CM Simpson: Writer & Gamer

This week’s verse moves from survivors escaping a planetary smashed by war to a fantasy poem about dragons coming to the aid of those they protect. It is taken from 366 Days of Poetry , a collection of mixed-genre poetry released in 2016. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------   The Dragons' Rule of Law Dragons soar skyward, Roaring vengeance to the clouds, Arcing overhead on many-coloured wings, Going to battle for reprisal has been vowed On the ogres, orcs and fey lords who dare to serve the ice queen. No creature in her service Shall be by mercy spared. Dragons are protectors; Retribution shall be paid. All who harmed the peoples and lands under their care, Gathered and destroyed shall be On whatever ground they stand. No matter what their reason for Service to the queen, Dragons have passed judgement, Rallied all the land, And none in queenly col...

This week’s short story takes us from the urban fantasy world of cross-dimensional elven politics and trolls to a steampunk fantasy story set in Australia with raptors and an overdue rendezvous. Welcome to The Rendezvous at the Raptor's Rest . When his flying ship, the Red Horizon, was shot down, Tescher told no-one he had a woman on board. Three years later, he returns to the ship wreck, and finds Marianna not only survived the crash, but left him a message. She found what she was looking for aboard his ship, and she’ll wait for him at the Raptor’s Rest, but once a year—tonight. Tight flying will get him there in time, but it will take more than that for him get clear of the underworld predators circling the criminal shores on which Marianna has landed. Rendezvous at the Raptor's Rest is available as a stand-alone novella-length short story at the following links: books2read.com/u/mqzDGe . You can also find Kristine Kathryn Rusch's latest free short story ...

LAST WEEK, Simone showed that her human self was more in control, and that the process of integrating the hunter part of herself had started. This week, Tiger asks her not to eat the staff. Chapter 8 Excerpt – Play Nice Dear Simone I’m so glad human-you is taking the upper hand. Not wanting to eat humans, even if they aren’t pack is good news. In fact, I’m doing a happy dance, right now, because that’s the best news I’ve heard since you went down with the hunter fever. Because it means you don’t want to eat me , anymore. And that means you’ll soon be coming home. And I don’t have to block you out of my head, and you don’t have to block me out of yours. And that is the very best news you could give me. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The complete series is available as short, individual ebooks, and will become available as an omnibus, later this year. In the meantime, you can find them on this blo...

LMBPN's Fan Pricing Saturday is live. The following titles are at 99c for a limited time, so go check them out. Lost Soul – https://books2read.com/u/bow0ka Dead or Alive - https://books2read.com/u/mdGQ9d Magic Below Paris Boxed Set - https://books2read.com/u/4j1p6o The Art of Smuggling - https://books2read.com/u/mdGAwd Vengeance or Death - https://books2read.com/u/bxvPMe

Hey all, I've been a bit (like close to twelve months) slack on writerly updates. I'll try to get back to doing those by mid- to late-November. I've got a bit on until then. So, NEWS: 1. I completed, Trading into Daylight , the sixth book in The Magic Below Paris series, and turned it in to the editor late yesterday afternoon, or early yesterday evening. The last ten thousand words are always the hardest. 2. I started the seventh book in The Magic Below Paris series, later yesterday evening and laid down the first thousand words. 3. THE COVER FOR TRADING INTO DAYLIGHT ARRIVED TODAY!!!! It's another cover by Mihaela Voicu Digital Art and I LOVE it! Here it is: One of their own has been taken. Two have gone ahead in pursuit. Can Marsh and Roeglin catch them before they are lost as well? A team member taken. Two stubborn children in hot pursuit. And promises to keep. Finally released from their obligations to the Grotto, Marsh and Roegl...

This week’s verse moves from a fantasy poem about a ghostly queen, to an apocalyptic science fiction verse about people surviving a planet-shattering invasion. It is taken from Another 365 Days of Poetry , a collection of mixed-genre poetry released in 2019. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------   The Escape Clause Time thunders, the mountains shake free Birds lift in panic and away from the quake the animals run, for their lives are at stake. The ground breaks beneath the eternal shaking Landslides and rock slides break free of the slopes freeing the ships buried for so long, freeing our hopes For the planet is breaking apart as we stand here, ruined by war brought to us from the stars where our enemies hunted our forebears for so long we prepared an escape should they find us alone and find us they have with our allies absent and our world, it is failing w...