A piece of Skyrim fan-art by Blotch sold for $5500 at Further Confusion 2012's art show last weekend. [sibe/reddit]

The mixed-media work depicts a battle between a leopard-like Khajiit and a non-morphic dragon. [dA, FA]

Videl, the winning bidder, was enthusiastic about his purchase:

It was totally worth it! Love the work of Blotch and love Skyrim!!

The most expensive furry art show piece sold to date is Goldenwolf's "Eyes of the Night", which was auctioned for $10,000 at Further Confusion 2004.

Update (29 Jan): Videl says he was bidding on behalf of his roommates as well as himself.

Here’s an e-book we recently stumbled across: Legacy by Hugo Jackson is the author’s first book, and also the start of “The Resonance Tetralogy”, which presumably means there will be three books to follow. “Faria Phiraco [a fox ] is a ‘resonator’, a manipulator of crystals from the moon who wields control of the elements. It is a rare and secret power which she and her father, the Emperor of Xayall, guard with their lives. But they are not alone… The Dhraka, malicious red-scaled dragons, have discovered an ancient artefact, a mysterious relic from the mythical, aeons-lost city of Nazreal. Their plan already in motion, they besiege Xayall, launching upon the city to find Faria and tear more of Nazreal’s secrets from her. But she knows nothing, except that the powers hunting her threaten the entire world. With her father missing, Faria has to rely on her own strength and brave the world that attacks her at every turn. Friends and guardians rally by her to help save her father and reveal the mysteries of the ruined city, while the dark legacy of an ancient cataclysm wraps its claws around her fate… and her past. She soon realises that this is not the beginning, nor anywhere near the end. A titanic war spanning thousands of years unfolds around her, one that could yet cost the lives of everyone on Eeres.” The book is available for the Kindle on Amazon, at it seems to be getting good reviews from the readers quoted there.

Anne McCaffrey passed away Monday night in her home from what is reported as a 'massive stroke'. She was 85 years of age.

The creative force behind the Dragonriders of Pern fantasy series and The Ship Who Sang, McCaffrey was the first woman to be awarded a Hugo Award, and to receive the Nebula.

McCaffrey was also the first author to reach the New York Times Bestseller's List with a Sci-Fi title (The White Dragon). She published nearly 100 books, mainly fiction, beginning in 1967.

A remarkable author, McCaffrey prided herself on interaction with her fans. Up until a few weeks ago, she was still answering readers' mail on her website. She was also a frequent face at many sci-fi and fantasy conventions, often invited as the guest of honor.

R.I.P. Anne McCaffrey, 1926 – 2011

Brian Dyer, known in furry fandom as Athus Nadorian, was reportedly killed in a car accident.

Athus, 29, was an artist, and co-owner and lead designer for Bad Dragon, a company which specializes in toys of a sexual nature. He was mated to Narse.

Athus died on October 11. The vehicle he was a passenger in was believed to have failed to yield to oncoming traffic when making a turn, resulting in a collision with another car. In response to his death, Athus's friends and family have set up a memorial website.

Ursa Major-award winning author M.C.A. Hogarth has released her latest novel in e-book format: Even the Wingless, the story of an empath ambassador sent to a violent court of shapeshifting dragons, there to try to mend a failing treaty... or be consumed by savagery.

The novel is available on the Kindle store and on Smashwords in all other formats. You can read more about the story, and see accompanying art, on the author's LiveJournal.

DreamWorks' animators have cut together a music video for Jónsi's "Sticks and Stones" out of clips from How to Train Your Dragon. [tip: Lando]

DreamWorks intends to release a sequel in 2013, plus a weekly series on Cartoon Network.

The CGI adaption of Firebreather – a comic about a half-dragon, teenage superhero created by Phil Hester and Andy Kuhn – debuts November 24 at 7PM EST/PST on Cartoon Network.

The movie is directed by Peter Chung, creator of animated series Æon Flux (not to be confused with the live-action film), and written by Jim Kreig. [Lovejoy/Weasel Wordsmith]

A pair of fursuiters invaded the Engadget Halloween costume competition earlier today; one even made it to the final five. [SlyCat/furrymedia]

Matthew Paul Finnigan (26), also known as Starblade Enkai, died 22 September 2010 – apparently after being stabbed in a friend's apartment. The suspect, James Torrey Hill, has plead not guilty to murder and is being held in custody.

Starblade was a controversial figure in fandom, best known for inspiring the "FYIAD" meme.

Update (20 Feb 2011): More news has emerged on the killer, who apparently had a preoccupation with the idea of killing someone, and stabbed Starblade because he was "sick of his life", "sick of school", and "might as well go to jail." [tip: rodox_video]

Disney is to release Studio Ghibli's Tales from Earthsea (ゲド戦記) in just over a fortnight. [Joe Strike/a.f.f]

The movie reached #1 at the Japanese box office in 2006, but received mixed reviews. It was nominated for Animation of the Year, but ultimately won the tongue-in-cheek Bunshun Raspberry Award after failing to meet Ghibli fans' expectations.

The plot is ostensibly based on the Earthsea novels, including sections of A Wizard of Earthsea, The Farthest Shore and Tehanu. Author Ursula K. Le Guin called Tales "a good movie" but "not my book", and was critical of its PG-13 violence.

Fantasy author James Maxey told SCI FI Wire that his latest novel, Bitterwood, takes place in a world where humans live under the rule of dragons.

"The dominant species, sun-dragons, are much bigger than humans: stronger, smarter and better organized under the forceful leadership of the dragon-king, Albekizan," Maxey said in an interview. "However, a dragonslayer named Bitterwood haunts Albekizan's kingdom."

For the full story, see the article on SciFi Wire.

From SciFi Wire

Fantasy author E. E. Knight told SCI FI Wire that his new novel, Dragon Avenger—the latest in his Age of Fire series—is high fantasy, but from a dragon's point of view. "It comes out of the great animal [protagonist] tradition of Watership Down, where the author sort of flips the world around, and you see everything from an alternate point of view," Knight said in an interview at the World Fantasy Convention in Austin, Texas, last month. "With Age of Fire, it's a dragon's point of view, and, obviously, a dragon has a completely different view of elves, dwarves and men and so on, than in the typical fantasy."

For the full article, see SciFi Wire

Eragon, by Christopher Paolini, was released as a book a couple of years ago (2004). It tells the story of a young boy (Eragon) who finds a strange blue stone in a treacherous and dangerous mountain range known as The Spine. He brings it back home only to have find out that it is in fact a dragon egg. And there his problems begin.

The movie adaptation of this book, the first in this Inheritance Trilogy is set for release December 15th of this year - the trailer for which is now available online.

This film promises to be a must-see for all dragon-lovers.

The book review from Amazon.com:
Eragon, a young farm boy, finds a marvelous blue stone in a mystical mountain place. Before he can trade it for food to get his family through the hard winter, it hatches a beautiful sapphire-blue dragon, a race thought to be extinct. Eragon bonds with the dragon, and when his family is killed by the marauding Ra'zac, he discovers that he is the last of the Dragon Riders, fated to play a decisive part in the coming war between the human but hidden Varden, dwarves, elves, the diabolical Shades and their neanderthal Urgalls, all pitted against and allied with each other and the evil King Galbatorix. Eragon and his dragon Saphira set out to find their role, growing in magic power and understanding of the complex political situation as they endure perilous travels and sudden battles, dire wounds, capture and escape.

Delek Dragon! (Can anyone here translate the Hebrew?)

This item features a photo of a dragon fetus, along with a story of how it was discovered.

Looks like something that might be seen at a furry con art show!