Vote now for the 2016 Ursa Major Awards!
by Patch O'Furr
Submitted by Fred Patten, Furry’s favorite historian and reviewer.
Voting for the 2016 Ursa Major Awards, for the Best Anthropomorphic Literature and Art of the 2016 calendar year in 12 categories, is now open. The voting is open from March 13 to April 30. The awards will be announced at a presentation ceremony at Anthrocon 2017, in Pittsburgh, PA on June 29 – July 2.
The twelve categories are: Best Anthropomorphic Motion Picture; Best Anthropomorphic Dramatic Short or Series; Best Anthropomorphic Novel; Best Anthropomorphic Short Fiction; Best Anthropomorphic Other Literary Work; Best Anthropomorphic Non-Fiction Work; Best Anthropomorphic Graphic Story; Best Anthropomorphic Comic Strip; Best Anthropomorphic Magazine; Best Anthropomorphic Published Illustration; Best Anthropomorphic Game; and Best Anthropomorphic Website.
Voting is open to all! To vote, go to the Ursa Major Awards website at http://www.ursamajorawards.org/ and click on “Voting for 2016” at the left.
You will receive instructions on how to register to vote. You do not have to vote in every category. Please vote in only those categories in which you feel knowledgeable.
This final ballot has been compiled from those works receiving the most nominations that were eligible. The top five nominees in each category are the finalists. Please make sure that your nominations are only for works published during the calendar year (January through December) in question.
2016 FINAL BALLOT
Best Anthropomorphic Motion Picture
Finding Dory (Directed by Andrew Stanton and Angus MacLane; June 17)
Kung Fu Panda 3 (Directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson and Alessandro Carloni; January 29)
The Secret Life of Pets (Directed by Chris Renaud and Yarrow Cheney; July 8)
Sing (Directed by Garth Jennings and Christophe Lourdelet; December 21)
Zootopia (Directed by Byron Howard, Rich Moore, and Jared Bush; February 11)
Best Anthropomorphic Dramatic Short or Series
Bunnicula (Directed by Jessica Borutski, Maxwell Atoms, Robert F. Hughes, Matthew Whitlock, and Ian Wasseluk; Season 1 episodes 1 to 8 [TV])
The Lion Guard (Directed by Howy Parkins; Season 1 episodes 1 to 22 [TV])
Littlest Pet Shop (Directed by Joel Dickie, Steven Garcia, and Mike Myhre; Season 4 episode 10 to Season 4 episode 26 [TV])
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (Directed by James Thiessen, Jim Miller, Tim Stuby, and Denny Lu; Season 6 episodes 1 to 143 [TV])
Petals (Directed by Andrea Gallo and Alvaro Dominguez; November 29 [student film])
Best Anthropomorphic Novel
Dog Country, by Malcolm F. Cross (Amazon Digital Services; March 28)
Fracture, by Hugo Jackson (Inspired Quill; September 1)
My Diary, by Fredrick Usiku Kruger, Lieutenant of the Rackenroon Hyena Brigade, by Kathy Garrison Kellog (The Cross Time Cafe; April 2)
The Origin Chronicles: Mineau, by Justin Swatsworth (Dolphyn Visions; June 14)
Sixes Wild: Echoes, by Tempe O’Kun (FurPlanet Productions; June 30)
Best Anthropomorphic Short Fiction
400 Rabbits, by Alice “Huskyteer” Dryden, in Gods With Fur (FurPlanet Productions; June 30)
A Gentleman of Strength, by Dwale, in Claw the Way to Victory (Jaffa Books; January 24)
Marge the Barge, by Mary E. Lowd, in Claw the Way to Victory (Jaffa Books; January 24)
Questor’s Gambit, by Mary E. Lowd, in Gods With Fur (FurPlanet Productions; June 30)
Sheeperfly’s Lullaby, by Mary E. Lowd, in GoAL #2 (Goal Publications; March 27)
Best Anthropomorphic Other Literary Work
Claw the Way to Victory, ed. by AnthroAquatic (Jaffa Books; January 24 [anthology])
Gods With Fur, ed. by Fred Patten (FurPlanet Productions; June 30 [anthology])
Hot Dish #2, ed. by Dark End (Sofawolf Press; December 1 [anthology])
The Muse, by Alex Cockburn (Rabbit Valley Publishing; March [background booklet for Lucid’s Dream])
ROAR volume 7, ed. by Mary E. Lowd (Bad Dog Books; June 30 [anthology])
Best Anthropomorphic Non-Fiction Work
The Art of Zootopia, by Jessica Julius (Chronicle Books; March 8 [book; making of feature film])
Burned Furs and How You Perceive Porn (Culturally F’d: After Dark; October 6 [podcast])
CSI: Fur Fest; The Unsolved Case of the Gas Attack at a Furry Convention, by Jennifer Swann (VICE Media; February 10 [Internet])
Fursonas (Directed by Dominic Rodriguez; May 10 [documentary film])
17 Misconceptions About Furries and the Furry Fandom (Culturally F’d #23; February 11 [podcast])
Best Anthropomorphic Graphic Story
Endtown, by Aaron Neathery (Internet; January 1 to December 30)
Lackadaisy, by Tracy J. Butler (Internet; Lackadaisy Sabbatical to Lackadaisy Headlong)
Lucid’s Drean, by Alex Cockburn (Rabbit Valley Publishing; March)
Swords and Sausages, by Jan (Internet; January 10 to December 25)
TwoKinds, by Tom Fischbach (Internet; January 6 to December 25)
Best Anthropomorphic Comic Strip
Carry On, by Kathy Garrison (Internet; January 1 to December 30)
Doc Rat, by Jenner (Internet; January 1 to December 29)
Housepets!, by Rick Griffin (Internet; January 1 to December 30)
Kevin & Kell, by Bill Holbrook (Internet; January 1 to December 31)
SaveState, by Tim Weeks (Internet; January 6 to December 28)
Best Anthropomorphic Magazine
Dogpatch Press, ed. by Patch Packrat (Internet; January 4 to December 20)
Fangs and Fonts (Podcast; episodes #57 to #72)
Flayrah, ed. by crossaffliction and GreenReaper (Internet; January 1 to December 29)
Fur What It’s Worth (Podcast; Season 5 episode #8 to Season 6 episode #8)
InFurNation, ed. by Rod O’Riley (Internet; January 1 to December 31)
Best Anthropomorphic Published Illustration
Tracy J. Butler, cover of Anthrocon 2016 Souvenir Book
Dolphyn, “Hey Baby, You’re the Cat’s Meow!” in Anthrocon 2016 Souvenir Book
Teagan Gavet, cover of Gods With Fur, ed. by Fred Patten (FurPlanet Productions, June 30)
Iskra, “Autumn”, FurAffinity, October 22
Jenn ‘Pac’ Rodriguez, cover of Claw the Way to Victory, ed. by AnthroAquatic (Jaffa Books, January 24)
Best Anthropomorphic Game
Bear Simulator (Developer and Publisher: Farjay Studios; February 26)
Major \ Minor (Developer: Klace; Publisher: Steam; October 11)
Overwatch (Deveoper and Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment; May 24)
Pokémon Sun & Moon (Developer: Game Freak; Publishers: Nintendo and the Pokémon Company; November 18)
Stories: The Path of Destinies (Developer and Publisher: Spearhead Games; April 12)
Best Anthropomorphic Website
Culturally F’d, ed. by Arrkay and Underbite (YouTube [furry history & sociology])
E621 (Internet [furry art & discussion])
Fur Affinity (Internet [furry art & discussion])
The Furry Writers’ Guild (Internet [FWG news & discussion])
WikiFur (Internet [furry wiki])
Again, here’s the link to vote for your favorite 2016 anthropomorphic works for the Ursa Major Award.
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Here are links to where three of the short stories can be read for free online:
“Marge the Barge”
(a Newfoundland dog hockey player is taught to figure skate by a tabby cat)
http://deepskyanchor.com/marge-the-barge/
“Questor’s Gambit”
(imagine Captain Picard as a sphynx cat, Cmdr. Riker as a collie, and Q as a cheshire cat)
http://deepskyanchor.com/questors-gambit/
“Sheeperfly’s Lullaby”
(a short, sweet fairy tale about a sheep and a butterfly)
http://deepskyanchor.com/sheeperflys-lullaby/
Here goes “A Gentleman Of Strength” if you were of a mind to read it: https://www.sofurry.com/view/1159344