CM Simpson: Writer & Gamer

In addition to the cute, we have the not so cute, and while I don't mind these guys outside, I have a problem with many of them being inside. This doesn't necessarily mean they get squished, but most get an assist in finding the great outdoors again. ...Unless, of course, you are a white tail - and a big one at that. This little lady was sitting above the kitchen door. She was just over an inch long. I've been told these are spider hunters, which may explain why she was working her way through a web. These guys and gals, however, almost always get a lift outside... usually in a plastic container. ... usually after they've finished stuffing their faces.

So, Friday night's dinner consisted of a recipe made up on the fly: creamy chicken, pumpkin and pine nut pasta: Creamy chicken, pumpkin and pine nut pasta This recipe successfully fed three, but would comfortably feed four and stretch to six. Ingredients: Pasta of your choice Prior to preparing the ingredients for the sauce, put the pasta water on to boil. While it is heating, prepare the following ingredients. olive oil - approximately 2 tablespoons (or enough for a thin layer in the bottom of your frypan) approximately 100 gm of pine nuts - more or less as you prefer 3 cloves of garlic - finely diced or crushed 1/2 teaspoon of ground black peppe 2 chicken breasts - diced to 2cm or 1 inch cubes 2 slices of butternut pumpkin (approximately 1 1/2cm or 1/2 inch thick) - diced into cubes 6-8 mushrooms ( with caps up to about 5cm or 2 inches in diameter) - sliced 1/2 red capsicum (pepper if you're in the States) - d...

I sometimes get out in the garden and photograph the creatures I find. Here are few of the visitors I photographed in February this year: Butterflies went nuts over one of the bushes flowering in our back yard but this was the only one that would settle long enough for me to catch.

I made a concerted effort to read more blogs this month. I read these from start to finish - in two sittings: Writing and the Writing Industry http://kriswrites.com/2015/02/11/business-musings-weird-misinformation/ : Kristine Kathryn Rusch on changes in the writing industry and misinformation; http://jakonrath.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/welcome-to-2015.html : J.A. Konrath on New Year's resolutions, indie publishing, Scott Turow and other bits; http://jakonrath.blogspot.com.au/2015/02/my-thoughts-on-amazon-debate.html : J.A. Konrath's thoughts on the shared worlds of Amazon and whether or not it's good for publishing; http://jakonrath.blogspot.com.au/2015/02/jack-daniels-associates-kindle-worlds.html : J.A. Konrath on his new setting for Amazon worlds; http://jakonrath.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/on-copyright-again.html : J.A. Konrath on what changes might need to be considered to bring copyright laws into the 21st century; http://kriswrites.com/2015/02/18/business-musing...

The birds continue to come to my garden to visit. Here are some of the beautiful visitors who arrived stopped by to take advantage of the bird seed and garden bounty during February and March of 2015: Some were young. And some were quite surprised to see me. Others weren't going to let the presence of a camera spoil a perfectly good meal. And there was plenty on the tree for all.

Anna and the Rock Dragons is now available in normal-print from the CreateSpace bookstore. When Anna heads out to her family’s country cottage for the holidays, she has no idea what lies in store. Chosen as the Key Bearer and Door Finder for a race of exiled dragons, Anna soon finds herself in a race against a mining magnate set to make his fortunes by turning the dragons into crystal, while being hunted by a nightmare from local legend. Will she survive long enough to find both key and door in time to help the dragons escape, and then live to tell the tale?

The new cover for my speculative disaster story, Ducky , has arrived!