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“Our world is one rich with diversity and culture, but how would civilized animals change that?”

That is the question Ocean Tigrox asks for you to write about in the upcoming anthology, Tales From the Guild 2: World Tour. Building from Tales From the Guild: Music to the Ears, the purpose of Tales is not just to have another outlet for Furry stories.

…we want to showcase great furry stories and show what we as a guild support. In addition to that, we want to help fund the guild while paying authors for their hard work. Thirdly, we’re using the anthology to help teach others about what goes into working a slush pile and editing an anthology.

This is what the Furry Writers Guild uses to help support themselves and showcase what they are all about.

In the words of the Guild itself, “The purpose of the Furry Writers’ Guild is to promote quality writing in anthropomorphic fiction and to inform, elevate, and support its creators.” The guild is there for others to come together to learn and support each other in our craft as well help promote our work and what we love about furry literature.

But how did the theme World Tour come about as the next entry for the book?

Because it was the guild anthology, we let the guild help out in choosing what theme to use. We had members of the guild suggest themes and voted on it. It was a very close vote with the runner up being “The Beast Within – Species issues within a modern world” which could be used for the next Guild Anthology theme.

So what kind of stories are they looking for that fit the theme of World Tour?

We’re looking for stories containing strong themes of location and species involving our world. There’s a preference to more modern stories, but the time period isn’t as important as its ties to the location. There is some leniency in real world locations as we’d look at a story about Atlantis or maybe even the moon for example, but they should all tie into the Earth we know and love today.

Ocean himself has been a prominent member in the Furry writing community.

I’ve been involved with the furry community for a little over ten years. I had always been interested in anthropomorphic creatures and stories so when someone asked me if I was a furry, I just realized I was and said yes. When I moved to Calgary about five years ago, closer to the other members of of the now Fangs and Fonts crew, they were the ones that got me back into writing and what started me working with the furry writing community.

That work has gotten him not only writing stories, but editing them too.

I’ve always helped others with editing and have been an assistant editor on other projects, but it wasn’t until I put out the call for Inhuman Acts that I took my first foremost role as an editor. So officially, a little over two years.

The requirements for the book are as so.

We are looking for short stories between 2000-10,000 words. They should be in standard manuscript format. We’ll be accepting submissions up until the last day of 2016 (December 31st). If people need more time, they can request an extension, but do it sooner than later. All these details and more can be found on the forum post in the guild: http://www.anthroaquatic.com/forum/index.php?topic=1102.0

If accepted the writer will be given a twenty dollar flat rate and a contributor copy with the proceeds going to help support the FWG. Both members and those interested in the Guild are free to submit. The book is expected to be publish around mid to late 2017. So if your not too busy driving yourself crazy with holiday shopping give yourself the time to write up what our world would be like if it was filled with walking, talking animals.

-Pup Matthias

• Buy Tales From the Guild: Music to the Ears on Rabbit Valley

Another recent article from Animation Magazine, this time discussing some of their favorite new animated projects they’ve seen shown off at MIPCOM this year. And lo and behold, the majority of them are anthropomorphic! So we’ll be discussing the most interesting ones ourselves for the next few days. First up is Caiman, created by Rebecca Warner-Perry and Sue Tong, and produced by Illuminated Films from the UK. “Meet Caiman, a five-year-old crocodile who loves exploring – and who wouldn’t!?…when the village of Trickle End, a buzzing and bubbling community, is right outside his front door! Caiman lives at home with his Mum, Dad and older sister in a little wooden house, situated right on the edge of the exotic mangroves where the river meets the sea. All his friends and neighbours live, work and play nearby. There’s always someone to have fun with or somebody to lend a helping hand in Trickle End.” Animation has a link to IF’s show-reel, which includes more about Caiman and their other projects.

image c. 2016 Illuminated Films

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Hiya,

I'm a new furry, I've only been in the fandom for around 10-11 months, and I'm struggling to make friends, I'm not sure if it's the age difference. I've met a few furries at a MCM Comicon, but the conversations were only then and there, rather than taking it further, which sucks. I'd love to be more involved with the fandom. I'm just struggling to find friends.

I have social anxiety, but I get along with other people quite well. I'm just shy in most situations, and sometimes it feels like I don’t really know the ways of the fandom, if that makes sense. I guess it's a case of "I don't feel like i fit in." I have Furry Amino [a furry app], and only recently I'm getting to grips with Furaffinty. I've never been to a furmeet but plan to go to a furmeet in London soon. Is there anything else you could suggest about trying to make friends in the fandom?

Hugs
Riiya (age 15)
 
* * *
Dear Riiya,
 
A problem that furries like both you and I have is the age thing. As you may have noticed, the vast majority of furries are in their late teens, twenties, perhaps early thirties. You are outside that spectrum on the young side, while Papabear is outside the spectrum on the old side. This can make it difficult to socialize.
 
The obvious answer is to try and find people more your age. With me, I tend to hang out with greymuzzles (over 30 crowd). It’s actually more difficult for the under 18 group like you simply because things like transportation are more difficult. You’re too young to drive, which makes going to furmeets harder, unless you can do so by bus or train to a nearby one.
 
This kind of leaves you with online stuff. I would like to suggest you start with the online FurryTeens (http://www.furryteens.org/forum/). This should be a good starting place for you to meet furries your own age and connect to them.
 
As for being shy. Don’t worry, you are in good company. Many many many furries are also shy folk for a number of reasons, but they, like you, still want to connect. You are doing well by making an effort to reach out, and I bet if you keep trying eventually you will succeed. Just be patient.
 
Hugs,
Papabear

Join and listen in on the cast discussing the funny news of the week Episode -17 - Sharked it

Earlier this year Animation World Network ran an article about Mattel Creations’ new line-up of 2017 CGI specials and animated series, which they are presenting at MIPCOM. Besides all the expected Barbie tie-ins and Thomas the Tank Engine, there’s a new show called Enchantimals. “At first glance you may think that the Enchantimals are just a regular group of girls. But on closer inspection you’ll see that this unique band live somewhere between human and animal. The Enchantimals are at one with nature, and as keepers of their forest home, they strive to maintain balance, peace and harmony, with unwavering compassion towards all living things. Each Enchantimal gets some much needed help from their very own animal bestie. Like the best of friends, they share an unbreakable bond, as well as extraordinary animal abilities. But why does their forest home need such a special group to help look after it? Because this is no ordinary forest – it’s enchanted!” Thanks for letting us know! We’ll let you know if and when and where Enchantimals gets picked up for broadcast.

image c. 2016 Mattel Creations

Speaking of Gaumont Animation, we couldn’t very well pass up on an animated show called Furry Wheels, now could we? “André is a hyperactive young sloth with oodles of drive. He’s the first of his kind to even leave his tree. And he’s not stopping there; he wants to shake the dust of this town off his feet and see the world, but before everything he must pass his driving test. First stop, Racers School to get his diploma, because any herbivore who wants to survive out there needs to learn to drive, fast! Or else you’ll quickly end up as a leopard’s luncheon meat.” Created by Frédéric Martin, Furry Wheels is distributed in Europe by Disney XD — with an eye on international markets of course. TBI Vision has an interview with Pierre Belaïsch of Gaumont about the show.

image c. 2016 Gaumont Animation

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Hello Papabear,

I have been suffering from obsession over Zootopia characters for months especially Nick & Judy and it seems to actually hurting my life, even if the movie is that good. Everyday I've been obsessing and dreaming about getting a hug from Nick & Judy at an Disney Parks because they are so cute and fluffy. However it seems to be impossible for me since I live in Florida and they are confined at the parade at Walt Disney World. They maybe doing meet & greets on a holiday event but I was barred from my parents to go because there are only doing it on some weekdays and Sundays and there aren't any dates for Saturday. Also, I could not afford to book a room at any hotels. It would seem likely on Fridays but they still cannot let me go and afford me there, and those days are likely sold out so it might be too late. It is because I have to go to Technical School. My job was laid off a few months ago. I been trying to contact the guest services about my feels on wanting & requesting to meet Nick & Judy but they still didn't get me and it seems likely that the only bet I can go meet them is to travel to Disneyland Resort at California which Is also hard because of School.

Apparently I want to be done or take a break from Disney along with Zootopia. I don't think my Fursona is not a good fit with either Nick & Judy for a couple of reasons and I would rather would see Nick & Judy in a couple. One of the reasons is my (Or my fursona) height was bigger than both Nick & Judy (He's is 5'6 tall and Nick was around his 4'0s and Judy was shorter) and My age is younger than both Nick & Judy (Nick is 32 and Judy is 24) and also my species is the exact same thing as Finnick, another character from Zootopia, Which I am worried that might lead to some conflict or something.

But I just can't stop thinking about them and the movie for multiple reasons. Zootopia is like everywhere in the Furry fandom, This seems to be making be a bit sad and depressed. And, Worse, It's hard to not look & heard Disney stuff/related content, from ads, & merchandise to word-of-the-mouth. Seriously I would rather talk watch Anime, Play Video Games, & Watch Movies not made by Disney. This prevents me from stop thinking about Zootopia because those things remind me of it. It also reminds me & makes me sad that I haven't got a hug Nick & Judy, and It looks like I never will. Most of the time the words "Try" & "Everything" irritants me most of the time thinking about how popular is the movie is that change our pop culture, due to song title associated with the movie. Seriously, Zootopia making me like I feel trapped in Disney as a Furry. I am getting kind of worried that Nick & Judy are like the most attractive character by Furries. I really feel excited on Zootopia which is bad for me because It gonna made me sad, worried, & depressing on not getting hugs from those cute, and fluffy characters Nick & Judy at Disney Parks, within the movie. I also hard for me to visit the therapy because it's expensive since I worried that it is going to take multiple sessions to get it cured & I'm not good talking to them due to my Asperger Syndrome, and I don't know how therapy online by chatting is going to work.

Things for me turned from fell in love with them in a happy way into an hopelessly addicted nightmare. Even if they are not real, I really don't want to live with being bothered imaginary in my mind by Nick, Judy, & other Zootopia characters while not getting a hug of Nick & Judy at Disney parks. It's my obsession that is like so hard wired into my brain that I'm not satisfied of. This really hurts my School work as well. And I don't mean to end my life as a Furry, unless it's okay for you to let me do it. I'm also open to attempt to be obsessed on other furry characters if all things do not work for me but only if it's not Zootopia.

Sorry for my grammar if my writing is bad or if this question confuses you probably because it's a rare type of question. Thanks!

Snow (age 21, Manatee County, FL)

* * *

Dear Snow,

I'm going to write you a quick reply here and write more later. Thank you for explaining you have Asperger's. You see, obsessive-compulsive behavior can be one symptom of an autistic disorder such as Asperger's. So, I would guess that your obsession with Judy and Nick in Zootopia is most likely related to the fact that you have Asperger's. The first question, then, is are you being treated for this? Are you seeing a professional about it? If so, you should talk to them about your Nick and Judy obsession to see if they can help. 

If you can get your Asperger's under better control, it should also help you with the Nick and Judy issue.

Write again and I promise to respond promptly.

Hugs,
Papabear

* * *

1. I tried to in many ways. Some of them work temporary (Obession with other characters, masturbation) for a very short amount of time like in a few minutes  or one/few hours. I working on masturbating more on them plus stop looking for stuff/content on the movie, but I'm not sure my obsession will go away.

2.  I also tried to, But my parents probably barred me because my obession is only the part of my Asperger. I also heard that it requires multiple sections at the time so I probably cannot afford it for now. I also heard that you can chat with a therapy online but not sure if it will alternatively work that way.

Even through Asperger cannot be cured, I'm not sure how to get under better control.

* * *

Hi, Snow,

If your parents are preventing you from getting help for your Asperger's, well, you are 21 and you are of legal age to seek help on your own. There are many services out there that can help. Are you insured? Are you covered under your parents' insurance (since you are under 26)? First, go find out what is covered by your insurance. When you say "I probably can't afford it," it sounds like you're giving up without even finding out for sure if you can or not.

Here is a list of therapists who treat Asperger's in Bradenton, which I believe is near you: https://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/prof_results.php?city=Bradenton&spec=251.

And here is a list of Florida support groups:  http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/public/491.cfm.

Now, even if those aren't near you, you should try and call some of them and ask them for their advice on what you can do with your income level. They will likely be able to refer you to a government agency or nonprofit group that can help. Sometimes it takes several phone calls to track down what you need; the point is to start making calls!

Treating Asperger's is not something Papabear is qualified to do, Snow. I can only try and point you in the right direction. I can tell you that just addressing the Nick/Judy compulsion is not a solution because that merely addresses a symptom. You need to get at the core of the problem, ok?

Take Care,
Papabear

Earlier this year we learned from Variety that “Gaumont Television is joining forces with German pubcaster ZDF to bring Belle et Sébastien, an animated series based on the popular 1960s TV show created by Cécile Aubry.  Belle et Sébastien follows the adventures of a 6-year-old motherless boy and his friend, a big white dog, across the wilderness landscapes of the French Alps.” Belle and Sebastien was previously adapted as an anime series in the 1980’s by Toho Animation. Now the latest version from France has visited MIPCOM and they’re looking for international distribution. Animation World Network has a more recent article about Gaumont TV that includes more about this new show.

image c. 2016 Gaumont Television

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It's a full house +1 this week as Halfwit Genius joins the cast on the patio. We talk about our Thanksgiving adventures, smoke hookah, get distracted by doggo, and make Savrin sigh. We even have a handful of emails for you. But seriously, fuck 2016. Next episode is going to be first week of January, so you'll hear back from us then~ We also have a Patreon, so if you'd like to help support the show once we return in 2017, hit us up at patreon.com/knotcast Episode 334 - 2016, We Out

Help here: Relief Fund for Victims of Ghostship Oakland Fire

“Ghost Ship” was the name of the warehouse in the inner city of Oakland, California.  I’ve often visited the neighborhood under the booming overhead trestle of the BART train.  The warehouse was zoned for business, but harbored a live/work space that was built under the radar of building inspectors.  It was funded by parties and rent from people living in RV’s parked there.  It was home for a collective of artists and musicians from the cultural underground of the San Francisco Bay area.  Many were pushed out of previous homes by pressure of rising rents. These most expensive costs in the country are making a crisis for culture.

Friday, December 2, was the date for an electronic music show.  Golden Donna was headlining with the L.A. label 100% Silk.  It wasn’t a rave just for dancing and fun, but a deeper connection of creativity.  Many watchers were themselves into producing music, or making big-scale art for festivals like Burning Man.

See more at Oaklandghostship.com

At around 11:30 PM, at the height of party time, a crowd of around 100 people were in the warehouse.  The inside was a wooden “labyrinth” built like a tree fort or a set from a pirate movie.  3D art pieces, pianos, tapestries and rugs, colored lights and eclectic furniture filled every corner like a flea market.  A second level they called “The Rave Cave” was accessed by a single staircase built from wooden pallets. Things were eccentrically built so you might need a map.

Minutes later, thick smoke overcame the building. With panic and darkness, dozens were trapped in the upper level. One eyewitness tells of escaping, and others were led out by shouts of bystanders unable to go in.  The fire ripped through 9,000 feet of space not built to code, with only 2 exits and no sprinkler system.  72 firefighters were unable to control the flames until the ceiling collapsed.  It left a heartbreakingly destroyed shell holding 36 victims, and the ashes of many dreams.

They say it could have been worse. I’m told that some partygoers went to the wrong address because they were told a Street instead of an Ave. Fire inspectors think the cause was electrical, although they haven’t cleared enough rubble to know. It’s said that the guy who ran the space laughed at codes, did shady wiring, or was a tweaker. That’s gossip, but I had a friend who reconsidered moving in there several years ago. At the time, he told me how the manager seemed sketchy.

• Update: Photo and comment about poor wiring. And the manager speaks.

Mainstream news is reporting a story of possible criminal irresponsibility by management.  But many of those directly affected aren’t hearing them tell another part of the story.  It’s about creative people priced out of their own communities, forced to flee a rent crisis, and finding refuge in underground places where they can afford the freedom they need. They often don’t follow building codes or get show permits, because they can’t afford those.

People lost their lives in being unable to flee a fire, but also in supporting what they loved.  And many like them fear more bad things to follow the tragedy – like a crackdown against artist spaces and shows in places they can afford.  The entire culture may suffer.

• Artists at Oakland Warehouse Fire Discuss The Tragedy, Those Missing, Need for Safe Underground Spaces
• Housing Crisis, Not Ravers, Is Responsible For the Oakland Fire
• KQED: It Could Have Been Any One of Us

We gravitate to the spaces that say: Welcome. Be yourself. For the tormented queer, the bullied punk, the beaten trans, the spat-upon white trash, the disenfranchised immigrants and young people of color, these spaces are a haven of understanding in a world that doesn’t understand — or can’t, or doesn’t seem to want to try.

The news made sadness on the same day as the happy revival of Frolic, the furry dance party.  I covered the story of their venue, historic gay bar The Stud, facing death by the rent crisis of the SF Bay.  Party founder Neonbunny posted to the Save Our Stud group:

“Furries have always been the outcasts among outcasts. There’s not alot of venues that accept different cultures, new traditions, and just general going against the norms to express yourself in new ways.

Neonbunny knows many people, but he told me he luckily didn’t know anyone in the fire.

Hearts out to everyone involved at the Golden Donna rave last night in Oakland. Dancing should be joyous, not tragic. May you all be safe!

— FrolicParty (@FrolicParty) December 3, 2016

So many people are affected.  This belongs on a furry news site out of shared spirit.  Furries make their own D.I.Y. creative community, so here’s love to everyone else who builds their own.

Cory, a friend of mine, posted on social media:

Feeling horrified, sick and powerlessness…waking up to CNN seeing a massive fire in Oakland then going online and realizing it was at a big Oakland dark synth/art/industrial show and several people I know are missing including someone I consider a close mentor. The Oakland ‘weird underground’ in the last 4 years has meant a lot to me and been a huge source of inspiration; by far my favorite shows ive performed at and some of the coolest people ive met. And always the most trippy of shows, a hot bed of unusual creativity. Refreshing missing list checkins, meditative prayers and good thoughts.

At least four victims were friends of my friends.  Someone close to me teaches a brother and sister who lost their parents.  I’m acquainted with a DJ who got to the party just in time to see the fire start from outside.  Both members of the band Introflirt died – I was a fan and went to their shows, and could have been there. (There are many tributes coming out for other lost music scene friends.)

Bohemian culture thrives in the SF Bay Area. It’s “furry mecca”, home to some of the roots and luminaries of this subculture.  Other scenes here appreciate furries more than elsewhere.  They come to our shows to invite us to theirs, including burlesque, variety and comedy shows, street fairs, dance events and music videos. You can see it in Neonbunny’s history of organizing Burning Man events.

People at Ghost Ship worked with electro swing band Beats Antique, who play Burning Man.  Below, see them hanging out with Furries and inviting fursuiters on stage. One is DJ Tekfox of Denver’s Foxtrot, yet another party connection.

Our hearts go out to our friends and the family members of those who lost a loved one in last nights fire in Oakland. ❤️

— Beats Antique (@BeatsAntique) December 3, 2016

Beats Antique and Furries by ShadowCheetah

Tragedy like this feels like smoke before a bigger fire. More darkness is coming.  I can sense more people falling into precarious living and fear, with insecurity stealing their creativity and spirit.  Marginalized people, creative expression and freedom have a lot to fear from the powers of Trump’s America.  Don’t forget that his power was built on property discrimination and splitting desirables and undesirables apart. Watch out for danger and stick together.

reminder! we're on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/thedraggetshow Here's our show from last night! The audio is attached, as well as a link to the video online! Thank you to all you guys who were there. We got Secondary events and filled up half the room, so that was something else. Anyway, enjoy! If you prefer, here's video of the panel! - https://youtu.be/QltnB5a9sTg Ep 147 - Midwest Furfest 2016 LIVE! - reminder! we're on Patreon! https://www.patreon.…

Dear Papa Bear,

A few days prior to Thanksgiving, I was informed that my aunt had committed suicide. She shot herself in the chest with a gun, and it was very sudden and tragic. She left no note, no reason as to why she did it.

I don't know how to cope with this. I've never dealt with a suicide before, especially with someone in the family. 

How do I get past this? It hurts so bad to know that she's gone. 
 
Meep (age 26)
 
* * *
 
Dear Meep,
 
I’m sorry you have experienced this tragic loss. This is an important topic to address during the holidays because it is a time when suicide rates go up, so I appreciate your writing to me now. There are many reasons people commit this tragic act, but since you don’t tell me much about your aunt, I will have to talk in generalities here.
 
Let me start by talking about the suicidal person. You might (or might not) know from this column that I tried to kill myself at the age of 18. Like your aunt, I didn’t leave a note, which really upset my family because had I succeeded they, like your family, would never have understood why.
 
I will try and explain why. You must understand, first and foremost, that a suicidal person is not in their right state of mind. Depression, pain, severe anxiety can lead to irrational thinking and actions. Before I did what I did, I considered writing a note, but I honestly didn’t know what to put in it. I just wanted to be done and out of my life. So, Meep, please understand that the fact that your aunt didn’t leave a note doesn’t mean she didn’t care. She simply was too far gone to know what to do or say anymore.
 
You might be surprised to learn that in cases of suicides only 15%-38% (depending on which study you look at) leave a note. It’s much more common that they don’t. Even when they do, the note most often will not include a reason for the death or any sense of closure.
 
So, do not look at the lack of a note as a snub to you or your family. Instead, you might want to take a look at the things she left behind (photos etc.) as a better indication of her feelings for those close to her.
 
The other thing about suicide is the suddenness of it. I’m guessing that you had no clue that this might happen. No signs of depression or previous attempts? When my husband died without warning last year, the lack of closure, the fact that I didn’t have a chance to say goodbye, burned my very soul. People have a need to say farewell. There are many ways you can do this to give you closure. One way I did this was in the dispensing of Yogi’s (my pet name for Jim) ashes on his beloved Mt. San Jacinto. I said goodbye to him there. Of course, if your family holds a funeral, that is also a good way to say your goodbyes. You can write a note to your aunt, too, telling her what your feelings are and how you will miss her. This can be therapeutic.
 
Finally—and this is the hardest lesson I have had to learn—you do not get past something like this. It will always be a part of you. What you do learn is how to deal with it, how to, hopefully, learn from it. The longer we live, the more people we will lose over the years, and it is important for you to understand how to cope with and accept it (I’m talking to myself, too, here). The best thing you can do for yourself is to live in the present and to better appreciate and love the people who are still in your life today.
 
You are not alone, remember that. Talk to others about what has happened. Hug them and love them and lean on them—and let them lean on you, too. Be there for each other.
 
Life is about both hello’s and goodbye’s. Both are important lessons in our lives.
 
Hugs,
Papabear

According to Beyond The Cartoon, Magic Light Pictures have announced they are adapting another popular children’s book for animation: In this case, The Highway Rat by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. “Directed by Jeroen Jaspaert (Stick Man), the half-hour animated special follows the tale of a greedy rat who tyrannizes animals along the highway, as he steals their food at every opportunity: Clover from a rabbit, nuts from a squirrel, a leaf from some ants… he even steals his own horse’s hay. However what he really craves are cakes and all things sugary, and it’s his sweet tooth that finally leads him to a sticky outcome.” Magic Light have become known for adapting books by Dondaldson and Scheffler, including popular favorites The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo’s Child. The Highway Rat is being animated by Triggerfish in South Africa, and it’s set to premier in the UK on BBC One for Christmas in 2017.

image c. 2016 Magic Light Pictures

Earlier this year we made mention of animator Diane Obomsawin and her 2014 graphic novel, On Loving Women, which Drawn & Quarterly had recently re-published. In it (through her drawings of anthropomorphic characters) she talked about her own experience and those of her friends, discovering that they were women who loved women, and who wanted to share their experiences with others who felt the same. Well now Diane has turned several of those very personal stories (and those characters) into an animated short film called I Like Girls. And this last September, I Like Girls was awarded the Nelvana Grand Prize for Independent Short at this year’s Ottawa International Animation Festival, which is one of the largest in North America. Read the article over at Animation World Network to find out more about this and other prize-winning films.

image c. 2016 by Diane Obomsawin

Black Swan / Pt. 2 (Episode: 100)
Jackie and Switch try to bond over opposite interests, Flash loses his record deal and Bandit's problems are revealed to be far from over. See more at: http://www.TheRaccoonsDen.com FACEBOOK:... From: The Raccoon's Den Views: 4096 34 ratings Time: 13:16 More in Entertainment

New members

Welcome to our newest member, John Kulp! If you'd like more information about joining, read our membership guidelines.

Member news

Tarl "Voice" Hoch is starting a small press called "Armoured Fox Press," for publishing both furry and non-furry material, as well as selling other furry small press books at Canadian cons.

Frances Pauli's story "Domestic Violence" appears in Domesticated Velociraptors (The Midnight Writers' Anthology Book 1).

The second volume of Civilized Beasts, the poetry anthology from Weasel Press, sent out acceptances in November. FWG poets in the volume include Altivo Overo, Madison "Makyo" Scott-Clary and Televassi.

Televassi sold a story to Fred Patten's anthology Dogs of War.

Madison "Makyo" Scott-Clary's article "Coming Out in Tech: Communication is Key" appeared in The New Stack.

Bill "Greyflank" Kieffer was interviewed by Ginger Nuts of Horror for his novella The Goat: Building the Perfect Victim.

Madison Keller's short story "Romancing the Tombstone" appeared in the Northwest Independent Writers Association's anthology Artifact.

Alice "Huskyteer" Dryden sold a short story to the forthcoming Hot Dish 2.

Donald Jacob Uitvlugt's story "The Sands of Rubal-Khali" appears in issue #4 of Cirsova.

Mary E. Lowd's flash fiction piece "Of Cakes and Robots" appeared in Theme of Absence. In addition, her story "The Hand-Havers," originally published in Analog, has been reprinted online in The Lorelei Signal.

Thurston Howl Publication's Seven Deadly Sins anthology accepted stories from T.J. Minde, Dwale, and Systematic Weasel. In addition, Weasel's novella "We Live for Half-Moons" is now available from THP.

Fred Patten's book Furry Fandom Conventions, 1989–2015, will be published in January 2017 by McFarland Books.

New markets

• Mamono Menagerie: A Monster Girl/Boy Erotica Anthology will be Tarl Hoch's first anthology from Armoured Fox Press. Length: 3,000–12,000 words preferred. Payment: 0.5¢/word. Deadline: May 1, 2017. Read the FWG forum post for submission details.
• Weasel Press is turning their anthology Typewriter Emergencies into a biannual "journal of furry lit." Length: stories up to 2500 words, articles/review up to 1000 words. Payment: 1¢/word. The reading period for issue #1 closes February 10, 2017. Forum announcement post; submission guidelines.

For ongoing markets previously covered but still open (and occasionally, open in the future), visit the FWG web site:

• Paying short story markets
• Non-paying short story markets
• Novel/novella markets

Remember to keep an eye on the Calls for Submissions thread on the forum, as well as other posts on the Publishing and Marketing forum.

Odds and ends

Thanks to everyone who participated in Furry Book Month! Stay tuned for future promotions.

The Tuesday Coffeehouse Chats continue to take place on the FWG Slack channel, while the Thursday chats continue to take place on the shoutbox. There may be changes coming to the chat schedule next year, and changes in forum software are under consideration–which may kill the shoutbox completely. Watch the current forum for more information and weigh in if you have an opinion!

As usual, we'd like to keep recruiting you to the FWG Goodreads group: add things to our members' bookshelf (see the instructions here on how to do that), start conversations, draw rabbit ears on other authors' head shots, and so on.

Have a terrific month and holiday season! Send news, suggestions, feedback, and coffee to furwritersguild@gmail.com, or leave a comment below.

Submitted by Fred Patten, Furry’s favorite historian and reviewer

Wishing Season: Holiday Tales of Whimsy and Wonder, by Renee Carter Hall
Seattle, WA, CreateSpace, December 2015, trade paperback $7.99 (125 pages), Kindle, December 2014, $2.99.

This little collection presents seven gentle short fantasies “for all ages” about the Christmas spirit. The title implies that these may cover the different holidays of the year, but they are all about either a snowy Christmas, a snowy winter, or Santa Claus – in any case, stories to read while relaxing in a warm home during a snowy December. If you want to read them aloud to small children; why, some of these were originally heard as broadcasts of the Anthro Dreams Podcast. Two tales, “The First Winter” and “Santa’s Summer Vacation”, are written especially for this booklet. Wishing Season itself was published as an e-book for the Christmas 2014 season, and as a trade paperback for Christmas 2015.

Hall’s tales are imbued with a modern Christmas mythology – that of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the Grinch, It’s a Wonderful Life, and all those animated movies and TV specials showing Santa’s elves as having automated the North Pole.

In “The Gingerbread Reindeer”, Santa’s eight reindeer are having trouble pulling the sled of presents on Christmas eve because Rudolph has broken a bone and can’t lead the others. Boreas, the spirit of winter, enchants a little girl’s reindeer gingerbread cookie into Cinnamon, a gingerbread real flying deer to replace Rudolph. When the Unmaker, the anti-Christmas, attacks, it’s Cinnamon who saves them all.

“The visitor bore the form of a frost-elf, slender and sharp, with knowing eyes, but his body faded like silver fog at the edges. Boreas was winter given shape, the power by which the run was made each year, by which time was frozen for a single night while magic was worked for the young. It was not often that he appeared.” (p. 11)

Hall’s evocative writing makes you wish that her original characters like Boreas and Cinnamon were permanent parts of the Christmas spirit – though we could do without the Unmaker.

The main character in “Special Delivery” is Philip Cottington, the Easter Bunny. (Think of movies with the Easter Bunny like Hop and Rise of the Guardians.) When a child’s letter to Santa Claus is misdelivered to him in December while he’s preparing for the next Easter, he decides to deliver it to Santa personally. He is unfamiliar with the North Pole in December. (Or at any other time of year.)

“Then the snow stopped stopping. It came down steady, a haze of white flakes, and the wind grew colder and sharper. Soon Philip was not so much running as swimming through drifts of snow, and it was still piling up. His robin’s-egg blue vest was soaked through, and he thought bitterly that winter was a ridiculous time for a holiday. Still, he struggled forward, stopping only to catch his breath and make sure that the letter was still safe in the basket. It was a little wet from all the snow, but it was all right.” (p. 26)

Conditions get worse. Philip is rescued from disaster by Snowskimmer, a snowshoe hare. The freezing brown bunny and the warm white hare complete the journey to Santa together just in time.

Holly in “Holly’s Jolly Christmas” is a young reindeer who works in the mail room in Santa’s workshop, making sure that the children’s letters from all over the world are properly received. It’s an important job, but what she really wants is to become one of the eight flying reindeer who pull Santa’s sled on Christmas eve.

“‘It isn’t fair.’ Holly knew she’d said it a hundred times every year, but she also knew that Garland didn’t mind. ‘They should at least have team-choosing, like they did in the old days.’

‘Yeah, but they’d still win. No offense.’

Holly sighed again. ‘None taken.’ She knew it was true. Sure, she could fly as well as anyone, but the team was in better shape than any of the other reindeer. They had to be. A short flight here or there was one thing, but Santa’s team rode the Eve Stream, the magic current that allowed them to travel the world in one night. And that took more skill than any untrained reindeer could hope to have.” (p. 38)

Santa is too busy to listen to her, but with the encouragement of Garland, her reindeer boyfriend; Pyx, her elf friend at Sugarplum’s sweets shop; Frostbite, a motherly polar bear; and Caitlin, a little human girl who wants to play baseball, she gets her wish.

“An Older World” is the bittersweet tale of Jakob, a toymaker whose own young daughter has died and who imagines her in every little girl who comes into his shop at Christmastime. The unfinished lifesized wooden horse that he had been carving for her brings him to the world’s beginning.

“The First Winter” tells of the fight between First Bear and Death, and why ever since all bears have hibernated every winter.

“Nativity” is another bittersweet tale, only two pages, about a lonely orphan girl who finds better release in becoming a real unthinking sheep for the Christmas pageant.

“Santa’s Summer Vacation” is a comedy. Mrs. Claus insists that Santa take a summer vacation to the tropical isle of Serendipity to relax for next Christmas. He does, but he takes Fussbudget, his gloomy head elf, with him.

“Fussbudget sat on the edge of his chair, trying to decide whether the shell he was holding was more of a pinkish peach or more of a peachish pink. Between shell sortings, he glanced up nervously, watching Santa water-ski behind one of the reindeer as it skimmed across the calm sea. It looked incredibly dangerous.” (p. 97)

As it happens, things go wrong both at the North Pole and on Serendipity, leaving Santa needing to take a vacation from his vacation.

Here are seven new tales to go with your Christmas favorites of yuletide magic. Read them one at a time during Christmas week.

–Fred Patten

• Buy on Amazon
• Check out more of Renee’s work here

Thanks to Pup Nacho for his news tip below.  First, let me ask: Are knots funny? 

The Top 10 Knots You Saw In Boy Scouts

— Dogpatch Press (@DogpatchPress) September 4, 2015

Sea Captain Unsure Why Furries Keep Giggling While They Ask How Fast The Ship Goes

— Dogpatch Press (@DogpatchPress) November 5, 2015

If you’re giggling like I did when I posted those, you might be Furry Trash.  And you might appreciate how they only make sense for those in the know.

Having unique language is a mark of a fully-fledged subculture.  They call it slang, vernacular, cant, or cryptolect. Fans of fantasy fiction and role-playing might know about Thieves’ Cant (for criminals, beggars and hustlers, traveling performers, and carnival workers); those who study Queer theory may know Polari. (See Atlas Obscura: The Forgotten Secret Language of Gay Men.)  

Cant is for people who have some reason to exclude or mislead others outside of their group.  You need it if you’re a hustler from the carnival talking to a planted helper, or a queer man in Victorian England wondering if it’s safe to buy a shandy-gaff for a cute guy in the saloon.  These can have deep etymology, but people are constantly inventing new codes to hide meanings.  You don’t want to be called a “peach” at certain hotels today.

Furries have such words. Usually they’re just for fun. They can come from customs that happen with each other, or sometimes it has to do with being “appropriate” for outsiders. People scoff at the idea of furries “coming out”, but it’s not the best idea to invite questions about murrsuits, real or not.

5 Words That Mean Dirty Things To Furries But You Can Put Them On A License Plate

— Dogpatch Press (@DogpatchPress) October 30, 2015

This brings up the news tip from Pup Nacho (@pupnachosf or his Facebook.)

(Pup Nacho:) “Here’s the letter I got, showing the state of California rejecting my vanity plate with the license plate “Furries” due to ‘sexual connotation, term of lust or depravity.’  This is super frustrating to me, and I’m kind of baffled that furries would be categorized as a sexual connotation or act of depravity. I really don’t like our state defining the fandom in that way. – Licks and Wags, Nacho!”

For all the jokes, it’s true, furries doesn’t mean much by itself.  I’ll leave it up to readers to wonder how many others have had a similar experience.  But I have to call it silly, and say they might as well try to stop us from laughing. Will they ever catch on to these?

WHO THE FUCK IS THIS?!?! pic.twitter.com/5Adifu6PRa

— Kyashsicle @MFF (@KyashKT) September 7, 2016 Got any to share? Drop a comment!

 

Edit: Reposted by the SFist blog! By coincidence, their header photo shows the owner of another fabulous license that says Yiff. (The green fluffy guy).

To clarify, “Furries” isn’t a sexual term any more than “trekkies” or some other group of creative interest. SOME go farther for fantasy and theme purposes (so do Playboy Bunnies). The default meaning doesn’t have to do with sex any more than fans of Disney’s Zootopia do.

Good comments at Twitter:

@SFist @DogpatchPress That's like rejecting "Anime" because there's anime porn... come on.

— Midwest Dingo Fest! (@DojoTheDingo) December 2, 2016

@DogpatchPress And people try to use slang, other languages, etc. To loophole the process.

— XmasThrown@Dragoness (@KaRehdTheDragon) December 1, 2016