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...

Yesterday saw the end of the first month of a brand new year, and I have been working hard on the writer side of things. Yes, some gaming happened, too, but mostly the focus was on writing, as I have some books I'd like to see released this year. So, what did I get up to, you ask? Well, it certainly wasn't mischief...or not much of that, anyway. Writing Ghost writing took up a lot of my time, and I completed 129,690 words across multiple projects. It was a LOT, but buying a house and moving interstate late last year coupled with two week-long reactions to my covid vaccinations slowed me up some, so this took priority. Work on The Undiscovered , the third novel in the Strays of Lunar One series , recommenced very late in the month and received a full revision. Writing commences this month. Work on A Year of Practicing Poetry, the first book in my Playing with Words series commenced with a revision of what I already had and 1,427 words. Editing continued on Another 365 Days of ...

I started this year with the decision I would make this writing and publishing thing a full-time effort to see what it looked like. I'm still not sure I've got the hang of it, but I'm closer than I was to understanding what I need to do. It's the end of the third quarter, and I'm not making a fortune... more like enough to buy a coffee a week, but early days, right? Here's a very quick look back at what I've published in the last three months: January: February: March:

March’s progress started well, but then slowed down in the last two weeks due to a back injury. A note to all you other writers out there: If you want to keep writing, you have to care for your back. Exercise might be a pain, but it is also essential to your health. Don’t neglect it, until you wish you hadn’t. Live longer, and write longer. Progress: March 2018 New words produced: 37,384 Outlines and Notes: 21,758 Words compiled: 22,393 Works completed: 3 ( Dear Tiger: Let’s Go A-Hunting; Dear Tiger: Help me Find my Sisters; 1 x FF) Works edited: 3 ( Dear Tiger: I Like Your Lab ; Dear Tiger Omnibus; Mack ‘n’ Me: Origins ) Covers created: 4 ( Mack ‘n’ Me: Blaedergil's Host; Dear Tiger: I Like Your Lab; Dear Tiger: Help Me Find My Sisters; The Dear Tiger Omnibus ) Works published:   3 ( Dear Tiger: Don’t Look Back; Dear Tiger: I Like Your Lab; Dreams of the Serpent ) Works released: 3 ( Memory’s Vampire; Dear Tiger: Don’t Look Back; Dear Tiger: I Like Your Lab ) Wo...

Well, it hasn’t been a disaster, so that’s a plus, but I’m behind on showing the new covers and letting you know about the new releases or pre-releases, and I’m definitely behind on my blog. I look back and see there was only one post in February, and none in March. My, things did get away from me, didn’t they? I seem to have gotten up to showing the new covers but not the releases, and some of the new covers didn’t get covered at all. I’ll roll them up into a quick post, below. JANUARY RELEASES   FEBRUARY RELEASES MARCH RELEASES

Well, I have definitely let the blogging thing slide, this year. I’ve had a bit of trouble balancing it with everything else. This report will be different to normal – especially as it’s mid-week and not on a Sunday. Where have I been, you ask? Let me see, I tried to get my publishing schedule on track, but, after a promising start, it fell to pieces when the university semester began. I tried to fix this over the mid-semester break, by setting up a regular bi-monthly release for the second half of the year… and so far, I have succeeded. In the meantime, here’s a quick overview of where I’m at: Works released from January 1 to August 6, 2016: Short Stories: 4 Released: February 5, 2016                                                                   Released: July 2, 2016 ...