CM Simpson: Writer & Gamer

It's that time of year where you start to look back at the year that's been. Here are the titles released in Quarter 1, 2024: Jalaya: a science-fiction short story set in and around a yearly tradition, a dance not forgotten, and a planet torn by a long-running war. Hunted by an implacable foe, and driven into the ruins of a town he once called home, Mark Leader, Michael, must try to save his people against savage odds. And try, too, to save the woman he loves. Will the secrets of their past save or doom their future? You can find links to it, here: https://books2read.com/u/3JGvge The Lost Kings : a dark fantasy short story involving a city under siege, a dragon under cover, five kings lost to time, and two orphans running for their lives. Hunted by invaders, Valan races to find his sister before those seeking them. What is it about their past that has an entire army wanting them dead?And who sent it?Can Valan find the only family he has, and escape before the sins of thei...

Memory's Return is this month's first short story title and is now available on pre-order. Stepping away from the science-fiction worlds of Odyssey and Delight, Memory's Return takes us to the pixie-dust setting, and a world where magic and all the creatures associated with mankind's myths, have returned. What's it About? Memory's Return is an urban fantasy short story that involves Oni, a member of the Paranormal Operations Squad telling her version of events from one night when a night-club went boom. I came around to a stranger’s touch...and familiar faces I didn’t remember. Memories surfaced slowly, but would they return in time to save the mission, or our lives? And what about those we’re sworn to protect? Only time will tell, and we have no time. With events coming to a head, we have to roll out…and be prepared to defeat the traitor in our midst, as we bring our investigation to a close. Can we do it before they strike again? Well, there’s only way ...

Pixies, trolls and urban policing, things got interesting when the Otherworld renewed its connection to ours. A new suite of crimes sprang into existence overnight…and a new breed of officer had to be found to combat them. This volume brings together all the stories, so far published, of the officers in the Paranormal Operations Squad…and the world in which they strive to maintain the peace. Here's the thirtieth entry in this month's release of Pixie Dust Dreaming, the 7th collection in my Collections series, which released on the 4th. Links to the collection can be found at: https://books2read.com/u/mY6xvP . The Pixies of Hallowbranch Hill Written on March 2, 2014, this piece first appeared as 365 Days of Flash Fiction , and explores more of the moral questions to be found in the pixie dust world.   I saw the pixies dancing on Hallowbranch Hill. It made sense; the hill resembled the mounds back in what was called ‘The Old Country’. There was probably a door to the Oth...