Fred Patten, Corresponding Secretary of the Anthropomorphic Literature and Arts Association, sends along the finalists for their Ursa Major Awards, presented annually for excellence in the furry arts. This is Anthropomorphic (a.k.a. Furry) Fandom’s highest award.

The final ballot at the award’s website, http://www.ursamajorawards.org/Voting-form-2007.htm, provides URL links to every nominee that has one, which appears to be the majority. Voting is open until April 20. Registration is required to vote, but only name and country of residence are required. The Awards will be announced and presented at Morphicon 2008 in Columbus, Ohio on May 16 – 18.

The full list of nominees appears below the cut

Best Motion Picture

(Live-action or animated feature-length movies)

• The Golden Compass (New Line Cinema; Rhythm & Hues, December 7)
• Ratatouille (Pixar Animation Studios; Walt Disney Pictures, June 29)
• Shrek the Third (DreamWorks Animation; Pacific Data Images, May 18)
• Surf’s Up (Sony Pictures Animation, June 8.)
• TMNT (Imagi Animation Studios; The Weinstein Co.; Warner Bros., March 23)

Best Dramatic Short Work or Series

(TV series or one-shots, advertisements or short videos)

• Gridlock (Dr. Who, Series 3, Episode 3; BBC1, April 14)
• The Natural Order (DTDigital TV adv’t for Cascade Premium Lager, November 4
• Naturally Juicy (Psyop & Stink studios TV adv’t for Orangina, November 16
• Pouring In (MJZ; Rhythm & Hues TV adv’t for Jeep Liberty, October 3)
• Shaun the Sheep (Aardman Animations, March 5 to September 14)

Best Novel
(Written works of 40,000 words or more. Serialized novels qualify only for the year that the final chapter is published)

• Black Dogs, Book 1: The House of Diamond, by Ursula Vernon (Sofawolf Press, April)
• Common and Precious, by Tim Susman (Sofawolf Press, January)
• Coyote Season, by Michael Bergey (Five Star/Thomson Gale, November)
• The Hero, by Teiran (Bad Dog Books, July)
• Inside the Cage, by Kyell Gold (in The Prisoner’s Release, and OtherStories, by Kyell Gold; Sofawolf Press, January)
• Life’s Dream, by Bernard Doove (CreateSpace, December)

 

Best Short Fiction

(Stories less than 40,000 words, poetry and other short written works.)

• Chrysanthemum and Cabbage, by Gerald Perkins (in Renard’s Menagerie #4)
• Don’t Blink, by Kyell Gold (in Heat #4)
• For Love or Family, by Kyell Gold (in The Prisoner’s Release, and Other Stories)
• A Non-Biodegradable Fox, by Ryan Campbell (in New Fables #1)
• Putting the Universe Back Together, by Chas. P. A. Melville (in Tales of the Tai-Pan Universe #43)

 

Best Other Literary Work

(Story collections, comic collections, graphic novels, non-fiction works, and convention program books.)

• All the Newshounds Fit to Print, by Thomas K. Dye (Lulu.com, January)
• Digger, vol. 3, by Ursula Vernon (Sofawolf Press, July)
• A Doemain of Our Own, vol. 2: Shift Happens, by Susan Rankin (Spit-Take Studios, July)
• Fur-Piled, vol. 2, by Leo Magna (Sofawolf Press, July)
• The Prisoner’s Release, and Other Stories, by Kyell Gold (Sofawolf Press, January)

Best Comic Book
(Traditional comic books, ongoing series or one-shots.)

• Captain Carrot and the Final Ark!, by Bill Morrison, Scott Shaw!, and Al Gordon (DC Comics, #1 & #2)
• Furry Guardians, by Cyberklaw (FurNation Multimedia, #1 to #3)
• Gargoyles, by Greg Weisman, Gordon Purcell, Dustin Evans, and Greg Guler (Slave Labor Graphics, #4 to #6)
• Genus, by various (Sin Factory, #82 to #86)
• i.s.o., by Vince Suzukawa (self-published, #3 & #4)
• Usagi Yojimbo, by Stan Sakai Dark Horse Comics, #100 to #108)

 

Best Comic Strip

(Internet or regular newspaper strips.)

• Bristled, by Stephanie Mebius (January 1 to December 31)
• Dan and Mab’s Furry Adventures (DMFA), by Amber M. Pankyo (#730, January to #859, December)
• Lackadaisy, by Tracy J. Butler (#24, January to #49, December)
• Newshounds II, by Thomas K. Dye (January 1 to December 31)
• Ozy and Millie, by D. C. Simpson (January 1 to December 31)

Best Magazine

(Professional magazines, amateur zines, fanzines, internet-only magazines.)

• Anthro (#9, January-February to #14, November-December)
• Heat (#4, July)
• New Fables (#1, Summer)
• Renard’s Menagerie (#1, January to #4, October)
• South Fur Lands (#44, March to #47, December)
• Spontoon Island (January to December)
• Tales of the Tai-Pan Universe (#43, August)

Best Published Illustration

(Illustrations for books, magazines,convention program books, cover art for such, coffee table portfolios.)