CM Simpson: Writer & Gamer

This week’s short story takes us from the science-fiction setting of love and family set against a back-drop of a hard-fought war to this Australian-set urban fantasy tale of discovery, danger and paleontology gone wrong. Welcome to Just a Dinosaur . The legends hinted at some kind of dinosaur. Oliver hoped it was a new species, and he had Nate believing him. Together, they hope to circumvent the prohibitions of intruding on a sacred site, to prove the creature existed—and all without their boss, and Nate’s lover, finding out. What exactly lies behind the legends—and, more importantly, will they be able to reveal it to the world? Just a Dinosaur is available as a stand-alone short story at the following links: books2read.com/u/mBeqvk . 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?

The second volume of my annual collection of short work from the previous year is now available. This year I had enough work for two volumes and it spans the range from speculative to fantasy to science fiction to horror to urban fantasy and paranormal fantasy through a variety of poetry, flash and short fiction. Sometimes, I wonder where it all comes from; mostly, I just enjoy the ride. Last year’s anthology consisted only of the short stories and poems published in 2012. This year’s anthology consists of all the short stories and poems that I created, edited or rewrote in 2013, regardless of whether or not they have been released. The tales are taken from completed anthologies, and anthologies yet to come, from my blog, and from my notebooks. Most are published as stand-alone stories, but some are yet to be published. This year’s anthology is two volumes long. I have divided them up chronologically, according to when the stories were first created and completed. This ...

I have a cover for my newest chapter book in the Wings series: Flying with Friends .   Jack has been looking forward to the Christmas holidays. Not just because it was a break away from school, but because, this Christmas holidays, he was going to learn to fly. The only thing that mars his trip is the flash of blue he sees behind them on a remote dirt track. Why would someone be following them way out here? Is he seeing things? Flying with Friends is the second book in the Wings chapter book series, set around a family with wings and bird-like feet. E-book cover Print-on-Demand cover    

You can find the introduction to the Babes in London adventure sequence HERE , the background to Act One HERE , the Overview for Act One HERE ., Act One Scenes 1-2 HERE and Act One Scene 3 HERE . To play or run this game you will need the following: PLAYERS: Fireborn Player's Handbook ; GAME MASTERS: Fireborn Gamemaster's Handbook ; This is a piece of fan fiction. It is NOT endorsed or acknowledged by Fantasy Flight Game s; it is IN NO WAY official; it DOES NOT indicate any form of relationship between myself and Fantasy Flight Games; and I DO NOT CLAIM any of the setting specific material or setting specific concepts as my own. PLAYERS SHOULD NOT READ BEYOND THIS POINT                 R EWARDS F OR A CT I Adventure Points: Scene 1 Nil Scene 2 Defeating the Imps & Scorpions: 1 heritage AP Scene 3 Participating in Any 2 of the Following Sections: ...

Troll-Mist Morning is the story of a teen who goes the extra mile so his mum can feel safe. Early morning starts, and standing around in the mist in the middle of winter, however, are one thing; trolls are another. When magic returns to the world and the trolls come, too, how is Daniel going to get his mum to see sense? Troll-Mist Morning is the first book in the series exploring what happens When Worlds Collide . When Daniel’s mum wakes him at five-thirty in the morning, he knows it’s so she can go and take photographs. It doesn’t seem to matter how many times he points out that most photographers take their early morning shots in perfect safety, his mum just can’t feel safe—so Daniel goes with her, even when its early and cold and the mist hasn’t cleared. Especially when the mist hasn’t cleared. Muggers, Daniel can handle, but what on Earth is he going to do about trolls? Troll-Mist Morning is about family, and caring for even the crazy members. It’s about a young per...