“It’s the literary equivalent of buried treasure!” That’s more than just publisher’s hyperbole. It might just be the best description of The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories, published last fall in hardcover by Random House. For the first time it collects together 7 original stories by Dr. Seuss that have not seen the light of day since they were first published in magazines from 1948 to 1959. From Amazon: “Seuss scholar/collector Charles D. Cohen has hunted down seven rarely seen stories by Dr. Seuss. Originally published in magazines between 1948 and 1959, they include ‘The Bear, the Rabbit, and the Zinniga-Zanniga’ (about a rabbit who is saved from a bear with a single eyelash!); ‘Gustav the Goldfish’ (an early, rhymed version of the Beginner Book ‘A Fish Out of Water’); ‘Tadd and Todd’ (a tale passed down via photocopy to generations of twins); ‘Steak for Supper’ (about fantastic creatures who follow a boy home in anticipation of a steak dinner); ‘The Bippolo Seed’ (in which a scheming feline leads an innocent duck to make a bad decision); ‘The Strange Shirt Spot’ (the inspiration for the bathtub-ring scene in The Cat in the Hat Comes Back); and ‘The Great Henry McBride’ (about a boy whose far-flung career fantasies are only bested by those of the real Dr. Seuss himself).

The 2012 Ursa Major Awards, for the best in anthropomorphic literature and art of 2011, will be presented in a ceremony at Califur 8, at the Irvine Marriott Hotel in Irvine, California on 1–3 June 2012.

The 2011 Awards were presented at Morphicon 2011 in Columbus, Ohio on 13 May 2011. The Awards have been presented at Califur once before, in 2007.

Book cover by Rukis

After a long journey, up-and-coming artist and writer Amy "Ringshadow" Meister (FA) has entered the publishing market with her first e-book, Rainbow in the Dark (originally named "Like a Rainbow in the Dark", as a tribute to the Ronnie James Dio song of the same name).

The story, set in an anthropomorphic/furry universe, concerns a closet-gay wolf-raccoon hybrid named Marcus Midnight, a fictional rock star, and his power-metal band Guillotine. After a successful musical career spanning twelve years and six hit albums, Marcus feels burned-out and extremely lonely.

The winners of the tenth annual Ursa Major Awards for the best anthropomorphic/"funny animal" literature and art first published during 2010 have been announced at a presentation ceremony tonight at Morphicon in Columbus, Ohio.

See also: Last year's winners, the 2010 nominees and other UMA coverage.

Voting for the Ursa Major Awards for the Best Anthropomorphic Literature and Art of 2010 is now open, and takes place until April 17. Anyone may vote, and you are encouraged to ask your friends to vote also — please help spread the word!

There are five nominees in each of ten categories, except where there was a tie for fifth place.

To be eligible, a work must have been released during the calendar year 2010; must include a non-human being given human attributes (anthropomorphic), which can be mental and/or physical; and must receive more than one nomination.

Sythyry's Journal, originally posted on LiveJournal from 2002-2008, has been published as a 626-page book.

The journal ostensibly belongs to a young dragon-like Zi-Ri sorcerer, and documents zir adventures on the World Tree.

The work was written by World Tree RPG designer Bard Bloom, and edited by co-author & art director Vicki Borah Bloom.

Cover art is by Tod Willis, creator of Dracula and Ekwara and sketch artist for Crimson Flag.

See also: Flayrah's 2001 interview with World Tree's creators

Bard is currently working on Sythyry's Vacation, set 124 years later.

Voting for the Ursa Major Awards for the Best Anthropomorphic Art and Literature first published during 2009 ends on April 18.

Anyone may vote, and you are encouraged to ask your friends to vote also. Visit the Ursa Major Awards web site to sign up to vote, or view the list of nominees.

On April 9, David Hopkins, the author of Jack, contacted the Ursa Major Award administrators to request that the work be withdrawn from consideration for the award in the category of Best Graphic Story. For technical reasons it must still appear on the ballot, but as the online voting system allows people to revise their choices at any time until the close of voting, those who have voted for Jack have the opportunity to select another nominee if they wish.

Voting for the Ursa Major Awards for the Best Anthropomorphic Literature and Art of 2009 is now open, and takes place until April 18. Anyone may vote, and you are encouraged to ask your friends to vote also. Visit the Ursa Major Awards web site for details on how to vote.

There are five nominees in each of the ten categories, except where there was a tie for fifth place, or fewer than five eligible nominees. To be eligible, a work must have been released during the calendar year 2009; must include a non-human being given human attributes (anthropomorphic), which can be mental and/or physical (for example the intelligent dogs in Up for the former, and Fantastic Mr. Fox for the latter); and must receive more than one nomination.

And the nominees are...

Nominations for the 2009 Ursa Major Awards for the Best Anthropomorphic Art and Literature close on February 28.

Anyone may submit up to five nominations for works first published during 2009 in each of the ten categories — Motion Picture, Dramatic Short Work or Series, Novel, Short Fiction, Other Literary Work, Graphic Story, Comic Strip, Fanzine, Published Illustration, and Game. It is not necessary to nominate for all categories.

Rain pattered off the wind shield, the constant faint drumming stopping abruptly each time the wipers swiped it away, the repeated motion having a sort of heartbeat like rhythm, quite hypnotising when there is nothing but an open road and hundreds of miles between you and your destination.

Author Jo Walton has organized "International Pixel-Stained Technopeasant Day," for authors to release previously unavailable stories into the wild for free -- or to promote stories that have already been released. I've released the title story to my Sofawolf collection, "Why Coyotes Howl," as part of the day; there may be other stories of interest to furry fans being released and/or promoted in her list.

Why Coyotes Howl

Flight of the Godkin Griffin, M.C.A. Hogarth's online serial

Sythyry's Journal, Bard Bloom's fictional journal from the World Tree setting

Jo Walton's Master List of Stories

What if someone said, evolution was only the first step? The idea that humans evolved from apes is a very popular theory, but why is it that only apes have evolved into something greater? Is it so impossible to believe that other animals are incapable of breaking free of their quadruped, instinct-driven lives, and walking on hind legs? What if a dog could stand on two legs, what if a dog could talk? What if a dog could laugh, and love, and hate and feel? What if a dog could be a productive member of society, if he could be a lawyer, or a doctor, or a dentist? Welcome to the real world, welcome to the world we live in, where the theory is no longer a theory, but an inescapable truth. They are the Anthrahsians, and they are real, there is no denying their existence; they live among us, they work, play, live and love. But like all minorities, there are always those who will persecute and hate them.

Well, here it is, a year after I created this contest off the top of my head. Did I hope it would continue successful this long? Yes, and longer. Did I think it would? Well, to be honest, I wasn't sure. You authors and voters have made this thing a success, so thank you everybody. I know you're wanting the details of the new season, so I'll spare you the entire thank you letter I prepared (which was sent out on the mailing list. If you want to be a part of our mailing list, please email me or send me a PM message here on planetfurry.) Several changes have been made this season, including a little change as to how stories are judged. For details, check out the contest page here at www.watchingstone.com/contest.html .

An ambitious new furry fiction archive, FurRag, has made its current beta state available to the public to aid the furry participants of NaNoWriMo and offer an introduction to the rapidly developing functionalities.

Now available!

Pre-empting the Little Black Book of Furry Fiction's second issue, the special Halloween issue bundles stories from some of the fandom's most talented writers.