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Katie O’Neill, creator of the award-winning and much-beloved Tea Dragon Society series, returns with a brand-new full-color comic story called Dewdrop, out now from Oni Press. “Dewdrop is an easygoing, gentle axolotl who enjoys naps, worm pie, and cheerleading. When the yearly sports fair nears, he and his friends—Mia the weightlifting turtle, Newman the musical newt, and three minnows who love to cook—get ready to showcase their skills to the whole pond! However, as the day of the fair gets closer, Dewdrop’s friends can’t help putting pressure on themselves to be the best. It’s up to Dewdrop to remind them how to be mindful, go at their own pace, and find joy in their own achievements.” Look for the hardcover at Oni’s web site.

image c. 2020 Oni Press

So here’s a new full-color graphic novel for young readers — featuring reptilian heroes who don’t have shells. “Mango and Brash are the InvestiGators, sewer-loving agents of S.U.I.T. (Special Undercover Investigation Teams) and scourge of supervillains everywhere! With their Very Exciting Spy Technology and their tried-and-true, toilet-based travel techniques, the InvestiGators are undercover and on the case! And on their first mission together, they have not one but two mysteries to solve! Can Mango and Brash uncover the clues, crack their cases, and corral the crooks — or will the criminals wriggle out of their grasp?” Created by John Patrick Green, it’s available now in hardcover from First Second.

image c. 2020 First Second

A packed episode with lots of news and discussion, plus Boozy calls in near the end to yell at Fayroe.

FurCast is sponsored by Twin Tail Creations. Use coupon codes REDWOLF or BLUEFOX to save 15% on silicone products during checkout. Free FurCast Themed Colorations are also available which can be applied as a color choice to your toy purchase.

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Link Roundup:

• We were featured in BBF’s video
• Megaplex canceled due to COVID-19
• TON & Gram projects by Telegram canceled
• Long-Lost Ultra-Rare Blue Bee Discovered In Florida
• Twitter Employees Can Work From Home Forever, CEO says
• Minute Earth: Why wolves don’t chirp
• Patreon Sales Tax
• Bull scratching itself on utility pole knocks out power to 700 homes
• The MFF sky bridge has been recreated in VR Chat
  • Tweet 2
  • Firr: “this is hell”
• Tamari’s Coronavirus Friends intro cover
• BBC’s campaign to share the “last normal photo” before COVID-19

News:

• Confirmed Cats Can Be Infected with Covid and Transfer to other Felines
• Vegas Mayor Offers Citizens as Guinnea Pigs
• OnlyFans, Influencers, And The Politics Of Selling Nudes During A Pandemic
• Employee Tweets – Banana Rotting in Desk Drawer at Work Giving Me Anxiety
• Dutch official advice to single people: find a sex buddy for lockdown
• Kansas Man who wished to Sword Fight Ex-Wife Deemed Not Insane

[Live] Awoostics

Hello again Furry Writers’ Guild members! We have allowed discussions to take place surrounding our previously suggested by-laws and code of conduct on the forums as planned and taken time after to formulate our newly suggested changes based on member feedback. With this in mind, it’s time to bring this to a vote! A link to the voting form will be included at the end of this blog post. Let’s get to it shall we?

We wish to bring to a vote an update to our by-laws. You can view our current by-laws >here. We discussed why they needed updating in our previous post. The amended by-laws being brought up for vote can be found >here. All changes are highlighted in red.

We also wish to strengthen our Code of Conduct. Our current Code of Conduct can be found >here. Based on suggestions from our members we have made the following changes:

• Made an Unacceptable Conduct section with specific wording to protect subjects discussed in works of fiction
• Removed specific language that looked to be policing kinks
• Better detailed the process for filing complaints

We would like to offer a general content warning as some of these things listed in the Unacceptable Conduct section might be triggers for some within our community. >The full listing, alongside the changes we wish to make to the Code of Conduct can be found here. Changes to the Code of Conduct are highlighted in red.

We would now like to bring these amendments up for a vote! Voting will remain open for two weeks, from May 16th through May 30th. The link below will take you to the official voting form.

>FWG By-Laws And Code of Conduct Voting Form

Thank you again so much to all the FWG members that provided feedback and to everyone voting on these proposals. We’ll have an announcement on the results out to you all once the voting period is over.

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

This week we hear how Taebyn plans to adapt to catch his tail. What exactly is a Hinderfruit? The President of Anthro Northwest joins us for a chat, and we discuss some interesting news items. Join us for our weekly random fluff.

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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 #3 - Catch the Tail, Anthro Northwest, Furries in the News!

Several years ago we told you all about Sweet Tooth, a human-hybrid comic book series. Well now Animation World Network has let us know that it’s being made into an animated series for Netflix (of course!). “Netflix has just greenlit Sweet Tooth, a new series based on the DC characters created by Jeff Lemire. Eight one-hour episodes have been ordered of the family-friendly, post-apocalyptic storybook adventures of Gus – part deer, part boy – who leaves his home in the forest to find the outside world ravaged by a cataclysmic event. He joins a ragtag family of humans and animal-children hybrids like himself in search of answers about this new world and the mystery behind his hybrid origins.” The AWN article includes an extensive list of the veteran talent behind the show.

image c. 2020 Team Downey

Hi Papabear,

I've become a fan the furry fandom since 2015. One of the things that gets me a little 'excited' are anthro males, specifically dragons and canines. I thought that meant that I liked guys. I experimented with some males and while fun, I didn't feel anything. Could it be that I like furry guys instead of real ones?

Anonymous (age 25)

* * *

Dear Furiend,

Could you clarify what you mean by "I didn't feel anything"?  Do you mean you didn't get sexually excited or that you didn't fall romantically in love?

Thanks, this will help with my reply.

Papabear

* * *
The first one

* * *

​I see. Well, a number of things could be going on: 1) you just weren't with the right guys; 2) you really aren't gay (or bi) but there is just something about anthros that turn you on; 3) you are gay or bi but you were so nervous when playing with those people that it prevented you from relaxing and enjoying it as much as you could have; 4) you are still discovering your sexual preferences and turn-ons, and this is just a stage in an ongoing process.

Any of those seem to hit the mark?

Papabear

* * *

Probably 2,3 and 4

* * *

It can't be both 2 AND 3 LOL. Pick one.

Papabear

* * *

Okay, then two

* * *

Hello, Furiend,

Okay, as long as you're being honest with yourself, good. Remember, sexuality is a spectrum. It is actually rare for someone to be 100% hetero or 100% homosexual. Most lie in between. For example, you might be, say, 10% interested in the male anatomy but 90% more into females.

Using this same reasoning, it could be possible that sexual preference might have a human v animal factor as well. Pardon me while I become fascinated with a question that never really occurred to me before. I mean, yes, I have known about zoophiles, but I always thought a zoophile was a zoophile and not that it could be part of a spectrum that involves anthro characters. In other words, just as there is a Kinsey Scale that puts hetero/homosexuality on a sliding scale, perhaps there is a scale for preference for human/animal attraction. Thus, furries into anthros are somewhere in the middle of the scale. Likewise, it could be possible you are attracted to anthros sexually but not so much to humans.

It becomes more complicated, too, because one would not keep the Kinsey Scale and (let's call it the Furry Scale) separate, but, instead, you would combine the two, creating a scale involving four factors: hetero, homo, animal, human, and any percentage combination of the four factors.

This is all speculative, but you would be an example, then, of someone could be 60% hetero and 70% animal sexuality, or they could be 80% homo and 10% animal sexuality (meaning 20% hetero-leaning and 90% human-leaning).

Fascinating.
​
It's all part and parcel with the truism that human sexuality is very complicated.

But now you see, too, the problem with overthinking things. Bottom line that I have for you is this: Don't worry about it. Like what you like; don't like what you don't like. You are what you are, and your sexuality is what it is. Remember, as long as you aren't hurting anybody, you should do whatever you like and don't try to label yourself or make your round peg fit in a square hole.

Hope that helps a bit.

Hugs,
Papabear

Chances are we don’t need to explain to you why Lady and the Tramp is considered to be such a classic, not just of Disney Animation but of furry fandom as well. It’s the story of two dogs — one pet, one stray — that is considered by many to be one of the greatest date movies ever made, animated or otherwise. What more do you need? Well now Dark Horse Press have brought us a new printed version with Disney Lady and the Tramp: The Story of the Movie in Comics (whew!). “Rediscover the romantic tale of two dogs from the classic 1955 animated film in this retelling. Lady is a cocker spaniel who is accustomed to a happy home with her owners. Tramp is a mutt, owned by no one, who knows the streets and lives day by day for survival. Through dire circumstances, the two find their way to each other and bridge the divide between their two worlds.” Written by Francois Corteggiani and illustrated by Mario Cortes, it’s available now in hardcover from the publisher.

image c. 2020 Dark Horse Press

We’re at one of the fandom’s first few virtual conventions of 2020 – Down Home Furcon!

A website selling counterfeit fursuits has been the top buzz of furry social media recently; fursuitforsale.com, as it used photos of actual fursuiters and suits from other fursuit makers without any permission. It is also said to be conducting many fraudulent transactions as well. Just not long after the website surfaced, as of 10 May, […]

Just recently, one of the first few virtual furry conventions of 2020 was held – Down Home Furcon. It recently released the numbers for its 2020 edition; 1,882 recorded attendees 7,669 views on Twitch 27 panels and events 680 active Discord members 37 showcased artists Down Home Furcon 2021 next year would be space-themed.

Last week, there were 4 more events canceled in view of the coronavirus situation, the countries affected being France, USA and Canada. French convention Fauntastic’s 2020 edition is canceled and rescheduled for April next year. The con is unable to conduct refunds due to financial limitations, but they do allow participants to resell their tickets […]

Papabear,

I was told to take a break from a server I really like because something pretty bad happened because of irrational choices I made when I was upset.

I need to ask … how can I stop feeling scared to keep trying to be a better person? Do you have any advice on how I can easily (???) improve myself and not make those mistakes again? I thought it would be simple, but I feel there may be a catch. The guy who runs the server is very sweet and he understands that I have trouble handling my emotions. He suggested that I take a break for as long as I need to. He also told me that if the server isn’t being good for my mental health, then I should leave for the benefit of my mental health. I just want to be better. But, I’m so unsure. 

Anonymous

* * *

Hello, furiend,

I find myself needing breaks, too, from social media such as Facebook. Such places are full of hate, trolls, and bad news that can depress and aggravate even the most sane and kind of us. So, taking a break is not a bad idea at all. Remember that these days, the media thrives on giving us bad, sensationalistic news because it boosts ratings and earns them more money. Consequently, the world looks like a horrible place when it really has both good and bad things going on.

As for improving oneself, I recently saw a neat video on this. It was about a European fellow who had all the signs of becoming a sociopath. He had no joy, no emotion, no empathy for others. If he kept on going that way, he probably would have entered a life of crime, even murder.

How did he escape? Well, unfortunately, it was NOT easy (hon, there is no such thing as easy when it comes to self-improvement, so don't even ask such a question), but it WAS doable.

What he did was take baby steps. Tiny little daily steps to slowly improve himself. He would go on walks, exercise, do small acts of kindness, meditate, enjoy a moment of beauty in nature, do something positive such as clean up his room or get a chore done. Any little, good step would help. Slowly, one percent at a time, bit by bit, his view of his world and himself began to change.

What he discovered, unbeknownst to himself because he had no psychology training, was his own form of behavior modification therapy. Instead of going directly to the brain for a magical cure that would change his way of thinking, he slowly, very slowly, changed his behavior. As his behavior reflected more and more a good attitude about life, eventually he began to HAVE that good attitude, and this, in tern, vastly improved his mental and emotional health to the point where he says his friends no longer recognize him.

This takes years. There is NO magic pill. No magical advice I can give you. You have to be dedicated to changing yourself and you have to be supremely patient with your progress. In a world where everyone expects instant gratification, this is against what most people would like to hear, but if you don't do something like this you will never change.

Hugs,
Papabear

We missed this somehow before — but now Dark Horse has collected it together and brought it back! What you ask? Strayed, a fantasy comic miniseries written by Carlos Giffoni and illustrated by Juan Doe. “In the far future, a military-industrial complex reigns over all humanity and actively destroys distant alien worlds. The galaxy’s only hope can be found through an unlikely pair: An astral-projecting cat named Lou and his loving owner Kiara. Trading nine lives for the well-being of billions, their revolt is a battle for love, friendship, compassion, and the soul of humanity. [This paperback] collects the five-issue miniseries.” Here’s a preview of the original series from last year. Take note: According to Dark Horse, the current pandemic situation may push back the publication date for the paperback edition. Stay tuned.

image c. 2020 Dark Horse Press

Hey Papabear! I'm a new reader but I've had a dilemma for awhile that hopefully you can answer. I've been in the fandom for about two years now, and I can't seem to stick with one fursona. I know you've probably answered tons of questions like this, but I've been struggling with this for a long time and it's just so frustrating! I've looked at just about every "how to make a fursona" article that I can find, and I still don't know what to do! The main problem I'm facing is I can't match what I want my fursona's personality to be with a design I like, and I feel like buying an adopt or custom isn't really personal to me. And to top it all off, my design and personality preferences keep changing, so I can never stick to one thing! Any help would be appreciated. 

Thank you!

Anonymous (age 13)

* * *

Dear Furiend,

Step 1: Be more bear. I don't mean be a bear literally; I mean, chill. Relax. Don't panic. There is no law you have to pick your fursona right now, and, even if you do, you can always change it later. Or! Another option, have several! No law says you can't have 3 or 6 or 27 or 2,408 fursonas if you choose. Furry is about breaking the rules, not adhering to them.

The likely reason you are having such difficulty is because you are in your developing years still.  Your fursona is a reflection of you, and when you haven't figured out who you are yet, your fursona remains malleable. I was the same way as you, in a way, although not quite so drastic. When I was a kid, I was a wolf, probably because I wanted to be part of a pack and have friends (I was a loner). As a teen and young man, I was a dragon, wanting to be beautiful, strong, and fierce. Then, after I discovered (finally) my true sexuality (gay bear), I naturally became a bear, which is where I plan on staying because it fits who I am so well and I am unlikely to change.

For now, don't worry about changing your fursona. Instead of fretting about it, have fun with it! Try lots of different stuff. Experiment. This is actually great because you are opening yourself up to new things. Eventually, you will settle into your own spot, something that will parallel your own personal growth and, hopefully, self-realization and acceptance.

Good Luck!

Hugs,
Papabear

Boom! Studios (through their Kaboom! imprint) recently released a new full-color graphic novel called Wonder Pony, written and illustrated by Marie Spénale. “For Louison, going back to school for sixth grade looks set to be eventful to say the least . . . not only is it time to face the terrifying world of boarding school and making friends, but it turns out she has superpowers! Thanks to her friend Jean-Pierre – who happens to be a pink pony – Louison gains the ability to transform herself into a superheroine: Wonder Pony. Her mission? To watch over the school, and protect her classmates and friends from any dangers that might arise . . .” Boom! have an extensive preview at their web site. (Interesting how the ad says “Discover the Magical Power of Friendship…” Hee hee hee.)

image c. Boom! Studios

Roo and Tugs sit with Nuka to talk about the scientific and social psychology angles of the COVID-19 pandemic. Why are people behaving how they are? What other behaviors lie ahead?








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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!)
Fifty Sheds of Grey: Kevin MacLeod – Spy Glass. Licensed under Creative Commons: by Attribution 3.0. Visit Incompetech for more.
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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!) S8E26: Nuka Corona - Roo and Tugs sit with Nuka to talk about the scientific and social psychology angles of the COVID-19 pandemic. Why are people behaving how they are? What other behaviors lie ahead? NOW LISTEN! SHOW NOTES SPECIAL THANKS - Nuka! -

Give Yourself a Hand: A Furry Masturbation Anthology is a collection of eight stories focusing on, you guessed it, masturbation as a theme. It’s edited by Skunkbomb and is published by Panged Fiction. I admit, I was quite curious when going into this one. There’s always the potential with something like masturbation for stories to feel a bit the same. There’s only so many things you can do with solo play right? As you’ll see in my review however, there are plenty of curious scenarios to be explored. Let’s take a look at the stories!“The Christian Boy’s Guide To Sex With Demons” - PJ Wolf The first story of any anthology is so important. It’s what draws the reader in, shows off the theme, and sets the tone for the rest of what you are about to be. PJ Wolf’s story does just that. I absolutely adored this story, the idea of a succubus or incubus trying to explain masturbation to an 18-year-old who really has no knowledge of sex proper is wonderful. Masturbation is an act of self-love and not just in a joking sense. Embracing your own pleasure and knowing yourself is an important facet in enjoying masturbation, and this story shows that fantastically.“With One Hands Tied Behind His Back” - Royce DayWhat better way to get back to sleep than with a bit of release right? Well in this story when that doesn’t quite work for a vixen, her husband gets involved. Despite there being a couple in the story it is most certainly still focused on masturbation! I love how this story shows some BDSM elements and does so in the correct light, safewords (or songs, you’ll see if you read it) prominently mentioned. It shows how you can have sex with a partner all while you only are touching yourself, perfect for the anthology’s theme.“Jerking To The Finish” - Jaden DrackusOkay I have to be blunt, I don’t think this story really counts as masturbation. Despite it not quite tracking with the theme, the story itself is a classic forbidden love styled story where two gay racecar drivers have a good and sexy time together after a race. It shows off some serious love, has a solid comedic moment, and tells a good story along the way. Plus there’s enough fun little racing puns to make anyone crack a grin. An enjoyable read for sure!“Too Much Play” - TJ Minde First, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that this seems to be a sequel to “All Work No Play” from Knotted II which I reviewed quite favorably. I know the average reader wouldn’t catch this, but I have to say I absolutely adored the story continuing like this, especially the small callbacks to the previous tale. It made it extra fun! The story discusses a fantastic fun device that makes so many interesting sexual situations possible: a small portal. Essentially, you could put whatever you want into it and have it appear on the other side for someone to play with. In this case, you might have an idea what part of the anatomy is sticking out.After a perfectly explained discussion of setting scenes within BDSM (as they are using a scene to help demo the product) things go awry as the portal is stolen! Our salesman must quite literally track his partner’s cock down all while hearing descriptions of what is happening to it in his ear. It explores several different kinds of play so you get a small taste of various kinks making this story not only informative, but fun!However, once again, this story didn’t feel like it hit the theme of the anthology. Masturbation normally means pleasuring yourself. This entire story basically focused on someone else doing things to another person. This isn’t knocking the story in any way: it was absolutely brilliant and I loved its conclusion getting to be a bit more about exploring kink and BDSM safely. “Power & Pleasure” - KC AlpinusThis story throws a lot at you at once: gods, demigods, mystical powers and hierarchies, and even still a bit more than that. The world built is quite curious, though truthfully the difficulty in deciphering all that is presented at each moment detracts from the sexual side of the tale a bit. That and there’s honestly more sex scenes not focusing on masturbation vs. other kinds of sexual acts (but once more, this is an issue with the anthology theme, not the quality of the author’s story). However, the ideas presented elevate this story a bit more over one purely about sex. The idea of a spiritual journey where our main character has to learn to submit, relinquish their control, give in to pleasure. This story might not be the one in this anthology that, pardon my being crass, you get your rocks off to. That doesn’t make it any less an enriching experience to read. Sex doesn’t always have to be about some primal urge to orgasm. Sometimes it can be the centerpiece to a well told story.“Oak Branch” - W.R. FrixmargenThe actual visceral experience of masturbation is expertly described here. How people call upon memories, sounds, smells, and experiences to their minds to get excited for the act. There was such a focus on sensations that really draw the reader into the moment so you can always experience from the squirrel’s point of view. One of the biggest things surrounding masturbation is that potential risk of getting caught. To some, that can cause quite a bit of excitement. If that’s the case for you? This story is probably one you should read.“Simplicity” - TelevassiSpace, a place where you can truly be isolated, be the farthest distance away from others or civilization in general. It’s a perfect backdrop for this kind of story. A story where some fun toys make taking things into your own paws quite fun sets a curious backdrop for a sci-fi adventure. Who knew that when you’re forced to fly alone, a “smart” sex toy could be worth so much right? “An Unconventional Marriage Bed” - RukisFirst, a little warning: this story does have mentions of sexual assault. I do wish these things got content warnings a bit more often in books, but alas this isn’t the case here.Still, the story presented is quite brilliant. This takes an unconventional pairing, a straight woman and a gay man, forced by propriety and society to be wed. This doesn’t seem like a great pairing for sexual times together, but that’s just what makes this perfect. The two do truly love one another and found ways to both enjoy sex, just not in the traditional sense. I honestly love how this presents a nontraditional relationship and what can arise from it. This is such a creative way to present masturbation and for those a bit voyeuristic really highlights how much fun it can be to enjoy a good show. My main criticism for the anthology comes from its theme. The anthology is quite literally called Give Yourself a Hand: A Furry Masturbation Anthology. Several of these stories had a strong focus on things that were not masturbatory activity. Even if you try to ignore that the theme is supposed to be about masturbation and focus purely on “giving yourself a hand” a good chunk of the stories didn’t focus on handjobs or partners purely using their paws to pleasure each other. Unfortunately, the anthology does fail to bring its theme cohesively to light. Does this make the anthology bad? Absolutely not! The stories in this anthology covered a wide variety of themes that were titillating, arousing, or just downright thought provoking. If you’re looking for an anthology only focused on masturbation, this one won’t be quite the right fit. If you like the idea of an anthology with masturbation as more an overarching flavor that goes with the rest of a sexy meal, this one will do wonders. I certainly enjoyed reading it, and I’m certain others will as well!

Likely you’ve heard of the Ursa Major Award-winning anime called Aggretsuko, yes? Did you know that Oni Press recently started a full-color comic book version? Neither did we! “Sanrio and Oni Press join forces to bring Aggretsuko to comics for the first time! Aggretsuko, the hit Netflix show in production for season three, stars Retsuko the Red Panda, a young office worker stuck in a thankless job, whose only stress release is singing heavy metal at the local karaoke joint. With the help of her friends, can she ever find the job satisfaction she craves – – not to mention adventure, the approval of her mother, and even… love?!” It’s written by Daniel Barnes, and illustrated by DJ Kirkland and Sarah Stern. Take a look at Oni’s page — and some creepy alternate covers!

image c. 2020 Sanrio