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<!-- SC_OFF --><div class="md"><p>So, err... Hi there! I&#39;ve been lurking here for, well, far too long now and finally joined a few weeks ago when I saw a fur ask about an esoteric computer problem I knew how to solve. I then proceeded to not say anything here for a few weeks because I&#39;m far too shy for my own good. However now I&#39;ve decided I need to get over that and actually say things and that should probably start with an introduction so... HI!</p> <p>What else to say... well, I&#39;m a Hyox, Hyena/Fox hybrid, though will quite often refer to myself as one or the other out of ease of communication. I&#39;ve been a fur for, well, honestly most of my life even if I didn&#39;t know the word back then I have always preferred media with anthros or talking ferials in and was looking at my first furry sites through a 14.4K modem, though that wasn’t as long ago as you might think as non-dialup wasn&#39;t available where I live until 2005 so it would have been around then (80MB fiber-line now :) good things eventually come to those who wait). I&#39;m 25, British, and work as an electronic engineer for a company that designs test equipment. </p> <p>Unfortunately I have absolutely no artistic talent at all which makes me kind of a useless furry and one of the reasons I’ve always been too shy to talk to other furs even though I’ve wanted to. I’ve always wished I could draw even half as good as the rest of you guys but everything I’ve ever tried has always looked like total rubbish, the best I’ve managed were some pixel art animations, some of which I did end up putting on my FA but anyfur can do pixel art, but no real art skill so, well, sorry about that...</p> <p>Anyway, I think that’s everything? I usually just lurk most places really in the past due to shyness but I hope I’ll at least be able to contribute SOMETHING here! And NOT end up being too shy and running off tail between my legs! So err…. HI!</p> </div><!-- SC_ON --> submitted by

1. Tell us about your most recent project (written or published). What inspired it?

Thousand Tales: How We Won the Game is a SF novel about saving what’s important. In the 2030s a game-obsessed AI invents brain uploading technology, making it possible to (arguably) live forever as a digital ghost in her game world. The heroes are the people who befriend or oppose the AI, all with good reasons.

I was troubled that “science fiction” bookstore sections seem to consist of fantasy, far-future space opera, and game/TV tie-ins. I really wanted to write something (1) set in a near future, (2) with plausible technology, (3) that didn’t terrify or depress me.

I’d been interested in artificial intelligence and game design for years, even dabbling in AI programming. I also studied animal intelligence, including college work with the world’s most over-educated parrots. These things didn’t come together as a good story until years later, when to my embarrassment I got pulled into the fandom for a certain cartoon. Among the fanfiction for that world, was a setting called “Friendship Is Optimal”, only tangentially related to the show. “Optimal” involves a runaway AI who’s superficially nice but who deliberately crashes civilization to upload everyone to her cute video-game world. That shared setting got me and other writers arguing creatively about the setting’s implications. I wanted to write about a nicer AI, in a better-developed future, with a different focus.

So, I used the basic premise of “Optimal”, my own take on AI, some world-building about the near future, and even a loose recycling of my first novel as fuel for National Novel Writing Month in 2014. The book sparked enough discussion that I still haven’t run out of stories I want to tell in that setting, so I’ll be releasing a 20K-word novella (“2040: Reconnection“) probably in December, and a longer work early next year.

2. What’s your writing process like? Are you a “pantser,” an outliner, or something in between?

I like to plan, and don’t feel comfortable unless I can shoot an arrow ahead and say “there’s my destination”. Planning doesn’t mean knowing every scene before I start, but knowing something about the characters, setting, and the conflict that needs resolving. Despite planning, I get surprised by details or even plot twists that I didn’t consciously expect. I love it when that happens.

3. What’s your favorite kind of story to write?

Most of what I write is furry, and a lot involves transformations of some kind. I’d been reading something recently contrasting “grimdark” fiction where any victory is personal and costly in a frightening world, versus its opposite of “noblebright”: stories where heroes and villains can make a real difference, and the setting provokes wonder more often than fear. I’d much rather write the second kind.

4. Which character from your work do you most identify with, and why?

On a bad day: Peter the Dragonlord from “Ivan and the Black Riders” (ROAR #6). He’s introverted and thoughtful, has cool magic powers, and is determined to do great things… but your freedom means nothing to him. On a good day: Garrett Fox from Everyone’s Island. He’s an engineer at heart, learning to deal with more and more responsibility even if he’s not sure where he’s heading.

5. Which authors or books have most influenced your work?

Years of reading and participating in the TSA-Talk mailing list and Anthrochat IRC have been great sources of stories and discussion, so I point to writers Phil Geusz, Michael Bard (RIP), and Jon Sleeper from there. Outside the fandom, there’s L’Engle’s A Wrinkle In Time, Heinlein’s Citizen of the Galaxy and Tunnel In the Sky, Asimov’s “Foundation” series, Bradbury’s short story “The Toynbee Convector”, and too many worldbuilding-heavy tabletop RPG books such as Bard and Victoria Bloom’s memorable World Tree.

6. What’s the last book you read that you really loved?

Weir’s The Martian, for being hard science fiction set in the near future with an upbeat tone. Besides that, Vinge’s A Deepness In the Sky.

7. Besides writing, how do you like to spend your free time?

Reading nonfiction, sometimes. (The history of an ordinary thing like cargo containers can be surprisingly interesting because it cuts across a lot of other topics.) I’m also an avid board/tabletop/PC gamer who plays or runs games like Pathfinder. I program games for fun as well.

8. Advice for other writers?

Seek out critique and be profusely grateful toward anyone who offers reasonably polite explanations of what you’re doing wrong. It’s okay to read comments on your work and go sulk, but then you should come back and write something better. Critique groups (like Critique Circle) can be helpful, especially if you make it clear you can handle serious criticism. Besides that? Save old scraps of ideas, because they might spark something years later. Challenge yourself with projects like NaNoWriMo. Try completely rewriting a scene without looking at the original, to knock new ideas loose. Try taking apart stories you like by writing down exactly what’s cool about them, and adapt those elements into something original.

9. Where can readers find your work?

http://kschnee.deviantart.com/ and http://www.furaffinity.net/user/krissnow for galleries. Amazon for my novels.

10. What’s your favorite thing about the furry fandom?

At a furry convention, I asked some idle question about why there’s no such thing as vintage cola, like wine. The room launched into a detailed discussion of things like pressure storage vessels and chemistry. The fandom has people with varied backgrounds and a lot of knowledge about obscure subjects, who’re ready to think creatively about anything!

 

Check out Kris Schnee’s member bio here!

<!-- SC_OFF --><div class="md"><p>As someone interested in sociology, I thought It&#39;d be interesting to ask people how society has affected what they think makes them happy, and how much they have explored non-traditional methods of happiness. As a furry, I thought this would be a great place to ask, and later compare to non-furs.</p> <p>For example: Has being part of a culture that is generally considered to be &quot;fringe&quot; affected how open you are to new forms of happiness? Are you more likely to explore new cultures and ideas pertaining to happiness? What do you think prevents others from exploring the furry fandom? Have you ever been ridiculed for being a furry?</p> </div><!-- SC_ON --> submitted by

<!-- SC_OFF --><div class="md"><p>Hey everyone, my name is Hans. There&#39;s been a lot of posts recently to the effect of &quot;Does anyone have X&quot;, so I thought I&#39;d give it a go and ask if anyone play games through Steam. If you&#39;re looking for a bud to play games with, go ahead and add me at</p> <p><a href="http://steamcommunity.com/id/HansTheBoxFox/">http://steamcommunity.com/id/HansTheBoxFox/</a> </p> </div><!-- SC_ON --> submitted by

Tiger Brand Clothing Company is a t-shirt creation outfit with some very furry leanings… both in messages and in graphics. Much of it decidedly silly (even the ones not featuring otters), with more new designs behind added all the time. They even sell specialty hangers! They have their own web site where you can purchase their current designs.  And of course, keep checking back for more.

image c. 2015 Tiger Brand Clothing Company

<!-- SC_OFF --><div class="md"><p>Howdy everyone! I&#39;ve been wanting to give a fursuit dance comp a try for a while now but have no idea where to get started (as far as becoming a somewhat decent dancer). I probably wont be entering anything until RMFC so I should have a good amount of time to practice. I&#39;d consider professional dance classes but my schedule is a little too sporadic for that so are there any resources y&#39;all can recommend to me? I&#39;d like to work on botting (I think thats the proper name for it?) and other more popular styles of dance.</p> <p>Thanks in advance and I hope to see everyone out there someday.</p> </div><!-- SC_ON --> submitted by

We went to Further Confusion, but listening to this may lead you think we just might be here! This episode DOES have fresh Space News and a new old-timey ad, so be sure to give it a listen as we revisit "Square Peg, Round Hole". The show notes for this episode are available here.

Next episode: Should artists or character players keep the rights to commissioned art? Should you be able to borrow the art of others? How do you feel about “recoloring” of art? Do YOU own your character? Do others own theirs? Send your answers by January 28, 2016! Best of FWIW – Season 5 Episode 3 (Square Peg, Round Hole) - We went to Further Confusion, but listening to this may lead you think we just might be here! This episode DOES have fresh Space News and a new old-timey ad, so be sure to give it a listen as we

<!-- SC_OFF --><div class="md"><p>I&#39;ve noticed some posts lately about having problems with depression and such. I just want to say that I&#39;m here if anybody wants to talk. I have a long history with depression/anxiety/OCD and the like. Send me a PM if anyone needs someone to talk to.</p> </div><!-- SC_ON --> submitted by