C.M. Simpson's Blog, page 195

Progress Report: Week 1 December 2013

Still not quite well, but definitely on the mend. I skipped all classes this week in the name of sleep and started an exercise program on Friday—a really careful exercise program as I don’t want to become sick again, or cause an injury flare up… again. I’ve almost finished revising the majority of the last of my early novels. I think there are about 9,000 words to write on it after that; I always find the endings hardest, and this one has two distinct threads to tie up. The two annuals are now on track for release late next year, and I have one more story to write for An Anthology of Blades , which has been delayed but will be released early next year. And it’s time to set up what needs to be written for next year, so I have some sort of program to work to, one with enough flexibility to let me play with new ideas as well.
OverviewNew words produced: 4,132Old words revised: 33,389Works completed: 13 (13 for a much larger project)Works revised: 0Covers created: 0 (1-3 variations)Works published: 0 (2-3 release platforms)Works submitted: 0Competitions Entered: 0Tier 1 Tasks
SciFiNovel1A—Freeman’s Choice: Added 1,000 words; edited chapters 22-36
Extra Tasks
Annual13: Added 820 wordsAnnual14: Added 2,270 words
Publishing Tasks
Created 4 blog posts for this blog;
New ArrivalsThe following ideas arrived this week:

Poem229—Let Sleeping Dragons Lie: why you should not disturb a sleeping dragonPoem230—The Welcome Storm: about a storm coming inPoem231—Dragon-Lair Raiders: about the dangers of raiding a dragon’s lairPoem232—Space-Faring Bungle: about the dangers of space travelPoem233—When Zombies Come to Play: a poem about what happens when zombies come to playPoem235—Dreaming Another World: about star jellies, foam horses and raptor fish.


ShortStory144—The Troll, the Hunter and the Cockatoo Flock: about a troll, a hunter and a cockatoo flock.ShortStory145—Dark Sharn: flash fiction speculating about the dark side of a personalityShortStory146—An Extract from ‘The Trials of Constance Mahone’: flash fiction about a woman captured in a steampunk Australian setting.ShortStory147—Escaping the Hounds: flash science fiction about a prison break.ShortStory148—Rock-Bound Wrecker: flash fiction about an assassinationShortStory149—Salt Spray and Sanctuary: flash fantasy fiction about a dragon and an island… and loss.ShortStory150—Don’t Mess with the Pixies: flash urban fantasy fiction about a pixie murder

The following older works and ideas were found and assigned a number:

Poem234—Fear Keeps Me Warm: a poem about the value of fear.

Adventure Edition: Babes in London, Act 3 - Little Girls Found, Scene 4

You can find the links to each of the preceding episodes of the Babes in London adventure sequence HERE.

To play or run this game you will need the following:

PLAYERS: Fireborn Player's Handbook ;
GAME MASTERS: Fireborn Gamemaster's Handbook ;

This is a piece of fan fiction. It is NOT endorsed or acknowledged by Fantasy Flight Games; it is IN NO WAY official; it DOES NOT indicate any form of relationship between myself and Fantasy Flight Games; and I DO NOT CLAIM any of the setting specific material or setting specific concepts as my own.

Warning: Due to a lack of playtesters, this section has yet to be tested. GMs may need to adjust opponents to suit the level of your PCs.

PLAYERS SHOULD NOT READ BEYOND THIS POINT  
      







Scene 4: Follow-Up Investigations




How the PCs decide to investigate the disc will dictate which of the following sub-scenes they will encounter. If they decide to visit a library of any type, including one at a university or museum, without consulting with an expert, go to Scene 4A – Follow-up (Library Investigation). If they decide to seek a university-based expert, go to Scene 4B – Follow-up (University Investigation). If they decide to seek a museum-based expert, go to Scene 4C – Follow-up (Museum Investigation). Their choice of investigation will dictate the contact they make through this phase of the scenario.
Next Week: Babes in London, Act 3 - Little Girls Found, Scene 4A, Library Investigation.

Australian Spiders: Baby Huntsman

At least, I think it's a baby huntsman. I took this shot on November 24, 2013, while out near the back gate. The wire gives you some idea of the scale, but this little critter was around a centimetre total in diameter (including the legs). If it's a huntsman, it'll grow up to 20 cm across, including its legs. They are so cute, when they're little.

Just cruising on the gate arch - hoping whatever built the web doesn't notice.


And then someone shook the gate and he went nuts - this is the only half-decent shot of it in motion.


It settled down again in a shadier part of the gate and sat still long enough for me to get this shot.


Which is where I left it. Here's hoping it gets to grow up.

First Page: Death Comes in Bone

Last week, I released Death Comes in Bone. Today, I'll share the first page with you.



Death Comes in Bone is a dark fantasy short story about a skeletal assassin.Murdered by his closest friend, Tanag is not surprised to wake and find himself dead. He is surprised, however, that others have come to the caves hidden not so far from what used to be his home. As the adventurers plunder his bones and move on, Tanag remembers who killed him, and the vow he made as he died. In order to fulfil that vow, Tanag must rise and leave his impromptu tomb—but first he has to get his sword back from the adventurer that woke him and took it from his remains.

Death Comes in Bone is, or will be, available in electronic form from, among others: Smashwords, OmniLit, DriveThruFiction, Amazon-Kindle, Kobo, iTunes, and Nook.

In the meantime, here's the first page.




First Page: Death Comes in Bone

Tanag woke as light broke into his resting place. He didn’t know how long he’d been dead for, knew only that he’d been murdered and that he was still angry about it. His best friend had betrayed him, had chosen his family’s ambitions over loyalty and friendship after all. Tanag had made a serious misjudgment of character. He worried that it had cost his family their lives.
Careful, lest he should be destroyed before he’d woken, Tanag lay still. His sword lay in its sheath—Arrin had given him no time to draw it, plunging the weapon he’d taken from the yellowthorn thicket deep into Tanag’s kidney and holding his friend, his prince, until he was sure Tanag had died of the injury and the poison in the yellowthorn’s sting.Tanag remembered the pain, so great he hadn’t been able to make a sound, but not as great as the pain in his heart. Arrin had gone to great lengths to ensure Tanag’s murder remained undiscovered, bringing down the cave roof with a magical ability Tanag had not even suspected. The wielding had brought about a distinctive stench and the prince wondered just how long Arrin had consorted with demons, or when he’d found the time. Arrin had spent his off-hours and many stolen moments in the arms of dark-eyed, dark haired Lannara.Rocks tumbled, metal gauntlets scraped against stone and the light grew stronger. Tanag tried to resist the urge to squint against the light, and registered that he had no eyes, no eyelids. He started to raise a hand to feel his face, but the first twitch of his fingers brought a startled shout to ears that were no longer there. Retribution was swift, even though he’d stilled his hand. A sword was driven through his ribs. There was pain, but not the kind of pain Tanag expected. This time it was no effort to keep himself still.Magic bound him together… Why would magic bind his bones together when his flesh was clearly gone. He had known he was dead, but this… Why?Laughter interrupted his thoughts.“The great knight Devas, frightened by a pile of empty bones.” Mockery.“I swear I saw it move.”“Well, it’s not moving now. Who was it, do you think?”Tanag listened to them try to work out who he’d been. Not a single word was close. He did not protest when they took the sword, well-preserved by its sheath, and rifled through the trinkets and coins that had fallen into his remains when his pockets had rotted away. He did not try to stop them scattering his bones when they noted the glint of gold that had once adorned his fingers or the entwined gold and solid medallion that he’d worn around his throat. None of that mattered.What mattered to him now, was to work out why he lived beyond death—a death unfairly given, certainly, but an ending none-the-less. As the big man in plate mail and his trio of less well-protected companions made their way further into the cavern complex, Tanag wished them luck.

END OF FIRST PAGE
If you would like to read more, Death Comes in Bone is, or will be, available in electronic form from, among others: Smashwords, OmniLit, DriveThruFiction, Amazon-Kindle, Kobo, iTunes, and Nook.

Progress Report: Week 5 November 2013

Still short on time during the week, but I’m managing a little bit of catching up, on both the writing and family fronts, and I’m still recovering from the flu.
OverviewNew words produced: 2,204Old words revised: 14,835Works completed: 11 (small pieces for a much larger work)Works revised: 11 (small pieces for a much larger work)Covers created: 0Works published: 0Works submitted: 0Competitions Entered: 0Tier 1 Tasks
SciFiNovel1A—Freeman’s Choice: Edited Chapters 15-21
Extra Tasks
Annual13: Added 2,000 wordsAnnual 14: Added 2,000 words
Publishing Tasks
Created 5 blog posts for this blog;Created 2 blog posts for the C.M. Simpson Publishing blog;
New ArrivalsThe following ideas arrived this week:

Poem214—Desert Starships: inspirations found under a desert sunPoem215—Lightning, Thunder and Planetary Destruction: as it says.Poem216—Summer Comes: about a Queensland summer.Poem220—Oops: about a magical mishapShortStory137—Promises to Keep: flash fantasy fiction about a wizard, his obligations to a king, and his promise to a dragon.ShortStory138—The Death of Nissam Baru: flash science fiction about a starship’s tragic return.ShortStory139—Survivors Resettled: flash science fiction about a world’s survivors.ShortStory140—Night Terrors of Skarna: flash science-fantasy fiction about night terrors in a small village.ShortStory141—The Fall of the Serpent Belestar: flash science-fantasy fiction about a dragon and a starship.ShortStory142—Lillie and the Colonists: about a little girl’s first encounter with alien colonists on another world.ShortStory143—A Pixie-Dust Vignettte: another slice of the pixie-dust crime wars.

And these ideas arrived some time ago, but have only just been assigned a number:

Poem217—Glittering Dew, Yellow Gold and Treasure: a poem that plays with words and the concept of wealthPoem218—Confinement and Freedom in Wuthering Heights: poem exploring ideas of confinement within the framework of Wuthering Heights.Poem219—My Poetry Book: about my poetry bookPoem221—Futures and Possibilities: as in titlePoem222—Star Light Star Bright: about a starPoem223—A Muscular Limerick: a limerick about a muscular manPoem224—Woodsmoke in my Mind: about writingPoem225—Capturing Ideas: about writingPoem226—Persistent Breaks the Sun: about hope and futurePoem227—Terror is Found: about finding terrorPoem228—The Oubliette of Forgotten Love: a forcibly forgotten love

Covers Created in November 2013

I created a couple of covers in November 2013:

Adventure Edition: Babes in London, Act 3 - Little Girls Found, Scene 3

You can find the links to each of the preceding episodes of the Babes in London adventure sequence HERE.

To play or run this game you will need the following:

PLAYERS: Fireborn Player's Handbook ;
GAME MASTERS: Fireborn Gamemaster's Handbook ;

This is a piece of fan fiction. It is NOT endorsed or acknowledged by Fantasy Flight Games; it is IN NO WAY official; it DOES NOT indicate any form of relationship between myself and Fantasy Flight Games; and I DO NOT CLAIM any of the setting specific material or setting specific concepts as my own.

Warning: Due to a lack of playtesters, this section has yet to be tested. GMs may need to adjust opponents to suit the level of your PCs.

PLAYERS SHOULD NOT READ BEYOND THIS POINT  
      







Scene 3: Follow-Up (Gehenna)






About an hour after your call, the limo arrives. It takes you, in dark-windowed silence to a quiet street where a roll-up garage door closes behind the car and you exit, into a flood-lit parking bay. Alice McIntyre and her usual escort of expensively-suited goons is waiting to greet you. “So,” she says, as you follow her into a white corridor and then an equally white reception area, “What is it you have to report?”
We think Anika’s parents have been kidnapped: Could you please explain? Lets PCs explain as best they can, while drawing as much information about their on-going investigation from them. Unlike LN7, however, the Gehenna Corporation can see a use for the cultists and will do its best to get them on-side and working for them. They extract as much information about the cultists from the PCs without revealing the corporation’s reason for being interested and set about making contact with the cultists. Alice will impress on the PCs how important such information is to the welfare of the corporation and offer a bonus for any more useful information that the PCs can dig up. She will also instruct the PCs to try to retrieve Anika’s mum and dad ‘at all costs’ rating the corporation’s interest in the little girl more important than any potential new allies that might be found in the cultists.Someone tried to kidnap Leyila’s parents: Do tell. Once again, Alice tries to extract as much information as possible from the PCs and, in the end, congratulates them on their success. If they failed, she is disappointed and instructs them to do everything possible to find them.Showing Anika’s Book of Law or Leyila’s Book of Songs:If PCs show Alice Anika’s Book of Law or Leyila’s Book of Songs, she becomes very excited – even though she tries hard to mask her interest, she fails. Asking the PCs all sorts of questions bout the book, she eventually tries to keep it if at all possible, using tactics ranging from trying to borrow it for ‘just a few days’ (in which case, the PCs have lost it, because she has no intention of giving it back and has a whole corporation to hide it in), to trying to convince them that, since it is part of the investigation they have been hired to do the book is rightfully her consortium’s, to buying it outright for £1000. She will, however, allow them to walk out with the book, stopping short of murdering them to get it. (This does not mean that she is ready to give it up, just that she needs the PCs too much right now to kill them for it; she organizes another group to steal it from the PCs at a later date.) If PCs in any way let Alice take the Book of Law or Book of Songs, they do not receive it as a reward at the end of this Act and do not receive any benefits related to its ownership – it’s gone.Showing the disc: Where did you get this from? I don’t recall seeing the symbol before. Once again Alice exudes suppressed excitement. She does not recognize the symbol, but she is intrigued that there is another organization out there that recognizes the existence of dragons. She is also desperate to know who these people might be as they represent a new set of rivals to her company’s interests. Alice asks the PCs if they might know who these people are; and tries to ferret out every detail of each encounter they have had with the Setites. She also gains authorization (in a private phone call – Excuse me, for a moment. I need to make a phone call .) to offer the PCs another £500 for information that leads to more details on the group. While the company has more than enough resources, it believes, to lead them to the identity of the group, they also believe in cross-referencing – and, besides, if they don’t have the records, the PCs are sure to lead them to the necessary resources.Setites are behind the kidnapping of the parents: “I’ve not heard of that group before? Are you sure? How did you find out? Alice’s response to this piece of information is exactly the same as her response to the disk; she is desperate to gather information on this group of potential rivals (or allies) to her company, and gains authorization to offer the PCs £500 for more information on the group.Revealing the PCs draconic heritage/incarnation: Alice pauses. For a few seconds, her body becomes very still and she looks at each of you. “Is this true?” she asks. “Do you all have the dragon’s gift?” Alice is most interested in having the PCs sign onto the Consortium’s payroll, but she keeps it well-hidden. While the Consortium would benefit from having dragon scions in its employ, Alice knows that there are many who would not agree with the way the Consortium runs things. She will ask the PCs to complete the task and then come back to her as there might be ‘other work’ for them. What she is doing, in fact, is giving herself time to consult with Consortium higher-ups while providing the company with a testing ground for the PCs abilities and loyalty.Someone tried to kidnap the artist David Markovin: “Now why would anyone want to do that?” This news is possibly the least interesting to Alice and the Consortium, but it is still interesting. While they are aware of the supernatural inspiration behind David’s unicorn paintings, they are unaware of its source. The Consortium would like to find the source so that they could somehow tap into it and use it to their advantage. Alice will want to know what other groups might be interested in David as she is always interested in rivals to her company’s interests.Setites are behind the kidnapping/kidnap attempt on the artist David Markovin: “Setites? What are they?” Once again, Alice’s interest is heightened by the fact that she has never heard of this group, and by the fact that it represents a potential rival or ally to the Consortium. She gains authorization to offer the PCs £500 for more information on the Setites. Revealing what happened when PCs investigated the disc at the library, museum or university:This news evokes the same reaction from Alice as revealing the disk and/or the existence that Setites are the group behind the attacks on the Andrews’ family and/or artist David Markovin. She wants to know more and her company is willing to authorize further payments to the PCs to obtain it. (£50 for all information, with the possibility of greater bonuses depending on the value of the information to the Consortium.) She is also fascinated to know that the book referenced exists and will make arrangements for the Consortium to ‘obtain’ a copy without telling PCs.REVEALING ANY CONTACT WITH LN7 For a moment the professional mask almost slips and you catch a glimpse of shocked outrage, then Alice’s face smoothes and she replies: “You didn’t say you were working for them. This could put an end to our business relationship. Haven’t you been warned to stay away from that outfit?” IF THE PCS HAVE BEEN WARNED OFF LN7 PREVIOUSLY Her face hardens. “Our business is over. Gentlemen, return them to the drop-off point.” PCs are escorted back to the limousine and deposited at the park, where they will be left. They later discover that any payment they have received has been withdrawn from their accounts – and that their accounts are empty. Attempting to discuss this with the banks only results in PCs being issued with a notice to pay the overdraft within 14 days and an insistence that the withdrawal was made by the PC’s card at the time they were in the meeting with Alice. Neither Alice or the Consortium are contactable and, if PCs manage to find their way back to the house it is empty. For them, the Consortium has vanished and they are unable to find any trace of it. Previously known Consortium businesses will inform the PCs they are under new management (which, even if it is untrue, the informant will believe is the case). This is the only retaliation the Consortium make at this time, unless PCs start to become a nuisance to the company. PCs are now under Consortium surveillance, especially if they revealed they were dragons.IF THE PCS HAVE NOT BEEN WARNED OFF LN7 PREVIOUSLY Alice looks troubled: “You really can’t be involved with that group and us. While our goals are the same, our methods are different and there are some aspects of their dealings of which we disapprove. They, of course, believe we are a danger to the community. Groundless fears, of course, but they believe them just the same. You will have to choose who you are working for.” This is a decision that Alice insists the PCs make immediately. She will not give them a chance to go back to LN7 and negotiate. If PCs decide to work for LN7, go to the section above (IF THE PCS HAVE BEEN WARNED OFF LN7 PREVIOUSLY) and paraphrase the text accordingly. Everything described in that section must now be applied to the PCs. If the PCs decide to work for the Gehenna Consortium read, or paraphrase, the following: Her face lights up: “I can’t say how relieved I am,” she says. “You have no idea what a good decision you have made. The girls must be found before LN7 can get to them. I believe their lives are in danger. You must be swift. Gentleman, take these people wherever they need to go.” This is a command for the mooks to drop the PCs off at their next point of investigation. PCs can request one destination after leaving the Consortium base and then the mooks return to base. If the PCs go to LN7 after this meeting, the consequences described under ‘IF THE PCS HAVE BEEN WARNED OFF LN7 PREVIOUSLY’ occur; PCs are now under constant Gehenna surveillance, especially if they revealed their draconic heritage. If PCs do not go to LN7 after this meeting, they will discover an extra £1000 in each of their accounts next time they access them. Inquiries at the bank only reveal that the PC themselves deposited the amount at the same time the PCs were speaking to Alice.IF THE PCS REVEAL LN7’S WARNINGS ABOUT THE CONSORTIUM Alice gives a short, sharp little laugh: “Oh you can’t believe everything you hear. They ARE our main rivals and they would say anything to discredit us.” Alice will deny any rumors they PCs may have heard and will go so far as to imply that any bad dealings the PCs have had with the Consortium were with another company. If PCs don’t believe her, she assures them that she will look into the matter since such behavior is unacceptable. At this point, if PCs have been warned off LN7 previously go to ‘IF THE PCS HAVE BEEN WARNED OFF LN7 PREVIOUSLY’. If they have not been warned off LN7 before, go to ‘IF THE PCS HAVE NOT BEEN WARNED OFF LN7 PREVIOUSLY’. It’s time for them to make a choice.OTHER DISCUSSIONSAlice keeps the discussions limited to the Consortium’s interests with the PCs and insists on the Consortium’s interest in the girls’ welfare. She reveals nothing about the girls being from a brood of scions, but stresses only that they are ‘special’ in an undefined way to do with the weird happenings in London and that that they must be protected at all costs.WHERE TO NEXT?Once their conversation with Mark is over, PCs have the following options (if they have not already taken them):try to find mythological references to red boars. Go to Act 3, Scene 4 – Follow-up (Library Investigation); Act 3, Scene 4b – Follow-up (University Investigation); OR Act 3, Scene 4c – Follow-up (Museum Investigation), whichever is appropriate.try to find out what the symbol on the disc and the Red Boars means – without going to Emblae or the Fae of Haverhill. Go to Act 3, Scene 4 – Follow-up (Library Investigation); Act 3, Scene 4b – Follow-up (University Investigation); OR Act 3, Scene 4c – Follow-up (Museum Investigation), whichever is appropriate.go to Emblae (if they have played The Fire Within) to find out what the symbol on the disc and the Red Boars means – in which case the faery identifies the creatures as the Red Boars of Set and gives them the information listed on pp. 36-37;go to the Fae of Haverhill (if they have played The Fire Within) to find out what the symbol on the disc and the Red Boars means in which case PCs receive the information on p. 37contact the Gehenna Consortium if they wish to ignore Alice’s warning, go to Act 3, Scene 2 – Follow-up (LN7).
If PCs have completed the above options, or don’t wish to complete them, they may want to visit Tenson’s Place. In which case, go to Act 4, Scene 1 – Anika’s Refuge.

Next Week: Babes in London, Act 3 - Little Girls Found, Scene 4

Books Read in November 2013

Here are the books I was able to read in November 2013:

Australian Insects: An Unknown Caterpillar eating Grevillea flower buds

So, this little guy nearly bought it when I caught it eating the still-forming buds on my Robyn grevillea, but then I thought I might like to see which particular butterfly was responsible, so I took some pictures and decided to keep an eye on it, so I knew when it pupated.

The first shot - caterpillar happily nibbling on flower buds:


 Yup - definitely nibbling:


And here's another view. Note the little yellow lumps near its back end. Same day, but it was one of those cloudy days with variegated light.


And it kept nibbling for quite some time:


Stretching out to get the more tasty tidbits, and using its hind feet to keep a firm grip on the branch.


Eventually it looped back on itself...


...and headed into denser foliage.


It didn't always move in a straight line...


How come caterpillars have more feet than butterflies?


Eventually, it got into some much thicker growth (well, for a young grevillea, anyway), meaning it was somewhat protected by the spiky ends on the grevillea leaves.


And kept working deeper into the leaves...






I kept an eye on it, but about a week later I noticed a willy wagtail on the fence near the grevillea bush, and I haven't seen him since. I don't know whether to be sad or relieved.

Blogs that made me Stop in November 2013

With the demise of Google Reader, you should also remember that some of these blogs I go out and look for, although, this month, the majority come from my facebook wall or direct-feed subscriptions. I haven't had time to do my usual research run-around.


Writers.http://www.buzzfeed.com/kayepublicity... Fuel http://gawker.com/elderly-man-survive... http://writeyourassoff.blogspot.com.a... Text Analysis http://io9.com/which-words-turn-up-mo... http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/cu...