Thanks 2016!

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News » Streaming in the new year!

Have any plans for New Years Eve? I'm going to be working on some Aww, Feathers! artwork tomorrow and invite you all to stop by the Aww, Feathers! Art Stream and say hi! I play to go at least from about 8:30-11:30pm. I might start a bit earlier than that, and might go a bit later. But I'll probably call it a night before midnight, so if you want to watch the ball drop, you should still have time to do so.
Hope to see some of you there! Again, it will be at http://ift.tt/2ixNMNI.

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Comic » Snack Time - by John Shorten

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Comic » Baby Face - by Jacob Thompson

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Comic » Making Friends - by Dana Ingram

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Comic » Research Project 3 - by Kazul G. Fox

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Comic » Research Project 2 - by Kazul G. Fox

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Comic » Research Project 1 - by Kazul G. Fox

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Hawkman Nogard

A long overdue gift for studeggle. His character, Nogard, dressed as Hawkman!

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Comic » Fur or Feathers 5 - by Brian Sparling

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Comic » Fur or Feathers 4 - by Brian Sparling

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Comic » Fur or Feathers 3 - by Brian Sparling

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Comic » Fur or Feathers 2 - by Brian Sparling

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Saved By Grace

Many members (and even non-members) are familiar with this scripture from 2 Nephi, or at least the last part. But I think we often misinterpret it. We read "it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do," and we think it means "I am only saved by grace after I have done all that I can do; if I don't do all I can do, I won't be saved." In reality, we should interpret it to mean, "Even after all I can do, it is grace that saves me, not my own works."
In the grand scheme of things, our all, our very best and most valiant efforts are pitiful compared to the great debt we owe our Heavenly Father, both because of all He has given us, and because of our own disobedience and unworthiness. Luckily, it is not our good works that pays our debt. Rather, it is by our good works that we show our faith (see James 2:18). It is an act of faith to humbly make our paltry offering, in spite of the great debt we owe. Such faith will ultimately be rewarded by the great gift of our Savior's Grace, which is sufficient to pay the debts of every person who has ever lived and ever will live. We will never be able to repay our Savior for that gift. And if we will accept Him and exercise faith in Him, we'll never have to.

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How I draw Ine (Side View)

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Comic » Fur or Feathers 1 - by Brian Sparling

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The Right Question

I mean, have you read the original? Poe guy...

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ICDR 10 [Sunless Sea] - Comatose Ferret?

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Comic » Organic Bugs - by sunshineley

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Pipe Down

All of us have a little voice in our head that gets reeeeeeally feisty the moment we hear something that differs from what we already believe. It's good to be skeptical, but not to the point where we won't even consider opinions that differ from our own. None of us is right 100% of the time, so there is nearly always something to be gained by respectfully considering another's perspective. So the next time you immediately feel combative upon hearing an opinion that's different from yours, tell that little voice to "pipe down!"

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ICFL 8 [Remnants of a Beautiful Day] - Invisible Bridge Barrier

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News » Product Recommendations

I've added a new page to the website: A Product Recommendations page. I'm sometimes asked what software and tools I use to create Aww, Feathers! and what books I recommend. So I've gathered some of my top recommendations and put them on a page for you to see. You'll notice that they're displayed in the form of amazon links. If you purchase any of the items by clicking the links provided, I get a percentage of the sale (and in some cases, even if you click the link and then buy a different item, I'll still get a commission). So if you have any interested in the items listed, whether for yourself or a gift for someone else, please use the links provided, as it's an easy way to help support Aww, Feathers! without any extra from you! To be clear, even though I'm compensated for any resulting sales, they are all sincere recommendations of the items that have helped me the most to create my webcomic and other projects.
Click here to visit the page, or you can find it in the menu above under the "Extras" heading.

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News » December Postcard Preview

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<a href="http://ift.tt/1PlHppA src="http://ift.tt/2fgemZL;
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Ine's always wanted his face on a cookie! Just in time for the holidays, get your December patron postcard featuring <i>Aww, Feathers!</i> themed baked goods! (Just don't try to eat the postcard...) Head over to <a href="http://ift.tt/2dkUc3Z; before the end of November to reserve your copy!

PS: There was an error printing the November postcards, so they had to be reprinted. I still think they should be sent in time to arrive before Thanksgiving. Sorry for yet another delay!

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Comic » Scared Headless - by Nova Nocturne

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Comic » The Baby's Coming!!

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Comic » Decision 2016

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Paving the road

Wouldn't it be nice if the road to hell were so clearly marked? But I digress...

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions"? Nah, I don't buy it. The devil and his minions only wish that were true. And they'd sure like us to believe it. Sure, bad things sometimes happen as a result of some misguided but well-intentioned act. But that's why we have a Savior. Thanks to the Atonement, we are not judged by the results of our actions but by the desires of our hearts (D&C 137:9). We will make mistakes. There's no getting around that. As hard as we may try to do the right thing, we will stumble. But if we accept Christ into our lives, love Him, and show that love by striving to keep His commandments (John 14:15), in the end it will be enough. Not because we've earned our way into heaven, but because He's paved the way for us.

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News » I'm a dad!! Again!!!

Hooo boy. Literally.

I don't remember if I ever mentioned the gender of our baby when I said we were expecting. In our first ultrasound we were told to expect another girl. Welp, less than a month before the baby came we went in for another ultrasound and found out we were actually having a boy! Obviously we love him just as much as we would love a second daughter, but it was still quite the shock considering we'd been assuming we'd have another girl for the previous six months or so!

Our little boy came to us on Halloween night! Yeah, no kidding! So I've been taking the week off to help take care of him, my wife, and our two-year-old, who already loves her new brother, even though she was expecting a sister! So far he's been quite healthy and we're doing all right as a family, if a bit exhausted!

Enter the guest comics. The timing for the last chapter ending was spot on. I've got a couple of bonus comics for the coming week, and guest comics will officially begin appearing on November 15th, and will probably run through the end of the year. I received enough submissions to post two per week during that time! Thank you all so much! This is going to be a big help! During that time I'm going to refill my buffer (I've been completing each page by the skin of my teeth for the past six months or so), finish some other items in my backlog (a few improvements to the website for instance) and get some much needed rest (since I'm currently running mostly on prayers, video game music, and copious amounts of Halloween candy)! And then we'll begin 2017 with a brand new chapter in the story! Huzzah!

That's all for now, but don't worry. I won't be disappearing during this time. I'll still be active on the site and on social media while the guest comics are running. Feel free to continue leaving your comments and chat with me. :-) And look forward to those guest comics! We've got some really good ones coming up!

Until next time!

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Comic » Q&A Footwear

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Comic » Random Encounter 6

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Halloween 2016 - Charmander Trainer

I'm sure NOBODY else dressed up as a Pokemon Trainer this year. Actually, I'm 100% sure that's not true, because one of my coworkers had the same idea. But I haven't seen anyone else dress their beardie up as a Charmander, so there's that.

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Stop asking.

Just a quick one, because I was impressed by something I heard on a podcast I recently listened to. "Dear Hank and John" is a podcast put together by Hank and John Green (creators of Crash Course, SciShow, and other popular channels on YouTube as well as the books Fault in our Stars, Paper Towns, etc.) in which they take questions from their listeners and offer dubious advice in humorous fashion. Occasionally they'll answer a question that's a bit more serious, and in their recent episode they answered a question they've gotten from a lot of their listeners, and I felt it's very important for everyone to listen to it. You can listen below. The segment I'm referring to starts at 12:55 and ends around 17:00.
(You can click this link to jump directly to the segment: http://ift.tt/2eYKwtk
Or listen to the embedded player below.)



To summarize Hank and John's remarks, when you ask someone if they would be interested in pursuing a romantic relationship and they say no, you absolutely must accept that as their final answer and respect that answer. Failing to do so by continuing to ask them is a form of harassment. As Hank said, I think many of us (myself included) have been guilty of this, perhaps innocently thinking "I should ask again. Maybe things have changed." We don't think we're having that creepy stalker vibe portrayed in my little cartoon above. But we may not realize how uncomfortable and even unsafe continuing to push the issue may make the other person feel. On the other hand, honoring their wishes shows respect for that person's agency.
So please, if you seek a relationship with somebody and discover that they aren't interested, however innocent you may feel your intentions are, leave them alone. You will likely save both of you a lot of stress in the process.

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News » November Postcard Preview!

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<a href="http://ift.tt/1PlHppA src="http://ift.tt/2eQsGaE;
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The November patron postcard is here, and it gives us a glimpse into the family life of everyone's favorite purple dolphin! Wow, that's a lot of siblings... do you think that Thanksgiving fish is going to be big enough? (Don't worry, they've got more in the kitchen.) Several different species of dolphin are represented in this picture, including bottlenose, hourglass, and Amazon river dolphin.
This one took me longer than expected to finish. I kind of ran out of time and had to go with a simpler style. I don't love the way it turned out, but I'm still happy with it, and I hope you are too. Head over to <a href="http://ift.tt/2dkUc3Z; before the end of October to get your copy.

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Comic » Random Encounter 5

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Wasted Vote

Green pig? Sure, why not!

 I haven't yet spoken out about what Presidential candidate I support. That's partly because I'm still deciding, doing research and some serious contemplation, and partly because I want very much to avoid the unprecedented toxicity this election year has brought with it. But while I'm still not totally decided yet who I'm voting for President, I've finally decided to humbly voice a few of my opinions.

 While I am still deciding who to vote for, I'm fairly confident I will be voting third party. Many supporters of Trump and Clinton have been quick to mock, insult, and even shame those who support a third party candidate, claiming that by so voting they are giving their vote to the other side. There have also been many a well worded explanation for why that logic is false. The reason that stands out most to me is that the results of each election do not just affect who will be President for the next four years. The effects are more far-reaching than that.

Ending the polarization

 If there is one common complaint about modern American politics, it's that it is so polarized. The left and the right are so extreme that it's actually ridiculous. I think most Americans don't actually agree with the extreme positions taken by the party they support, but they feel they have no choice so they adopt a platform they don't feel comfortable with out of fear of an even worse platform. However, doing so shows support for the current system. Think of it this way: if the election turns out to be split 49% vs 51%, regardless of who actually wins, that is enough to show both parties that their party supports their position. So for the next election, they are likely to not only maintain their position, but push it even further to an extreme to gain even more support.

 If on the other hand a significant portion of voters shows dissatisfaction by not voting for either of the two main parties, think of the message that would send. If for example the election results were split 40%, 41%, 19%, even though a major party still may have won the election, they may seriously consider what they can do to win over that other 19%. After all, if they could gain their support, that would be enough to win the next election by a much more comfortable margin. How would they win over that 19%? By finding out what it is they want. And if what they want is a more moderate platform, they might, might just back down a bit from their political extremism. So even if a third party vote has very little chance of getting that third party candidate elected, it can still affect political discourse for the next four years and even the following election.

 Now, I'll fully admit I'm pulling these numbers out of thin air. I'm no political scientist, but I don't think anyone can say what will happen in each situation with near the level of certainty they claim to have. But that brings me to one final point I wanted to make:

Voting with a clear conscience

I believe if you do your research and vote in a way that you honestly feel is best for your country, you can do so with a clear conscience, regardless of how you actually voted. That includes

• voting Trump or Clinton because you believe he or she is the best choice,
• voting Trump or Clinton to keep the other out of office,
• voting McMullin, Johnson, or some other third party because you believe they are the best choice,
• voting third party to break the grip of the US two-party political system,
• etc.

Call me naive, but I think a person's reasons for voting the way they do are way more important than who they actually vote for. Why? Because if a person votes for a candidate because they believe they are the best choice and then later finds out that isn't the case, they are likely to vote differently and more carefully in the future. On the other hand, if they vote for a candidate out of blind party loyalty or even selfishness for something that candidate has promised, they are likely to stick to their guns regardless of what may actually be best for the country.

Making sure you're voting for the "right reasons" requires being honest with oneself. It requires asking "why do I want to vote for this candidate? Do I really believe voting this way is what is best for my country?" I would challenge everyone to ask themselves these questions, and then to do their civic duty and vote.

Because the only truly "wasted vote" is the one you don't cast.

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Tune out the noise

A while back I conducted an experiment I called the Social Honesty Project in which I tried to be more genuine when I posted on social media. I tried to talk more about what exactly was going on in my life at the time, rather than curating and portraying only the best parts about my life. I was pleasantly surprised to find that when I talked about things not going super great, I didn't just get ignored. My friends and family were very supportive of me during even the minor pitfalls.

I feel blessed to have friends who support me. Unfortunately, I've seen others subjected to ridicule and unkindness when talking about what's going wrong in their lives. But there have nearly always been those small but sincere voices cheering in the background, expressing their love and encouragement. Sometimes those voices may seem difficult to hear among all the loudmouths who appear to only be interested in tearing others down for their own amusement. Pay them no mind. It's easy to tear down, so I guess it's not surprising to find more negative voices than positive at times. But look for them. And when you find them, focus on them and tune out the voices that have nothing to offer but venom. Because in the end, it's nothing but noise, distracting you from the voices of your true friends who will love and support you no matter what.

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Comic » Random Encounter 4

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Comic » Random Encounter 3

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Comic » Running Late - by Austin Bradley

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News » Halloween Featherfest!

Wow, this has been a busy year! And it's not over yet! Far from it. I've been invited to return to Dragon's Keep in Orem for this year's Halloween ComicFest! It's sort of like Free Comic Book Day, but in October! Come by Saturday, October 29th (in costume preferably!) from 4pm to 8pm for free comics and artwork from local artists, including yours truly!
Well, there's just one caveat: our baby is due within a week of that day! :O (Scary, right?) Luckily, the store owner has agreed that if I need to cancel last minute or leave in the middle of it, that won't be a problem. Soooo... I guess we'll see what happens! For now though, assume that I'm going to be there. I'll keep this spot updated with any news if that changes. And besides, even if I'm not there, you can still show up and get some free comics and art.
For more information about the Halloween Comicfest and to see what comics will be given away that day, check out http://ift.tt/2dYAMlP.

Click here for the facebook event page: http://ift.tt/2dAkhK1

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ICFL 7 [Devil Daggers] - Demonic Bubbles!

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News » Inktober 2016!

I've decided to participate in Inktober this year for the first time ever! If you're not sure what Inktober is, check out the official website for da "rules": http://ift.tt/2dzzNo8

Technically I'll be doing these digitally, not with real "ink." But I'm still counting it. :P I've decided my theme will be taking Aww, Feathers! characters and styling them after other cartoon and comic characters! I've got a few ideas, but I need more! If you think of any cartoony stylings you'd like to see applied to an AF character, leave me a comment!

And here are the first three that I've done, to give you an idea what I mean:
http://fav.me/dajm5er
http://fav.me/dajndoe
http://fav.me/dajwpob

I'll be posting the rest on deviantArt, twitter, facebook, and patreon!

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Comic » Random Encounter 2

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Vain Prayer

It is good to pray for those who are need. But it is better to pray to know what we can do to help, and then go out and do something! We can't just sit back and wait for God to do the good that He has sent us to do.

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Comic » Random Encounter 1

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News » October Postcard Preview!

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<a href="http://ift.tt/1PlHppA src="http://ift.tt/2cWJCxv;
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Phew! Sorry this one is so late! Things have been a li'l cray-cray around here getting ready for a new baby and work has been real busy to boot. But here's a preview of the October Patron Postcard! Catch your own copy by pledging $5 on <a href="http://ift.tt/2dkUc3Z; before the end of the month! Hurry, you've got until this Friday!!

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Other People

This quote by Jean-Paul Sartre has been examined by those much more versed in philosophy than I. That said, it seems to me that it could have a number of interpretations. Perhaps we sometimes view other people as nothing more than annoyances and inconveniences, constantly getting in the way of what we are trying to accomplish. Or maybe it's that other people cause us to constantly fret about what they think of us, for without the judging gaze of other people, we would never feel shame for our actions.

Maybe there's some truth to these, but if so, I say we must also accept their opposites! Life's greatest joys cannot be experienced by ourselves. And it is often others who show us the good in ourselves that we cannot see. Without other people, there would be--could be--no heaven.

Let us not become so self-absorbed that we see others people only as sources of pain and anxiety. Strive to see the good in each person and in our interactions with them.

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Monitor Bird

Male, blue secretary bird with monitor lizard tail.
New character concept I'm working on. Kind of related to Aww, Feathers! but not in the strictest sense. I'll explain later.

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Comic » Q&A Flight

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Comic » Anxiously Employed 9

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Comic » Anxiously Employed 8

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ICDR 6 [Anodyne] - Taste my bristles!

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Comic » Anxiously Employed 7

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News » Aww, Feathers! at the Get Graphic Festival!

This Saturday I will be in the artist alley at the Provo Library's Get Graphic Festival! That's September 17 from 11am to 1pm. I'll be selling books and artwork and will probably have time for some free sketches. Come say hi!
More details here: http://ift.tt/2c3L7qu

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Suicide Prevention Plan

This week is National Suicide Prevention Week. I recently read an article in the Ensign about creating a "suicide prevention plan." I'd never heard of such a thing. I figured it was probably something for those who were already struggling with suicidal thoughts or who were already in a crisis. As I learned about the different steps involved in creating a plan however, I soon realized that in many ways, suicidal thoughts is like other crises: the time to make a plan to deal with it is before it happens! (I'd encourage everyone to read it, regardless of their religious preference or previous experience with depression or suicidal thoughts. The section about creating a plan starts halfway down the page: http://ift.tt/2cx1K2c)

I've never felt suicidal. And while I've struggled with anxiety and self-doubt on plenty of occasions, I don't think I've ever had clinical depression. So it's tempting to think this is something I don't really need to worry about. However, I've since learned from others that you just can't tell who will be affected. And like any emergency plan, you obviously hope to never have to use it. But when a crisis arises, you'll be glad you were prepared. On that note, I decided to follow the steps outlined in the article to create my own plan, which I've briefly outlined here. The idea is to start with step one and move on to each step in order if you still don't feel better:

1. Recognize warning signs.
   • loss of interest in activities I usually enjoy
   • withdrawal from friends and family
   • melancholy and lack of motivation to do anything
2. Try to comfort myself.
   • listen to calming, uplifting music
   • go for a walk
   • draw
   • play non-violent video games
3. Think about reasons for living.
   • my friends and family love and depend on me
   • personal projects I'm working on
   • goals I hope to accomplish in the future
4. Reach out to others for help.
   • family members
   • close friends
   • bishop
   • suicide hotline
   • crisis hotline
5. Create a safe environment.
   • stay with someone supportive; don't be alone
   • ask for help removing potentially harmful items
   • go to a park, mall, movie theater, or other social environment
6. Contact a professional.
   • suicide hotline: 1-800-273-TALK (7133)
   • crisis text line: 741-741
7. Get emergency help.
   • call 911
   • go to nearest hospital and ask for help

Again, I hope to never have to use this plan. But I have already made a copy that is easily accessible on my phone if I should ever need it. I'd encourage everyone to do the same. Treat this the same way you would treat preparing for any emergency. Sit down with family or friends and talk about it. Don't wait. Make a plan now.

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Comic » Anxiously Employed 7

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News » Now Accepting Guest Comics!

It is time for the second ever Aww, Feathers! Guest Comic event! As I mentioned before, my wife and I are expecting our second child! She's due early November, or possibly late October. Our first daughter was a little bit early, so you never know. Having been through this before, I know we're going to need some time to adjust to having another little one in the house. So I'll be taking a break from updating the comic and filling the space with guest submissions. Our <a href="http://ift.tt/2ctrZXI guest comic event</a> was a smashing success! I'm hoping for at least as many entries this time. It would really be a big help. Don't worry about your skill level; if you have an idea, give it a go! All you need to do is follow these guidelines (they're the same as last time, just restated for convenience and clarity):

Participants
<ul><li>Anyone may submit a guest comic, regardless of whether you've submitted one before.</li>
<li>Each participant may submit up to three entries. These may be three pages of the same story, or three completely separate pieces.</li>
<li>Collaborations are allowed (one person could do the art while another does the writing, etc.). If you're looking for a collaborator, leave a comment on this news post. If you're an artist and having trouble finding a collaborator, talk to me. I've got a few ideas I could toss your way. ;-)</li></ul>
Format
<ul><li>Any skill level and art style is allowed (color or black and white, digital or traditional, realistic or cartoony, etc.). The important thing is that it looks like thought and effort went into its creation.</li>
<li>Submissions may be page or comic strip format, but each submission should be no bigger than 800 pixels wide by 1200 pixels high and no larger than 5 MB in file size.</li></ul>
Content
<ul><li>Each entry should feature at least one of the Aww, Feathers! cast, whether they be one of the <a href="http://ift.tt/2chKlbX characters</a> or a secondary character.</li>
<li>You may include other characters, even your own, as long as you have the rights to do so.</li>
<li>Feel free to have fun with the characters and story; entries don't have to be 100% true to the comic. Try not to make it radically different however.</li>
<li>Remember to keep it family friendly: no profanity, gore, or suggestive themes.</li></ul>
Submission
<ul><li>Please submit your entries to awwfeathers@gmail.com no later than October 31, 2016.</li>
<li>You do not have to submit a Spanish version or translation with your comic. If you'd like to though, you may, and the translated versions will not count towards your 3 entry limit.</li>
<li>Please do not post your entries anywhere else (deviantArt, your website, etc.) until after it's posted here. We don't want to spoil the surprise!</li>
<li>By submitting an entry, you grant me permission to post it here, though you maintain the rights to any characters you create. I will include your name and a link to your website (if provided) in the description of your submission. I will not use your submission for any other purpose unless I obtain your permission first.</li>
<li>Most, if not all entries that follow the rules above will be accepted. However, I have the final say on what gets posted. It's unlikely, but possible that an entry may conflict with future ideas I have for the story for example, and if that's the case I'll let you know, along with possible alterations that would make it acceptable.</li></ul>

If you have any questions, leave a comment or send an email. While not required, I'd love to know if you plan on making one so I get an idea of how many to expect. Thanks so much in advance to anyone who plans to contribute! The more we get, the more updates there will be during the break! Happy Comicking!

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News » New site feature: announcement bar

I’ve added a new feature to the Aww, Feathers! website. In a few places around the site you may notice a small banner (like the one to the right). A few pieces of info about this new feature:

Q: Does this mean you’re bringing back ads to the site?
A: No. As long as our minimum Patreon goal is met each month, there will be no 3rd party ads on the site.

Q: What will appear on these banners?
A: These banners will be used for announcements and reminders related to Aww, Feathers!

Q: I don’t like them. Can I hide them?
A: Yes you can. If you’d prefer not to see them, just press the little minus sign (-) above the banner, then click the plus sign (+) to show it again. The website will remember your decision, unless you switch browsers or clear your cache.

Q: Does it track whether I hide or show it?
A: No. The banners use what’s called local storage to keep track of your preference. It doesn’t get set to me nor is it tracked in any way.

Q: I don’t see any banners/they aren’t working properly.
A: If you have ad blocking software installed, it’s possible it might be blocking this too. Which is cool if that’s what you want, but you might consider whitelisting awwfeathers.com if you want to see them. Another possibility is that the script just isn’t working properly. If you’re experiencing any problems with this feature, please leave me a comment or email me at awwfeathers@gmail.com.

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ICDR 5 [Little Inferno] - Public Service Announcement

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Comic » Anxiously Employed 6

Added 2 Minutes Ago


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ICDR 4 [Undertale] - (First Look) Where's the weed killer?!

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Comic » Anxiously Employed 5

Added 4 Minutes Ago


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News » September Postcard Preview

<p class="centeredImage">
<a href="http://ift.tt/1PlHppA src="http://ift.tt/2bu0KI9;
</p>

September is almost here, and that means school. Sorry to bring that up! The AF cast is already hard at work with their classes. The September patron postcard shows a small glimpse into the everyday life of one of the girls... do you think that's June or Mally's desk? Anyway, as you can tell, they spent the evening goofing off after a hard day of school, work, and other responsibilities. Get your copy by clicking here and you'll also be supporting future updates to the comic!
Although it's made me a bit more busy, it feels good to be back to updating every week again! Thanks once again to everyone who has supported on Patreon!

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Social Honesty

This past week, the topic of honesty has come up a few times. Friends, podcasts I've listened to, and even Church today brought up the topic. And in addition to that, I've been thinking lately about how we portray ourselves online, and how it affects those we interact with. How much of what we show to our friends and followers is our true selves? And how much does our online persona change as we move from platform to platform, or audience to audience? Are we honest in the way we portray ourselves and our lives?

I'm not talking about overt lying, but rather the way we curate our lives; what we chose to share or omit, emphasize or obscure. Obviously we can't share everything about ourselves online. That would be difficult, unsafe, and frankly boring for anyone who attempted to consume such an all-encompassing record. But the things we do chose to share say something about how we view ourselves, or at least how we want others to view us.

Have you ever been looking at someone's profile or recent post and thought that they seem to have their whole life together and that everything seems to work out for them? Would you be surprised to find out that they're struggling in their marriage? That they constantly worry about finances? That they wish they had a different career? I'm not saying we should take pleasure from other people's struggles, but mightn't it be somewhat comforting to know that we're not the only ones who have doubts and anxieties about our lives?

So what's my point? I don't even know for sure. It's just been on my mind. I don't think my point is that we should all complain a little bit more. I don't think it's that we need to be less optimistic, or that we should stop sharing silly memes or videos. I think what I'm getting at is that we shouldn't be afraid to be a bit more genuine. When we have a bad day or we're worried about something, let's leverage the power of living in such an interconnected world, not to throw a giant pity party, but just to show everyone that we are all human, that we all struggle, and that we're all working on things. And while we're at it, we can express empathy to others who are struggling. I think that all too often we conceal our struggles and ignore or even belittle those who have the audacity to talk about their own. Imagine how the world might change if instead we were more open with each other, willing to share one another's burdens (see Galatians 6:2 and Mosiah 18:8).

I thought I'd put my money where my mouth is, and try a little experiment. For the next week, for every few hours that I'm awake and available to do so (so maybe like 4-6 times a day), I'll make a short but honest status update on my personal social media accounts. I won't share anything that would be too private or contain details that would be inappropriate to share online. It may be as simple as "feeling exhausted after a busy day" or as specific as "laughed way harder than was necessary while watching the sloth scene in Zootopia!" (I could easily see either one of those appearing sometime during the week.) Also, I'm not going to get my phone out to blast out my update if I'm currently in the middle of a meeting, a conversation, a date, or something else important. The point isn't to increase my social media usage, but to be a little more open about how I really feel throughout the day.

I'm not challenging  others to participate in this experiment; at least not yet. But if you'd like to, you're more than welcome. I'm curious to see what comes of this. Who knows, maybe halfway through I'll decide I've annoyed my friends enough and call it done. Or maybe I'll learn something interesting about myself or how I portray myself online. We'll just have to see I guess. If you happen to follow me online, updates that pertain to this experiment will be marked with the hashtag #SHP for Social Honesty Project. I'll report on how it went and what I've learned sometime in the next couple weeks.

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ICGM [StarBound] - Raining Fire?

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Comic » Guest Comic - Candy Stop

Added 10 Minutes Ago


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Comic » Anxiously Employed 4

Added 9 Minutes Ago


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