ISSUE 283
Hey everyone! Welcome back to this newest edition of Furry Weekly! It’s issue 283 today and we hope you’re ready for it! Before we get into it though, we want to remind you of a couple of usual announcements below, especially the info in the ‘Recruiting’ section since we’re still needing a lot of help! Have a look!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
RECRUITING
We’re looking for folks to join the team here at Furry Weekly, so we hope you will consider one of the roles below! Check it out and see if anything seems interesting.
- Art Corner Host
- Furry of the Week Host
- Art 101 Host
- Species Spotlight Host
- Radical Raffles Host
- DIY Project of the Week Host
- Front End Website Developer
- Editor
- Cover Artist
- Content Migrator
If you’d like to help out or if you want more info, please contact Yeshua, or Carkas. If you want a description of the roles above, visit this document! If you have any suggestions for other roles or things we could bring into Furry Weekly, please reach out as well. We’d love to hear your ideas! We still need lots of help in general, so please do consider joining us or sharing with other friends in the fandom if you can! We’d really appreciate it!
READER SURVEY
In addition to recruiting, we want to listen to what you, our readers, have to say about Furry Weekly! Our goal is to showcase a little bit of everything in the fandom, especially giving a small spotlight to all kinds of creators and folks in the community. So we want to know what you think about what we’re doing now as well as what you might want to see from a furry magazine. So whether you’re an avid follower of Furry Weekly, or maybe you just found us, we want to hear what you like, what you don’t like, and what you would like us to do in the future! That’s why we have a short survey on this topic. We would seriously appreciate it if you took just a few minutes to take it and give us your feedback! You can do this multiple times as well! The link is below!
Click here to take our reader survey!
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With that out of the way, it’s time to check out today’s content! Let us know what you think on our socials, we post on Instagram, X/Twitter, and Bluesky! We’re @FurryWeekly on all platforms!
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SEGMENT LINEUP
[❌] Furry of the Week
[❌] Animal of the Week
[❌] Art Corner
[❌] Writing Showcase
[❌] Art 101
[❌] Species Spotlight
[✔] Writing 101
[✔] Fursuit Focus
[✔] Photography 101
[❌] Fursuit Designing Tips
[✔] Radical Raffles
[✔] Available Artists
[✔] Character Interview
[✔] Convention Calendar
[❌] Furry Quote
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WRITING 101
Fall is truly upon the nation’s capital. Blustery wind wrack trees and bushes, taking with it whatever leaves have braved the cold for this long. They ceaselessly swirl and tumble through the air. A few find themselves harassing a familiar hawk’s tough, scaly feet. The leaves scrape the concrete as the talons click and clack along. Their owner keeps up a brisk pace to stay warm.
“I promise that I won’t drag us out into weather much colder than this,” says Tad. “I like going for walks, not for punishment.”
If the Camera could shiver, then its internals would certainly be rattling in their metal shell. Sure, it’s designed to operate at near-freezing temperatures like this, but nowhere in its coding does it say that it enjoys the cold.
Tad tucks his hands into his pockets and shrugs his thick overcoat into a more comfortable position. At least the sun is out to help dampen the cold. The bright and cheerful rays liven up the quiet neighborhood, and the wind through the branches drown out the noise from the Beltway.
“Well… while we’re not too busy....”
Tad’s hands come out of his pockets along with his phone. A document blinks into life on the screen, struggling to make itself seen in the sunlight. The hawk has to lean in a bit to read the writing before he tilts the phone for the camera to see.
“Want to hear about this week’s Writing 101 topic?”
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Hello friends, and welcome to Furry Weekly’s Writing 101! I’m Bryce Griffin, here to get all you writers out there the inside scoop on literature tips and tricks. Let’s get started!
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The Rapid Recaps series is a focused and direct discussion that aims to cover simple yet important writing topics. They may be shorter than normal Writing 101 discussions, but the information covered is still critical to building good writing practices.
It’s called a rough draft for a reason! It’s supposed to be a little janky. Not everything needs to be figured out on the first go. You have room to be loose and free, to experiment, and to work with new ideas as they flow. Recall last week’s discussion about outlining your prose—the outline is just a guide to help mark important points along the way. The first draft is your place to begin laying the groundwork for the path based on those blueprints.
Why can’t the first draft be the final draft? Many beginner writers might believe that veteran authors can crank out chapter after chapter of beautiful prose, all without cracking a sweat. This is absolutely not true for just about any writer out there. While it’s possible that the rough draft can remain relatively intact for the finished manuscript, odds are that the rough draft will receive changes and reworks. Your first attempt is never your best attempt. It needs tweaks, changes, restructuring, or maybe scrapped and rewritten, all in search of a stronger prose.
You undoubtedly are capable of (and absolutely should consider) critically reviewing your first draft. Ask yourself, “Is there any way I can improve this?” after you put your first draft to paper. It’s okay to look back at the first attempt and spot errors or areas that need improvement. What matters is giving your prose the effort it deserves. More practice and experience will make the rough draft phase easier, for you’ll discover a workflow that works well for both you and your writing.
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Want me to take a look at your work? Got a general question for Writing 101? Just shoot me a message on Discord! I’ll be happy to answer any writing questions or even critique your work.
Thanks for joining me in Furry Weekly’s Writing 101. I hope you enjoy the rest of the magazine!
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The Camera gives an approving buzz. Tad smiles, relieved that another discussion is in the bag.
“You know… I’ve been doing this for a while,” he says idly as he browses his phone. “Writing for the magazine, that is. I helped with other segments, but Writing 101 is the one I’ve done the longest. Five full years....”
His sentence trails off. The hawk’s mind is clearly anywhere but here as he taps and scrolls on his phone. The Camera takes the opportunity to peek over Tad’s shoulder.
Of course, it’s more pinball machines. Tad convinced his mechanical friend that such a machine would never replace their collaboration and chemistry. It wouldn’t even be useful for the magazine. Pure entertainment, obviously… for himself and anyone willing to stop in to check it out.
“These aren’t as expensive as I thought they’d be…” he murmured, more to himself than anything. “I’m just worried about buying a used one. Never know what you might get.”
A few moments later, Tad stops walking. The Camera quickly halts and backs up, offering a confused whirr to the hawk.
“Somebody’s selling a preorder slot? For what?”
Some more scrolling. Slowly, Tad’s expression changes from confusion, to curiosity, and finally to excitement.
“Oh, wow… Wow, wow, wow.... That’s a deal. That’s a good deal.”
They meet each other’s gaze—or, rather, they focus on each other. A broad grin—perhaps the widest the Camera has seen in a long time—splits Tad’s beak.
“I think I’m doing some research when we get back home.”
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FURSUIT FOCUS
Hey you all! Yeshua here once again to host Furry Weekly’s Fursuit Focus segment! If you’re looking to get yourself a nice dose of fursuiting content, then this is the segment for you! Let’s have a look at today’s fluffy individual!
Teezik is here and has some cool adventures to share!
Teezik is a pretty high-spirited wolf who doesn’t shy away from some fun! Before we get too deep into his shenanigans, let’s talk about his appearance! Teezik is actually a ‘thunder’ wolf which is pretty fitting given his design; you can definitely pick out this canine from a crowd! The yellow and blue are of course the dominant colors which complement each other nicely, and then you have the light blue claws and paw pads which also look great alongside the main colors! Then you’ve got those long, pointy ears, a friendly smile, and this wolf just looks so happy and approachable! Thunderhowl Studios – pretty aptly named for making a ‘thunder’ wolf – did an excellent job bringing Teezik to life!
Teezik has a ton of favorite activities when it comes to fursuiting, whether he’s at a convention or even just chilling at home! Speaking of home, perhaps his favorite thing to do in suit is make TikTok videos! He starts by scrolling for a bit to find some ideas, especially sounds, and once he has maybe two or three sounds, he starts putting a video together. Sometimes he’ll have some transitions, effects, or dances. More often than not, Teezik will just do whatever he has in mind at the moment and record it! All in all, he just wants to do silly videos as a big fluffy wolf to help brighten up people’s days! Here’s the way he describes his love for doing videos: “[I’m] happy to share my silliness to the world. The world is a massive grey thing and I try my best to put some colorful positivity in it. Maybe someday, the world could be blue and yellow. Hehe.” The world being blue and yellow would definitely be less dull, that’s for sure!
Teezik also really enjoys taking all kinds of photos while in suit! This can range from something as simple as ‘random pics’ at home, to a very aesthetic or photogenic location around his area! Teezik has a photographer who he says is a lot of help! That friend helps find places Teezik maybe didn’t think about at first, suggests different angles to get the best possible photos, and more! Teezik just likes to go out and have fun while getting some neat photos, so it’s a nice balance when he has his photographer friend to help out! Right now Teezik’s go-to places are two parks in his hometown in France, but he’s looking forward to finding places beyond there where he can really have some cool adventures and take some memorable photos! Teezik also plays a little bit of guitar and wants to do so in fursuit sometime in the future; emphasis on “sometime in the future” though, since he does say playing the guitar isn’t the easiest thing in the world.
Teezik’s interest in fursuiting started back in 2014 when he watched music videos from furry conventions. He started to recognize different fursuit styles and makers, and he knew from that time that he wanted a fursuit of his own. The road to getting a fursuit was a long one though. Teezik tried to commission a maker in 2017, and it wasn’t until December 2019 that he was chosen by his maker, Thunderhowl Studios. Then, Teezik had to keep playing the waiting game as is the case when your suit is being made; an even bigger and even somewhat stressful wait was the time period when his fursuit was in transit between the United States and France!
Getting to the day his suit finally arrived just this past July in 2023, it was no doubt a very special time for Teezik. He planned on unboxing the suit live on Instagram at 9 p.m., so again, although this was a shorter wait, you can only imagine how hard Teezik had to try and calm his excitement until the evening. When the time finally came, here’s how Teezik recalls it: “I can’t describe the feeling when you open that box, you have to live it! I almost cried when I saw him looking at me and saying in my head, ‘I’m here, I’m finally here.’ Then the first suit up is a blast, you just want to stay like that, as a big plush forever!”
For Teezik, fursuiting means a lot because it’s a way to express and be himself the way he wants; this is definitely a common sentiment in the fursuiting scene! Not only that though, Teezik also wants to bring some joy to the world. He says he wants to brighten people’s days and just bring a smile to their face, “all that with a Zappy boy!” It seems like he already does a great job with that goal though! Teezik told me about a time when he came across a girl who wanted a hug while he was fursuiting, but was a little too shy to ask for it. Then, the girl’s friend told him about this, and he immediately went to hug her, and he says she started crying of happiness! Teezik says that moment will always stay with him, which I can believe! That’s the kind of wholesome encounter you just can’t forget!
Teezik fursuits almost every day! Interestingly, he actually fursuits when he’s tired after work because it gives him an energy boost! Of course, I mentioned that part of what Teezik likes about fursuiting is to make others happy, but his appreciation for it goes a little deeper than that! He feels that we bring the best of our humanity when we suit up as animals, and in return, it helps bring the best out of everyone else’s humanity. Basically, Teezik believes fursuiting can bring the best out of everyone, both the suiters who in a way are performing but also just having fun, and the people encountering them who typically enjoy the moment of seeing a big fluffy animal! As Teezik puts it, “life is short, but we can make it even better,” and fursuiting is one way to do so! Of course, a very specific way for us in the fandom.
One final things Teezik wanted to mention: to anyone who wants a fursuit, he says go for it! Take your time, save up for the suit you want, and join everyone in the fun! Still, he also says to remember that you don’t need a fursuit to be part of the fandom. It’s just a neat and fun way to get more involved in it!
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With that, another Fursuit Focus segment comes to an end! It was a really good time getting to know Teezik and bringing you all a little bit from his experiences as a fursuiter! If you want to see more from him, definitely give him a follow!
As always, I’m on the lookout for fursuiters to feature here! If you, your friend, or your favorite fursuiter comes to mind, please tell me! Just use the tags #furryweekly and #fursuitfocus when you post your fursuit photos and videos to social media, or you can reach out to me or our usual host, tahlmorra!
There should be another fursuiter for you all next week, so stay tuned! I’m Yeshua, and I want to thank you all for stopping by and reading! Until next time, take care!
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PHOTOGRAPHY 101
Hello, friends and photografurs! Welcome back to this week's Photography 101! I'm your host, Jaden. I adore learning about new and creative ways to do photography. Whether it's cool filters, revolutionary tech, or a unique editing style, nothing gets me more excited than finding a new way to style my photos.
Infrared light, or IR light for short, is a form of electromagnetic radiation that is completely invisible to the human eye and is emitted by everything around us. But what if we had a way to see it? This is where our infrared filters come in. These infrared filters block out all forms of light except IR light, which opens us up to a beautiful and ethereal world of different saturations and contrasts.
The best and cheapest way to do IR photography is with an IR filter and a tripod. There are other ways to do IR photography, such as removing the specialized filter on your sensor that filters out IR light; however, this is irreversible, which means you will only ever be able to use that camera specifically for IR photography. So, despite the downsides of using an IR filter on your lens, I believe this is the best way to go.
The reason you will need a tripod is because IR filters make your camera incredibly dark since they block out all forms of light visible to the naked eye. Therefore, you will need to shoot with a very high ISO and with shutter speeds way too slow to shoot handheld. This is an advantage of removing the specialized filter from your sensor; removing the specialized filter won't darken your photos and will allow you to shoot handheld. But, again, doing this is irreversible, and that camera will now only be good for IR photography. Even worse, making any mistake while removing it can make the camera completely unusable, so I would only recommend this method if you have a camera you no longer care about. If you’re interested in modifying your camera in this way and accept the risks that come with it, IR-Photo wrote an excellent article showing the step-by-step process of removing the IR filter from a modern camera.
IR photography is such a surreal medium that it is certain to make your photos stand out in a crowd. And by adjusting the white balance in your camera settings, you can introduce even more amazing colors to your photos that are sure to attract lots of attention.
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That concludes this week's segment! If you have any questions about eclipse photography or would like to share your photos, don't be afraid to shoot me a message! (Now available on Bluesky!)
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RADICAL RAFFLES
‘Tis the season to be jolly! Hello, everyone. This is Danielle once again to bring you a variety of fun raffles to consider for the start of December. Great opportunities await this month for Christmas themed raffles!
Before we get into the raffles, I wish to remind all of you that we’re looking to recruit a more permanent host for this segment. If you enjoy coming across raffles, then this might be for you! Feel free to message our boss, Yeshua, if you’re interested in hosting Radical Raffles.
We have six raffles for you this week! Let’s take a closer look.
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First, we have an art raffle by ImazArtz!
How to Enter:
-Follow, like, and repost.
-Comment your favorite season.
Prize:
-Illustration for three winners
Deadline:
-This raffle ends on December 8th. There’s about a week left to enter!
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Celebrate with a 500 followers raffle by Salem!
How to Enter:
-Follow and share the raffle post to your story. New followers are welcome!
-Comment your favorite aesthetic, and tag two friends.
Prize:
-Custom design
Deadline:
-This raffle ends on December 15th. There’s lots of time left to enter!
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Be joyous with a Christmas raffle by HanZuly!
How to Enter:
-Follow, like, and repost. New followers are welcome!
-Optional: Comment a reference of your fursona or original character (OC).
Prizes:
-1st place: full body
-2nd place: half body
-3rd place (unlocked if HanZuly reaches 100 followers): icon
Deadline: -This raffle ends on Christmas Day (December 25th). There’s plenty of time left to enter!
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Become sketchy with an icon raffle by Digit!
How to Enter:
-Follow, like, and repost.
-Optional: Comment your furry or humanoid reference.
Prize: -Sketchy icon
Deadline:
-This raffle ends on Christmas Day (December 25th). There’s plenty of time left to enter!
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Next up, we have a pin raffle by BeastLabsSuits!
How to Enter:
-Follow, like, and repost. New followers are welcome!
-Share your answer to one of the following with a photo:
*Your pet(s)
*Your favorite animal
Prize:
-Pins (winner will have to pay for shipping)
Deadline:
-This raffle ends on December 12th. There’s lots of time left to enter!
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Last but certainly not least, celebrate with a 600 followers raffle by Carlos El Toro Gamer!
How to Enter:
-Follow, like, and repost.
-Tag a friend, favorite artist, or a furry that you want to win the raffle prize with their character or fursona’s reference.
Prize:
-Boxing your character here (YCH) for three winners
Deadline:
-This raffle ends on Wednesday, December 6th. There’s a few days left to enter!
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Those are all the raffles I have for you this week. There's always more out there, and we'll make sure to find them and bring them to you every week!
Feel free to use the tags #RadicalRaffles and #FurryWeekly so we can find your raffle more easily. If you’d like to recommend any raffles for future issues, please don’t hesitate to message me on any of my platforms found on my Carrd.
Thank you for taking a look at this week’s raffles. Stay tuned because more radical raffles are coming your way!
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AVAILABLE ARTISTS
Hey, all! It's Rave, your local plug to all things furry art!! We’re back with another group of amazing artists, so if you’re looking to get yourself or your friends some art, we have a lot of awesome options for you! Let’s check them out!
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First up, we have common_mergie. Merganser is a feral furry art commission-based artist. They have commissions open and a beautiful carrd.co with all of their TOS, prices, and gallery. Their current TOS specifies that they won't draw mature themes, humans, characters without references, or anthros at this current moment. To complement their super affordable base prices they have a large amount of add-ons at affordable prices. They have a very bright, colorful, and cartoony style– reminiscent of a warm summer day. They have great communication and they are incredibly friendly, too. You can find them on artfolio, Instagram, and toyhouse, which are all linked in their carrd.co.
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Next on the list is Shvrden. This anthro and humanoid artist has a very anime-esque art style with a soft and comforting feel. They do a lot of lighting in their art, as well as doing their best to keep all lighting cohesive throughout base colors, lighting and shading. Shvrden focuses a lot on eyes and faces because they believe “hair and eyes define a character a lot.” All of their prices and TOS are on their carrd.co. They have incredibly affordable prices and they are very professional in every way.
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Following up on the list we have Pothos Pup. Pothos is an 18 year-old hobbyist-artist that has a unique realistic style of lineart with bold and beautiful colors to complement it. From sketches to full scenes, they offer it all! Currently they are going through a style rework and I’ve gotten confirmation that our collage above has their newest styles for examples. As an even bigger plus they have their DMs for any questions you might have and free quotes!
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Last up on the list but certainly not least is unisayart. Unisayart is an artist with a style that is bright and joyful; reminding all who view it to remember that there are little joys in every corner of life. They work with a wide range of mediums across digital and physical art types. They currently don’t appear to have a linktree, website, or carrd, however, they have incredible communication on their Instagram and open DMs. Their furry art is gestural and saturated which causes it to be cheerful and fun. In addition, they often use brushes that glow and sparkle paired with airbrushing and lining brushes that are slightly transparent– adding yet another layer of pop and fun to the art.
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Hello, everyone! Danielle here to give you a couple bonus artists for this week. Let’s dive in!
We start with Imaz, a digital illustrator who specializes in drawing a variety of things such as fantasy creatures, furries, Pokémon, and pets. Her art style and eye for detail is really amazing! She offers stylized full bodies, full body speed paintings, lined half bodies, lined full bodies, painted portraits, painted half bodies, painted full bodies, stylized illustrations, and detailed illustrations as commission options. Thumbnails, emotes, icons, reference sheets, pet portraits, character designs, and more that are not listed on her commission sheet are also available.
You can find Imaz’s prices, terms of service, and links to her other platforms on her Carrd. Feel free to message her if you are interested in a commission and/or if you have any questions.
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Finally, we have Bó, an artist who specializes in feral and furry-based characters. His art style is cute! He offers headshots, half bodies, full bodies, and reference sheets as commission options. If you’re looking to get art as a Christmas gift for others or yourself this year, then he might be an artist for you.
You can find Bó’s prices on his pinned post here. Feel free to message him if you have any questions and/or if you are interested in commissioning them.
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A special thanks to those reading and those who worked with me on this week's segment! As always, if you want to see yourself in the next Available Artists segment, please use #FurryWeekly and #AvailableArtists when you post on social media, or DM me on Instagram.
I’m excited to see you all next time for even more incredible artists!
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CHARACTER INTERVIEW
How’s it going everyone? My name is Yeshua and I’m here with another edition of Character Interview! You all have no idea how excited I am to chat with today’s guest, so let’s not waste any time and just head straight into it!
YESHUA: I'm very excited for today's guest who's made his way around the fandom for a bit! We've got Bolt joining us! Welcome! Thanks so much for taking the time to chat!
BOLT: Hey Yeshua! It is my pleasure! Thank you so much for this opportunity!
YESHUA: The pleasure is all mine! So lots of folks have seen you around the community, but for those who are reading about you for the first time, mind telling me a little about yourself and what you do in the fandom?
BOLT: Of course! I called myself Bolt Railway Dog because I am very connected to trains, it has been my main hobby for many years, even before becoming a furry. My fursona is a mix breed between husky and german shepherd. I was largely inspired on the movie Bolt the super dog from Disney back in 2008. Yes, I have been a furry since then!
Within the fandom, I mostly like to bring my character to life with my fursuit. By having fun in fursuit, I love to spread all my love and care for everyone who is nice out there. I love to promote the train world to everyone, not just furries, but even "normies". In fact, one of my favorite things to do is to fursuit at railway stations. I have lots of fun gathering pictures of my fursuit with trains but also make railway workers or even passengers smile!
YESHUA: Of course we as furries have an interest for anthropomorphic animals, so it's always neat when people combine that with other hobbies they are passionate about like you do here. I dunno about anyone else, but every time I have seen you around social media you are instantly recognizable as the railway dog! I'm very curious to hear a little more about how you embrace this. Tell me, do you simply suit up and go to railway stations to make the train experience better for passengers and workers? Do you have some sort of partnership with one or more railway stations where you'll go and fursuit? How does all of this work out? You almost seem like an official railway mascot!
BOLT: Indeed a lot of people think that I either work at railways or I am their mascot, but in fact I'm none of the two. I also don't even have no partnership with no railway company, however, I tend to actively communicate with them via social media.
Fortunately I am very lucky with the fact that in the Czech Republic, where I live, and especially in Prague, people are mostly open to this type of thing. The "unusual" fact that there's a big dog walking around train stations, taking pictures with trains.
But yes, I tend to just suit up and go to train stations. I often take the train in fursuit too. That's how I reach the main station in Prague. In fact, I live very close to a railway station myself, and walk there several times from home!
YESHUA: That's just so incredibly cool! So you literally just suit up, go to the train stations and take photos and videos with trains, and just interact with any folks that are around? This is what I mean when I say it's awesome to see people mix the furry fandom with their other interests, because it sounds like you're going out there to do something you love, and you get to interact with people while doing so and indeed just make them smile!
BOLT: That's exactly what happens! I'm just having fun on my own way, and I'm glad I can spread the positive energy with others around!
YESHUA: I love that so much, heck yeah! I know you mentioned a lot of people do enjoy getting photos with you, so it seems like for the most part people tend to have positive reactions to seeing a big fluffy dog around the stations and on the trains, huh?
BOLT: Oh yes, they sure do. I have rarely had any negative encounters while fursuiting in public spaces in general. I occasionally get the "awkward" looks but that's when I know I should just not try to interact with such a person, and move on having fun.
YESHUA: Love to hear that! In the time that you have been doing all this, have you had some people or workers recognize you because of how often you go, perhaps?
BOLT: Oh yes! Not too long ago I was returning home after suiting at the main railway station and a railway worker shouted my name while having at me. I was surprised and I even asked: how do you know my name? and he replied "Well you're famous!" I was very surprised!
To be fair, I think the highest point of recognition was with the Czech national railway company even agreeing to name one if their Siemens Vectron locomotives after me. That has been one of my best achievements so far!
YESHUA: You're a bit of a local celebrity! I think given the nature of what you do, you're a neat part of that area where you frequent the railway system because it's probably not uncommon for folks to find you! It's great because it hopefully shows people outside the fandom that furries just like to dress up in a silly animal costume and have harmless fun!
And yes! I did want to ask you about a train being named after you! Please, if you can share more about how that came to be, I'd love to hear it!
BOLT: The long story short: I really like Siemens Vectron locomotives. One could say I am a social media influencer, and I love to promote this locomotive that I really like.
I often interact with railway companies on social media, especially ČD (České dráhy, the national railway operator from here). They tend to name their locomotives with cute names by using diminutive naming. So I have been asking if they could name one of them as "Boltík," which is a really cute way of saying my name in Czech.
One day they wrote me that they have a great surprise waiting for me at the railway depot. And there it was, Vectron Boltík is finally here!
YESHUA: I can't believe it was so simple! Or at least that's what it seems like, hahah. The ČD sounds like an awesome company if they interact that way with folks on social media! How long has it been since you first asked them to name a locomotive after you?
BOLT: To be honest, I have lost track of time, but I have been adoring their trains since... ever!
YESHUA: As you should, Bolt! Heheh. My last question I have about this topic before shifting gears a little: if you don't work at a rail station, are you just generally a fan of trains and the railway? You just learned a lot about them and like to take photos and videos with them? Or is there more to that?
BOLT: I agree, trains are fun, but I don't mind switching the junction into another topic.
I am just generally a fan of trains and the railways, yes. It has been my main hobby since I was young, and the main reason why I have become so passionate with trains in the first place. Only after finding out about the furry fandom I have then combined both hobbies. On my free time, I enjoy taking pictures of real trains.
YESHUA: That's awesome! The idea of a railway doggo is definitely a hit, and I can assure you that lots of people enjoy seeing your passion for trains! All cool stuff, Bolt.
Now then, it's clear that fursuiting is a big part of your involvement in the fandom and of course you do combine this with your love for trains. But outside of that, what can you tell me about your experience as a fursuiter? How did you get started with fursuiting? What interested you about fursuiting then, and what interests you about it now?
BOLT: Just with about everything in our fandom, I appreciate the craftmanship that goes into a fursuit. Our fandom is incredibly talented, being it fursuits, 2D artwork or even 3D artwork. We have so many talented people that can create absolutely adorable critters. And that's something I really like, to meet them, everyone has a different story, a different background. I cannot lie that one of the things I like a lot is to cuddle up with friends. Fursuit is not mandatory for this, though. To fursuit just allows me to express myself but also my character and I love creating nice memories with it.
YESHUA: Completely agree! This is a community that's so artistically inclined and I've had the pleasure of talking to a lot of crafters and creators in the fandom and really get to know the work that they do. And hey, I think a good chunk of the fandom agrees with you on the cuddles and fursuiting to express oneself -- myself included! You have any particular activities you enjoy doing while fursuiting? Or is it mostly just taking photos and videos?
BOLT: I am mostly just taking photos and videos, but of course I love to hug and cuddle with friends. Nothing else.
YESHUA: Hey, that's totally fair if that's how you enjoy fursuiting! Sounds like you make the most of it every time!
Now for a few other fandom-related topics I'm interested in hearing about if that's okay! First, I noticed that pretty recently, you were taking a look at the interest for some Bolt plushies? I'm curious to hear anything you can share about how this idea came to be and how it's going!
BOLT: Well, I am aware that there are many people out there, not just furries but also "normies" who enjoy seeing my content, and I think there's a lot of people who would like to have some railway doggo merch. I love plushies, so I think a Bolt plush would be super nice!
However, at the time being, I still have no news. I have only contacted another fellow furry who takes in bulk orders, but there's still some questions and information that we need to clarify. I'm hoping it'll be possible to produce them though!
YESHUA: Can't go wrong with plushies! And dare I say that Bolt seems like the perfect canine to become a marketable plushie! Heheh I'm just messing around, but I do think the idea is great! I do hope you're able to sort that out! It'll definitely be something worth keeping tabs on.
Something else I wanted to bring up is streaming! I notice that you stream sometimes! What can you tell me about that?
BOLT: Streaming is a mixed bag, really. Sadly, somehow I am not really able to keep up conversation while streaming. If the chat goes silent, I go silent. However, I have received many positive reactions from people telling me that they often enjoy hearing me driving trains. I guess my streams sometimes can be really chill because of that. I tend to stream mostly train simulation games, but sometimes I also stream other games. I love chatting with people, and if I can do so while playing games, and sharing that to others, then that's when streaming is really worth it for me! At some point I had become a Twitch partner, people could pay me subscriptions, but I felt bad because I often don't feel like streaming and there's often also huge pauses from streaming. I didn't feel right for people to pay subscriptions and then barely get any content from there.
YESHUA: That's all understandable! Streaming can definitely bring some challenges because indeed, sometimes it's tough to stream consistently. But it does seem like people enjoy tuning into your streams so perhaps it is best as something that you do whenever you feel like it and folks will still watch! It's good being able to do that and just have fun because that really should be what it's about!
What about events? Do you go to furry events or conventions at all, Bolt? Anything on that front?
BOLT: Oh yes, I love furry cons and furry events! To be honest, those are the events where I spend most of my holidays from work. This year I have attended CeSFuR, EF, Fursuit Halloween Prague and will still attend Furvester. Besides these, I have also attended smaller fursuit walk events.
Next year I plan to attend CeSFuR, Awoostria, EF and Fursuit Halloween Prague.
YESHUA: Heck yeah! Sounds like you're definitely an avid con-goer! Got any favorite events? Or maybe a particularly memorable experience from one of the events you've gone to?
BOLT: It is hard to choose a favorite, because all of the events have their positive and negative aspects, somehow in the end they all seem balanced out to me. I must say that I really loved this year's EF at the new venue in Hamburg. Beautiful area all around, and what is there not to love about having a train station right next to the hotel? I was there often, day and night!
YESHUA: Heh I bet that train station nearby was definitely a highlight for you, huh? I'm happy you enjoyed your time there!
The only other main question I have for you is, what's next for you? Do you have any goals here in the fandom? Anything in particular you would like to do or try?
BOLT: To be honest, not really. I will be looking forward to meet more people and meet old friends. I want to have fun and this year of all years I've been in the fandom have been the best of the best! I have finally got myself a furry partner and I couldn't be happier!
YESHUA: Hey, it sounds like you're taking things one day at a time and having a lot of fun doing what you love, so I hope that you can keep having a good time here in the fandom!
Before we finish, do you have any final or parting remarks?
BOLT: Yes, I think that's the best way to describe it.
I would just like to thank everyone for the wholesome support I get and the amazing friends I've met throughout my journey. I'm truly thankful to be where I am! Keep spreading good vibes, love your friends.
YESHUA: Absolutely lovely way to finish this off. Thank you so much for your time, Bolt! This has been a wonderful conversation! You've been a phenomenal guest!
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That’s gonna do it for today’s edition of Character Interview! It was such a fun time chatting with Bolt and I hope you all enjoyed reading about this lovely doggo! If you want to keep up with his adventures, be sure to give him a follow!
As always, I’m looking for more cool folks in the fandom to sit down and chat with, so if you think you or someone you know could be interviewed here, just send me a message on one of my socials!
Hoping to be back with another interview soon, but until then, take care!
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CONVENTION CALENDAR
Hello again, readers! I’m Shetani, your Convention Calendar host. In this issue, you’ll get the scoop on all the furry conventions and events happening online, around the world, and in your neck of the woods! There’s only one month left in the year, and plenty of furry cons are here to help you wrap up 2023 with a bang. Let’s learn about them now!
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The party’s about to start at Midwest FurFest! It all kicks off Thursday November 30 and will end Sunday December 3, once again at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois, USA. This year’s theme, Snow Days, fully embraces the winter wonderland which often envelops MFF. Anyone who’s attended previously, or even browsed through con pictures from past years, can attest to the captured memories of fursuiters and non-suiters alike making snow angels, having snowball fights, and posing in a winter wonderland! Their schedule is packed to the gills with exciting activities, so check it out on MFF’s website to begin planning your fun-filled weekend. 2023’s Guests of Honor include fursuit maker Wild Acai and author/artist Jackaloo. The charity this time around is the Live Like Roo Foundation, an organization providing emotional and financial support to families whose pet faces a cancer diagnosis. In addition to a Dealer’s Den, MFF offers a unique Artist Menagerie - subdivided into the Artist Alley and Marketplace - where attendees can browse wares for sale and watch the making of art unfold live.
Website | Twitter | Telegram | Facebook | Instagram
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Futrołajki will take place Wednesday December 6 - Sunday December 10. Their venue is Hotel Conrad & Hotel Conrad Comfort in Kraków, Poland, an expansion from last year’s con to accommodate even more attendees! This year’s theme is Steampunk and Revolution, so grab your goggles and get ready for a riveting good time! Guest of Honor Przemysław Szczepańczyk will host a talk about the styles and history of beer and lead a workshop on home brewing. Registered attendees may sign into the portal on Futrołajki’s website to view the schedule, though this reporter has it on good word that programming will include a Blahaj and plushie party, game shows, a boxing workshop, and DJs, among others. A charity auction will be held to benefit Children's Oncology in Kielce and people in extreme poverty, homeless shelters, and children's homes. Attendees to Futrołajki must be at least 18 years old.
Website | Twitter | Discord | Telegram | Mastodon
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Otterdance 4 is on the horizon! This twice-yearly furry club event hits the scene at Akhnaton in Amsterdam, Netherlands on Saturday, December 9. DJs Arkifel, AlphaRacc, and Lynn Drumm will be spinning tunes, as well as a very mysterious special event! For the first time ever, Otterdance will have a six-contestant dance battle. As usual, you must be 18 years of age to party at Otterdance.
Website | Telegram | Blue Sky | Mastodon
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Furs Upon Malaysia, or FURUM, welcomes furries old and new to its 2023 convention over the weekend of Saturday December 9 - Sunday December 10 at the Armada Hotel in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. Check in with Mission Control before you blast off at this space-themed furry convention. FURUM’s honored guest is the talented animator and artist Kekeflipnote. Don’t miss Keke’s panel on how to make art using their trademark and slightly unorthodox medium: the Nintendo 3DS! There’s a lot planned for the weekend, including fursuit events, art tutorials, karaoke, and meet & greets. FURUM’s charity partner is Katzen Cat Sanctuary, established by two cat-loving sisters to channel their passion and hard work into finding homes for cats. Attendees must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and show certification in order to purchase registration online. On-site reg will not be offered this year, sorry! FURUM is a 13+ convention and you’ll need to show a photo ID in order to pick up your badge.
Website | Twitter | Telegram | Facebook
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We’re now entering that special time of year where you can ring in 2024 at a convention surrounded by all your furry friends! The first of these cons we’ll cover is Furvester, held at the Hotel Fortuna in Reutlingen, Germany. Four full days of fantasy await you from Wednesday December 28 - Sunday January 1. Don’t get blinded by science with their Mad Science theme, you want to be able to see all the pretty New Year fireworks! Furvester’s Guest of Honor this year is Pudge, a dancer, artist, and fursuiter from Ireland. Do you think you can guess how many fursuiters will be at Furvester 2023? How about Americans? On their website, you can find an informative “Nose Count” page, which breaks down current registrant demographics by country of origin, age, fursuit ownership, and even T-shirt size using fun bar graphs. Furvester proudly partners with the Vaihingen/Enz Animal Shelter, and you’ll have plenty of opportunities to interact with them over the course of the con, whether at their Meet the Charity panel, participating in the charity auction, or donating to the fursuiter bucket brigade as they march around the hotel. Attendees must be 18 years of age or older to register for Furvester.
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Bewhiskered 2023 takes place from Friday December 29 - Sunday December 31 at the Hilton Hotel Near Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, USA. Avast and set sail for treasure and adventure with their Furries on the High Seas con theme! Attendees will have the pleasure of being among Guests of Honor JD Puppy and Kaptain. Start planning your weekend of fun by perusing the schedule on the Bewhiskered website, and enjoy events such as a BIPOC furs meetup, disc golf panel, intro to puzzles, pin trading, meet and greets of all kinds, and dances each night of the convention. A charity auction will be held to benefit SAFE Haven for Cats, a no-kill organization which provides sterilization, medical treatment, and adoption services.
Website | Twitter | Telegram | Facebook | Instagram
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New Year’s Furry Ball, as the name suggests, takes place on December 31 at the Embassy Suites Newark Wilmington in Newark, Delaware, USA. With a Dealer’s Den, fursuit parade and group photo, game room, charity raffle, dances, and of course a ball drop ceremony, it’s amazing how much excitement they can pack into just a few short hours! No need to worry about dinner either, as a fully catered complimentary buffet dinner is included with your registration. This time around, the theme is Unwrap a Sweet New Year, which everyone in attendance almost certainly will. NYFB has invited Delaware local fursuit maker Kimmi Cocoa as their Guest of Honor this year. The charity is I Am Me Inc., an organization offering safe social spaces with programs that uplift and unify the LGBTQ community, which attendees can support through donations collected over the evening as well as the charity raffle. NYFB is requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative PCR test.
Website | Twitter | Discord | Telegram
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As you may recall from last month’s issues, our cover artist Shiina will be at MFF in December! It sure is a big con, so please stop and say hi to her if you happen to cross paths! Remember to get vaxxed and wear your face mask when meeting up with any furs in person, and as another year comes to a close, take some time to reflect upon all you’ve experienced and accomplished in 2023.
Got questions or suggestions for Convention Calendar? Feel free to drop me a line on Twitter and the Fediverse, or hit me up at any of the other platforms linked on my website. If there’s an upcoming con you want to ensure we cover here on Furry Weekly, don’t hesitate to let me know. Have fun and stay safe out there!
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