The Bad Dog Book Club

A few months ago, one of my Unpaid Interns at Bad Dog Books told me his friend had a neat idea about a podcast that might be cool to do under the aegis of BDB. I sensed immediately that their only intention was to abscond with hard-earned publishing funds in order to fuel their out-of-control canned tuna habits, but I played along.

"Sure," I said. "Hand over all creative control and obey my every whim, and we'll talk."

We negotiated from there.

They prepared a very good pitch document which suitably impressed me, and after we talked some more they went off to record a pilot episode. The recording quality was naturally dreadful, but the content impressed. Their banter was lively, their subject engaging and there was a clear passion that was hard to ignore. I was hooked. I was excited. I had just administered BDB's end-of-quarter earnings.

I bought them some decent recording equipment. A proper first episode was recorded, and in a few days, you'll get to hear it.

Why the delay? You'll understand when I tell you what the podcast is all about.

The Bad Dog Book Club is a biweekly podcast where Skip Ruddertail and Toonces critically and chitteringly discuss a furry fiction story. Naughty, nice, or otherwise. At the end of each episode they announce the next episode's story, and we put it online so the audience can read it and leave their own thoughts and comments. And for those who don't like reading (I curse you a thousandfold, you uncultured pigs) we release an audiobook version of the story narrated by a Celebrity Guest Reader in the intervening week.

The first episode, which is coming in a few days, is about a story by K. M. Hirosaki called "Sanguine and Clockwork" (click the link to read it!), which previously appeared in FANG Vol. 3, published (obviously) by Bad Dog Books. While it's nominally gay erotica, it's a bittersweet and thought-provoking fantasy story that deals with concepts of free will, sentience, class bigotry and the extremes to which our own cowardice can drive us.

Some of you have read it already (I bless you a thousandfold, you smart, attractive people) but those of you who haven't can do so now, so you'll know what Skip and Toonces are talking about — and so you'll get to enjoy a damn fine, rollicking tale in the process. For those of you who don't like reading (curse you pigs), but do like listening, I've recorded an audiobook version for you. 

The site is here: http://www.baddogbooks.com/bookclub

Even though I'm involved in this only as a fixer, I'm very excited about Toonces and Skip's project. See, there's already a dearth of discourse about furry fiction, and when people do leave meaningful comments on a story they're either a simple statement of opinion, or they're a comment directed at the author. 

What's missing is the singular delight of discussing a story with somebody else who's read it.

That's what the Bad Dog Book Club aims to do. The boys want you to read the story, and discuss it on the Book Club pages or send them e-mails about it so they can discuss your thoughts as well as theirs on the air. They want to rekindle the pleasure of collective reading, which is a notoriously solitary affair, and make it into a fun community activity. 

And sure, there are already podcasts for furry writers (I'm a fan of Unsheathed), for furry society, news and fun (Knotcast, Unfurled, in no particular order) and even a Furry Basketball Association (any Stoat fans out there?). But the Book Club is for an audience that actually doesn't get nearly as much attention as it should:

Readers.

I'm totally behind this. I've put my money where my mouth is; I've bought them equipment, I've built them a website, I've helped them with technology, technique and I will now promote the living daylights out of them. 

Have a look, have a listen. Subscribe to the podcast and you'll automatically get it when we post in in a few days, or keep an eye on myself or @baddogbookclub for the announcement. 

And let us know what you think!

- Alex