Plinky prompt:
If you could be any book character, who would it be?

This was the first thing that popped into my head. I tried to think of others, but I came up blank. For what it’s worth, I have a doctorate in English. From Harvard. I’ve read a whole lot of books. In other words, I’m a *highly educated* fangirl. An obviously defensive fangirl. Moving right along.

Pyanfar Chanur is a hani (those big dangerous-looking kitties). She captains her own small (meant for five-ish crew) starship ( Pride of Chanur) and comes from a society where the women kick butt and the men sit around and mostly look ornamental.

Pyanfar’s universe consists of several different space-faring species, all of whom have . . . challenges in getting along with each other. In this first book, they make contact with a new bunch–those funny naked monkeys, one of whom ends up on their ship. Much of the plot comes from trying to keep the poor bastard from being made into sushi, as his species are newbies and a commodity.

Pyanfar just keeps rolling with it. OK, got a human. Whatever. She later ends up with a kif (think the Empire) as well as her own big fluffy husband, all of whom manage to find places on her ship. She is brave, smart, incredibly loyal, thinks on her feet, handles the insane diplomacy with aplomb–and doesn’t take any crap from anybody. She’s the captain; this is her crew, and by God, stay out of her way.

(Yeah, okay, the retractable claws. Confession: While writing my dissertation, I got a cartilage piercing so I could have an earring at the top like the hani do. It wouldn’t heal over a whole year. 😦 I was really bummed. Maybe I should try it again. And . . . *mumble* golden red *mumble* fur.)

BUT I’M NOT A FURRY!!!!!