CM Simpson: Writer & Gamer

There are 20 short stories in the latest volume of Craig Martelle’s The Expanding Universe anthologies. Today, with Craig's permission, we are taking a sneak peek at the start of Lyn Forester’s story, ‘Tuesday’ . Here’s how it begins: ---------------------------------------------------------------- A gambler. A prostitute. An orphan. On a toxic planet where people live in stacked cities, segregated by social status, a lot can happen in one day. Location: Leton Season: Winter Cycle: Day 33 Year: 890 PL (Post Landing) The Hungry Girl Time: 0145 Like treasure, the crinkled foil wrapper twinkles on the sidewalk. A fallen star that promises to fend off starvation for another night. Her stomach cramps, a hollow ache just below the ribs. It growls to rush across the street, snatch up the prize, devour whatever contents can be scrounged from inside. She waits. The alley snuggles close; narrow, dark and safe. It shields her from p...

There are 20 short stories in the latest volume of Craig Martelle’s The Expanding Universe anthologies. Today, with Craig's permission, we are taking a sneak peek at the start of Timothy Ellis’s story, ‘One Last Battle’ . Here’s how it begins: ---------------------------------------------------------------- This story occurs 100 years before the beginning of Hero at Large, in the Hunter Legacy Universe. Yorktown Recon fleet, scouting the Cuba system in Earth sector, 2515. One I was only on the launch deck for one reason. The shuttle was taking me to an evac hospital, for invaliding home. I was in the seat, duffel stowed, pondering the end of my flying career. They said I’d never fly again. They said if I ever tried, I'd kill myself doing it. And most likely others as well. I didn’t get it. I could do everything except run and fight. They didn’t want me. It was easier to train a new pilot. Fleet wanted command officers out of fleet officer school,...