best Anthropomorphic Costume, or Best Fursuit category into the mix. Best Anthropomorphic Motion Picture Best Anthropomorphic Dramatic Short Work Best Anthropomorphic Dramatic […]

Citing the unpredictability posed by COVID-19, Norwegian furcon Anthro Northern Lights, slated for its first edition in November this year announced closure. This is the second time a furcon has closed its doors due to COVID-19 since US furcon FA:United closure just two months ago. The furcon also says they had “a lot of problems” […]

Although vaccination efforts are well on the way around the world, furcons are still not taking any chances. With that, British convention ConFuzzled, originally scheduled for 28 May, moved into next year, and they say a virtual edition may be planned in its place. That said, our data now shows 16 cancelled, 3 deferred and […]

(Patch:) Welcome to a guest article about a furry podcast that rocks! 

I’m a frequent podcast listener, and almost everything I follow is scripted, not unproduced/free-form. My list has documentary, history, arts & culture, tech, journalism, interview shows, and true crime. Some have playful concepts. Timesuck has history and true crime told by a comedian. Excuse Me, That’s Illegal is a delightful snack instead of a deep dark murder show, with absurd little stories of softcore crime. Radio Rental has creepy true stories that are like the Twilight Zone with a “crytpkeeper” host. 

Most furry podcasts didn’t do it for me by using unproduced style, and rarely in fursona. Then I heard Bearly Furcasting Feat. Taebyn. It’s playful yet produced, with great curation. Every show is a treat because of a different notable guest from the fandom. They have hosted two pettable guests from this site: Summercat and Moi. 

Bearly Furcasting is up for the Ursa Major Award nomination (for the Magazine category, and if you nominate them we all win!) Go nominate NOW, the deadline is February 13. Now here’s Taebyn and Bearly’s own story!

In 2017 Taebyn and Bearly began a collaboration to make entertaining YouTube videos for Taebyn’s channel. Their very first YouTube together was a Storytime with Taebyn where Taebyn read the story Playful Puppies. Story Time With Taebyn #1 – Playful Puppies.

They were pretty successful in putting out content on a regular basis. They produced Storytime videos, Cooking videos, Helpful Hints, Math Vids, Product Reviews, Poetry, Songs/Drumming, and con vids.  Then COVID struck, and they were unable to get together due to the various quarantines. So while video production is on hold for now, they hope to get back to them as well as the podcast once the restrictions are lifted. In January 2020, at Further Confusion, (the last con they attended before the pandemic), they had talked about doing a podcast and so they felt the time was right to get it rolling.

Funny thing is, neither of them had done any podcasting before, and while videography is fairly straight forward, podcasting takes an entirely different skillset.

With all the best intentions in the world, they plunked down the money for hosting and equipment and jumped in the deep end with both paws.  At the time of this writing they have published 40 episodes.  New episodes of the podcast are published every Saturday.

Furry podcasting, it turns out, isn’t that unique. Much like furry YouTube videographers, there are many furry podcasters out there.  Each has their own style, their own spin, and their own niche.  Bearly and Taebyn have talked to several other podcasters and most don’t do a ‘produced’ show like ours.  A ‘produced’ show means it is pre-recorded and the content edited to make it flow and ensure some consistency. Pre-recording allows for moving the audio around if something is forgotten or needs to be added later.

Like many podcasters, episode #1 was short, tinny, and not very polished. When they started they just chatted with each other, talked about their lives, and shared a few jokes, and the episodes were only about 30 minutes long. After a few episodes, they started inviting guests on the show. They thought they would never get any real high power guests, but were gladly mistaken. They have had well known authors, artists, Con chairs, fursuit makers, musicians, entertainers, and more than a few notable furs.  With guests, and all the regular segments, the podcast episodes run between an hour and an hour and a half.

Around episode 5 they decided to give a section to any fur that could log in to chat with them.  It is called; Five Minute Furs for Fun!  It has seen a limited success because they only put the link out on their Fan chat on Telegram: BFFT Chat.  It is open to anyone in the chat, and that chat is open to anyone to join. They invite the readers to join them there.

The format for the show seems to be working for them and they hear good things from those who listen. Taebyn and Bearly are serious punsters and bad joke aficionado’s so they spend a lot of time sharing really bad jokes, and in fact there is a section of the show devoted solely for those jokes.   There are other on-going segments in each episode, such as “Furries in the News” and either a “Storytime” or “Math With Taebyn”. Early episodes saw Bearly asking Taebyn some This or That questions, but over time Bearly ran out of choices, and now will ask Taebyn Trivia Questions.  The format is evolving and it is hard to say what the podcast will sound like a year from now, or even a few weeks from now.  They are constantly coming up with new ideas!

The Podiverse is a strange collective. Podcasts are like the old radio shows of the golden age of radio, there are talk shows, scripted shows, game shows, and variety shows. The only difference is that now all is electronic, and anyone with a computer and a microphone can create content. One person can record themselves for a bit and publish it, and that is the most basic and simple aspect.  Other shows have full blown studio’s actors, and huge budgets, that is the other end of the spectrum. Bearly and Taebyn’s little BFFT podcast falls closer to the basic level, but has grown over the weeks. They now have a staff of two associate editors, a music associate, and a talent director.  BFFT is unique because of it’s format, being furry-centric with lots of notable furs in the fandom, and that Taebyn is on it – he’s quite a crazy puppy.

Every Saturday is a new podcast on all pod platforms and YouTube. If you want to interact with other fans and staff of the podcast, you can join our telegram chat: BFFT Chat https://t.co/3JHnCjm6Bw

— Bearly Furcasting (@furcasting) December 5, 2020

Behind the Mic:

Taebyn is a pup, a mere 4.5 years old, but he was born with an innate sense for math and humor. His timing is impeccable, but his lack of concentration often leaves co-host Bearly trying to corral him into the subject matters.  Taebyn is the epitome of a Friendly Fur and a wonderful ambassador for the Furry Fandom. He is always positive, always friendly, and will hug just about anyone, anyfur, or anything!

Bearly came to the fandom as the valet for Taebyn. After meeting him for the first time it was apparent he needed adult supervision at most events, and while Taebyn’s husband can sometimes do that, Bearly took up the reins and spends time ensuring Taebyn gets things done in a timely manner when at cons and when doing the podcast. Bearly has often joked he was going to run a panel on how to be a Fursuit Valet!

Bearly does most of the behind the scenes work for the podcast including editing, finalizing guests, directing the podcast, and producing the content, he does this with the minimal training in mass media and broadcasting that he learned at the local community access channel in Salem, Oregon, as well as tapping his experience in creating online training content for his full time employment in the Normy World.

Taebyn is, for lack of a better term, the face of the podcast.  He always refers to it as the Pupcast, and the episodes as Pupisodes, even though Bearly has never called it either of those. Many guests come to the show because they love Taebyn and his crazy antics.

barkwags! This week, we chat with the curator of the "Furry Library" SummerCat @Bengaley ! He's also a fur from way back and even attended some PrancingSkilitaire parties! And other big words and jokes and info happen in this pupisode! https://t.co/1sDOR75JpV

— Taebyn (@TaebynPup) January 30, 2021

Notable furs on the show:

All the guests they have had on the show have been marvelous, and they hate to single out any one fur, but they were both surprised at the number of downloads of Episode 8. That was the episode with Paco Panda. They had no idea just how popular he was and the downloads show it! That episode is still being downloaded today and the numbers keep going up, that episode is their most listened to. Paco even drew a picture of Taebyn and Bearly during the interview and that is what is on the banner of their Twitter.

Taebyn points out that all the guests have been great, though one unique moment was in episode #25 when he played Jeopardy with BuckTown Tiger.  BuckTown was a Jeopardy champion, so this was a great experience for Taebyn.  Checking out their WikiFur page, you will see the list of all the notable furs they have had on the show. Chatting with all of them has been an honor and a pleasure, they wouldn’t trade that for anything.

At first the guests were approached because they were well known to Taebyn and Bearly, or because they were fans of the guest.  As time has gone by, they have tried to get a mix of furry contributors that make up the fandom.  Past guests sometimes suggest others to be on the show, while other times they discover notable furs on various media and invite them to be on the podcast. As of this writing they have guest bookings 8 weeks in advance! They are trying to get some of the charities from the various Cons to come on the show and talk about their organizations, however this seems to be harder than getting furs on there.

bark! New pupisode! This time, I interview Patch O'Fur, founder of @DogpatchPress FurryNews! And also, more horrible puns and jokes as always! Join us fur the fun!https://t.co/3EPOyIZsgf

— Taebyn (@TaebynPup) August 29, 2020

To the Future:

Taebyn and Bearly are hoping to start video production soon after the pandemic is over and will continue to do the podcast as well. They really like being contributors to the furry community and love that so many furs find fun and friendship with their podcast.

While doing a podcast is a lot of work: two recording sessions a week, guest bookings, equipment maintenance, editing and all the other adjacent details that go along with it, Bearly and Taebyn wouldn’t give it up for anything!

If you would like to hear the episodes or know what was on every episode you can visit the Bearly Furcasting Wikifur page or their podcast’s website: http://bearlyfurcasting.buzzsprout.com/. The podcast is available on all major podcast platforms or can be downloaded through direct RSS from their webpage.  You can contact them at Bearlyfurcasting@gmail.com, on their Twitter: @Furcasting, or on their telegram at BFFT Chat. Find them on Youtube: Injured Nerves Productions and Taebyn.

Like the article? These take hard work. For more free furry news, follow on Twitter or support not-for-profit Dogpatch Press on Patreon. Want to get involved? Try these subreddits: r/furrydiscuss for news or r/waginheaven for the best of the community. Or send guest writing here. (Content Policy.)

Welcome back everyone! We hope you’ve all been able to keep safe and get some good writing in. We won’t keep you long with the introductions, let’s get to the point of the newsletter — guild news.

Don’t forget that nominations for the 2020 Cóyotl Awards are now open! Nominations will be open until March 15th at midnight, Pacific time. Make sure to get those nominations in. Not sure what to nominate? The Cóyotl Awards Reading List should give you plenty of good ideas. 

With Black History Month in February, we intend to do our best to feature interviews with Black authors, publishers, and creatives within the fandom. As long as there are no scheduling snafus, we have lined up four amazing people we hope you will enjoy hearing for. In case you missed them, here are our interviews from last year.

• Black History Month Spotlight: Copper Sphynx
• Black History Month Spotlight: PJ Wolf
• Black History Month Spotlight: Jakabe T. Lope

If you have enjoyed posts like these on our blog, you could help us win an award! We qualify for an Ursa Major Award as Best Anthropomorphic Magazine. Nominations are open until February 13th so consider showing the guild some support.

Remember, we now have our Promotion Tip Line to submit to if you have new releases coming out, so don’t hesitate to fill that out so we can feature your book in our next newsletter! Here’s the new release we spotted this month:

• The Vore Studio edited by Joel Kreissman from Bound Tales Press

You can find all of the open markets for furry writing in our Furry Writers’ Market! Currently, these markets are open.

• Beast Volume 1 – Deadline: March 1st 2020
• Shark Week: Ocean Animals – Deadline: April 30th 2020
• Selections of Anthropomorphic Literature: Vol 2 – Deadline: May 15th 2020
• The Fox Spirit Book Of… Love – Deadline: Unlisted
• #ohmurr! – Deadline: Ongoing

A couple of final things month! First, we would like to congratulate James L. Steel for winning the Furcon Flash Fiction Competition! You can read their story here. We also interviewed Jafan Tafari about their latest book, Spin The Bottle, on the FWG blog. We hope you’ll take the time to give both of these a read!

I wish you all a fantastic February and hope until we meet again, your words flow like water.

– FWG President Linnea “LiteralGrill” Capps