CM Simpson: Writer & Gamer

Of course, the thought of what comes afterwards IF a traditional publisher contracts me is even more worrisome. I guess it’s a case of horses for courses. I have one e-pub I publish with, under a pen-name. I like them and they are good to work with, so I am working on more submissions for them in that genre only, however, they are the exception. The behaviour I’m seeing in the established markets for most of my work has got me wondering how on earth any writer has made a living of ANY kind in the last twenty years. My hat’s off to those who have had the luck and skill to succeed under that regime, and for having the courage and skill to try new options and then share their experiences. When I see posts like this on the behaviour of established, leading publishers, I think that the traditional route is not for me: http://www.thepassivevoice.com/05/2012/kriss-post-spread-the-word/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ThePassiveVoice+%28The+Passive+...

‘Jalaya’ was started in 1999 and completed in 2012, specifically for this anthology. It was difficult to write, until I conceded that it needed to be a lot longer than I had originally intended. The compromise was worth it. ‘Jalaya’ is the fourth short story in An Anthology of Battle and is approximately 14,500-words long. It is currently available for stand-alone purchase, and it starts like this: Michael looked down at the town in the sand. Red, flat roofs of clay interspersed by the elegant, wooden gables of buildings from northern climes, still stood in a basin of protective hills. From where he stood, the rotting boards were invisible, as was the sand that swirled along the unkempt streets. An Anthology of Battle is scheduled for upload to Kindle and Smashwords between the 22 nd and 26 th of May, 2012.

Current Projects : These are in the current priority order, which represents the order I tackle things in any given day. I usually only get to the first two projects on this list on any given day. The order will change as contracts in the ‘on hold’ list are signed, edits and playtest deadlines received. The daily ‘quota’ is either 1,000 words or a full chapter revised. Completed : ShortStory15: Completely revised at 1,719 words. This is the second entry in Anthology4. Poem7: Completely revised 12 lines and 101 words. This is the third entry in Anthology4. ShortStory16: Completely revised at 2,735 words. This is sixth entry in Anthology4. ShortStory17: Completely revised at 5,078 words. This is the first entry in Anthology4. Poem8: Completely revised at 249 words. This is the fourth entry in Anthology4. ShortStory18: Completely revised at 6,829 words. On-Going :                ...