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A FURRY FAUX PAW
by Jessica Kara

A FURRY FAUX PAW by Jessica Kara

Sometimes your best self is your fursona

Buzzfeed featured this on their round-up of “Best Books of July!” Booklist calls it “an immersive, emotional novel that will resonate with readers who enjoy stories of fandoms, cons, and found family.” Kirkus also gave it a great review, saying “This is an uplifting story of finding oneself despite the pull of a loved one’s severe mental illness: Maeve navigates her emotions and relationships in a positive way, keeping readers rooting for her success and happiness...nerdy sweetness will keep both furry and nonfurry readers turning pages.” It was also featured on a round-up of new titles from School Library Journal: Teen Librarian Toolbox.

Online, MauveCat (a cool, confident, glittering pixie cat) has friends and a whole supportive furry community that appreciates her art. At home, Maeve Stephens has to tiptoe around her hoarder mother’s mood and mess. When her life is at its hardest, Maeve can always slip into Mauve, her fursona, and be “the happy one,” the bubbliest, friendliest artist in her community—it’s even how she made her best friend, Jade.

With graduation around the corner, Maeve is ready to put her lonely school days behind her and move on with her life. And while her father hasn’t been home since the divorce, he does offer her a dream come true: an all-expenses paid trip to the regional furry convention.

Furlympia will have everything Maeve’s been missing—friends, art mentors, and other furries! So when her mother forbids her from going, Maeve decides to sneak out on her own.

Between hitching a ride with Jade, getting a makeover from a young furry she inspired, and connecting with an art idol who could help Her get into her dream school—the furcon is everything Maeve hoped for and more. A single weekend away shows Maeve how wonderful her life could be, but breaking free of the hoard means abandoning her mother, just like everyone else in their life. And Maeve isn’t sure if she can—even if it destroys her, too.

Jessica Kara is a professional author and artist. She has served as president of her local writing organization, Authors of the Flathead, and is a member of the Society for Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators. Jessica has indie published a young adult fantasy series featuring gryfon characters. A Furry Faux Paw is her first contemporary young adult novel. Her stories, whether fantastic or contemporary, are “noblebright” at their core, woven with a spirit of determined hope, belief in the power of kindness, and the faith that good will overcome. She currently resides in northwest Montana with her husband, where she spends her time staring at the mountains, drinking a lot of coffee, dreaming up things and people, and chirping back at birds.

Praise for A Furry Faux Paw:

*One of Buzzfeed’s “Best Books of July!”*

“An immersive, emotional novel that will resonate with readers who enjoy stories of fandoms, cons, and found family.” —Booklist

“This is an uplifting story of finding oneself despite the pull of a loved one’s severe mental illness: Maeve navigates her emotions and relationships in a positive way, keeping readers rooting for her success and happiness...nerdy sweetness will keep both furry and nonfurry readers turning pages.” —Kirkus

“While the book has its tinges of hardship and sadness, you’ll cheer for Maeve following her passions and coming into her own.” —Buzzfeed

“A delightfully geeky novel that isn’t afraid to break your heart while making you belly laugh, in a beautifully heartfelt journey through family, fandom, and furries.” —Eric Smith, author of Don’t Read the Comments

“Jessica Kara paints the furry fandom with an authentic, loving brush, detailing the creativity, openness, and friendships that those of us who’ve lived in it for years recognize immediately. From the heart-wrenching opening scenes to the cathartic finale, this is a lovely, furry ride.” —Kyell Gold, author of Out of Position and Waterways