CM Simpson: Writer & Gamer

This week’s short story takes us from the slightly humourous sci-fantasy mix that is the spaceship Mythicus to the not-so-humourous tale of bloodlines and heritage in a science-fiction setting. Welcome to Palmyra Ridge . When the company Chani works for moves to take her people's lands, she must work to save them, but when Security Officer Asleyan steps in, she must work to get him on-side. Can two people from two very different cultures work together to save a nation, while retaining their own sense of self and sanity? Palmyra Ridge is available as a stand-alone short story at the following links: https://www.amazon.com/Palmyra-Ridge-C-M-Simpson-ebook/dp/B00928CGPI/ . You can also find Kristine Kathryn Rusch's latest free short story over on her blog: kriswrites.com . Why don't you go and check it out?

One of the things Canberrans love is their dogs. There are a few of these dog parks all around the city, where people can come, any time of day or night, to exercise their dogs off the lead. In addition to the trees, Canberra parks like to incorporate a bit of art work... ... and many of them commemorate other parts of our heritage, too. This sign post was standing not far from the park entrance.  This is what it was here to remember.   The other thing dog parks here are careful to do is to remind dog owners of what's expected. It helps to keep things peaceful, and is a good learning tool for new dog owners still learning the ropes. As with the water-quality ponds last week, there seems to be a few things I missed. I think I'll have to come back and take a few more shots so you can get a better feel for the place.

All her life Lily has prepared herself for taking over the family farm. The property talks to her, the animals and plants thrive under her care, and even the old tractor bends to her will. Her brothers have other careers planned, and help Lily position herself to take over when they are gone, but her father has other ideas. He wants to pass the farm on to one of his sons. He says pigs might fly before a girl would be any good at running a farm. How is Lily going to convince him that farming is the only thing she has ever wanted to do, and that she is the best of his offspring to take over when he is gone? And what do her dreams and hopes have to do with flying pigs? Pigs Might Fly is a story of magic realism, where the world we see is only nearly as it seems to be. Pigs Might Fly is currently available as a stand-alone title at Smashwords , and will soon be available via Kobo, Kindle, iTunes and Nook, but will one day be incorporated into An Anthology of Sorcery and Magic ....

Pigs Might Fly is now available for sale. All her life Lily has prepared herself for taking over the family farm. The property talks to her, the animals and plants thrive under her care, and even the old tractor bends to her will. Her brothers have other careers planned, and help Lily position herself to take over when they are gone, but her father has other ideas. He wants to pass the farm on to one of his sons. He says pigs might fly before a girl would be any good at running a farm. How is Lily going to convince him that farming is the only thing she has ever wanted to do, and that she is the best of his offspring to take over when he is gone? And what do her dreams and hopes have to do with flying pigs? Pigs Might Fly is a story of magic realism, where the world we see is only nearly as it seems to be. Pigs Might Fly is currently available as a stand-alone title at Smashwords , and will soon be available via Kobo, Kindle, iTunes and Nook, but will one day be incor...

This will be my third release this week. I played with magic realism to produce this little exploration of traditional values and how they change between generations.   All her life Lily has prepared herself for taking over the family farm. The property talks to her, the animals and plants thrive under her care, and even the old tractor bends to her will. Her brothers have other careers planned, and help Lily position herself to take over when they are gone, but her father has other ideas. He wants to pass the farm on to one of his sons. He says pigs might fly before a girl would be any good at running a farm. How is Lily going to convince him that farming is the only thing she has ever wanted to do, and that she is the best of his offspring to take over when he is gone? And what do her dreams and hopes have to do with flying pigs? Pigs Might Fly is a story of magic realism, where the world we see is only nearly as it seems to be. Pigs Might Fly is currently avai...

Palmyra Ridge has been released on Amazon and Smashwords. Palmyra Ridge is a short science fiction story exploring issues of belonging, bloodlines and heritage in a changing world. Just under 7,000 words in length, it is the third short story in the fourth Simpson Anthology - An Anthology of Worlds . An Anthology of Worlds . Chani dreams of the ritual of Severance, which allows her to leave her people's homeland, but when the company she works for moves to take her people's lands, she is exactly where she needs to be. All she has to do is convince Security Officer Asleyan that her visits to Palmyra Ridge are essential, and maybe gain his assistance in defending those she holds most dear. But the security officer has a heritage and fears of his own. Can two people from two very different cultures work together to save nation, while retaining their own sense of self and sanity?   found in    ...