Do you have animals/furry creatures as main characters in your books?

Steven Lake · 01-11-2011, 03:47 PM

Recently a fellow author advised me to head over to furaffinity and say hello, tell them I was an author, and that I had animals as main characters in my books, which I do. Oddly, I got banned as soon as I got through the door, because they apparently don't like authors over there. (oh well, their loss)

Anywho, as a result of this, it got me to thinking about something. How many of you have animals, or furry creatures as main or primary characters in your books? For example, in my Earthfleet series, five of the nine major races in the book are all animal based, and all animals. In fact, I have a surprising number of characters throughout my books that are animals.

So, how many of you have animals or furry creatures in your books, and what are they?

HistoryWes · 01-11-2011, 05:28 PM

Your question struck a chord with me and I'm not sure why. The closest thing to an animal in my books is a character in my sci-fi novel Princess of Amathar. He is a supporting character and is a dog-like alien, but I never thought of him as an animal. In my Senta and the Steel Dragon books, there are lizardmen; definitely not fuzzy. One of my favorite books of all time though is Watership Down. Maybe someday I will write a book with animal characters.

DArenson · 01-11-2011, 06:18 PM

My novel The Gods of Dream features a pair of talking cats (who also happen to be ancient goddesses).

CrayWolf · 01-11-2011, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Lake

Recently a fellow author advised me to head over to furaffinity and say hello, tell them I was an author, and that I had animals as main characters in my books, which I do. Oddly, I got banned as soon as I got through the door, because they apparently don't like authors over there. (oh well, their loss)

Hi there!

When you say you went over to FurAffinity, where did you go -- chat, message boards, the main site on furaffinity.net? While drawn/painted artwork gets a lot more attention in the Furry fandom than writing does, there's definitely room for authors. One of them (Kyell Gold) has even been nominated for the Washington Science Fiction Association Small Press Award.

Anyway, I know the guy who runs FurAffinity, and while I won't say that I have any pull or can make any change, I wanted to let you know that writers are definitely welcome and that we're generally a friendly bunch.

DavidRM · 01-11-2011, 08:15 PM

My novel, The Girl Who Ran With Horses, two of the horses qualify as main characters. Plus a few others are secondary characters.

My short story "Inferno", which will be in my new collection (Demon Candy) due out soon, the main character is a cat. Specifically, an undead hellcat. He's furry. Even cuddly. Sometimes.

But neither of those is what I think of when someone asks about "furry"...

-David

Steven Lake · 01-11-2011, 11:13 PM

HistoryWes: Yes, that counts.

I have many animal like aliens in my books too, which even though they're not actual animals, the fact that they look like them is close enough.

CrayWolf: Hey, if you could talk to him and see if he'll unban me, that'd be great. All I did was go into the introduce yourself forum, say hello and state that I was an author, and *boom!* I got banned. When I looked up the reason why, it said the reason was because I was a spam bot, which is obviously BS. You don't intro yourself as an author and then get treated as a spambot. I figured that was just a generic brushoff because they didn't want authors there. If you could talk to the owner and have him lift the ban, that'd be great. I signed up to the forums with the same username I use here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidRM

My short story "Inferno", which will be in my new collection (Demon Candy) due out soon, the main character is a cat. Specifically, an undead hellcat. He's furry. Even cuddly. Sometimes.

But neither of those is what I think of when someone asks about "furry"...

-David

HAHAHA! That sounds awesome! I can imagine your hellcat being rather interesting. Especially being undead. And as for "furry", when I think of that, I think of any animal that has fur. If someone thinks of something other than that, well, that's on them.

randyflycaster · 01-12-2011, 10:22 AM

Yes, I have a dog as an important character who helps teach a young fly fishing girl, whose mother left her, a lesson about the importance of feeling uconditional love.

I love books and movies with animals as important characters. When I was going through a long, difficult time during my college years, my dog helped me come through it.

Today, many years later, I'm still grateful.

Randy

John Carroll · 01-12-2011, 05:01 PM

Do dragons count? They may not be fluffy, but no one's willing to tell them that to their face.

luisecme · 01-17-2011, 10:48 PM

OMG!, i'm surrouded by pros here!! (I'm a newbie in the forums), but as an amateur in the art of painting worlds with simple words I've found animals to be much more than just a "literary add", or supporting feature in my stories. In fact, I have a couple or more of them in wich animals (or animal-like creatures) are the main characters.

Nietzsche said, for example, that "dogs hate wolves for their freedom" [some kind of envy], and thence it came to my mind a story about a wolf that lives in total freedom, but who is tricked by a sheepdog to join his flock, so he (the dog) wouldn't have to care about the wolves hunting the sheep. Maybe I was trying to depict the anihilation of instincts for the sake of society (the flock), the benefits that come from there, and the price that must be paid... and the story goes, etc.... he he

...and there were cats somewhere else in another story, and a gigantic beautiful bird with a metaphorical message to save the planet in other, and.... and.... can't remember right now, but the point is the same: anthropomorphism can create sometimes a more-magical world than a human-limited way of seeing things.

[not sure for my english, is not my native language]

Steven Lake · 01-17-2011, 11:53 PM

In regards to your english, you did a good job. In fact, you did about as good as some of us native speakers. Some days even we can't speak proper English! lol. Now as for your idea about the dog tricking the wolf into helping him with the sheep, when I read your description it immediately jumped out at me and grabbed my attention. If you haven't already worked that into a book, you really should! I mean, if you can do a little blurb like that and snag me hook, line and sinker, then you know you have a great idea! The only trick now is converting it into a working story!

GeoffC · 01-18-2011, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DArenson

My novel The Gods of Dream features a pair of talking cats (who also happen to be ancient goddesses).

luisecme

Welcome to Mobileread ....

Brad Chambers · 01-20-2011, 09:08 AM

I my book In search of Home, a yellow lab named Jonah (same as my lab) travels with my main character. It works well to use his reaction to people to set set them up as good or evil.

luisecme · 01-20-2011, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Lake

Iwhen I read your description it immediately jumped out at me and grabbed my attention. If you haven't already worked that into a book, you really should! I mean, if you can do a little blurb like that and snag me hook, line and sinker, then you know you have a great idea! The only trick now is converting it into a working story!

Thanks for that reply!!, but it's actually a short story, I think it started good, then I got blocked..... and I think it's because sometimes it can be very difficult to untie the conditionings of being human to create a living creature that's not human at all, but can be much more humane than most humans.... [kind of a riddle there hehe]

I'll try to give a good end to my story now that I got encouraged!! Thanks again!!

Oh, and by the way, I gave a sneak peek to your website, very nice!!, loved this: "Humor is good, because if you don't have it, you'll either go crazy, or you'll end up writing books. Oh, wait. That'd doesn't work." [S.L.]

@GeoffC
Thank you very much!, it's really good to be part of this!!

Steven Lake · 01-21-2011, 10:11 PM

One of the things I tend to do a lot, which I really don't see as being all that bad if done right, is my regular habit of giving human personality characteristics to animal or "creature" characters within my books. Heck, I've got AI's and androids that are almost as human, if not more so, than my human characters at time, flaws and all.

So I guess it's just a common thing for me to do that with all my characters, furry or otherwise.

krisdalpiaz · 01-24-2011, 06:28 PM

My current work has several mythical creatures that can talk, some of which take the form of normal animals. I don't see it as bad to give them human traits. In fact, without human traits, the readers probably won't identify/connect with the creatures, which I do see as bad.

01-11-2011, 03:47 PM	#1
Steven Lake Sci-Fi Author Posts: 1,158 Karma: 14743509 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Michigan Device: PC (Calibre)	Do you have animals/furry creatures as main characters in your books? Recently a fellow author advised me to head over to furaffinity and say hello, tell them I was an author, and that I had animals as main characters in my books, which I do. Oddly, I got banned as soon as I got through the door, because they apparently don't like authors over there. (oh well, their loss) Anywho, as a result of this, it got me to thinking about something. How many of you have animals, or furry creatures as main or primary characters in your books? For example, in my Earthfleet series, five of the nine major races in the book are all animal based, and all animals. In fact, I have a surprising number of characters throughout my books that are animals. So, how many of you have animals or furry creatures in your books, and what are they?

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01-11-2011, 05:28 PM	#2
HistoryWes Teacher/Novelist Posts: 632 Karma: 2274466 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Nevada Device: Nook STR, iPad	Your question struck a chord with me and I'm not sure why. The closest thing to an animal in my books is a character in my sci-fi novel Princess of Amathar. He is a supporting character and is a dog-like alien, but I never thought of him as an animal. In my Senta and the Steel Dragon books, there are lizardmen; definitely not fuzzy. One of my favorite books of all time though is Watership Down. Maybe someday I will write a book with animal characters.

01-11-2011, 06:18 PM	#3
DArenson ebookworm Posts: 268 Karma: 100026 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Canada Device: Kobo, Kindle	My novel The Gods of Dream features a pair of talking cats (who also happen to be ancient goddesses).

01-11-2011, 08:15 PM	#5
DavidRM Addict Posts: 203 Karma: 1007768 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma Device: Kindle	My novel, The Girl Who Ran With Horses, two of the horses qualify as main characters. Plus a few others are secondary characters. My short story "Inferno", which will be in my new collection (Demon Candy) due out soon, the main character is a cat. Specifically, an undead hellcat. He's furry. Even cuddly. Sometimes. But neither of those is what I think of when someone asks about "furry"... -David

01-12-2011, 10:22 AM	#7
randyflycaster Zealot Posts: 113 Karma: 1000858 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New York City Device: Sony 350	Yes, I have a dog as an important character who helps teach a young fly fishing girl, whose mother left her, a lesson about the importance of feeling uconditional love. I love books and movies with animals as important characters. When I was going through a long, difficult time during my college years, my dog helped me come through it. Today, many years later, I'm still grateful. Randy

01-12-2011, 05:01 PM	#8
John Carroll kookoo Posts: 1,461 Karma: 7772454 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Colorado Springs Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Nook, LG4	Do dragons count? They may not be fluffy, but no one's willing to tell them that to their face.

01-17-2011, 10:48 PM	#9
luisecme oldnewborn Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: costa rica Device: HP ipaq 111	OMG!, i'm surrouded by pros here!! (I'm a newbie in the forums), but as an amateur in the art of painting worlds with simple words I've found animals to be much more than just a "literary add", or supporting feature in my stories. In fact, I have a couple or more of them in wich animals (or animal-like creatures) are the main characters. Nietzsche said, for example, that "dogs hate wolves for their freedom" [some kind of envy], and thence it came to my mind a story about a wolf that lives in total freedom, but who is tricked by a sheepdog to join his flock, so he (the dog) wouldn't have to care about the wolves hunting the sheep. Maybe I was trying to depict the anihilation of instincts for the sake of society (the flock), the benefits that come from there, and the price that must be paid... and the story goes, etc.... he he ...and there were cats somewhere else in another story, and a gigantic beautiful bird with a metaphorical message to save the planet in other, and.... and.... can't remember right now, but the point is the same: anthropomorphism can create sometimes a more-magical world than a human-limited way of seeing things. [not sure for my english, is not my native language]

01-17-2011, 11:53 PM	#10
Steven Lake Sci-Fi Author Posts: 1,158 Karma: 14743509 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Michigan Device: PC (Calibre)	In regards to your english, you did a good job. In fact, you did about as good as some of us native speakers. Some days even we can't speak proper English! lol. Now as for your idea about the dog tricking the wolf into helping him with the sheep, when I read your description it immediately jumped out at me and grabbed my attention. If you haven't already worked that into a book, you really should! I mean, if you can do a little blurb like that and snag me hook, line and sinker, then you know you have a great idea! The only trick now is converting it into a working story!

01-20-2011, 09:08 AM	#12
Brad Chambers Enthusiast Posts: 25 Karma: 514012 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Kindle	I my book In search of Home, a yellow lab named Jonah (same as my lab) travels with my main character. It works well to use his reaction to people to set set them up as good or evil.

01-21-2011, 10:11 PM	#14
Steven Lake Sci-Fi Author Posts: 1,158 Karma: 14743509 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Michigan Device: PC (Calibre)	One of the things I tend to do a lot, which I really don't see as being all that bad if done right, is my regular habit of giving human personality characteristics to animal or "creature" characters within my books. Heck, I've got AI's and androids that are almost as human, if not more so, than my human characters at time, flaws and all. So I guess it's just a common thing for me to do that with all my characters, furry or otherwise.

01-24-2011, 06:28 PM	#15
krisdalpiaz Imaginist Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: St. Louis, MO Device: Kindle	My current work has several mythical creatures that can talk, some of which take the form of normal animals. I don't see it as bad to give them human traits. In fact, without human traits, the readers probably won't identify/connect with the creatures, which I do see as bad.