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Please pray for my cousin.They say she only has days to live
General | Posted 15 years agoForgive me if this post is rather quick-worded, but I just received a phone call from my dad saying that my cousin, Cathy, is back in the hospital for leukemia. She's been going in an out of the hospital for at least half a decade now, but she's always been able to fight this, regardless of what the doctors say.
Now though, my grandmother went to go see her (as she always does) but I sensed more worry when I was told about this. I feel God had spoken on this issue and said "She does not have a few days. She will live a lot longer than that, but she must be prayed for."
I am asking for heartfelt prayers for Cathy that God will prove these doctors wrong (once again) and help her pull her through as she has done before. Please pray that she and her family will not lose hope, that they find that light in the darkness and shine forth through this time of trial.
God has not called her home yet.
-Vaperfox
Now though, my grandmother went to go see her (as she always does) but I sensed more worry when I was told about this. I feel God had spoken on this issue and said "She does not have a few days. She will live a lot longer than that, but she must be prayed for."
I am asking for heartfelt prayers for Cathy that God will prove these doctors wrong (once again) and help her pull her through as she has done before. Please pray that she and her family will not lose hope, that they find that light in the darkness and shine forth through this time of trial.
God has not called her home yet.
-Vaperfox
I return!
General | Posted 15 years agoI've been away from FA for a busy two months, but I'm now I'm back!
*Looks at message center info*
OH MY GOSH. 907 New messages!?!?!?!
This is gonna take a while.
-Vaperfox
*Looks at message center info*
OH MY GOSH. 907 New messages!?!?!?!
This is gonna take a while.
-Vaperfox
Real Places in Stories: Can you write about them w/o worry?
General | Posted 15 years agoI want to add a famous stadium currently in existence into my story, but is there a law that says you have to ask for permission before including such a location into a work of fiction? I know you can write about cities no problem, but what about specific locations like a stadium (which I believe is privately owned)?
-Vaperfox
-Vaperfox
Frustration:Knowing that future potential is better than now
General | Posted 15 years agoI'm currently writing a revision for I story I want to submit to the Anthropomorphic Dreams Anthology, due May 31, located here: http://www.anthrodreams.com/about/
I'm on the third version of a story I've been working on for a while and already I have ideas for version 4 which feel more literary. This keeps happening to me because I want to write the kind of stories which will elevate anthro fiction. I have high goals and high inspiration, like Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke, all science fiction masters in their own right.
So far, it seems to me that "brevity is the soul of wit" (so sayeth the Shakespeare) and I find that most of my anthro stories work best when they're shorter. The longer I attempt to make a tale, the tougher it seems to keep it literary. My longer works usually have more action (see: fighting) and I'd rather they have more drama.
What do others have to say about this?
-Vaperfox
I'm on the third version of a story I've been working on for a while and already I have ideas for version 4 which feel more literary. This keeps happening to me because I want to write the kind of stories which will elevate anthro fiction. I have high goals and high inspiration, like Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke, all science fiction masters in their own right.
So far, it seems to me that "brevity is the soul of wit" (so sayeth the Shakespeare) and I find that most of my anthro stories work best when they're shorter. The longer I attempt to make a tale, the tougher it seems to keep it literary. My longer works usually have more action (see: fighting) and I'd rather they have more drama.
What do others have to say about this?
-Vaperfox
I plan to return to ACEN in May. What other furs are going?
General | Posted 16 years agoFor the past two years, I've attended Anime Central in Rosemont, Illinois. This year I plan on going again, but I want to try to contact a few furs ahead of time so I can finally enjoy the convention from a more furry-centered perspective.
Here's the website: http://www.acen.org/
ACEN takes place from May 14-16.
Is anyone planning on going to ACEN? If not, do you know where I could reach some furs who are?
-Vaperfox
Here's the website: http://www.acen.org/
ACEN takes place from May 14-16.
Is anyone planning on going to ACEN? If not, do you know where I could reach some furs who are?
-Vaperfox
Seven little habits and quirks of mine
General | Posted 16 years agoSeven Things
(1) Side Info
I often enjoy writing the side information for stories far more than writing the stories themselves. Like in video games when you read the scattered papers or files in Resident Evil 2 which allude to events which previously happened. I enjoy creating context and story through additions on a foundation rather than adding to the basic foundation itself. I feel it makes the story a lot more real, like creating fake newspapers to go with important plotlines.
(2) Helping out contemporary writers
I like helping contemporary writers and peers with their writing rather than focusing on old classics. Shakespeare and Edgar Allan Poe are already greatly lauded, so I want to help the new era of writers develop their craft. It's always a great moment when I get to see a friend or fellow writer move up to the next level of skill and craft.
(3) Stubborn at Games
When I play video games, if the game is any fun, I will keep trying to beat the level, even if I've failed over and over again. Challenging games like Left 4 Dead exemplify this because they're fun, but extremely hard on their most severe difficulty levels. It's not often you see games which treat the player as an experienced individual who has to earn their right to continue.
(4) Cute Costumes
There is just something about cute fursuits that always makes me smile. If I see enough images of great fursuits, it makes me feel like I'm witnessing a truly special part of the furry fandom. Lucky and Skuff of Don't Hug Cacti Studios make adorable outfits. I seriously want one. Just look at this image of Lucky and see how cute their costumes are: http://www.donthugcacti.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=9&pos=3
(5) The Fierce Female: I Truly Respect Thee
I adore the fierce females shown in movies and media. These women look at the damsel in distress motif, smash it into the ground, stomp on its face, and stand triumphantly over it. They prove that women should never see themselves as weak and can stand toe-to-toe with any male counterpart, even better in some cases. My favorite fierce femmes include Linda Hamilton from Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Sigourney Weaver in Aliens and Avatar, and Zoe Saldana as Neytiri from Avatar. Linda Hamilton holds the top spot because of little things like this:
When Linda Hamilton was filming a scene in Terminator 2 where she was supposed to get hit in the stomach by a male guard, the actor refused to hit her, even though she told him to hit her as hard as possible to make it realistic. Turns out the scene had to be sped up to make it look like he hit her. But in a later scene where Hamilton has to knock the guard out with a hit to the face with a broken broom handle, she literally smashes his nose, thus breaking it. When you see the movie scene where the guard stumbles back with a bloody nose, that's his real blood. Linda Hamilton is hardcore. Also, the name of her combat trainer who prepared her for acting in Terminator 2? Uzi.
(Info taken from James Cameron's commentary in the Special Edition DVD of Terminator 2:Judgment Day)
Another interesting note: All my favorite fierce females are from James Cameron movies. And as of this month, he holds the two highest grossing movies of all time (Titanic and Avatar). Coincidence? I think not.
(6) Horse is my Second Favorite
It's pretty obvious my favorite animal is the fox, but my second favorite is the horse. With the fox, it became my favorite virtually overnight. But the horse has had to work for its position in my number two slot. The more I learn about equines, the more I respect them. Their high intelligence, independence, and strength all strike kinship with me. Plus, they're amazingly beautiful and I gotta admit: I think horses have the best hair in the animal kingdom. Think about it.
(7) Astronomy
I've always had a love for astronomy, but it's also one of those things I have a hard time finding outlets for. I rely on National Geographic and NASA for most of the images I've come to know and love. My favorite is the Horsehead Nebula (See Quirk No. 6). I constantly look for new images which would spark my imagination. I've always wanted to go stargazing in a place far from cities, so I could see as much of the Milky Way as possible (the universe, not the candy, although when I eat one of those I often think there's a universe of flavor in my mouth).
----
And I know I'm supposed to tag seven people, but I'm issuing an open tag to all my watchers. Whoever wants to try this seven little quirks list can do so.
-Vaperfox
(1) Side Info
I often enjoy writing the side information for stories far more than writing the stories themselves. Like in video games when you read the scattered papers or files in Resident Evil 2 which allude to events which previously happened. I enjoy creating context and story through additions on a foundation rather than adding to the basic foundation itself. I feel it makes the story a lot more real, like creating fake newspapers to go with important plotlines.
(2) Helping out contemporary writers
I like helping contemporary writers and peers with their writing rather than focusing on old classics. Shakespeare and Edgar Allan Poe are already greatly lauded, so I want to help the new era of writers develop their craft. It's always a great moment when I get to see a friend or fellow writer move up to the next level of skill and craft.
(3) Stubborn at Games
When I play video games, if the game is any fun, I will keep trying to beat the level, even if I've failed over and over again. Challenging games like Left 4 Dead exemplify this because they're fun, but extremely hard on their most severe difficulty levels. It's not often you see games which treat the player as an experienced individual who has to earn their right to continue.
(4) Cute Costumes
There is just something about cute fursuits that always makes me smile. If I see enough images of great fursuits, it makes me feel like I'm witnessing a truly special part of the furry fandom. Lucky and Skuff of Don't Hug Cacti Studios make adorable outfits. I seriously want one. Just look at this image of Lucky and see how cute their costumes are: http://www.donthugcacti.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=9&pos=3
(5) The Fierce Female: I Truly Respect Thee
I adore the fierce females shown in movies and media. These women look at the damsel in distress motif, smash it into the ground, stomp on its face, and stand triumphantly over it. They prove that women should never see themselves as weak and can stand toe-to-toe with any male counterpart, even better in some cases. My favorite fierce femmes include Linda Hamilton from Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Sigourney Weaver in Aliens and Avatar, and Zoe Saldana as Neytiri from Avatar. Linda Hamilton holds the top spot because of little things like this:
When Linda Hamilton was filming a scene in Terminator 2 where she was supposed to get hit in the stomach by a male guard, the actor refused to hit her, even though she told him to hit her as hard as possible to make it realistic. Turns out the scene had to be sped up to make it look like he hit her. But in a later scene where Hamilton has to knock the guard out with a hit to the face with a broken broom handle, she literally smashes his nose, thus breaking it. When you see the movie scene where the guard stumbles back with a bloody nose, that's his real blood. Linda Hamilton is hardcore. Also, the name of her combat trainer who prepared her for acting in Terminator 2? Uzi.
(Info taken from James Cameron's commentary in the Special Edition DVD of Terminator 2:Judgment Day)
Another interesting note: All my favorite fierce females are from James Cameron movies. And as of this month, he holds the two highest grossing movies of all time (Titanic and Avatar). Coincidence? I think not.
(6) Horse is my Second Favorite
It's pretty obvious my favorite animal is the fox, but my second favorite is the horse. With the fox, it became my favorite virtually overnight. But the horse has had to work for its position in my number two slot. The more I learn about equines, the more I respect them. Their high intelligence, independence, and strength all strike kinship with me. Plus, they're amazingly beautiful and I gotta admit: I think horses have the best hair in the animal kingdom. Think about it.
(7) Astronomy
I've always had a love for astronomy, but it's also one of those things I have a hard time finding outlets for. I rely on National Geographic and NASA for most of the images I've come to know and love. My favorite is the Horsehead Nebula (See Quirk No. 6). I constantly look for new images which would spark my imagination. I've always wanted to go stargazing in a place far from cities, so I could see as much of the Milky Way as possible (the universe, not the candy, although when I eat one of those I often think there's a universe of flavor in my mouth).
----
And I know I'm supposed to tag seven people, but I'm issuing an open tag to all my watchers. Whoever wants to try this seven little quirks list can do so.
-Vaperfox
NaNoWriMo has started!
General | Posted 16 years agoI have decided to attempt NaNoWriMo this year. It's an unofficial attempt, because I'm keeping my own tally as opposed to posting the word count at https://www.Nanowrimo.org .
I setup my old computer again the other day and found it was built for gaming and not typing. Only has WordPad, and for those of you unfamiliar with it, it's functionality is little more than a typewriter with the ability to delete words. No spell check and no word court either, which means if I hit that 50,000 count at the end of the month, then it'll do so without counting day-to-day. Talk about tough.
I'm approaching NaNoWriMo as a fun expedition rather than a full-out attempt to write a coherent novel. I'm guessing I'll only be satisfied with about 25% of what I write when I move to revising (if I get to that stage), so I'm just going to enjoy the ride.
I like to think of it in these terms:
Those who do nothing, achieve nothing.
Those who do something, achieve something.
Even those who fail, achieve a result.
Those who do nothing fail to achieve even failure.
I hope you can see the positive in that, past the continual use of the word "failure." If I simply try to write something for NaNoWriMo, I'll still have more than if I hadn't tried at all.
-Vaperfox
I setup my old computer again the other day and found it was built for gaming and not typing. Only has WordPad, and for those of you unfamiliar with it, it's functionality is little more than a typewriter with the ability to delete words. No spell check and no word court either, which means if I hit that 50,000 count at the end of the month, then it'll do so without counting day-to-day. Talk about tough.
I'm approaching NaNoWriMo as a fun expedition rather than a full-out attempt to write a coherent novel. I'm guessing I'll only be satisfied with about 25% of what I write when I move to revising (if I get to that stage), so I'm just going to enjoy the ride.
I like to think of it in these terms:
Those who do nothing, achieve nothing.
Those who do something, achieve something.
Even those who fail, achieve a result.
Those who do nothing fail to achieve even failure.
I hope you can see the positive in that, past the continual use of the word "failure." If I simply try to write something for NaNoWriMo, I'll still have more than if I hadn't tried at all.
-Vaperfox
Learning to let go of the small fish
General | Posted 16 years agoAs I attempted to write something for today's Thursday Prompt, I realized something: I find it very difficult to let the small fish go.
My story doesn't feel like it's working in its current form and I don't like to post something unless I feel it's in top shape. It occurred to me that once I start writing a story, I rarely stop until it's done. This is both a strength and a boon at times.
Right now, I'm trying to brainstorm new ideas for the prompt of "the tree" but my original idea, despite its incomplete form, still nags at me.
Does anyone ever have a problem with ditching an idea even after you've started it?
-Vaperfox
My story doesn't feel like it's working in its current form and I don't like to post something unless I feel it's in top shape. It occurred to me that once I start writing a story, I rarely stop until it's done. This is both a strength and a boon at times.
Right now, I'm trying to brainstorm new ideas for the prompt of "the tree" but my original idea, despite its incomplete form, still nags at me.
Does anyone ever have a problem with ditching an idea even after you've started it?
-Vaperfox
Luxury vs. Necessity
General | Posted 16 years agoIt's weird to realize how little I've been subsisting on for the longest time.
I look around at other shoppers and notice how much they splurge, even in this recession. They buy Xbox games at 50 bucks a piece, DVD's at 10-20 dollars, and masses of food to make gourmet meals.
And then here I am buying so little in an attempt to stay on budget. I've tried so many different ways to use ground beef that I'm sick of it. Beef sandwiches, beef burgers, beef with spaghetti, lemon pepper beef, seasoned beef, and who knows what else.
When I stop to think about it, I realize I've been focusing so much on food that I've left room for little else. Video games? I'll be lucky if I can buy the occasional book or two from Half-Price. Television? I'll have to make do with internet shows. A night at the theatre? If I'm lucky, I get to do this once every two or three months.
Funny thing is, I don't even want those things. I just want to be happy with what I do and what I like is writing, but it's common knowledge that selling fiction is usually a side-job compared to daily work. People tell me to look for jobs related to my love of writing, but I've always found writing as a job which accents whatever main work you happen to be doing at the time. Some happen to have writing as their primary source of funding, which if they're lucky, pays for the bills and allows some leeway for a comfortable life, but the truth is, writing is not easy to break into to. Authors often spend years trying to get published, and when they do, their earnings are often small. J.K. Rowling, Stephen King, and others are exceptions to the rule.
So again I prepare myself to go through another round of searching for writing opportunities while still supporting the writing community I hold so dear.
-Vaperfox
I look around at other shoppers and notice how much they splurge, even in this recession. They buy Xbox games at 50 bucks a piece, DVD's at 10-20 dollars, and masses of food to make gourmet meals.
And then here I am buying so little in an attempt to stay on budget. I've tried so many different ways to use ground beef that I'm sick of it. Beef sandwiches, beef burgers, beef with spaghetti, lemon pepper beef, seasoned beef, and who knows what else.
When I stop to think about it, I realize I've been focusing so much on food that I've left room for little else. Video games? I'll be lucky if I can buy the occasional book or two from Half-Price. Television? I'll have to make do with internet shows. A night at the theatre? If I'm lucky, I get to do this once every two or three months.
Funny thing is, I don't even want those things. I just want to be happy with what I do and what I like is writing, but it's common knowledge that selling fiction is usually a side-job compared to daily work. People tell me to look for jobs related to my love of writing, but I've always found writing as a job which accents whatever main work you happen to be doing at the time. Some happen to have writing as their primary source of funding, which if they're lucky, pays for the bills and allows some leeway for a comfortable life, but the truth is, writing is not easy to break into to. Authors often spend years trying to get published, and when they do, their earnings are often small. J.K. Rowling, Stephen King, and others are exceptions to the rule.
So again I prepare myself to go through another round of searching for writing opportunities while still supporting the writing community I hold so dear.
-Vaperfox
Writer Questions, Take 2!
General | Posted 16 years agoTaken from Duroc’s journal. Thanks Duroc! :) http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/926798/
~How often do you get writer’s block?
I’d say “often enough.” It happens when I try to go against story flow and make something completely different than what I was originally writing. I often think of my stories like trains coming into the station. I have to catch them by a certain time or they take off, but if I’m lucky, they’ll come back again later.
~How do you fix it?
I try not to get hung up on any one idea. So one idea gets stuck, then I try another idea or even another story and keep moving. The point is to develop momentum that carries me through a story like a freerunner runs atop buildings, passing them by on the way to a greater goal.
~Do you type or write by hand?
Both. I write sparks of ideas by hand and sometimes transcribe short stories so they’ll have one draft done. Then, when I type them, they immediately go into the revision phase. I’ve been trying to type more often so that I’ll have completed works to share with others.
~Do you save everything you write?
I save a lot of what I write, but I don’t always write a lot of what I want to save. Many ideas go through but only a few make it.
~Do you ever go back to an old idea long after you abandoned it?
Oh yes. In fact, that’s how some of my best ideas have been made. I have to find the “seed” of the idea and then do what I can to plant it. Then later, if I’m lucky and the conditions are right, that seed will come back as something beautiful I can share with others. Those moments are some of the best. =^.^=
~Do you have a constructive critic?
I have a few people who read my work and give me anything from a quick single sentence comment to a full-on review. It’s random, though, cause I don’t ask them to do one of the other. I’m happy enough to get a comment. :)
~Did you ever write a novel?
I wrote a psychological horror adventure a few years back. It was 90 pages long and was one of my greatest triumphs. I have long since moved on to other stories, but I’ve yet to beat the 90-page mark again.
~What genre would you love to write but haven’t?
Romance novel, but with lots of unique twists featuring perspective, dreams, anthros, secret identities, and different forms of expressive love, whether it be literary, artistic, emotional, spiritual, or…okay, physical. But…it’s hard to find inspiration for this genre. Romance is so personal that it’s easier to disagree with romantic ideals than to agree with them.
~What’s one genre you have never written, and probably never will?
I honestly don’t know. I’ve tried a bit of everything.
~How many writing projects are you working on right now?
One short story about a post-apocalyptic landscape.
A multi-part romance story where a dragoness is hated by the people of her town and ends up getting a secret admirer: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2734831
A multi-part satire story that involves every possible cinematic cliché I can think of: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2775858
~Do you write for a living? Do you want to?
I would like to write for a living if it meant that I could switch up the writings so that I would do journalistic reporting, op-ed pieces, entertainment reviews, nonfiction how-tos, and of course, fiction.
~Have you ever written something for a magazine or newspaper?
Nope.
~Have you ever won an award for your writing?
The most recent award I won was 2nd place out of 4 in the Summer 2009 Anthro Fiction Short Story Contest with my work entitled “Chariot” http://www.anthrofiction.net/past_c.....testID=2009_q2
~What are your five favorite words?
Mantastic. http://www.urbandictionary.com/defi.....term=Mantastic
Truthiness. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truthiness
Synesthesia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synesthesia
Dangeresque. http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail106.html
Techninlogy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYicvmoeVWY
~Do you ever write based on your dreams?
Oh yes. Many times. In fact, I get a lot of great ideas from dreams, especially when it comes to symbolism.
~Do you favor happy endings, sad endings, or cliff-hangers?
I favor endings of closure, that complete the story. It doesn’t have to be happy or sad. It simply has to bring a finality to everything so that you feel you’ve spent your reading time wisely.
~Have you ever written based on artwork you’ve seen?
Oh yes! But it eludes me at the moment. Oh wait! I would print out pics and then write about them so I could get practice with visual inspiration.
-Vaperfox
~How often do you get writer’s block?
I’d say “often enough.” It happens when I try to go against story flow and make something completely different than what I was originally writing. I often think of my stories like trains coming into the station. I have to catch them by a certain time or they take off, but if I’m lucky, they’ll come back again later.
~How do you fix it?
I try not to get hung up on any one idea. So one idea gets stuck, then I try another idea or even another story and keep moving. The point is to develop momentum that carries me through a story like a freerunner runs atop buildings, passing them by on the way to a greater goal.
~Do you type or write by hand?
Both. I write sparks of ideas by hand and sometimes transcribe short stories so they’ll have one draft done. Then, when I type them, they immediately go into the revision phase. I’ve been trying to type more often so that I’ll have completed works to share with others.
~Do you save everything you write?
I save a lot of what I write, but I don’t always write a lot of what I want to save. Many ideas go through but only a few make it.
~Do you ever go back to an old idea long after you abandoned it?
Oh yes. In fact, that’s how some of my best ideas have been made. I have to find the “seed” of the idea and then do what I can to plant it. Then later, if I’m lucky and the conditions are right, that seed will come back as something beautiful I can share with others. Those moments are some of the best. =^.^=
~Do you have a constructive critic?
I have a few people who read my work and give me anything from a quick single sentence comment to a full-on review. It’s random, though, cause I don’t ask them to do one of the other. I’m happy enough to get a comment. :)
~Did you ever write a novel?
I wrote a psychological horror adventure a few years back. It was 90 pages long and was one of my greatest triumphs. I have long since moved on to other stories, but I’ve yet to beat the 90-page mark again.
~What genre would you love to write but haven’t?
Romance novel, but with lots of unique twists featuring perspective, dreams, anthros, secret identities, and different forms of expressive love, whether it be literary, artistic, emotional, spiritual, or…okay, physical. But…it’s hard to find inspiration for this genre. Romance is so personal that it’s easier to disagree with romantic ideals than to agree with them.
~What’s one genre you have never written, and probably never will?
I honestly don’t know. I’ve tried a bit of everything.
~How many writing projects are you working on right now?
One short story about a post-apocalyptic landscape.
A multi-part romance story where a dragoness is hated by the people of her town and ends up getting a secret admirer: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2734831
A multi-part satire story that involves every possible cinematic cliché I can think of: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2775858
~Do you write for a living? Do you want to?
I would like to write for a living if it meant that I could switch up the writings so that I would do journalistic reporting, op-ed pieces, entertainment reviews, nonfiction how-tos, and of course, fiction.
~Have you ever written something for a magazine or newspaper?
Nope.
~Have you ever won an award for your writing?
The most recent award I won was 2nd place out of 4 in the Summer 2009 Anthro Fiction Short Story Contest with my work entitled “Chariot” http://www.anthrofiction.net/past_c.....testID=2009_q2
~What are your five favorite words?
Mantastic. http://www.urbandictionary.com/defi.....term=Mantastic
Truthiness. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truthiness
Synesthesia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synesthesia
Dangeresque. http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail106.html
Techninlogy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYicvmoeVWY
~Do you ever write based on your dreams?
Oh yes. Many times. In fact, I get a lot of great ideas from dreams, especially when it comes to symbolism.
~Do you favor happy endings, sad endings, or cliff-hangers?
I favor endings of closure, that complete the story. It doesn’t have to be happy or sad. It simply has to bring a finality to everything so that you feel you’ve spent your reading time wisely.
~Have you ever written based on artwork you’ve seen?
Oh yes! But it eludes me at the moment. Oh wait! I would print out pics and then write about them so I could get practice with visual inspiration.
-Vaperfox
Anthro Fiction Network Contest stories have been posted!
General | Posted 16 years agoThe A.F.N. Contest is well underway! Six stories have been entered and readers have until October 7, 2009 to check them out and submit critiques.
Reading the stories requires individuals to create an account, which takes less than five minutes, located here:
http://www.anthrofiction.net/membership/create.php
After you have an account, the stories are here:
http://www.anthrofiction.net/short_.....testID=2009_q3
Help support Anthro Fiction! \(^o^)/
-Vaperfox
Reading the stories requires individuals to create an account, which takes less than five minutes, located here:
http://www.anthrofiction.net/membership/create.php
After you have an account, the stories are here:
http://www.anthrofiction.net/short_.....testID=2009_q3
Help support Anthro Fiction! \(^o^)/
-Vaperfox
New FurPaw Blog: Uplifting Anthros, Uplifting Self
General | Posted 16 years agoI made a new blog entry at FurPaw, located here: http://furpawmag.ning.com/profiles/.....ifting-anthros
Check it out! :D
-Vaperfox
Check it out! :D
-Vaperfox
New FurPaw Blog: What Makes a Character Endearing?
General | Posted 16 years agoI've written a new entry at FurPaw. It can be located here:
http://furpawmag.ning.com/profiles/.....n-what-makes-a
-Vaperfox
http://furpawmag.ning.com/profiles/.....n-what-makes-a
-Vaperfox
FurPaw needs help with written submissions!
General | Posted 16 years agoThe magazine FurPaw needs your help!
FurPaw: http://furpawmag.ning.com/
Magazine Requirements: http://furpawmag.ning.com/forum/top.....quirements-for
Right now, magazine editor RavenFox needs prose, poetry, and/or blogs for the current issue of FurPaw. The deadline is Aug 30th, 2009.
Art is also welcome, and RavenFox especially needs art for the next issue, so be sure to contact her with any ideas or concept art you may have.
RavenFox email: furpawmag[at]hotmail.com
edit: The submission guidelines are 500-1,000 words for prose and 150-400 words for poetry. For anything less, send your submission to RavenFox and ask if its okay. And remember, every little contribution helps. If your furry story is a piece of flash fiction or poetry less than word count, be sure to check with RavenFox first.
Quick writing on flash fiction: http://www.litkicks.com/FlashFiction/
-Vaperfox
FurPaw: http://furpawmag.ning.com/
Magazine Requirements: http://furpawmag.ning.com/forum/top.....quirements-for
Right now, magazine editor RavenFox needs prose, poetry, and/or blogs for the current issue of FurPaw. The deadline is Aug 30th, 2009.
Art is also welcome, and RavenFox especially needs art for the next issue, so be sure to contact her with any ideas or concept art you may have.
RavenFox email: furpawmag[at]hotmail.com
edit: The submission guidelines are 500-1,000 words for prose and 150-400 words for poetry. For anything less, send your submission to RavenFox and ask if its okay. And remember, every little contribution helps. If your furry story is a piece of flash fiction or poetry less than word count, be sure to check with RavenFox first.
Quick writing on flash fiction: http://www.litkicks.com/FlashFiction/
-Vaperfox
The Spirit of Christmas has been fully uploaded!
General | Posted 16 years agoThanks to encouragement from a friend, I've posted my favorite story The Spirit of Christmas. It won 2nd place out of 30 entries when I entered it into Joecifur's Christmas Contest in December 2007. it was a mixed media contest with entries that included digital art, animations, sewing and stories.
Story Blurb
Thomas Benton is a painter struggling to meet ends meet. It's approaching Christmas and Benton hopes to sell enough to move away from his dead-end city. The only friends he has are a wise woman named Tessa and a loyal sled dog named Gent. One night, he has a dream where a mysterious stranger visits him and Gent in his home. When he comes to, he finds himself drawn into a world of wonder and awe.
If you are interested in this story, please have patience with it. It's divided into 12 chapters to split up the story into manageable sections. Here's a table of contents:
Part 1: Chess Match
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2545084/
Part 2: Home Sweet Home
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2545124
Part 3: Into the Woods
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2545148/
Part 4: Awakening
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2545177/
Part 5: Cliffside
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2545205/
Part 6: Breakfast
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2545229/
Part 7: Village Tour
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2545248/
Part 8: Into The Cave
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2545271/
Part 9: Interrogation
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2545302/
Part 10: Frida
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2545324/
Part 11: Confrontation
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2545361/
Part 12: Resolution
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2545390/
Enjoy and please tell me what you think after finishing it!
-Vaperfox
Story Blurb
Thomas Benton is a painter struggling to meet ends meet. It's approaching Christmas and Benton hopes to sell enough to move away from his dead-end city. The only friends he has are a wise woman named Tessa and a loyal sled dog named Gent. One night, he has a dream where a mysterious stranger visits him and Gent in his home. When he comes to, he finds himself drawn into a world of wonder and awe.
If you are interested in this story, please have patience with it. It's divided into 12 chapters to split up the story into manageable sections. Here's a table of contents:
Part 1: Chess Match
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2545084/
Part 2: Home Sweet Home
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2545124
Part 3: Into the Woods
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2545148/
Part 4: Awakening
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2545177/
Part 5: Cliffside
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2545205/
Part 6: Breakfast
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2545229/
Part 7: Village Tour
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2545248/
Part 8: Into The Cave
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2545271/
Part 9: Interrogation
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2545302/
Part 10: Frida
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2545324/
Part 11: Confrontation
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2545361/
Part 12: Resolution
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2545390/
Enjoy and please tell me what you think after finishing it!
-Vaperfox
21 Writer Questions
General | Posted 16 years ago1. When did you start writing?
I remember sitting in a second grade computer class where each student had to write about a pet. I had a dog and wrote eagerly about him. After I finished, I looked around the room and noticed everyone else barely had half as much writing as I did. Later, one of the teachers told my parents "It's like he was the only one in the room who actually tried to write about the subject." That's double-edged, cause although they praised me, it's like saying the others didn't try when they probably were. I was just more interested in expressing myself through writing.
2. First drafts: Handwritten, typed, or some combination?
My first drafts are handwritten 99% of the time. The pen and paper are extensions of myself that I find very soothing. The computer, although a good friend, is not quite at home with my unfinished work like pen and paper are. The flourish of the pen is far more immersive to me than the typing of keys.
3. Do you keep any kind of notebook or writer's journal, and if so, what kinds of things go into it?
I write on anything possible. Writer's notebooks help, but I'll write on anything. People too. :)
4. Do you set any quotas for your work (number of words per day, number of hours per day, etc.)? Why or why not?
Oh no, unless it's part of a contest like the Anthro Fiction Network contest: https://www.anthrofiction.net In that case, I have to follow word quotas and that's okay. It helps me focus down my ideas into minimalistic versions.
5. Are you most comfortable writing short stories, novels, or something else?
I've written shorts stories and novels around 75-90 pages. I'm not sure what I'm most comfortable writing. I've always loved Choose Your Own Adventure (C.Y.O.A.) works, especially when I was younger: http://www.cyoa.com/public/index.html The idea of choosing my own path has always intrigued me. I've done a lot to work to change up the simple nature of most C.Y.O.A. stories in an effort to make them more interactive and a lot more realistic.
6. What's your favorite kind of story to write?
My favorite kind of story to write is the kind where I address the reader directly, either through a custom story made for them, a C.Y.O.A. story meant to be interactive, or through a surprise in the narrative where second-person perspective catches the reader off-guard (and in a good way. Murakami did it best in Kafka on the Shore http://www.randomhouse.com/features.....i/site.php?id= Listen to the music on the site. Perfect writing music for me).
7. Talk about a story of yours that was easy to write and one that was difficult to write, and why.
They are both the same story. I once wrote a therapeutic novella called Fallen Mind. It was a modern-day take on the style of Dante Alighieri's The Inferno. Strange thing was, I hadn't read the Inferno yet. It was only halfway through the story that I read Dante's work and realized how close we were in spirit. It was easy for me because the story flowed from me like a dream that needed to be retold but it was hard for me because I had to face a lot of my writing fears along the way. I succeeded.
8. Which of your characters is closest to your sense of self? In other words, who do you most identify with in your own work to date?
Fallen Mind has a character named Elijah. He is me in many ways. He has persevered through many stories in different situations just like me. That's why his triumphs are my triumphs and why he can always overcome.
9. What work are you most proud of right now?
The Spirit of Christmas was a work I completed for Joecifur's 2007 Christmas contest. It was a mixed-media contest with at least 30 entries, all ranging from animation to digital art to sewing and writing. I set to work for six hard days creating something beautiful. I handwrote during the day and typed at night so I could force myself into a fast second-draft. To this day, it is my favorite story of all works. Others have enjoyed it as well and I will post it here on FA within the week.
10. What do you feel your strengths and weaknesses are as a writer?
Strengths:
Dialogue--my characters love to express themselves.
Surrealism--my worlds are like living dreams that help you become a part of them.
Romantic--my desire to let emotion soar has created endearing characters and helped me learn: there is nothing wrong with shedding tears.
Weaknesses:
Description-- My worlds are summoned quickly. Perhaps too quickly.
Story-Length-- My stories are never quite super-giants. They barely overcome the "white dwarf" stage.
Romantic--Not everyone likes emotion.
11. Name a few writers who have influenced you or your work in some way.
K.A. Applegate: The Animorphs series was like a best friend during my formative years. Teenage kids learning how to fight an unfathomable cosmic enemy with the ability to harness the powers of animals? That was deep at the time and in some ways, still is.
H.P. Lovercraft: The Cthulhu Mythos displays that fear of the unknown is one of the strongest drives of humanity. Lovecraft did it right and his characters paid for it with their sanity.
Todd G. Sutherland: If you haven't read Wings then stop reading this and go do so: http://www.claws-and-paws.com/furry.....ion/wings.html You will cry.
12. Talk about something you've written that you later found embarrassing for some reason.
Change the word "embarassing" to "painful" and I'll tell you: It was a love letter.
13. Talk about the earliest stories you remember writing. What were they about?
My first major novel was a fan fiction about Sonic: The Hedgehog. He was a positive role model for all my beginning characters. The handwritten story went on to 200+ pages and still didn't finish. I have the copy somewhere.
14. If you knew you would be successful, what would you most like to write?
I would write a melding of metafiction and fiction. I would create a story that displayed fictional members of the furry fandom as they each struggled to get by in their day-to-day lives. Along the way, each would express their trials through short stories in the narrative, poems, non-fiction essays, and love letters. If this was guaranteed to be successful, then I'd use the opportunity to bring positive reviews to the furry fandom so the art and writing could finally achieve lasting respect, even if that respect was only given by scholarly individuals and not necessarily the common populace.
15. What inspires you?
Dreams fuel the creative imagery of my surrealistic works. People provide the inspiration to create great things they've always wanted to accomplish but could not. Friends inspire me to write stories that help people understand that friendships are the beauty of life.
16. How many projects do you tend to work on at once?
One. I like to see how well I can write when all resources are focused on one concentrated storyline. But I do other writings on the side, although not as polished.
17. Who reads your work before it's released to the public? Do you have beta readers, a critique group, etc.?
A friend or two reads it. Then maybe an internet critique group, such as yourselves. Then it goes from there.
18. When you're not writing, what do you do for fun?
Make collages where I cut out people and then place a found phrase in the newspaper over their eyes, thus forcing the viewer to confront what may be their deepest thoughts.
19. Advice to other writers?
Writing is not easy: never let anybody tell you that.
Writing takes hard work but no one ever sees the blood, sweat and tears you put into it.
Writing is not about the facts. Writing is about the truth.
20. What are you currently working on?
A story to submit to Will Sanborn's upcoming human/furry anthology. I'm so close to striking oil. I can feel it.
21. Share the first three sentences of a work in progress.
(not sure that I have anything concrete to show at the start of a work, but tell you what: if I meet you, this is the theme song that would be playing in the background: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSWd-uxQ9X0&feature=related Let those three sentences form in your mind as you listen to the music. What did I say to you?)
----
I remember sitting in a second grade computer class where each student had to write about a pet. I had a dog and wrote eagerly about him. After I finished, I looked around the room and noticed everyone else barely had half as much writing as I did. Later, one of the teachers told my parents "It's like he was the only one in the room who actually tried to write about the subject." That's double-edged, cause although they praised me, it's like saying the others didn't try when they probably were. I was just more interested in expressing myself through writing.
2. First drafts: Handwritten, typed, or some combination?
My first drafts are handwritten 99% of the time. The pen and paper are extensions of myself that I find very soothing. The computer, although a good friend, is not quite at home with my unfinished work like pen and paper are. The flourish of the pen is far more immersive to me than the typing of keys.
3. Do you keep any kind of notebook or writer's journal, and if so, what kinds of things go into it?
I write on anything possible. Writer's notebooks help, but I'll write on anything. People too. :)
4. Do you set any quotas for your work (number of words per day, number of hours per day, etc.)? Why or why not?
Oh no, unless it's part of a contest like the Anthro Fiction Network contest: https://www.anthrofiction.net In that case, I have to follow word quotas and that's okay. It helps me focus down my ideas into minimalistic versions.
5. Are you most comfortable writing short stories, novels, or something else?
I've written shorts stories and novels around 75-90 pages. I'm not sure what I'm most comfortable writing. I've always loved Choose Your Own Adventure (C.Y.O.A.) works, especially when I was younger: http://www.cyoa.com/public/index.html The idea of choosing my own path has always intrigued me. I've done a lot to work to change up the simple nature of most C.Y.O.A. stories in an effort to make them more interactive and a lot more realistic.
6. What's your favorite kind of story to write?
My favorite kind of story to write is the kind where I address the reader directly, either through a custom story made for them, a C.Y.O.A. story meant to be interactive, or through a surprise in the narrative where second-person perspective catches the reader off-guard (and in a good way. Murakami did it best in Kafka on the Shore http://www.randomhouse.com/features.....i/site.php?id= Listen to the music on the site. Perfect writing music for me).
7. Talk about a story of yours that was easy to write and one that was difficult to write, and why.
They are both the same story. I once wrote a therapeutic novella called Fallen Mind. It was a modern-day take on the style of Dante Alighieri's The Inferno. Strange thing was, I hadn't read the Inferno yet. It was only halfway through the story that I read Dante's work and realized how close we were in spirit. It was easy for me because the story flowed from me like a dream that needed to be retold but it was hard for me because I had to face a lot of my writing fears along the way. I succeeded.
8. Which of your characters is closest to your sense of self? In other words, who do you most identify with in your own work to date?
Fallen Mind has a character named Elijah. He is me in many ways. He has persevered through many stories in different situations just like me. That's why his triumphs are my triumphs and why he can always overcome.
9. What work are you most proud of right now?
The Spirit of Christmas was a work I completed for Joecifur's 2007 Christmas contest. It was a mixed-media contest with at least 30 entries, all ranging from animation to digital art to sewing and writing. I set to work for six hard days creating something beautiful. I handwrote during the day and typed at night so I could force myself into a fast second-draft. To this day, it is my favorite story of all works. Others have enjoyed it as well and I will post it here on FA within the week.
10. What do you feel your strengths and weaknesses are as a writer?
Strengths:
Dialogue--my characters love to express themselves.
Surrealism--my worlds are like living dreams that help you become a part of them.
Romantic--my desire to let emotion soar has created endearing characters and helped me learn: there is nothing wrong with shedding tears.
Weaknesses:
Description-- My worlds are summoned quickly. Perhaps too quickly.
Story-Length-- My stories are never quite super-giants. They barely overcome the "white dwarf" stage.
Romantic--Not everyone likes emotion.
11. Name a few writers who have influenced you or your work in some way.
K.A. Applegate: The Animorphs series was like a best friend during my formative years. Teenage kids learning how to fight an unfathomable cosmic enemy with the ability to harness the powers of animals? That was deep at the time and in some ways, still is.
H.P. Lovercraft: The Cthulhu Mythos displays that fear of the unknown is one of the strongest drives of humanity. Lovecraft did it right and his characters paid for it with their sanity.
Todd G. Sutherland: If you haven't read Wings then stop reading this and go do so: http://www.claws-and-paws.com/furry.....ion/wings.html You will cry.
12. Talk about something you've written that you later found embarrassing for some reason.
Change the word "embarassing" to "painful" and I'll tell you: It was a love letter.
13. Talk about the earliest stories you remember writing. What were they about?
My first major novel was a fan fiction about Sonic: The Hedgehog. He was a positive role model for all my beginning characters. The handwritten story went on to 200+ pages and still didn't finish. I have the copy somewhere.
14. If you knew you would be successful, what would you most like to write?
I would write a melding of metafiction and fiction. I would create a story that displayed fictional members of the furry fandom as they each struggled to get by in their day-to-day lives. Along the way, each would express their trials through short stories in the narrative, poems, non-fiction essays, and love letters. If this was guaranteed to be successful, then I'd use the opportunity to bring positive reviews to the furry fandom so the art and writing could finally achieve lasting respect, even if that respect was only given by scholarly individuals and not necessarily the common populace.
15. What inspires you?
Dreams fuel the creative imagery of my surrealistic works. People provide the inspiration to create great things they've always wanted to accomplish but could not. Friends inspire me to write stories that help people understand that friendships are the beauty of life.
16. How many projects do you tend to work on at once?
One. I like to see how well I can write when all resources are focused on one concentrated storyline. But I do other writings on the side, although not as polished.
17. Who reads your work before it's released to the public? Do you have beta readers, a critique group, etc.?
A friend or two reads it. Then maybe an internet critique group, such as yourselves. Then it goes from there.
18. When you're not writing, what do you do for fun?
Make collages where I cut out people and then place a found phrase in the newspaper over their eyes, thus forcing the viewer to confront what may be their deepest thoughts.
19. Advice to other writers?
Writing is not easy: never let anybody tell you that.
Writing takes hard work but no one ever sees the blood, sweat and tears you put into it.
Writing is not about the facts. Writing is about the truth.
20. What are you currently working on?
A story to submit to Will Sanborn's upcoming human/furry anthology. I'm so close to striking oil. I can feel it.
21. Share the first three sentences of a work in progress.
(not sure that I have anything concrete to show at the start of a work, but tell you what: if I meet you, this is the theme song that would be playing in the background: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSWd-uxQ9X0&feature=related Let those three sentences form in your mind as you listen to the music. What did I say to you?)
----
WARNING about new virus attack networking sites
General | Posted 17 years agoI found out about a new virus attacking on sites like MySpace and Facebook:
As Facebook works to make itself more relevant and timely for its growing member base with a profile page makeover, attackers seem to be working overtime to steal the identities of the friends, fans and brands that connect though the social-networking site.
Indeed, Facebook has seen five different security threats in the past week. According to Trend Micro, four new hoax applications are attempting to trick members into divulging their usernames and passwords. And a new variant of the Koobface worm is running wild on the site, installing malware on the computers of victims who click on a link to a fake YouTube video.
The Koobface worm is dangerous. It can be dropped by other malware and downloaded unknowingly by a user when visiting malicious Web sites, Trend Micro reports. When attackers execute the malware, it searches for cookies created by online social networks. The latest variant is targeting Facebook, but earlier variants have also plagued MySpace.
Koobface's Wicked Agenda
Once Koobface finds the social-networking cookies, it makes a DNS query to check IP addresses that correspond to remote domains. Trend Micro explains that those servers can send and receive information about the affected machine. Once connected, the malicious user can remotely perform commands on the victim's machine.
"Once cookies related to the monitored social-networking Web sites are located, it connects to these Web sites using the user log-in session stored in the cookies. It then navigates through pages to search for the user's friends. If a friend has been located, it sends an HTTP POST request to the server," Trend Micro reports.
Ultimately, the worm's agenda is to transform the victim's computer into a zombie and form botnets for malicious purposes. Koobface attempts to do this by composing a message and sending it to the user's friends. The message contains a link to a Web site where a copy of the worm can be downloaded by unsuspecting friends. And the cycle repeats itself.
An Attractive Face(book)
Malware authors are investing more energy in Facebook and other social-networking sites because that effort pays off, according to Michael Argast, a security analyst at Sophos. Facebook alone has more than 175 million users, which makes it an attractive target.
"Many computer users have been conditioned not to open an attachment from an e-mail or click a link found within, but won't think twice about checking out a hot new video linked to by a trusted friend on Facebook," Argast said.
Argast called the Koobface worm a mix of something old and something new. The new is using social networks as a method to spread malware. The old is using fake codec Trojans linked to a saucy video to induce the user to install the malware.
Argast said people can protect themselves by running up-to-date antivirus software, restricting which Facebook applications they install, thinking twice before clicking on links from friends and never, never installing a codec from some random Web site in the hopes of catching some celebrity in a compromised situation.
"I would expect to see more attacks on Facebook," Argast said. "As long as this is a successful propagation method, the bad guys will double down and invest more. They are entirely motivated by financial gain. If it pays, they'll continue to romp in your social playgrounds."
From YAHOO! News: http://tech.yahoo.com/news/nf/20090305/tc_nf/65095
As Facebook works to make itself more relevant and timely for its growing member base with a profile page makeover, attackers seem to be working overtime to steal the identities of the friends, fans and brands that connect though the social-networking site.
Indeed, Facebook has seen five different security threats in the past week. According to Trend Micro, four new hoax applications are attempting to trick members into divulging their usernames and passwords. And a new variant of the Koobface worm is running wild on the site, installing malware on the computers of victims who click on a link to a fake YouTube video.
The Koobface worm is dangerous. It can be dropped by other malware and downloaded unknowingly by a user when visiting malicious Web sites, Trend Micro reports. When attackers execute the malware, it searches for cookies created by online social networks. The latest variant is targeting Facebook, but earlier variants have also plagued MySpace.
Koobface's Wicked Agenda
Once Koobface finds the social-networking cookies, it makes a DNS query to check IP addresses that correspond to remote domains. Trend Micro explains that those servers can send and receive information about the affected machine. Once connected, the malicious user can remotely perform commands on the victim's machine.
"Once cookies related to the monitored social-networking Web sites are located, it connects to these Web sites using the user log-in session stored in the cookies. It then navigates through pages to search for the user's friends. If a friend has been located, it sends an HTTP POST request to the server," Trend Micro reports.
Ultimately, the worm's agenda is to transform the victim's computer into a zombie and form botnets for malicious purposes. Koobface attempts to do this by composing a message and sending it to the user's friends. The message contains a link to a Web site where a copy of the worm can be downloaded by unsuspecting friends. And the cycle repeats itself.
An Attractive Face(book)
Malware authors are investing more energy in Facebook and other social-networking sites because that effort pays off, according to Michael Argast, a security analyst at Sophos. Facebook alone has more than 175 million users, which makes it an attractive target.
"Many computer users have been conditioned not to open an attachment from an e-mail or click a link found within, but won't think twice about checking out a hot new video linked to by a trusted friend on Facebook," Argast said.
Argast called the Koobface worm a mix of something old and something new. The new is using social networks as a method to spread malware. The old is using fake codec Trojans linked to a saucy video to induce the user to install the malware.
Argast said people can protect themselves by running up-to-date antivirus software, restricting which Facebook applications they install, thinking twice before clicking on links from friends and never, never installing a codec from some random Web site in the hopes of catching some celebrity in a compromised situation.
"I would expect to see more attacks on Facebook," Argast said. "As long as this is a successful propagation method, the bad guys will double down and invest more. They are entirely motivated by financial gain. If it pays, they'll continue to romp in your social playgrounds."
From YAHOO! News: http://tech.yahoo.com/news/nf/20090305/tc_nf/65095
50 journals skipped
