Furry Writers' Guild

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

Windfall – debuted at Anthrocon 2015

It’s a cosmic-horror romantic-comedy starring an otter named Kylie who’s fallen in love with her best friend, a husky named Max. The two of them used to be minor characters on a supernatural cable TV show. After the series ends, he comes to visit for the summer and she has find a way to confess her feelings to him as they discover their TV show was actually real.

Previews:
https://www.furaffinity.net/view/10973174/
https://www.furaffinity.net/view/12950193/
https://www.furaffinity.net/view/12278672/
https://www.furaffinity.net/view/14827336/
https://www.furaffinity.net/view/14467401/

I also have Nordguard: Tribes of the White Land that came out at Anthrocon 2015. It’s an expansion to the Nordguard card game, with all-new art from Blotch and Chromamancer. A very different means of telling stories, but it certainly helps to have a writing background.

I’m also working on an interactive children’s sci-fi novel called Allison & The Cool New Spaceship Body to teach kids about transhumanism and artificial intelligence. Working on it with me are world-class interactive fiction experts from Ball State University and Gamebooks.org, as well as actual AI scientists from the Machine Intelligence Research Institute. It also has talking space dolphins who fly around with jet-packs!

You can play through the book-in-progress here:
https://www.furaffinity.net/view/16159961/

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

Somewhere in between, I suspect. I toss ideas into “pool” files in Scrivener as they come to me. Sooner or later, enough ideas coalesce to make a plot I can’t resist writing. I use that to develop my outline, then make successive passes at expanding it until it turns into a story. Often I write all the dialog first, much to the despair of my editors.

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

One with a kooky central idea — some bit of trivia or motif that clicks into place with a plot. Love stories are also a plus, since I’m a total sap.

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

Each of my characters has a shard of my personality. In Sixes Wild, Blake has my tendency to be a square while Six has my defiant side. We all constructed of contradiction.

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

James Gurney’s Dinotopia has been the biggest influence on my personal philosophy. I’m a big believer in the power of peaceful cooperation, science, and art to improve the world. This optimism pervades my stories.

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

I’m hooked on Steven Brust’s Vlad series (which feature a sorcerer assassin chef). Technically, the most recent book I read that I’m excited about was the new Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition Players Handbook. : ) D&D is actually a really cool way to practice storytelling—you get immediate feedback. I’ve used tabletop RPGs before to test out worlds I later write about.

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

I teach writing classes at Bismarck State College — my fursona was the instructor of the semester there last winter. I have skied the longest run in North America. I also enjoy when friends or my girlfriend take me for walks.

8. Advice for other writers?

Write the story you’d want to read. Your enjoyment will show through in the final product.

9. Where can readers find your work?

https://www.furaffinity.net/user/tempo321/
https://tempo.sofurry.com/
https://www.weasyl.com/~Tempo

My published works are available from Sofawolf Press and Furplanet Press, as well as on Amazon.

Heat #7 – https://www.sofawolf.com/products/heat-7
Heat #8 – https://www.sofawolf.com/products/heat-8
Heat #9 – https://www.sofawolf.com/products/heat-9
Heat #10 – https://www.sofawolf.com/products/heat-10
Heat #11 – https://www.sofawolf.com/products/heat-11
Heat #12 – https://www.sofawolf.com/products/heat-12
Sixes Wild: Manifest Destiny – https://www.sofawolf.com/products/sixes-wild-manifest-destiny
Nordguard: The Card Game – https://www.sofawolf.com/products/nordguard-card-game
Nordguard: Tribes of the White Land – https://www.sofawolf.com/products/nordguard-card-game
Windfall – http://furplanet.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=798

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

How it brings people together. In the furry fandom, it doesn’t matter where you’re from or what you look like — what matters is your talent, enthusiasm, and good cheer. In the past month, I’ve been interviewed by furry journalists from Canada, Brazil, South Africa, and Mexico. World peace looks a lot like the furry fandom.

Check out Tempe “Tempo” O’Kun’s member bio here!

Mark your calendars and set your alarms! Thanks to one of our members, we’re going to be having a special chat in our forums this Saturday, July 25, at 6 PM Eastern with Jennifer Tait, a senior production editor at one of the Big Five publishers.

As a senior production editor, Ms. Tait deals with the book after it’s been accepted, so she doesn’t have anything to do with reviewing submissions. That said, this is a great opportunity to get a bit of a behind-the-scenes look at the traditional publishing world and the aspects of the publishing process that she handles, and I’m very grateful that she’s agreed to come chat with us.

Many thanks to FWG member Bill “Greyflank” Kieffer for suggesting and arranging this. I’m hoping this will be the first of many guest chats we’ll have in future months and years.

Again, the chat will be Saturday, July 25 at 6 PM Eastern, in the forum shoutbox as usual. (If you’re not registered on the forums, you’ll need to register in order to see the shoutbox.) With Ms. Tait’s permission, I’ll also see about posting a transcript in the forums afterward, for the benefit of those who aren’t able to be on at the time. And if you can’t be there and want to leave a question for her, you can ask it here.

See you in the shoutbox on Saturday!

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

I can’t go into too much detail about my most recent project, as it’s in the midst of being published and I don’t want to say something I shouldn’t! What I can say is that it is the first adult piece I’ve ever written, and thus coincidentally the first adult piece of mine to ever see publication. The piece wasn’t necessarily inspired by any one thing, it started off as a personal exercise — trying something new and seeing what I could do with it — and evolved from there.

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

I generally don’t have a specific writing process, so I’d say I’m mostly an in-betweener. If I am specifically writing for an anthology or a certain theme, my process would more reflect an outliner, whereas if I’m writing a story I was personally inspired to write, I more or less build the story as I go. It may not be the most efficient, but it’s what works for me!

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

It’s hard to say with the (what I consider) limited experience I’ve had, but as of now I definitely have enjoyed writing sci-fi the most. It’s also the genre I want to explore more, and rightfully so considering how unpolished I’ve felt my previous work in that genre has been.

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

The work itself is long gone from the public eye, as it hasn’t met my standards I set for myself in a long time. But, I most identify with the character Garrett from one of my older pieces since taken down from FurAffinity. He was very much an amalgam of my own life experiences with a healthy dose of fantasy mixed in. Some of his struggles were things I dealt with, and some were inspired by things I’ve dealt with.

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

Outside the fandom, the work of Philip Pullman and his His Dark Materials series was one of the earliest works I can recall that drew me into the concept of anthropomorphic characters. Within the fandom, the work of Kyell Gold was what showed me what could be done with adult scenes in a story, and how they could matter to the plot. Some other books (in no particular order) that have influenced me were: The Society of S by Susan Hubbard, Blasphemy by Douglas Preston, and Roadside Picnic by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky.

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

I’m currently in the process of reading John Dies at the End by David Wong, which is a really refreshing read for me. Horror is something I generally don’t read (thought that’s starting to change!) so something so incredibly odd is an incredible departure from what I typically read.

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

These days, my time is mainly occupied with school. When I do have free time, it’s either occupied relaxing with video games or squeezing in some writing. I’ve also recently developed an interest in origami!

8. Advice for other writers?

It might not mesh well with what other writers will suggest, but my personal opinion is be willing to NOT write. The worst thing to ever happen to my writing was when I forced myself to write a story I didn’t want to write. Don’t get caught up in the idea that you MUST write for x amount of anthologies, or write x amount of stories. Write what you want, not what you must. I tried the whole “I’ll write for this anthology and that one and this one and this one too!” spiel, and it got old, quick — and in the end none of those stories got accepted. My heart wasn’t in the words, and they ended up poor quality. So that’s my advice, don’t force yourself to write a story you don’t want to.

9. Where can readers find your work?

At the moment, you can find my story “Sugar Pill” published in Tales From The Guild, Music to Your Ears, published by Rabbit Valley and edited by AnthroAquatic. As I said, I also have a story being published that I can’t get into too much detail about at the moment, but I’ll be sure to make an announcement when I can!

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

My favorite thing has been what it has done for me, honestly. Were it not for certain people in the fandom, I would not be where I am in life or anywhere near the life I live now. And honestly, I don’t know if my life would be nearly as enjoyable if that were the case.

Check out Mars’ member bio here!

Just a reminder that voting for the Cóyotl Awards closes in just over a month now, on August 15. If you haven’t read all the nominated works, here are links to check them out. (Please note that some of these may be accessible only to FWG members who are registered on our forums.)

Best Novel

The Bees by Laline Paull (purchase link)
http://www.amazon.com/Bees-Novel-Laline-Paull/dp/0062331175/

Bête by Adam Roberts (purchase link)
http://www.amazon.com/Bete-Adam-Roberts/dp/0575127694/

Off the Beaten Path by Rukis (free to read on FA)
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/11578732

Best Novella

Going Concerns by Watts Martin (free to read on website)
http://cprints.ranea.org/going-concerns/

Huntress by Renee Carter Hall (downloadable files)
http://www.anthroaquatic.com/forum/index.php?topic=20.msg7866#msg7866

The Mysterious Affair of Giles by Kyell Gold (downloadable files)
http://www.anthroaquatic.com/forum/index.php?topic=776.msg7935#msg7935

Best Short Story

Cold Scent by Alice Dryden (free to read online)
https://pinkfoxpublications.wordpress.com/cold-scent/

Jackalope Wives by Ursula Vernon (free to read online)
http://www.apex-magazine.com/jackalope-wives/

Pavlov’s House by Malcolm Cross (free to read online)
http://www.strangehorizons.com/2014/20140421/pavlovshouse-f.shtml

Best Anthology

Abandoned Places edited by Tarl “Voice” Hoch (purchase link)
http://furplanet.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=756

Tales from the Guild:  Music to Your Ears edited by AnthroAquatic (purchase link)
https://www.rabbitvalley.com/item/9169/Tales-From-The-Guild-Music-to-Your-Ears-edited-by-AnthroAquatic

Again, voting closes August 15 and can be done at the Cóyotl Awards website.

July’s Book of the Month, ROAR Volume 6, is edited by member Mary E. Lowd, features stories from several FWG members, and makes its debut at Anthrocon.

Lovable scoundrels and scoundrels we love to hate.

From rascals causing harmless mischief to dark lords with evil in their hearts, scoundrels can be found in every world, mundane to fantastical.  We fight them, laugh at them, and sometimes root for them.

The twenty-eight stories in ROAR volume 6 explore scoundrels of every stripe, in every walk of life.  Read stories from celebrated anthropomorphic authors, award-winning science fiction and fantasy authors, and talented newcomers to the furry genre!

Contents:

Squonk the Dragon by Pete Butler
Brush and Sniff by mwalimu
Faithful by Marshall L. Moseley
Gerbil 07 by Huskyteer
CSI: Transylvania by Kevin M. Glover
Hard Scratching In Kittytown by Blake Hutchins
Hold the Moon by Eric M. Witchey
Ernest by Lyn McConchie
Two Crows, Two Wires, and the Moon by Andrew S. Taylor
Ivan and the Black Riders by Kris Schnee
Into the Wind by Rechan
At What Cost by Jeeves the Roo
A City With No Children by James Stegall
Perch by Sarah Doebereiner
The Cat Thief by Laura “Munchkin” Lewis
Food, Feuds and Fake Flora by Ocean Tigrox
Puppy Love by George S. Walker
I Hold My Father’s Paws by David D. Levine
0mega by Garrett Marco
Skinned by Kyell Gold
Relics, Rabbits, and Tuscan Reds by Slip Wolf
Shadows of Horses by Phil Geusz
Coyote’s Voice by Altivo Overo
Prof Fox by Mark Patrick Lynch
Wolves and Foxes by Amy Fontaine
Unexpected Bouquets by Ellen Saunders
Clearance Papers by Fred Patten
Edward Bear and the Very Long Walk by Ken Scholes

Available from FurPlanet.

Welcome to our newest member George Squares!

In book release news: ROAR #6, edited by Mary E. Lowd and featuring many FWG members as contributors, as well as Mary’s new novel In a Dog’s World, are now available for pre-order from FurPlanet. Tempe “Tempo” O’Kun’s latest, Windfall, is also available for pre-order from FurPlanet, and Weasel Press’ first furry anthology, Typewriter Emergencies, is also up for pre-orders. Kris Schnee’s new novel Thousand Tales: How We Won the Game is available from Amazon, and M. C. A. Hogarth has released Either Side of the Strand and a new trilogy that begins with An Heir to Thorns and Steel.

In short fiction, Rechan’s story “TLC” appears in Heat #12, and “Into the Wind” is in ROAR #6. Huskyteer also has stories in both, with “Meena Mae” in Heat #12 and “Gerbil 07” in ROAR #6, and you can also check out Huskyteer’s nonfiction in this piece for Flayrah. Ocean Tigrox’s story from ROAR #6, “Food, Feuds and Fake Flora” has a teaser you can read here, and the same anthology also has a story from Altivo Overo called “Coyote’s Voice” and one from Mwalimu called “Brush and Sniff.” And in anthology news outside the fandom, Mary E. Lowd’s “Shreddy and the Dancing Dragon” appears in The Dragon’s Hoard.

In other news, Renee Carter Hall has launched a new mailing list for her readers (sign up and get a free ebook), Rebecca Mickley has a new website, Patrick “Bahumat” Rochefort is on board with the new visual novel project Laika Dosha (as well as continuing From Winter’s Ashes), and Mwalimu has made a nifty little tool you can use to find your local furry conventions.

Congrats, everyone!

(Members: Want your news here? Start a thread in our Member News forum!)

Upcoming deadlines: Rocky Mountain Fur Con’s conbook closes on July 15, and the furry anthology Fragments of Life’s Heart closes on August 15.

New markets: Red Ferret Press (a new imprint from Weasel Press) is seeking submissions for Knotted, and ROAR #7 will open for submissions later this summer.

Remember to keep an eye on our Calls for Submissions thread and our Publishing and Marketing forum for all the latest news and openings!

Voting is open for the Cóyotl Awards until August 15. If you haven’t read everything on the ballot, we have links to all the nominated works in this thread.

Good luck to all our members participating in Camp NaNoWriMo’s July session! Member George Squares has written about his Camp NaNo project on his blog.

On Goodreads? The FWG now has a Goodreads group, and we also now have a bookshelf featuring books by our members. Feel free to add any members’ books we’ve missed so far (see the instructions here on how to do that).

We’re always open for guest blog post submissions from members — good exposure and a great way to help out fellow writers. See our guidelines for details.

Need a beta reader? Check out our critique board (you’ll need to be registered with the forum in order to view it).

Want to hang out and talk shop with other furry writers? Come join us in the forum shoutbox for the Coffeehouse Chats, Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Eastern and Thursdays at 12 p.m. Eastern. (The Saturday chats have been discontinued until further notice.) More info on the Coffeehouse Chats is here.

As always, our forums are open to everyone, not just FWG members. Come register and join the conversation!

That’s all for this month! Send an email to furwritersguild (at) gmail.com with news, suggestions, and other feedback, or just comment here.

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

I just finished final edits on “Unfading”, which will be in Heat issue 12 coming out at Anthrocon in early July. It’s about a wolf who discovers she’s a different creature on the inside, and begins an arduous physical and mental transition to becoming who she feels — or rather knows — she really is.

While imagining we’re something or someone else is part of every furry’s life in a way, the idea first grew out a private joke I had with myself in which I’d mulled over changing my fursona. I figured rather than just pick another species and twiddle with my name I’d actually get pretend plastic surgery, do an in-between icon that was just a head wrapped in bandages, and tweet in mumbles for a week. While that never happened, I did wonder about the kind of calamity one would have to go through changing species, the surgical stuff, the hormones, the diet. This then elevated to matters of the heart and mind, how one would evolve in the process of adapting to their new selves, how their family would react and how the outer world would see them in their struggle.

The story just evolved from there into a metaphorical look at the plight of transgendered individuals, dealing with obstacles most of us will never face, namely a world that actively resists the person who they know they are. In exploring some of these questions, I found “Unfading” a very satisfying story to write.

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

Something in between. I do like general outlines to give me a sense of direction, but halfway through writing I’ll break away from them as often as I’ll stay the course. Whatever keeps me going without stopping.

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

I try switching it up as often as I can because I get bored of trying the same things. I really love sci-fi and horror as genres, but have messed around with fantasy, mystery and a little bit of satire. The last one is the hardest to do I think.

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

I’d have trouble picking just one character, as I try to identify in some way with everybody who gets a voice, the villainous jerks no less than the heroes or every-furs. I find right now it’s a tie between Amar from the story above, who represents the need in all of us to be the person we know we can be and a character from an upcoming tale named Earlan, an eager, enthusiastic explorer in a novella-length piece set to come out in an anthology later this year. He’s seeking to understand his place in the universe and test the boundaries he feels foisted upon him. Can’t say much about that story yet.

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

There are too many to count, really. When I was younger I devoured Stephen King as a horror buff, fantasies and sci-fi’s by Larry Niven, David Gerrold, Arthur C. Clarke, Allan Dean Foster (who introduced to me literary furry with Spellsinger), read classic fantasy from the Narnia novels of C.S. Lewis to the Homeric myths, snacked on Hardy boys, Sherlock Holmes, Phillip Marlowe mysteries and Star Trek novels. Lately I’ve been going to the well of classic twentieth-century authors to learn their tricks and get the feel for different eras. I try really hard to learn little bits reading everything, fiction or fact, in and out of this fandom.

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

I just finished a non-furry classic book with an unintentionally furry name, Rabbit Run by John Updike, another famous author whose work I have just gotten around to. It’s a testament to his prowess as a writer that he can thoroughly engage you with a main character who is an insufferable bastard on so many levels. I wish I could write with such skill, compelling readers to take interest in characters and situations who we can barely stand or see ourselves identifying with, but stick with because their experiences are made so compelling.

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

I love writing as a form of recreation itself, but I also collect records and movies, watching films at the drive-in where I grew up and visiting the gym often for runs or weightlifting. More than anything though, I love reading. I shrivel and die if I go too long without a good book.

8. Advice for other writers?

Don’t be afraid to fail. Be terrified to discover you never tried. Also, listen to your beta readers. The worst thing they can give you is exactly what you want — cold hard honesty. Criticism from betas and your editors will toughen you up for when people are paying for your work and have every obligation to point out where a story is weak, so cherish that.

9. Where can readers find your work?

I’ve got stories in Heat issues 11 and 12, Trick or Treat Volume 2, Roar Volume 6 and Fang Volume 6 (all of which should be out by Anthrocon in July). There are several more anthologies coming out in the next year or so that I will also be featured in but dates aren’t set.

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

It’s a hub of pure creativity with no discernible limits or end game, a place for really friendly people who I keep getting to meet and a great way to get in touch with the ‘other’ inside one’s self. There’s something about being furry that can make us warmer, more open, accepting human beings, and I love that about it.

Check out Slip-Wolf’s member bio here!

by Ocean Tigrox

Once upon a time, there were two aspiring writers, Stanza and Prose. Both had aspirations of someday being published, and together they began sending off submissions to various publishers. Stanza was successful, receiving an acceptance on their first story! They quickly began drafting up their second story to send off. Prose, unfortunately, was met with a kind rejection letter. Disappointment hit them hard as they took their lumps, pushed their chin up and tried again. The second round of letters came back with similar results. Once again, Stanza succeeded in having another work accepted. Clearly their first time hadn’t just been just a stroke of luck. Meanwhile, Prose found themself sighing at a second rejection letter. What went wrong this time?

This cycle repeated a few times. Stanza submitted more, being accepted each time; Prose became more disappointed with each new rejection. As this continued, Stanza became empowered, feeling invincible. Anything they wrote was gold and always came back with a happy congratulatory note from the editor. Prose continued to struggle through each deemed failure, learning how to improve with every submission’s iteration.

One day the cycle broke. Upon opening a letter from another editor, Stanza nearly choked on their coffee when they read words that they had never seen before: “We’re sorry, but your story was not selected.” Preposterous, they thought. An editor clearly made a mistake. But, no, that was their story in the explanation below about why it was not selected. The editors had found issues with the main character and decided against accepting the story.

Doubt filled Stanza’s mind. They were invincible. How could this happen? Unless, they thought, the other times really had been flukes. Maybe the accepted stories had just been filler or just barely squeaked in. Maybe Stanza wasn’t as talented a writer as they had originally believed. After all, talented writers don’t get rejected, do they? Lost and confused about their own skill as a writer, Stanza put away their writing, unsure if they should submit another story.

Things were quite the opposite with Prose. They awoke the next day to find their first acceptance letter. Tears overwhelmed them as they read the editor’s glowing notes about the submitted story. After wading through rejection after rejection, continuing to push through and not stop, their hard work and perseverance paid off. Their treasure was well deserved. After telling their friends and family, what better way to celebrate than to write another story?

Prose would go on to find more stories being accepted. Occasionally a rejection letter still found its way to their mailbox, but it never had the same effect on Prose that it once had. They took the criticism and moved on, just like they had done before. Stanza, on the other hand, struggled for a long time before picking the pen back up. It had taken a lot of willpower to pull themselves back together after falling so far. They found the motivation to write again, and although they had their share of rejection letters that still came, acceptance soon returned. Their confidence soon resumed, though this time with a small bit of humility.

Is this just a fairy tale? Some writing allegory? Not quite. This is actually based on a true story (though slightly exaggerated). If you’ve listened to the Fangs and Fonts podcast, you may already know that this happened to two writers in my writing group. Some of you may know them as FWG members Roland Jovaik and Tarl “Voice” Hoch. They both experienced acceptance and rejection, but both ended up handling them differently. Neither of them did anything wrong. Prose, like most new writers, had to struggle and climb higher with each new submission until they finally achieved victory. Stanza on the other side managed to knock it out of the park on the first try. This isn’t common, but it happens. Still, rejection found them both eventually, and they were forced to confront the inevitability that all writers experience. The moral of this story is that although they dealt with their rejections differently, they both pushed through and went back to writing.

The one thing missing from this story is the support of other writers. We need to be there for each other. Something I’ve seen lately is people congratulating new writers on their first rejection. This may be a weird event to see from the outside, but what we’re really saying is “Congrats on taking your first serious step in becoming published” or “Congrats on the achievement”. It takes guts to send your story out into the aether and have an editor you don’t know reject it. It hurts. And recently, I found it hurts being the editor having to reject people, too!

Rejection doesn’t feel good for anyone, but it’s inevitable within our craft. Be ready when it comes. Don’t worry, each one gets easier to take, and it’ll all be worth it when you get that glowing acceptance one day.

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

My most recent book just went up in May! Either Side of the Strand is the first book in a series I’ve been planning for a long time about the career of Fleet captain Alysha Forrest, who has previously appeared in short fiction for years now (one of those stories, “In the Line of Duty,” won an Ursa Major, even). I’m very excited to get Alysha’s first full-length novel out there. It’s a space adventure, and my homage to Star Trek: The Original Series, with its slightly campy but high-minded stories. Also it’s got space octopuses in it, and all the characters are female, so it’s sort of like a pajama party with military uniforms and aliens.

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

For the most part, I’m a pantser. I know the beginning. I know the ending (hazily). I know one or two scenes in the middle. All the rest of it is gelatinous, and I write to find out what’s next. I like that; it keeps me interested! When I write serials, I am often as curious as my readers about what’s about to happen! I post an installment, and everyone comments, “Wow, I wonder–” And I am sitting there at the keyboard, thinking, “Oh my gosh, I do too!” *laugh*

Sometimes, though, my subconscious coughs up 3-4 scenes in a row, and then I obediently jot down a quick flowchart-like thing. This almost inevitably happens in the car. It usually looks something like this:

(Notes are from forthcoming epic fantasy trilogy. Post it is tracking daily word count changes.) I don’t recommend this style of note-taking, no matter how long the lights take to change. Also, please don’t try to analyze my handwriting based on my car scribble. >.>

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

A long time ago, Watts Martin — who is one of fandom’s best writers, I think — said that most of my work revolves around epiphany. He said this to me, mind you, when I was all of 18 or 19 years old? That was… ah, longer ago than I like to think of, but I still think he’s right. No matter what I’m writing, there’s a psychological aspect to everything: people coming to better understandings of themselves, or learning that one thing that galvanizes them to make life changes or momentous choices. It doesn’t matter to me whether that choice is small in the great scheme of things–like Vasiht’h’s choice of major in college in Mindtouch — or enormous, like Asrial’s decision to help stop the literal Apocalypse in A Rosary of Stones and Thorns. What matters to me is how people grow, and how they come to that place where they are vulnerable to life, and feel safe enough in that vulnerability, to be open to change.

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

All of them? I give them all a little, vital piece of me, and let them grow around that piece the way a pearl begins with a grain of sand — and a lot of irritation.

It seems to work that way in real life too. The good and polished parts are born from a tiny seed and a lot of discomfort.

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

I’ve had so many influences it’s hard to list them all. But among specifically furry sources, Steve Gallacci’s Albedo and Vicky Wyman’s Xanadu made a big impression.

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

I haven’t been reading as much new work as I wish! But I picked up Castle Hangnail, by Ursula Vernon, and my daughter and I greatly enjoyed that. (I would recommend it for children above 10, probably — the sentences can get a little complex for younger kids.) We loved the message that it’s good to be kind to people, and that kindness is rewarded. I also got to read A Shard of Sun, the latest installment in Jess Owen’s epic Summer King Chronicles, and I kind of want a Kjorn plush of my very own.

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

I don’t actually have a lot of free time, since I work two jobs and have a young child! But I read a lot, and do some painting to relax, and when I have free time I try to do things that are beneficial to my health, like sit in a dry sauna, or go to Church, or take a walk. If I ever arrange my schedule properly, I’d also like to return to fencing, which was my favorite sport.

Also, I like sleep. Sleeping is a fine use of my free time.

8. Advice for other writers?

I think writers need different advice for every stage they pass through, so it’s hard for me to know what to say. When I was a new writer, I needed to hear ‘you’re good, but you need to work hard and write a lot and practice, practice, practice!’ When I was a slightly older writer, I needed to hear ‘you need to read broadly, think critically about your work, and pare down your stories to the bare minimum you need to get your idea across, and you have to work hard and meet your quotas!’ A few years later, I needed to hear, ‘you need to let your stories breathe; there’s nothing wrong with using style as a tool to achieve your ends; and yes, different kinds of stories need different narrative strategies and styles. And you need to practice and write a lot and work, work, work!’

These days, I need to hear, ‘slow down’ and ‘live your life, because your life is what gives your art the authenticity of your experiences.’ And ‘you don’t need to sacrifice your health to meet your deadlines; your readers don’t want your next book more than they want you to de-stress from a toxic level of industry.’

These are all good bits of advice. I received them from others, and for the most part, they came at the right time. It’s matching the advice to the right stage of a writer’s development that’s the sticky bit.

9. Where can readers find your work?

My work’s available where most books are found: Amazon, B&N, the e-book retailers like Kobo and Apple’s iBookstore, and you can get it in most formats (e-book, print, and audio). I believe FurPlanet and Sofawolf are also carrying some of my work to cons in the form of anthologies. I have a nice guide on “where to start” for people who want to figure out how to tackle my catalog, which is over 20 books strong if you count only the novel-length works, and 40+ if you want all of it. You can find that here: http://mcahogarth.org/where-do-i-start/

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

Oh, it would be hard to pick a single thing. I “grew up” in the fandom, having discovered it when I was very young, and it’s always been there in the background for me. There’s a familiarity there that’s comforting. But I think if I had to go with a single thing, it would be that we don’t take ourselves too seriously. There’s a playfulness in furry fandom that I don’t often see in other places. It’s good to have fun, now and then…!

Check out M. C. A. Hogarth’s member bio here!

by Franklin Leo

Writing is hard, and even for the experienced, it continues to be difficult. Whether it’s editing or drafting, there’s always a point when we find ourselves unable to move forward simply because time is such a huge issue.

I’ve instructed and tutored writing to college students for a few years, and I have only recently started to come out more as a furry author, but the number one thing that I hear from other writers or hopeful-writers is that there’s too much going on in their life.

Stephen King says in his memoir On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft that it’s best for one to get around 1,000 words a day down and written into some piece he or she’s working on. That alone is around four pages, and to some, the idea of doing so much so soon comes off like a triathlon equal to NaNoWriMo.

What matters, however, is that you get something down — anything down. Students tell me that they could only get a paragraph written. In college, that’s quite a bit, I tell them. Some often tell me that they could only get a sentence or two down because they had to do some reading. That’s okay as well. Reading and writing go together. You simply can’t do one without the other, I say.

I also tell them that some days, it’s okay to write more than other days. Some days, it’s okay to write nothing. What’s important is to discipline and let yourself write as much as you can, understand that there is no punishment for writing too little, and being there for yourself when you need it. Writing is part therapy and part communication. Try to write as much as you can, but also allow yourself the freedom that the work demands.

Personally, I stand by the 1,000 word quota, simply because it works for me. I enjoy it, I get good enough results from it, and it makes me feel accomplished. Have I ever questioned my own methods? Of course. Working as a writer is like working as your own personal trainer at the gym. You need to know how much, when, and in what way to push yourself. I continue to keep my quota going as long as I can, but with work and class (as well as different stories going on at the same time in my head), it’s just impossible to do everything that I wish.

What works? Again, it really depends. For someone, writing a couple of sentences before bed can be enough to get him or her going until the next day. For others, they may feel that 2,000 words a day is worthy of any acknowledgement. Working with others, as well, forces you to work as much as you can; several times, I’ve had other writers tell me that I’m just not writing enough, which is nice because they hold me accountable when I myself am unable to do so. Beating yourself up about it, however, is something a writer should never do. By changing writing into something that you have to do rather than what you get to do, you ultimately take the fun out of it. You ruin your chance of wanting to return to a story because it honestly gripped you. For a writer at any level, that there is the kiss of death, whiskers and all.

My students come to me every day when I’m in my school’s lab, and I get to hear how they enjoy writing now because they realize it’s not work — it’s fun when they allow for it.

That’s all you can ever do. Allow for it, and be proud of those moments when you do. That there will build you a quota and keep you pressing forward amidst a hectic schedule and series of setbacks.

June’s Book of the Month, The Book of Lapism, Deluxe Edition is by member Phil Geusz.

“If biotech can sculpt the body, can it also shape the mind. . . and soul?

The New Book of Lapism contains all of the original short stories, presented in their original order of publication, as well as the new stories ‘Prodigal Son’ and ‘Chosen People.'”

Published by Legion Printing. Available from Amazon.

The ballot has been announced, and voting for the 2014 Cóyotl Awards is now open! Votes will be accepted through Saturday, August 15.

Congratulations to all the 2014 nominees:

Best Novel
The Bees by Laline Paull
Bête by Adam Roberts
Off the Beaten Path by Rukis

Best Novella
Going Concerns by Watts Martin
Huntress by Renee Carter Hall
The Mysterious Affair of Giles by Kyell Gold

Best Short Story
Cold Scent by Alice Dryden
Jackalope Wives by Ursula Vernon
Pavlov’s House by Malcolm Cross

Best Anthology
Abandoned Places edited by Tarl “Voice” Hoch
Tales from the Guild:  Music to Your Ears edited by AnthroAquatic

 
Vote here.

See lists of previous winners.

Welcome to our newest members Rob Baird, Lawrence M. Schoen, John Lynne, Rebecca Mickley, and Amy Fontaine!

In book release news, you can now purchase J. F. R. Coates’ Reborn, the new deluxe edition of Phil Geusz’ Book of Lapism, the new hardcover edition of Paul Kidd’s A Whisper of Wings, Kidd’s latest novel GeneStorm: City in the Sky (in Kindle and print formats), and John Van Stry’s Interregnum (sequel to his Children of Steel). Online, Patrick “Bahumat” Rochefort’s From Winter’s Ashes has published Chapter 2.2 and Chapter 2.3.

In short fiction news, Mary E. Lowd’s science fiction story “Panda-Mensional” has appeared in Neo-Opsis, and Weasel has furry fiction in Earth is Huge and We’re All On It. And in poetry news, Weasel’s collection The Hell Inside Us is now available.

In other news, Vixyy Fox’s children’s book Improbable… Never Impossible (illustrated by Cara Bevan and published by Rabbit Valley) won the 2015 Indie Excellence Award in the Children’s Fiction – Early Reader category, and our own M. C. A. Hogarth was elected to the office of Vice President of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America.

Congrats, everyone!

(Members: Want your news here? Start a thread in our Member News forum!)

Upcoming deadlines:  The conbook for Maltese FurCon closes to submissions on June 15, and Rocky Mountain Fur Con’s conbook closes on July 15. The furry anthology Fragments of Life’s Heart closes on August 15.

In non-furry markets, the fantasy anthology Into the Mist seeks dragon stories, deadline July 1.

Remember to keep an eye on our Calls for Submissions thread and our Publishing and Marketing forum for all the latest news and openings!

Nominations for the Cóyotl Awards close today! Last chance to recognize the best furry fiction from 2014. If you need a refresher on what’s eligible, check out our 2014 recommended works thread!

On Goodreads? The FWG now has a Goodreads group, and we also now have a bookshelf featuring books by our members. Feel free to add any members’ books we’ve missed so far (see the instructions here on how to do that).

We’re always open for guest blog post submissions from members — good exposure and a great way to help out fellow writers. See our guidelines for details.

Need a beta reader? Check out our critique board (you’ll need to be registered with the forum in order to view it).

Want to hang out and talk shop with other furry writers? Come join us for the Coffeehouse Chats, Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Eastern, Thursdays at 12 p.m. Eastern, and Saturdays at 5 p.m. Eastern — all held right in the forum shoutbox. More info here.

As always, our forums are open to everyone, not just FWG members. Come register and join the conversation!

That’s all for this month! Send an email to furwritersguild (at) gmail.com with news, suggestions, and other feedback, or just comment here.

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

It’s not published as yet, but my most recently accepted piece is an as-yet-unnamed (well, to-be-renamed) story that will appear in the upcoming noir-themed anthology from FurPlanet. It was actually my second try on that particular project – I’d started a piece and had a few thousand words down before I realized I had a start, a finish, and no way of connecting them, so I scrapped it. Brandon Sanderson’s podcast “Writing Excuses” helped me get the next one started: it advised that you should feel free to drop a project if it’s not working, and try something new. So I did – kicked around ideas for freshening up the genre and wound up combining noir with dieselpunk for a very cool style. And, as I often do, I had some help from music – in this case, the slightly obscure Canadian band Hemingway Corner. Their song “Annabelle” caught in my head during a lunchtime walk at work and propelled me into creating several characters, some plot points, etc. I love it when that happens.

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

Rarely do I have more than a rough idea of plot points when I sit down to write. I find that to be liberating, actually: it means that the story is written organically, rather than being pushed to this bullet point or that twist. One of my favorite exercises is to write something from random prompts. Occasionally I go to Twitter and ask my followers for three things, which I then write a story around. Two pieces published this year started from those random prompts, so it works well! I’m also often a first-draft writer, which comes from ten years of writing for newspapers on tight deadlines. Larger projects get multiple editing sessions and test reads, of course!

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

The kind that draws me in emotionally – when my characters start “talking” to me about where they should be going and what they should be doing, or when they share their emotions with me. If I make myself tear up, it usually guarantees that story’s going to be excellent.

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

Oh boy. Most of my characters have a piece or two of me included in them, but probably the closest would be from some of my earliest works. Back in the Usenet days I started posting stories based around a skunk named Erik and his partner, Colin, a raccoon. Erik’s a journalist, kind of laid back, not super self-confident, not sure about where he fits in life but determined enough to make his way forward with the help of his friends. I think that’s kind of where I’m at.

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

I’ve been reading anything and everything since I was 3 or so, vast amounts of fantasy and SF along with some mainstream fiction, comics, and so forth. Along the way I stumbled across a collection of Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe novels and fell in love with his work – it was one of the first times I realized that a good ending doesn’t necessarily have to be a happy ending. John Varley’s Titan series made that point as well, as did a relatively obscure series of military SF novels by Allan Cole and Chris Bunch (the Sten series – highly recommended).

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

Book is hard to pick, so series: Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory’s Obsidian Trilogy is one of my favorites. I recently reread it because I really enjoy it. Jim Butcher’s Codex Alera series is pretty awesome too.

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

Photography’s a big one; I’m an avid shooter, with a penchant for birds and airplanes among other things. I also play a fair blues guitar and enjoy various video games. Con running is a big part of my free time lately; I’ve been working with VancouFur since it started, and am currently the President of the (soon to be officially registered as a non-profit society) BC Anthropomorphic Events Association.

8. Advice for other writers?

Write. Just write. Don’t have ideas? Ask for a prompt. Writer’s block? Change to something else and start again. Paint pictures with your words, whether they’re a stick figure or a Renoir – because every word painting you produce is valuable in some way, whether it’s just to you or to your readers.

9. Where can readers find your work?

This year, everywhere! I’ve got stories in, or scheduled to be in, The Furry Future, the noir anthology, Heat #12, and the Rainfurrest charity anthology – so far. If that’s not enough, most of my web-posted pieces (which are largely adult-themed, so be advised) over the years are on FurAffinity (tgreyfox) and Sofurry (Tony Greyfox).

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

This fandom is friendly, pretty chill, and allows me to write stories about two-legged animals boinking. What else could you ask for?

Check out Tony Greyfox’s member bio here!

by Renee Carter Hall

Writers today have more tools than ever to choose from. We can tap out notes on a phone or type our stories on a laptop or tablet. With all the spellchecking, grammar checking, sync, and instant backups at our fingertips, why would anyone still bother to write by hand? What can a pen and notebook give us that a word processor can’t?

• A slower process. In today’s on-demand culture, that might not sound like a benefit. But when it comes to writing, faster isn’t always better, and writing by hand can force you to slow down and weigh your thoughts as you put them on paper.

• Fewer distractions. When you write by hand, there are no emails, games, or social media to demand your attention. You can also write in a coffee shop without scoping out the available power outlets — and while I’ve learned the hard way that waterproof ink is sometimes a good idea, I’ve still never gotten an error message from a notebook.

• A different mindset.  For me, there’s something very direct and true about writing first drafts by hand. Typed writing can feel “finished” before its time, and while I’d never trade a computer for editing, the drafting process feels more intimate in my own handwriting than a font. I’m sure some of this is generational, but to me, writing done by hand is writing for the self, while typing on a keyboard puts me in a “public writing” mindset — blog posts, emails, functional writing instead of creative — where writing by hand reminds me of childhood days spent scribbling stories in wide-ruled notebooks, and reminds me that writing is supposed to be fun. A journal feels like a safe, private, patient space to experiment, in a way a blinking cursor can’t duplicate.

I’ve kept some form of writer’s notebook (or journal, whatever term appeals to you) for over twenty years, and I can’t imagine giving it up. My journals have been to me what a sketchbook is to an artist: a gym for exercise, a laboratory for experimentation, a butterfly net for rounding up stray thoughts. Unless I’m on a tight deadline where I have to get from first draft to submitted work in a hurry, my preference is to write the first draft by hand. (This also has the fringe benefit of easing me into the editing process, since I always start making changes to the text as I’m typing up the draft.)

My notebooks also place my writing within the larger scope of my life. Interspersed among story drafts and notes are quirky lists of favorite commercials, possible character names, passages I’ve loved from books and poems, and the odd to-do list. To me there’s something delightfully grounding in that. There’s also a physical pleasure in writing with a good pen on quality paper, and there’s a sense of accomplishment that comes with filling pages in a journal that isn’t quite matched by keeping track of word counts in a spreadsheet.

Keeping a notebook isn’t for everyone, of course. Some have physical restrictions that make writing by hand impractical, and if you’re prone to losing things, you’re probably better off with tools that allow for backups. Writers who keep notebooks have to be comfortable with a certain amount of chaos and inefficiency, but out of that chaos can come a playful serendipity that brings renewed focus, deeper contemplation, and revitalized creativity — all from putting pen to paper.

My current journal, open to the notes and brainstorming for this blog post.

• Choose materials you’re comfortable with. That might be a handmade leather journal or a black-and-white composition book, a pencil or a fountain pen. Different moods and projects can also call for different tools.
• Take it along. Try to choose a journal you can easily carry with you, or keep one at home and a smaller one in your bag.
• Play! Experiment with tools — write in pencil, marker, crayon. Try out prompts. Paste in pictures from magazines, cancelled stamps, ticket stubs. Make it part of your life, not just your writing life.

• Paperblanks (my favorite journals!)
• Renaissance Art (handmade leather journals at affordable prices)
• Lovenotebooks
• Goldspot
• Jetpens

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!

by Carmen K. Welsh

As my time in graduate school draws to a close, commencement this June, I remember this is what my first term mentor said.

My thesis is a historical novel with anthropomorphic dogs in late Prohibition-era New York. For those who follow me on Twitter and through my ‘In Pretty Print‘ blog, I’ve been ranting/raving throughout its process. It had been a pet project of mine since sixth grade (!). I wrote the story on and off, using it as fodder to make my writing chops stronger in other areas before it went in a drawer or computer folder to be forgotten.

I became so disgusted with it that I prayed if I could get into a writing program that would give me the time to make it into something, I would actually complete it. If not, I would put it away forever. After all, I had other story ideas vying for attention, and I didn’t want to waste my writing on a piece that was going nowhere.

In November 2012, I found a promising MFA that actually responded to my queries. The program was in my state and I could get to its campus by train. The MFA was a hybrid-residency. This meant that for part of the year I’m on campus, meeting with schoolmates, faculty, and staff. For the rest of the term, I would work and submit online under the tutelage of a mentor chosen for me.

The deadline for submission to the program would be the last week in January 2013. By December 2012, I contacted both alma maters for transcripts, typed up a personal statement, and worked on a chapter from the dreaded manuscript to fit the school’s submission guidelines.

And then I prayed again.

I was told that I would receive a response by mid-April. This meant I’d start in summer term.

However, my mother has prescient dreams and when she said I would get into this program, I believed her. When March started, I received a call that I had been accepted!

June 2013 came. A mentor had been chosen for me, which made sense since I wouldn’t be familiar with anyone. Though I’ve been in other writing workshops thanks to my former community college, I felt intimidated by the fact that my chosen mentor was an internationally published horror novelist and I’ve never been a fan of horror though I respect the genre and its devotees.

I was also the only ‘furry’ in my workshop group. Thankfully, it was a small group of six and my mentor, as far as I knew, was not familiar with my genre, yet immediately tackled my chapters with academic gusto and literary fervor.

“It isn’t doggy enough,” he finally said, his German-accent colored after years of living in the U.S.

“I don’t feel the dogginess,” he told me.

I was stumped. What could I do? This had been a story near and dear to me, but after years of publishing other items, I knew that I’d reach critical mass with this piece. It was a dead-end.

“You’ll have to show more canine characteristics. I feel they are humans in fur coats.”

After I picked myself off the floor, my mentor offered several books for my recommended reading. Thankfully, all the titles were anthro and new to me!

The Bear Comes Home is a novel by Rafi Zabor, a jazz musician. The protagonist is an anthropomorphic bear who, with his ‘human handler’, goes from night club to night club playing his alto sax.

Next was the novel Lives of the Monster Dogs by Kirsten Bakis. This story runs more along the lines of The Island of Dr. Moreau with bio-engineered dogs using advanced prostheses to stand and move about upright.

The novel Felidae by Akif Pirincci is considered a crime/detective novel featuring a cat and his human who move into a suburb in Germany. The cat protagonist sets out to solve the mystery when the local cats begin to turn up mutilated and dead.

Paul Auster’s novel Timbuktu is told through the eyes of a dog living with his homeless owner. The dog doesn’t ‘talk’ but is a mild observer. After his owner dies, the dog strikes out alone to find his human’s fabled ‘Timbuktu’.

Last was the screenplay Heart of a Dog by Mikhail Bulgakov, a Russian playwright and satirist. During the Bolshevik-era, a scientist brings home a stray dog. After experimenting, the dog becomes a human man and mayhem ensues.

I tackled the story with a renewed vigor. My mentor also pointed out that I would have to bring about the ideas of race I struggled with to portray what made sense for dogs.

He told me that as NYC has always been culturally diverse, where were the different dogs located in the city? What breeds lived where? With his help, I dug deeper into the story than I’d ever done.

I was so pleased that I requested him for a second term. The program obliged — as a student can be allowed the same mentor twice — and the second semester became even more eye-opening. One particular chapter I swore nearly choked up my mentor. Though I received constructive criticism from classmates whose own works I admired, that day when my mentor explained how profound he felt towards the workshopped chapter and later his beaming feedback to an online assignment, I knew I was on the right track.

This journey began with a community college English professor telling me to consider creative writing, to the creative writing professor who said ‘Continue to write about these talking dogs’, and finally, to my professor/mentor, a published novelist, becoming excited by what I wrote. This is why I’m a writer.

My thesis will be several chapters of a brand-spanking new manuscript. I will have written the best pages I could. After graduation, I plan to continue the novel, with all the lessons that brought me to this moment. This is why I continue to write furry.

May’s Book of the Month, The Painted Cat, is by member Austen Crowder (author of Bait and Switch).

“Janet lives in two worlds.

In one world, she is Miss Perch, teacher at a small school deep in the corn grids, helping kids who are turning into cartoon find their way out of town.

In the other, she is Bunny Cat, and paints herself up to be the very same type of cartoon cat her small town has grown to hate.

The wall separating those two worlds is starting to break down. Between rekindling a relationship with an old college flame and discovering how much she loves being Bunny Cat her two worlds are starting to merge. Keeping up the appearances of two separate lives is bad enough, but when kids start getting sent away for turning toon she knows she can’t stand on the sideline any longer.

Two things are for sure: the two worlds won’t stay distinct for much longer, and Janet won’t come out unscathed.”

Parental rating PG.  Available from FurPlanet.

Welcome to our newest members Sean Cleary/Gödel Fishbreath, John Van Stry, and Bill Kieffer!

The furry site [adjective][species] published their first poetry feature in April, including works from several of our members and forum friends. Well worth a read, even if you think you’re not into poetry — you just might be surprised. (We also have a new poetry section in our forums.)

Several of our members also have stories and poems up on QuarterReads, a site offering flash fiction and poetry for just 25 cents a read. See this thread for more info.

Eduardo Soliz recently released Super-Short Sci-Fi Stories 2.8, available for just 99 cents at Amazon and other fine digital bookstores, and Donald Jacob Uitvlugt‘s “To Sail the Winds of Song” is online at Another Dimension. Patrick “Bahumat” Rochefort’s “From Winter’s Ashes” continued with Chapter 2.1.

In book news, Friday’s first book Learning to Go will be available very soon from Jaffa Books, Weasel’s Cigarette Burns is now available from Kool Kids Press, and Austen Crowder’s second novel The Painted Cat is available for pre-order from FurPlanet. Congrats, everyone!

(Members: Want your news here? Start a thread in our Member News forum!)

Upcoming deadlines:  Trick or Treat 3 closes to submissions on June 1. For conbook deadlines, Megaplex’s conbook closes on May 22 and Maltese FurCon’s on June 15.

Remember to keep an eye on our Calls for Submissions thread and our Publishing and Marketing forum for the latest news and openings!

Nominations for the Cóyotl Awards are open through June 1. Members, now’s your chance to recognize the best furry fiction from 2014. If you need a refresher on what’s eligible, check out our 2014 recommended works thread and be sure to add your favorites!

The FWG now has a Goodreads group! (Thanks, Munchkin!) That means we also now have a bookshelf featuring books by our members. If you’re on Goodreads, feel free to add any members’ books we’ve missed so far (see the instructions here on how to do that).

We’re always open for guest blog post submissions from members — good exposure and a great way to help out fellow writers. See our guidelines for details.

Need a beta reader? Check out our critique board (you’ll need to be registered with the forum in order to view it).

Want to hang out and talk shop with other furry writers? Come join us for the Coffeehouse Chats, Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Eastern, Thursdays at 12 p.m. Eastern, and Saturdays at 5 p.m. Eastern — all held right in the forum shoutbox. More info here.

As always, our forums are open to everyone, not just FWG members. Come register and join the conversation!

That’s all for this month! Send an email to furwritersguild (at) gmail.com with news, suggestions, and other feedback, or just comment here.

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

My most recent published work is “Squeezer,” a story in the Rabbit Valley anthology Trick or Treat II: Historical Halloween.

Lately, for whatever reason, I’ve been reading and writing a lot of detective stories. I had a series of crime stories involving a modern-day character named Derrick Clydesbank. I had also read a fair deal about the Jack the Ripper case. When the call went out for stories about historical Halloweens, those things percolated and produced my story, “Squeezer,” set in “Vixtorian” London.

Of course this is a century and a half before Derrick’s day, in another country, so I couldn’t use my modern characters. I did still slip in a Father Clydesbank, an “Anglican” priest. He is probably one of Derrick’s less dangerous relatives.

The story is also a horror story, and as usual in horror stories I go with whatever horrifies me myself. Some people think horror writers are monsters for being able to think up such cruel and terrifying stories, but I think most of them are just poor fools who are easier to scare than normal.

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

When I’m on the trail of something really big I go by the seat of the pants. I follow the characters where they lead, and when they show me where they are going I am at least as surprised by it as any reader would be.

The interesting thing about such seat of the pants writing, for me, is that it is always clear that the characters clearly knew where the story was going all along. I never need to go back to put in hints, clues, or foreshadowing; they’re all there already. The story was complete, hanging out there somewhere, and all I did was write it down the way it happened. I’m not sure whether this is more delightful or creepy.

Of course, as I said, I’ve done crime and mystery stories lately, and those are different. To the extent that a story is a mystery, it is more a puzzle than a piece of literature. Puzzles need clues, forms, shapes, and frameworks. The pieces all have to fit, and you have to decide where the detective and the reader will find them. Mystery stories I plan out in my head in advance, although I don’t write formal outlines for them. A few notes are sufficient.

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

The big sweeping adventure tale within which I can get lost. Hopefully my readers will too!

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

I don’t identify with any of them too much, although of course all of them incorporate parts of me.

Probably the character I can come closest to identifying with is Dean Lansen, one of the protagonists in Hilltown, a science fiction/fantasy novel published by Melange Books. In a way this is vain because Dean is something more or less than human, almost godlike within his limited range. However, he feels set apart from humanity, as I sometimes do. Above all else, Dean was a character in some of my dreams and lives in a dream version of a town well known and very dear to me. He may not be me, but he is a close neighbor and I know him well.

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

Robert A. Heinlein’s classic teen science fiction novels, such books as Starship Troopers; Have Spacesuit, Will Travel; Tunnel in the Sky; Rocket Ship Galileo (space Nazis!) and of course his various short story collections of the era. I don’t think they have influenced my style all that much, but they lined one shelf in a library where I went as a kid, and I read them all at least once. They got me going in science fiction, which led me to fantasy and furry lit.

In fact, my approach to the furry fandom was via science fiction. I wrote and enjoyed stories with alien characters who were more than just small men in green face paint. Good aliens act and think differently because they aren’t human. Good furry characters do too.

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

One Corpse Too Many by Ellis Peters. It is a mystery set in England during The Anarchy, as I believe it is called. It stars her pious clergyman, good detective, and fine human being, Brother Cadfael.

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

I enjoy those furry conventions I visit. I enjoy reading SF, fantasy, and history, messing around with AM radios to see what comes in at night, and sightseeing and all the usual tourist stuff.

8. Advice for other writers?

Read.

Do what works for you. To make people groan, I like to say “There’s no way to do it wrong, that’s why they call it writing.”

Another piece of advice someone gave me (unfortunately I forget whom) also comes into play. Everyone has a certain amount of bad writing in them. Some more, some less, but everybody has at least some bad stuff. You have to write all that out before the good stuff starts coming out. Get to it.

Have fun. It will keep you going.

9. Where can readers find your work?

My stories appear in Rabbit Valley’s anthologies Trick or Treat, Trick or Treat II, and Pulp! I have a story in the FurPlanet anthology Abandoned Places. My novel Hilltown was published by Melange Books, you may find it at http://www.melange-books.com/authors/billrogers/hilltown.html. I had several stories in the online magazine Anthro, at anthrozine.com. That magazine hasn’t had any activity in a long time but the archived stories are still in place, including mine.

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

The creativity. Other fandoms are creative and dedicated in following their fantasy worlds of choice, be it Trek, comics, or whatever. They create their own characters to explore those worlds. But in the furry fandom, most of us create the worlds too.

Check out Bill “Hafoc” Rogers’ member bio here!