CM Simpson: Writer & Gamer

I was a little startled by the impact last week’s unscheduled interruptions had on the schedule, and had to triage. Determined to keep the book focus, I had to let things slide on the content creation front…at least a little. Unfortunately, I managed to catch the same flu my child had brought home, and this meant a lot more had to be let go in favor of trying to get better. Goals for March 2026, Week 2, ending March 14, 2026 Write 1 short story submission for a new magazine market; Publish the next novel a week ahead of schedule;   Maintain content creation schedule. Goals Completed March 2026, Week 2, ending March 14, 2026 Completed short story submission and submitted on due date;   Novel formatted to Nuke stage; and   Minor slippage on content creation schedule; still retrievable. Other Factors As above, this flu hit harder than expected, but we got through the week. Also adapting to the news that I have autism and adhd to a level that adversely affects 'norm...

This is the last day to pick up the newly released third editions of Mack and Me: Blaedergil’s Host , and Mack and Me: Arach , Books 2-3 of the Mack ‘n’ Me ‘n’ Odyssey series. It’s also the last day to pick up free or heavily-discounted titles from the likes of C. Gockel, Eric Boebelbecker, Julia Huni, Audrey Sharpe, and Drew Avera, as well as series by E.W. Barnes, Scott Moon and Craig Martelle, and Rachel Ford, to mention but a few. You can find these, and more, in the IASFA March Science Fiction book promotion HERE: https://iasfa.org/mar26/

Also free this week, Trading into Shadow , the first novel of the Magic Below Paris, sci-fantasy series. Technically, it’s all science fiction, but hyper-intelligent cats, nanite-abilities that manifest as magic, and the ability to communicate mind to mind, no matter the reason, give it an e lement of fantasy that’s hard to deny. If you enjoy a bit of snark and a lot of action and have always wanted to read a story set in post-apocalyptic Paris, then try this. Trading into Shadow, and the Magic Below Paris series, is set in Michael Anderle’s Age of Magic (Kurtherian Gambit) universe, and was a lot of fun to write. You can find it as part of this week’s Wild Wednesday offer – which runs until March 29 th , Pacific Time. You can find it here:  https://books2read.com/u/3GnYgd Other titles in this week's deals include: Izzie Berens: The Arcane Enforcer Complete Series Boxed Set – https://books2read.com/u/bw5Wxv First Casualty (FREE, KCD for series) U.S. Series Sale: https://www.amaz...

March brought change. I started setting goals, again. I started setting writing goals…and not just publishing goals. I’m still ‘failing’ a lot, but I’m finding where my limits are, and learning to allow time for the unexpected. February allowed me get ahead on the content creation schedule that I could begin the pivot to a writing focus…but not far enough, as I discovered. Goals for March 2026, Week 1, ending March 7, 2026   Write 1 short story submission for a new magazine market; Publish the next novel prior to its release date; and Maintain content creation schedule Goals Completed March 2026, Week 1, ending March 7, 2026 Not begun;   Book 3 published with one week to spare;   Book 4 edited and formatted to prenuke stage;   Content creation schedule maintained. Other Factors: Care and medical appointments for sick family members, job-seeker commitments, and ADOS testing took around 20 hours out of the week, either due to the face-time needed, or becaus...

  It’s been awhile. I’ll make no excuses, but will acknowledge that the ongoing Life changes are making it hard to focus and establish any sort of routine. Progress was as follows: 1. Re-establish writing habit: Partially achieved, although publishing progresses 2. Establish exercise habit: Not achieved, life, illness and multiple medical appointments 3. Alter dietary habits: achieved 4. Sleep habits: not achieved: Life, and the need to get things done overrode commonsense and planning; 5. Back-list publication: progressing: Static: 3/20 short stories published, 1/8 novels in formatting; 6. Progress on outstanding series: – publishing takes precedence; 7. Establishment of new projects: publishing takes precedence; 8. Maintain 2 gameplay videos/day release: Some catch-up and forward planning achieved, to whit: 122 videos recorded, 52 videos edited, 123 videos formatted, 120 videos uploaded, 114 videos published 9. Finalize recording for gameplay series: 1 se...

Just a quick note to let you know the next two 3rd Ed. releases in the Mack 'n' Me 'n' Odyssey series (Mack and Me: Blaedergil's Host, 3rd Edition, and Mack and Me: Arach, 3rd Edition) are available for FREE in the latest IASFA science fiction promotion. There are a lot of good books in this one, including titles from, among others, G Cockel, Julia Huni, Ginger Booth, Audrey Sharpe, Drew Avera, Tom Dell'Aringa, Laurence M. Schoen, and John Triptych...and a three-book omnibus from one of my favorite series, Darklanding , by Scott Moon and Craig Martelle. You can find it here: https://iasfa.org/mar26/ (NOTE: Ignore the 2nd edition cover for Book 3: Arach; I have checked and the link is to the 3rd Edition. Please enjoy.)