C.M. Simpson's Blog, page 144

Pre-Order Release: Luck Among Servants

Luck Among Servants  is now available for pre-order on Smashwords and Amazon, and will also be available from DriveThruFiction and via Draft2Digital distribution.



I’d always considered myself one of the lucky ones, lucky that the slavers had taken me and left my family, lucky to have found a master as kind as the one I had, just… lucky, so, when my master asked me to ride one of the many-legged spurline on an early morning errand, I considered myself lucky to have the honour. I never thought what it might be like when my luck ran out, and my master wasn’t around to intervene…

A Poem for National Poetry Month: A Caution on Gathak'nor

 
A Caution on Gathak’nor
When I started to write this, I was thinking of writing a nonsense poem. Instead, I ended up with a cautionary tale inspired by speculation of what the poetry of the future might be about, if it followed old Earth patterns of verse, and the storytelling tradition—and by the idea that not all the worlds humanity reaches will be friendly and benign, even if they look habitable. This verse was written on April 15, 2017, to celebrate National Poetry Month, and as the April 15 entry for Another 365 Days of Poetry.
I spasmed in the Gathak’norand tumbled down the hill.In the wake of dandelions,the bluebells seemed to spillclouds of pus and whitened bone,as I found the river bankand tumbled o’er the brinkinto a torrid torrent rankand, in case you’re wond’ring,why I was walking Gathak’nor,when the planet is forbiddenand will remain so evermore,t’is because I found a signal,something faint that called,and I rode the beacon downand landed on a worldthat used to be a colonybefore its nature truewas clearto those who tried to call it home,as their lives it tried to steal,and the whole damned world’s a death trap,nasty to the core,but I found the signal and ended it,and ended lives that were no more,for they had ceased to livewithin months of landing there,and then I left the site a-running,fleeing like a hare,hoping to make the shuttlethat I’d ‘borrowed’ for the trip,and get back to the starshipbefore from its orbit it did slip,but soon my side was stitchingand my legs refused to workso my headlong flightbecame a slow and stupid walk,and then the spasms came,and I fell into the creekand I’d have joined the murky torrent,but for the protocols I’d rigged,and now I’m back aboard the ship,in isolation while they purgeevery particle of taintthat through my blood and bones does surge,for the world of Gathak’noris more toxic than they say,and those who fall within its atmospherehardly ever get away.
(Copyright, C.M. Simpson, April 15, 2017)

Writing Life: May’s First Release

Finally, I have also made the first release for May available for pre-order.




When the plane carrying P.O.S. Officer Schaeffer goes down, it’s no accident. She and her partner lose the prisoner they’re escorting to trial, and the local elves nearly lose their lives protecting the unicorns and a grove of dryads. With the aircraft and its passengers on the ground, Schaeffer has to secure her prisoner before the woman can create any more mischief—and with dusk closing, the local unicorns seeking vengeance, and the trolls beginning to stir it’s not going to be easy.
A Matter of Justice is set in a world where magic has returned, pixie dust is the new drug of choice, and humans live side by side with creatures of legend. With new crimes forming around new resources and new markets, the Paranormal Operations Squad, walks the edge of two worlds, trying to bring justice to both.

Writer Fitness: Walking with Ingress and PokemonGo

It was a beautiful Canberra autumn day,and I'd been cooped up at home for most of the week with a little one that was under the weather, and an essay on Wittek's ghazi theory to complete, so, with the little one in safe hands, and the essay done bar a few extra references and some formatting, I went walking. I needed a long walk just to clear the cobwebs, and Ingress had just the thing.

I'd started a mission series a few weeks ago, and hadn't been able to get out to finish it, until today, when I set out to complete the last 9 missions in the set... and maybe add a few more kilometres towards the trekkers medal, while hatching a few eggs for PokemonGo.

Well, that was the plan, anyway - and it worked beautifully.

The buses ran on time, and I was down by Lake Burley Griffin by half ten or so, finishing Enlightened agent, Wharty's, pictoral series called The Burley Trail. Starting at the National Carillon, the Trail takes you along the edge of the lake to the Commonwealth Avenue bridge, and then across and along the south side of the lake to the Kings Avenue bridge and back to the Carillon. Along the way, you get to explore the memorials and sculptures along the shoreline, or close to it.

And at the end, you end up with the picture you can see just under the achievement medals below. (Ignore those; we'll get to those in a minute. Just enjoy the picture - it's worth the walk.)


Now, speaking of medals, that was the other bonus from today. I finally hit gold on the Builder's medal - and, no, most of that blue wasn't me, but another Resistance agent or three. I just bolstered a couple of portals, took a couple more, turned them blue, and fully deployed them, and was very pleasantly surprised, when this little chap popped up on the scanner. Mind you, I now have to go do it all again to get to platinum, but still...


And, in addition to the walking for Ingress, I played a bit of PokemonGo, switching back and forth so I could stock up on pokeballs - the Lake has a ton of stops to spin - and maybe catch the odd pokemon. I didn't get any new types, but I did manage to hatch three 2km eggs. These little guys, all "strong" or able to "battle with the best of them", were welcome additions to the poke-queue.


I have to admit that, while all this was nice, the best part of the day was getting acquainted with the Sculpture Garden of the National Gallery. I'd skirted the edges, but the end of mission 14 takes you into the gardens, and the very first portal at the start of mission 18 takes you back to the lake's edge. What lies in the missions in between is magical - especially on a day when the sun is shining, and the weather isn't too hot, and the cockatoos come over in flights, shrieking fit to wake the dead, their wings gleaming against the sky. It was a sight I was, unfortunately, not quick enough to capture on camera, but I'll come back for another go. In the meantime, here's some of what I did remember to photograph on this leg of the series:


A wolf guardian, 
a woman, who was clearly tired of whatever the two blokes in the background are arguing about, 
not that they cared; they just kept on with whatever it was that had them going - perhaps it was something to do with the benefits of waste over recycling... 
which was clearly causing the nearby group of fellows some consternation, 
although I think this woman was in agreement with the other, and wanted them all to just be quiet, 
  because she and her friend had yet to master the art of relaxing.

 I left them to take another path, which wound through the trees, and brought me to this startling sight, 
and then these, who stood not far from some of the spookiest heads, I have ever seen - which will be the subject of another trip with something more suited to what I wanted to do than the phone camera.

There was also this strange construction, which frames the pole statues behind it, beautifully, but which I'm still trying to work out a meaning for.
All in all, it was a lovely day for a walk, a great walk, and some more beauty spots to mark down for a revisit at a later date.
And those spooky heads, the ones in the pond?
Yeah - there's a story out there with their name on it as inspiration.

A Poem for National Poetry Month: With the Lame Man, One

With the Lame Man, One

Written on April 14, 2017, to celebrate National Poetry Month, this piece is an experimental form about an attempted assassination, perhaps influenced by the sound of the old television series of Dune playing in the background—but only a little.

“Walk,” the lame man said,and I obeyed.I tookfirst one stepand then another.Behind me, I heard him whisper,“Run.”“Run,” he said,and I obeyed.I spedmy steps,each one falling fasterthan the one that went before.“Run!” he said,when I hesitated.“Run!”And his voice compelled me,each stride driven by its sound,when I wanted nothing morethan to turn back,to returnand rescue him.“Run!”His words roared through me,and I obeyed,their compulsion too strong,unexpected,an orderthat settled inside my headand overrode my mind.And then,when I felt that all was lost,that I had lost him,and my heart,he said,“Stop,”and I obeyed,mid-stride,sliding to a halt,his hand on my arm,though I had left him,far behind,as the roof caved in,the roomexploded.Yet, here we stood,together,his hand on my shoulder,me turning into his arms.Safe.Safe as the fury flew around us,took the door from its hinges,the walls from their foundations,openedour roomsto the sky,while we stood firm,together,an island of peace in the maelstrom,as wehad stood before,when others had triedto take our lives.“Stay,” I said,and he obeyed,his arms around me,as I demanded,our heads bowed,our thoughts entwined,our minds hunting the originof our assassin.This time,we would find them,reverse the maelstrom,send it swirling throughtheir treach’rous heartstearing them asunder,sending them racingfor their lives,in futility,for we were one,our minds now joined,one thought:Run!

New Cover: Luck Among Servants

The cover for May’s second release, a fantasy short story called Luck Among Servants was approved earlier this week.

A Poem for National Poetry Month: The Luckless Hunter

The Luckless Hunter


I saw the cat come stalking,come stalking through the trees,gold with sun-gilt fur, and quiet pawed.It came to catch the pale brown doves.It came to catch the pigeons.It came to catch the blithe songbirds.It came to feed its kittens.I saw the cat come stalking,and a magic spell I wove,to try and draw it to me,but, instead, the magic drovethe silent hunter from me,sent it far away,speeding in soft-pawed panicfree to hunt another day.
(Copyright, C.M. Simpson, April 13, 2017)

Writing Life: Publishing for April

In addition to the eight titles already released, I’ve set up April’s releases. One, Bid the Moon Goodbye , is currently available, and the other, The Seeker from Hivrala , is available for pre-order. Both of these are available on Amazon and Smashwords, and will be available on DriveThruFiction.


When Jervis’s son has a melt-down at school, and takes on partial wolf form, it’s just a normal family crisis, but when the nurse warns that anti-Lupine activists have the family’s name on a hit-list, Jervis needs to get them off the moon—and fast. The only question is how—and the only way to find an answer is to find a helpful spacer in the best pizza bar on Lunar One… and then hope there’s a ship with room for three.



Sandfire is a dragon, a guardian of the mountains, and a servant of the Gatekeepers. It is her duty to collect those the Gatekeepers designate seekers and bring them to her masters. The only problem is that the latest seeker doesn’t want to go. Vestera doesn’t care what the dragon wants; as far as she’s concerned she’s not about to become a dragon’s pet—but now she has to choose: go with the dragon, or face the royal guard. If only she knew which was worse...

A Poem for National Poetry Month: Riders in the Dawn

Yeah, I know, I missed yesterday. I was working on an essay on Wittek's ghazi theory, and time got away from me, so you get a poem, today. This one started with the dawn, and turned itself into social commentary.



Riders in the Dawn




In the morning light, I see them,the riders on the ridge,silhouettes of destiny,narrow eyed, tight-lipped,and I wonder why we need themto be heroes in our place,to do the things we cannot do,or do not want to face,and I wonder why the rest of us,each and every one,cannot do what’s good and right,take the hard yards that must be run,and as they disappear from view,the brave, the lonely and the very few,I wonder why the rest of usare just content to wait.

Writer Fitness: Walking with PokemonGo

As you know, one of the things I have decided I need to improve is my fitness. This is important for everyone, and not just writers, but it’s hard to actually get out and do. Me? I hate walking for the sake of walking, moving quickly but aimlessly for the sole purpose of keeping mobile for 30 minutes.

This is in spite of knowing I need to keep my blood pressure and blood sugar under control, and in spite of seeing an improvement in both of these, my weight, and my general health. There are days when I wonder why that isn’t motivation enough. Instead, I use two augmented reality apps to help improve my attitude to an activity that does me no end of good: Ingress and PokemonGo.
Both these apps have built-in encouragement for walking: Ingress has its Trekker medal in five levels, and PokemonGo has a Jogger medal, as well as the need to walk to hatch eggs. This does not mean that every PokeGo or Ingress player is going to be fit, though. Many still take to their cars and do only what they can from their driver’s seat unless it’s absolutely necessary to do otherwise. I walk whenever possible, because the walking was why I started using these apps in the first place.
Right now, I’ve progressed to where the rewards in Ingress are taking longer to attain. That’s okay; it just means you’re going to hear more about PokemonGo for a while. I hope that doesn’t bore you.
Balancing a walk that’s actually worth doing, namely one which doesn’t have too many stops and starts, can be difficult, but I’m starting to work out how. First, I learned how to spin pokestops, catch pokemon, and glyph portals without stopping. That helps a little, but it needs to be coupled with a walk that has some distance between portals and pokestops in order for the walking to be an effective fitness tool.
Saturday’s walk (April 8) did exactly that. I had a cluster of portals at the end of a 3-4 kilometre walk, with only one, more remote portal to break up the distance. This meant I could walk without stopping for 20-30 minutes at a stretch, longer on the return journey when I was starting to feel the pinch.
Along the way, I hatched two eggs, one of which was a new Johto region catch:



















This militank came out of a 10 km egg, and I was pretty surprised to see it. It was also a strong pokemon with good stats, which was even better.

The other was another Johto-region native, but one I'd caught before, and came out of a 2 km egg. It, too, was a strong, well-statted version, so I kept it for powering up - and maybe evolution later on.



On top of that, I made a new Kanto region catch at the portal/pokestop cluster:





















This wasn't the only onix I caught today, but it was a good strong one, with good stats. The second one, needed improvement to battle, so it assisted with the candy supply.

I was also lucky enough to add a new Johto-region catch on the return journey, bringing me up to 50 for that region:
 



















This rounded out my PokemonGo week nicely, after I found bunch of misdreavous and earned the silver medal for catching ghost pokemon the day before.


It was all good fun, but I think what topped it out, beyond the beauty of the day, was this piece of graffiti, which I saw on the way back. Now, that hasto go in a story sometime. I’m not sure what as, or why, it just does.