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submitted by TheLynox
[link] [10 comments]

submitted by Sareii
[link] [30 comments]

submitted by Sareii
[link] [60 comments]

Ayy hi guys, I have a question for you, as something's been bothering me recently, and wanted to see if you guys are dealing with shiznit like that too.

Do you sometimes find somebody with a 'sona looking similiar to yours in some aspects (like fur colors, for example), and feel like you are ripping that person off? Been having that problem for some time, and because of that I feel really undecided about my 'sona's fur colors, even though I really feel like I shouldn't care too much about that.

Edit: Thanks a lot guys! Came to the conclusion that indeed my 'sona should be something that's appealing to me. Thanks again for the help, you guys rock.

submitted by ConcreteMeat
[link] [12 comments]

I'm bored and I want to start some conversations, so tell me, what are you up to right now? Or is there anything else you want to talk about? Anything that bothers you?

I'll check back in 10 mins or so.

submitted by _Ravi_
[link] [73 comments]

submitted by DorianCairne
[link] [9 comments]

submitted by Chaos_Kitten
[link] [13 comments]

Hello Papabear,

I am close friends online with one of my friends, Cord, a rabbit. The both of us will sometimes talk about things, like our future in the fandom, our future mates, etc. Cord has been depressed lately due to loneliness and not having a mate. Having dealt with depression myself, I try to cheer him up, and let him know he isn't alone. He always says he feels fine, but I feel like he's saying that so not to worry me. He just recently told me that he has been drinking, at only 18 years of age. This worries me immensely, and, as a Christian, I often focus the majority of my prayer into helping him get better. He's an amazing person, and I don't want to lose him. Is there anything I can do or say to encourage him to stop??? 

Your friend, 

Beeter (age 18)

* * *

Dear Beeter,

Yes, there are things you can say to your friend Cord. But first, you need to have the full story, which I don’t feel I’m getting here (my bear instinct kicking in). You say Cord is depressed because he doesn’t have a girlfriend, so his solution is to start drinking? Lots of people don’t have girlfriends at 18 and they don’t turn to alcohol. Yes, being alone can suck, but he’s too young to throw up his hands and give up, and if he really wants to attract a girl, he ain’t gonna do it by being a drunk. Obviously, that just makes matters worse.

Might there be something else going on here? How’s his family life? School? Does he have any mental or emotional problems that need attention? All these things are important to find out. Your instinct that he’s hiding something when he says he feels fine is probably correct, and I don’t think his troubles begin and end with girlfriend issues and booze.

So, what do you say? First off, always acknowledge the other person’s pain; validate the fact that he is suffering and never dismiss his emotions like a high school coach telling an injured athlete to shake it off and do 10 laps. Avoid platitudes like “Everything will be okay” or “There’s a light at the end of the tunnel.” They don’t help.

Next, tell him, if you haven’t already, that you’re concerned about him, especially his drinking, but don’t use judgmental words such as “it’s a sin” or “underage drinking is illegal”; that’s not telling him something he doesn’t know or is aware that others will say. But note what I said above about drinking not being a solution but rather, indeed, something that will make his life worse—just as if he were taking drugs. In other words, phrase it in a way that you are concerned about his health, not his moral standards.

Then just start talking to him, trying to get him to open up. Ask him what’s going on in his life. How are his parents, siblings? School? Just talk. If you talk long enough and make him comfortable enough, I’ll bet you something will pop up in the conversation you didn’t know about him. You will know it when you hear it. Now, be careful not to instantly jump in with advice. If you do, he’ll get defensive and close up again, and it will be harder to have him open up the next time. Instead, keep talking around the issue and just listen to what he has to say. Continue in this manner over days or weeks, whatever is needed. Eventually, if things go well, he might ask you that key question, “What would you do if you were me?” And you say, “Well, if it were me, I would....”

This is a tricky dance you are conducting, and it takes a lot of patience. If you’re up for it, you will prove yourself a true blue friend.

Good luck, and bear hugs to you!

Papabear

* * *

Hello Papa Bear. 


This is Beeter again. First of all, I want to thank you for taking the time to read my letter and write me back, it means a lot. In response to your response, I have told my friend about my concern for him. Not just my concern, but the concern of another friend of ours. He says he appreciates our feelings, but "he's fine". You may very well be right about him hiding something, and I don't know what, but I will still be as good a friend to him as I can. I don't tell him things like "it's a sin" or whatnot. One of the main things I hate about Christians today is that they run around telling everyone "you're going to hell for this bla bla bla" It's total crap. As followers of Jesus, we should be spreading love, not hate. I try to simply ask him how he's feeling, and I try my best to cheer him up if he's feeling down. About the relationship thing, he's a very passionate floof, when I say he wants a guy in his life, I mean he REALLY wants a guy in his life. We often talk about our lives at home and school, and it almost always shifts to our futures in school, in the fandom, and most often our future mates. I don't know why, I guess we both just really crave love, you know? I will take your advice, and thank you again for replying to me. God bless you, and have an amazing day, buddy.

Your friend, Beeter.



* * *


Hi, Beeter,

Congrats on being what I would call a "true Christian" who is not the type to throw stones. Good for you!

You and your pal are very loving beings. That's wonderful :-) And I understand your need for love. If you don't mind indulging me, I would like to offer a bit more advice.

When we are desperate for love our desperation becomes very evident to the people around us. Did you know that humans, just like other animals, are capable of emitting pheromones? This can, on one hand, signal receptiveness to being a mate, but when one is desperate, anxious for love, it can actually drive potential mates away. The more desperate you become, the more repulsive you become--from a chemical point of view.

Therefore, the best advice I can give your friend is he needs to play it cool, chill, become more bear-like. He should then complement this strategy to make himself the most attractive potential mate possible. I don't mean physically attractive (except for the importance of good hygiene and grooming), but attractive as a person. Think of it this way: what is the better way to catch fish in a stream? Plunge into the stream, stomping about, clumsily grasping for the fish and they scatter? That is the strategy he has been attempting thus far. Or, is it better to create an attractive fishing lure, then drop it gently into the stream and attract the fish to you?

You're a good friend, Beeter. I'm glad your buddy has you in his life. Good luck to you both.

Papabear

submitted by stupidcritter
[link] [10 comments]

submitted by WingedWolfur
[link] [5 comments]

submitted by Rolo_Swag
[link] [76 comments]

submitted by FreeThinkerComic
[link] [12 comments]

Submitted by Fred Patten, Furry’s favorite historian and reviewer. Dude, Where’s My Fox?, by Kyell Gold. Illustrated by BlackTeagan. Dallas, TX, FurPlanet Productions, September 2014, trade paperback $9.95 ( [3] + 115 pages), Kindle $7.99. This is “A Red Velvet Cupcake”, FurPlanet’s eighth “Cupcake” novella for fiction between the short story and novel lengths. It […]

submitted by I_Am_Slightly_Evil
[link] [7 comments]

submitted by the_samburglar
[link] [6 comments]

submitted by PeaceGoat
[link] [95 comments]

submitted by Lyokanthrope
[link] [16 comments]

submitted by Foxes281
[link] [32 comments]

*doing

It's just courtesy to source an artwork, wherever you decide to post it. Yes even something this silly.

So if you take the image from somewhere, please take note of its artist and add it to the comments.

submitted by Sareii
[link] [3 comments]

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

My most recent project is Learning to Go. It’s a story about a tiger coming to terms with the idea that his relationship isn’t as healthy as it seems, and that maybe it’s time for him to move on. It asks the difficult question of “Whose responsibility is your happiness, and what’s okay to sacrifice for it?” It’s a story for people who are kind and maybe being taken advantage of, a way of helping them process that and give them an argument for putting themselves first sometimes. They deserve it, after all.

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

I generally have a good idea of where I want my story to go. When I have a novel burning in my brain, I tend to write 2-3 times a day and think about it during the rest. I pull in little experiences I have, little anecdotes and insights. I generally have a good idea of an outline in my head, but I’m not afraid to diverge from it if the story demands it.

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

Anything with determined, manipulative (or sociopathic) characters. They don’t have to be the main character or the antagonist, but those sorts of characters tend to be the most fun to write and tend to give the plot the most fuel. They tend to make stuff happen.

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

I identify with all my characters to some extent, and if any author tells you they don’t, I’d say they’re either lying or have some boring characters. You have to understand the points of view of a character to effectively portray them. That being said, the one I most identify with is Logan, a pig from an upcoming novel. To me, he’s the most bland major character I’ve written, which is a pretty good sign he’s the most like me.

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

The Redwall series is probably the number one, since that’s what made me realize I liked furry material, but that’s so obvious I’ll give another answer. Life of Pi really hit home for me and made me realize just how beautiful and inspiring a medium text can be. I strive for that level of absurd realism used as a tool to expand the philosophical depth of my stories… and fail miserably. But I keep trying!

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

At the risk of sounding narcissistic, I’ll say the work I’m editing right now tentatively titled Tempest In a Bottle. It’s not that I think it’s anything particularly special, it’s just… it’s exactly what I want to read. That’s why I wrote it, after all. If you want to know the last book someone else wrote that I really loved, then I’d have to go with Kyell Gold’s Out Of Position. It’s what got me back into both reading and writing.

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

Playing too much Dota 2.

8. Advice for other writers?

Listen to other people’s advice and thoughts about writing, understand why they recommend what they do, and know when to ignore it. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes… you should have beta readers to catch those. Listen to them and interact with them with respect and appreciation!

9. Where can readers find your work?

My non-published works can be found on FurAffinity, as can samples of published material (http://www.furaffinity.net/user/dandin/). News on upcoming publications can be found at my Twitter (https://twitter.com/FridayDandin).

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

Easily how open and friendly it is. I wish more communities learned from it!

 

Check out Nathanael “Friday” Gass’ member bio here!