CM Simpson: Writer & Gamer

Don’t ask me where the week went. It was another stretch of disruptions and family illness, although it ended well, and we are all feeling a lot better for having remembered to rest, and for taking care of each other. Goals for March 2026, Week 4, ending March 29, 2026 1. complete, edit, and submit one short story submission (let's call it SHSTSub#2 for March) 2. write at least 4k on the draft for March ShSTSub#3 (while researching, because alternate history is a new genre for me); 3. Finalize the pre-nuke mark-up/edit, read-over edit (voiceless if I must), format, and pre-release for Book 5; 4. Remember to do the social media marketing for the books in promotions this month; and 5. Read at least half a book written by someone else. Goals Completed March 2026, Week 4, ending March 28, 2026 1. Did not complete, edit, and submit one short story submission (let's call it SHSTSub#2 for March) 2. Did not write at least 4k on the draft for March ShSTSub#3 (while res...

March brought change. I started setting goals, again. I started setting writing goals…and not just publishing goals. I’m still ‘failing’ a lot, but I’m finding where my limits are, and learning to allow time for the unexpected. February allowed me get ahead on the content creation schedule that I could begin the pivot to a writing focus…but not far enough, as I discovered. Goals for March 2026, Week 1, ending March 7, 2026   Write 1 short story submission for a new magazine market; Publish the next novel prior to its release date; and Maintain content creation schedule Goals Completed March 2026, Week 1, ending March 7, 2026 Not begun;   Book 3 published with one week to spare;   Book 4 edited and formatted to prenuke stage;   Content creation schedule maintained. Other Factors: Care and medical appointments for sick family members, job-seeker commitments, and ADOS testing took around 20 hours out of the week, either due to the face-time needed, or becaus...

  It’s been awhile. I’ll make no excuses, but will acknowledge that the ongoing Life changes are making it hard to focus and establish any sort of routine. Progress was as follows: 1. Re-establish writing habit: Partially achieved, although publishing progresses 2. Establish exercise habit: Not achieved, life, illness and multiple medical appointments 3. Alter dietary habits: achieved 4. Sleep habits: not achieved: Life, and the need to get things done overrode commonsense and planning; 5. Back-list publication: progressing: Static: 3/20 short stories published, 1/8 novels in formatting; 6. Progress on outstanding series: – publishing takes precedence; 7. Establishment of new projects: publishing takes precedence; 8. Maintain 2 gameplay videos/day release: Some catch-up and forward planning achieved, to whit: 122 videos recorded, 52 videos edited, 123 videos formatted, 120 videos uploaded, 114 videos published 9. Finalize recording for gameplay series: 1 se...

Progress is as follows: 1. Habit not established. Only 3/7 days writing, and not consecutive. 2. Habit not established. Exercise sporadic and not to time. 3. Habit on track for re-establishment. Coffee eliminated from diet, carbs reduced, portion sizes reduced. 4. Sleep habits…need work. 5. Publishing cycle revised 6. Work on series waiting on re-release of titles to the current book. 7. Preliminary writing on RL Series 1 continued. Background research led to more understanding of plot and plot direction Other requirements became clear during the week. As follows: 1. Maintain the 2 gameplay videos/day release schedule; 2. Finalize the recording for 2-3 of the existing gameplay series (December 31 - they are long-play series). 

Edits began today, on The Unwanted, the second book of the Strays of Lunar One series. In this, Oliver and Lewis are once again on the run. This scene occurs just prior to their departure from Alpha 9: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Nettles?” Oliver asked, as a dapper gentleman in a white suit jacket stepped out of the small craft’s hatch. He was jerked back inside, as four of the guards closed ranks and jogged to block Oliver and Lewis’s path, raising their blasters as they came. Oliver skidded to a halt, and glanced over at his friend. “Was this part of the plan?” Lewis shook his head. “Roof top was supposed to be empty.” Oliver looked at the guards, who’d stopped and now formed a line in front of them. “Uh huh.” He glanced over at the door and then back at Lewis. “So, is it?” “Is it what?” Lewis had started to raise his hands, and Oliver was tempted to follow his exampl...