One of the best things about my writing career is all the wonderful friends I’ve made over the years. Many of my internet pals have become in-person friends. We share adventures in writing, and often we have the opportunity to meet up at conventions like Romantic Times Book Lovers’ convention or GayRomLit.

I always wanted to find a way to just ask a few over for branch, and this became the idea for this blog.

Each Sunday I’ll invite a couple friends over and ask a question. My friends will share their answers with me. You, gentle readers, can give your answer to my question in the comment section below. I’ll choose one random person from the comments and reward them with an ebook surprise, it’s that simple! Comments are moderated, so don’t despair if you’re not posted immediately! No comments last week? Commenters will be entered into a drawing, so don’t be SHY!

This week’s question:

You’re a geneticist allowed to create one fantasy animal, describe it?

When I was sixteen or so, I started reading Anne McCaffrey’s Dragons of Pern series. Those flying, sentient, telepathic, fire-breathing beasts were magnificent! A companion, a protector, best friend, and well, flying! C’mon, who hasn’t wanted to fly?!? And as a burgeoning adult (as well as upon later rereads) I was able to appreciate the influence on sexual and romantic relationships. Not with the dragons! Minds out of the gutter! The dragons’ sexuality influenced their riders’ libido and choice of spouse. It was fascinating and hey, there were gay dragonriders, too. Go Anne McCaffrey! Seriously, I still love the idea of those dragons.

But, as a kid, I also wanted a pet cheetah I could ride to school, instead of having to take the school bus. Not sure why I never wished for a horse or a pony like most young girls, but there you have it. I wanted a cheetah. To ride. Apparently I have some sort of transportation fetish. This may explain why I’m so proud of having ridden a horse, a camel, and an elephant.

Anyway… any geneticist worth his or her salt ought to be able to come up with one of those Pern dragons, right? And it’s not asking too much to have it sometimes shift into a sentient, telepathic cheetah, right? I bet I’d have people lining up around the block to get one of my lovely creations. — Author KC Burn

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So, if I was a geneticist, and I could create anything I wanted by gene splicing or some such, I would create….this:

 

Zam said to describe it, but this seemed easier all around….hope I didn’t stray too far from the parameters of the assignment….lol! (Plus, we just finished watching Harry Potter, Prisoner of Azkaban again tonight, and I realize now, this is, like the opposite of a hypogryph. Go figure…) — Author Jaime Samms (who is also a great artist)

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3780

And for a third author at our brunch table today: due to a slight miscalculation on my part, you only get me, (sorry). My Ideal Genetically Modified And Enhanced Animal would have the face of a llama, and maybe the body of a sheep, and some fluffy white wings. I love Llamas. There could be nothing better than a short fat fuzzy llama with wings.

Llamas hum when they’re content, and when they’re anxious they make this psycho honking sort of noise to alert their pals. They’re playful, and they pronk.  Who wouldn’t love one of those especially if it flies? — Author Z.A. Maxfield

Let’s get started on our fantasy animals now, shall we?