C.M. Simpson's Blog, page 200

Australian Spiders: Wolf Spider Inside

So, I guess this comes under the heading of 'Things I do NOT want to see Inside':





We worked out later that this one had probably been bitten by another spider, because she was very sluggish - not at all like a normal wolf spider. Since we have a little one and these are poisonous, we weren't too happy finding it inside.

Writers of the Future Contest - Quarter 3 Results

Very quick post to say that my entry to the Writers of the Future Contest received an Honorable Mention, which is very exciting :-)

Covers Created in September 2013

Here are the covers I created this month.

Progress Report: Week 4 September 2013

Another quiet week with much achieved. Overview
New words produced: 14,927Old words revised: 0Works completed: 7 (all for inclusion in larger bodies of work)Works revised: 0Covers created: 0 (1-3 variations)Works published: 0 (2-3 release platforms)Works submitted: 0Competitions Entered: 1 Tier 4 TasksAnnual1: Added 1,000 words Extra TasksShortStory39 (was ShortStory37)—Death Comes in Bone: Added 5,800 words
Publishing TasksCreated 2 blog posts for this blog;Submitted 1 entry to 1 competition New ArrivalsThe following ideas arrived this week:
Poem159—Through my Window to the Stars: just thinking;Poem173—The Way Ahead: a poem exploring options for the future;Poem174—Assassin: a poem describing assassins;Poem175—Succubus: a poem describing succubi;ShortStory83—The Calm Within the Storm: a piece of cliff-hanger flash set in the eye of an intensifying storm;ShortStory84—Gifted: a piece of flash fiction about inherited gifts;ShortStory85—Crocodile Parlay: a piece of flash fiction about… crocodiles;ShortStory86—Starman: two flash variations on a man from the stars.

Books Read in September 2013

Here are some of the awesome titles I've spent time with this week. To the Hilt is one of the most memorable stories, with 'Mad Alexander' one of my favourite characters. Well worth looking up, if you haven't read it.



































And, don't forget the e-books. This month, I read:
 The Road Back by Dean Wesley Smith is a short crime story about rattlesnakes and a police chief's missing son. You can find it over at Kobo.The Poop Thief by Kristine Kathryn Rusch, which is a book about familiars and pooh and secrets. This was one of the best reads this month, with a couple of angles on magic and familiars that I had never considered. Awesome, thank you :-). You can find it over at Kobo. I also had a bit of time for reading rulebooks. Can anyone tell me if Mind Storm Labs, the creators of Alpha-Omega are still in business? The latest news I can see is from 2009 and 2012, so it doesn't look good. I would like them to still be around. I like this setting:



And to round out the month, I'm now onto the Dick and Felix Francis volumes. I own most of these, but I haven't read them before. This one overcomes any doubts and lives up to the excellent storytelling that has gone before.

Adventure Edition - Babes in London: Little Girls Lost Act Two Scene 4A

You can find the introduction to the Babes in London adventure sequence HERE, the background to Act One HERE, the Overview for Act One HERE., Act One Scenes 1-2 HERE and Act One Scene 3 HERE.

Act Two Preparation and Scene 1 can be found HERE, Act Two Scene 2 can be found HERE, Act Two Scene 3A can be found HERE, Act Two Scene 3B can be found HERE, Act Two Scene 3C can be found HERE and Act Two Scene 3 Finalization can be found 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.

GMs, please note that there is one cut-scene and a final scene to this scene. You should not run this scene until you have all the parts belonging to it. Also, please note that these scenes have not been playtested, so you may need to adjust them on the fly. If you do, I would be grateful for any feedback.

PLAYERS SHOULD NOT READ BEYOND THIS POINT  
      








SCENE FOUR: INVESTIGATING LEYILA’S HOME:
SCENE 4A: INVESTIGATING LEYILA’S HOME:
When PCs reach Leyila’s home, read or paraphrase the following:
Like Anika, Leyila’s family lived in what looks like a small, two-story house with a tiny front lawn. You can see two policemen standing on the steps near the front door. They’re not knocking or trying to get in, but seem to be on guard. Two squad cars are pulled up out the front, but there is no one inside either. The other policemen must either be inside or around the back.
General information:
The Policemen Outside: The policemen are under strict orders not to let anyone in without authorization. No one wants the Press snooping around and giving out information that they’re not ready to release. One of their colleagues is inside with Mr. and Mrs. Andrews; the other is guarding the back door.All the windows (on both the upper and lower floors) have been locked, as has the entrance to the coal cellar and the external doors. PCs facing the house can see that there is a narrow pathway down the right-hand side of the house but entrance to the back yard is blocked by a locked gate. A brick wall, six-feet high can be seen on the left-hand side and observant PCs (Air: Senses, TH 4) catch a glimpse of pink roses just visible on the other side.PCs have a number of options at this point:

Approaching either Policeman: Constables Williams and Masters (at the front door) and Constable Petersen (at the back door) do not allow the PCs entry unless able to obtain authorization from the detective in charge, or unless PCs have already been granted permission to enter at Anika’s house in which case someone has already phoned ahead on their behalf.
If PCs do not have the detective in charge’s business card or authorization to assist in investigations: the constables do not allow PCs entry to the house. If one of the PCs masquerades as a messenger from the school or library, the group might (on a successful Interaction test TH 4) be granted an audience with the family inside or if they have already gained permission to enter the girls’ houses, they are recognized at the door and given access to the house ‘for a short time only Mr/Miss …’.Once, however, the policemen have been approached and have denied permission to enter, they are particularly vigilant regarding all attempts by the PCs to gain entry to the house (+2 TH to opposed Senses tests for anyone trying to avoid detection). They will call for back up rather than confront intruders on their own, knowing that there is help 4 rounds away at all times. They will also notify the station and their colleagues at Leyila’s house of the approach and a squad car will be sent out to pick the PCs up for questioning – which will keep them at the station until 4pm that afternoon, if they are caught.If the PCs have a business card and have been granted permission to help in investigations: the constables call for authorization, which allows PCs entry to the house and access to Leyila’s parents.If the PCs have a business card but have not been granted permission, or asked, to help in investigations: the constables call for authorization, which results in one of the PCs having to speak to the DIC in order to explain why they are interested. If the PC can convince the detective to either allow them to conduct their own investigation, or aid in police investigations, they will be allowed entry to Leyila’s house. This requires an Air (Trickery) or Air (Interaction) test with a base TH of 3. The following modifiers apply:
TH ModifierCircumstance
+1PC was cooperative when contacted by police and is of a private investigator , police or teaching background.+2PC was cooperative when contacted by police and is of a background that is not policing, private investigation, teaching, criminal, or homeless+3PC was cooperative when contacted by police and is of a criminal or homeless background+4PC was uncooperative (regardless of background).
If PCs have already gained access to Anika’s house in this way, they are recognized at the door and given access to the house ‘for a short time only Mr/Miss …’.

Attempting to sneak into the house unobserved: PCs have to make opposed Senses tests in order to reach the house unobserved. If they succeed, they are hidden down one of the two sides of the house. Breaking windows on the ground floor will require another opposed Senses test with a +4 difficulty to the TH (since it is a quiet neighborhood and there are people inside), although they can still climb to the second floor (where they will still have to break a window to gain entry). Breaking a window to gain entry to the second floor only attracts a +3 penalty to the TH, but adds a +2 to the Climbing TH in order for the PC to avoid losing his or her grip and falling.
Gaining entry to the house by ‘neutralizing’ the police officers on the door: Roll opposed Senses tests to approach either constable undetected, then conduct combat as normal. Alternatively PCs can try to approach the constables openly and take them by surprise. This requires an opposed Trickery test for the PCs to get close enough to attack an unsuspecting officer.
POLICE CONSTABLES WILLIAMS, MASTERS & PETERSENSee the ‘Cop’ entry on p. 195 of the Gamemaster’s Handbook.
Once PCs are allowed entry to Leyila’s house, they are directed to the living room where a detective is interviewing the parents. If they have gained unauthorized entry to Leyila’s house they can begin their investigation in any room, but they must make Stealth tests opposed by an Earth (Senses) test for the detective and Leyila’s parents to avoid being noticed as they conduct their search.
AUTHORISED ENTRY:
After consulting briefly with someone on his mobile phone, the young constable nods. Closing the handset and turning to you, he says: “If you go through to the living room, DI Mullins will introduce you to the girl’s parents before you start. First door on the left.” He unlocks the door and, once you are through, closes it carefully behind you. You find yourselves in an entry hall: Mirror, shoe rack, coat rack, and umbrella stand. A beautifully painted landscape hangs on one wall above a wooden sideboard and you note the carefully arranged flowers that tower over the notepad and pen beside the phone. There are two doorways: the one on the left is open; the one on the right is closed. Both are made of a dark brown timber with inlaid patterns in the wood.
NOTE: For those that ask, the top page of the notepad is blank. (Using pencil rubbing will only reveal the telephone number for the police and the day’s date with DI Mullinswritten beside it.) The flowers are the tall, reedy kind with yellow flowers – golden rod and cat-tail reeds, nothing fancy.
From beyond the open door to the left, you can hear muted voices. These stop as you reach the doorway. Go to First Floor: Lounge Room.
FIRST FLOOR
ENTRY HALL: This is just beyond the front door. The entry hall very is similar to that in Anika’s home: Mirror, shoe rack, coat rack, and umbrella stand. A beautifully painted landscape hangs on one wall above a wooden sideboard and you note the carefully arranged flowers that tower over the notepad and pen beside the phone. There are two doorways: the one on the left is open; the one on the right is closed. Both are made of a dark brown timber with inlaid patterns in the wood. From the open doorway, you can hear the sound of muted voices.
NOTE: For those that ask, the top page of the notepad is blank. (Using pencil rubbing will only reveal the telephone number for the police and the day’s date with DI Mullins written beside it. The flowers are the tall, reedy kind with yellow flowers – golden rod and cat-tail reeds, nothing fancy.
LOUNGEROOM: As PCs approach the doorway and become visible to those inside:  
The voices cease as you become visible in the doorway.
IF THE PCS ARE EXPECTED: The middle-aged man in a plain grey suit rises to meet you, hand outstretched in greeting. “Welcome, you must be the other investigators we are expecting.” He isn’t very tall, only about five foot, seven, but his build is wiry and muscular and his handshake is firm. He steps back indicating the man and woman sitting on the sofa. “This is Colin Andrews, Leyila’s father.” The man on the couch will be taller than the DI when standing, and has the build of someone who was once quite fit but who is now going to seed. His grey-blue eyes are underhung by shadows and his face is pale with fatigue. “Pleased to meet you,” he says. “And this is Laura Andrews, Leyila’s mother.” The slender, dark-haired woman looks up at you briefly and you can see that, although she has been crying, there are lines of stubbornness that hint at an inner strength. She nods by way of greeting, then turns back to the photo album open on the coffee table in front of them.
NOTE: Allow some interaction before the PCs are guided upstairs to Leyila’s bedroom Go to Second Floor: Leyila’s Room. There is nothing of interest in the rest of the house, although they will be allowed to look if they insist.
IF THE PCS ARE UNEXPECTED: “What the devil are you doing in here?” The shout of angry surprise bursts out of the silver-haired, middle-aged man in a suit. “Stay right there! You’re under arrest!” He is already reaching for his phone, while the couple seated on the sofa behind him stare at you in shocked surprise.
NOTE:The DI calls for back-up and then draws his sidearm. He stands directly between the PCs and the Andrews. Play this one by ear. DI Mullins attempts to have the PCs arrested and taken to the station for questioning. He does not allow them to approach or speak to the Andrews. If they attempt to do so, he asks the pair to go through the door leading to the kitchen and join PC Petersen in the back garden. If the PCs approach, he warns them: “Stay back or I’ll shoot”. He only fires if they ignore the warning or look like they will continue approaching the Andrews. The PCs have only one minute in which to escape before Constables Williams, Masters and Petersen reach the lounge room and entry hall. There is only five minutes before back-up arrives in the form of two squad cars and eight constables (who have been on stand-by at the station since the discovery of the disappearance of Anika’s parents that morning).
DINING ROOM: The dining room looks as if it Mrs Andrews has yet to have time to clear it. There are breakfast dishes in two places, some marmalade, jam and butter on a central tray and a toast rack containing four pieces of stone-cold toast. The tea pot is also cool and two cups of tea have been standing long enough to form a milky rime on the surface. They are about half full. It looks as though breakfast was disturbed and no one’s had time to get back to it.
NOTE (if PCs were expected): Breakfast was indeed disturbed by DI Mullin’s arrival. While he had made an appointment for today, he arrived much earlier than arranged because of the disappearance of Anika’s parents. No one has had time to get back to breakfast, although the PCs arrival causes Mr and Mrs Andrews to remember host obligations and the table is quickly cleared while the kettle is boiled for a fresh pot of tea. DI Mullins leaves them to this task while he escorts the PCs upstairs.
(If PCs were unexpected): Then the table and dishes are just the same, but no one gets up to make them a cup of tea – and they must make Stealth tests to reach the stairs undetected.
KITCHEN: The usual arrangement of cupboards, dishwasher, stove, microwave, oven and fridge. There are no plants on the ledge above the sink and last night’s dishes are still sitting in the drainer waiting to be put away. A tea-towel is neatly draped over them.
LAUNDRY: The laundry has one door leading off from the kitchen and another leading to the back garden. There are no dirty clothes in the laundry basket and the linen press is full of neatly folded sheets and towels. A washing machine, dryer and laundry trough take up all the space along one wall, with the other wall occupied by outdoor shoes and Wellingtons.
BACK GARDEN: Similar to Anika’s back garden with its flower beds and garden shed in the far left corner. The grass is neatly mowed and the clothesline is full of clothes belonging to the family. A child’s swing set can be seen under a tree in the right-hand corner of the yard. The clear outline of another police constable can be seen through the laundry window. He seems to be standing on the back step.
SECOND FLOOR PARENTS’ ROOM: A neatly-made double bed is centered along the back wall, flanked by two two-drawer dressing tables. Nothing appears to be out of place here: clothes hang neatly in the cupboards or lie folded in the drawers. There are no signs of trouble or wrong-doing here, just the neatly-ordered everyday facets of ordinary modern life.
LEYILA’S ROOM: Yep, this is a girl’s room. DI Mullins leaves you at the door. “Don’t make a mess,” he says, “and don’t take anything.” There are dancers everywhere and dance posters on the wall, but no jazz or ballet paraphernalia. It’s sort of a look from the outside on the world of dance. There is a desk in one corner of the room. This kid really takes her homework seriously with all her school books lined up on end of the book shelf above the PC and all her writing books and folders beside it. There are no locked drawers here but one large tome stands out. This is partly because it’s lying flat on the desk and partly because it’s cloth bound and partly because it’s about three inches thick. The title on the cover reads: Leyila’s Book of Songs. Picking it up, you flick idly to a random page and find the picture of what might be an Egyptian or Arabian dancer frozen in motion. Behind her, barely noticeable as background, are tall columns. There is the smell of heat and dust in the air – as well as some sort of sweet, musky perfume and Leyila’s bedroom has faded from view.
NOTE: Go to Scene 4B: Kehebite Dancer.
GUEST/WORK ROOM: The curtains are closed in this room, but, apart from the cupboards being empty and the trundle bed tucked beneath the double, it is almost an exact copy of Leyila’s parents’ room
BATHROOM: It’s a bathroom, you know, toothbrushes and toothpaste near the hand-basin, aftershave and shaving lotion in the cabinet, towels on the rail. Nothing unusual here either.
TOILET: Smallest room in the house, you probably know it well. Spare toilet paper beside the porcelain chariot, little dolly cover thingy on the roll on the cistern and some typical toilet poetry about footprints in the sand or something similar although exactly what it’s meant to inspire in here is unclear.
HALLWAY: Links the room upstairs. Lovely nature pictures on the walls – lightning storms and rainforests. A little shelf for the upstairs phone and one door prominently marked – PRIVATE: LEYILA’S ROOM. KNOCK & WAIT FOR INVITE .
END OF ACT TWO SCENE 4A
Next week, I will post Act Two Scene 4B.

Blogs that Made me Stop in September 2013

With the demise of Google Reader, these are a lot fewer and further between. I don't have a lot of net-cruising time so I rely on my Facebook feed, some of the Yahoo groups I subscribe to, and chance. This month, these are the blog posts that made me stop and read all the way to the bottom:

http://stornart.com/2013/09/action/: Artwork and talk from fantasy artist Storn Cook.http://kriswrites.com/2013/09/11/the-business-rusch-story-demands/: Kristine Kathryn Rusch on publishing constraints and freedoms in storytellinghttp://kriswrites.com/2013/09/04/the-business-rusch-we-dont-know-what-we-dont-know/: more on publishing by Kristine Kathryn Ruschhttp://terribleminds.com/ramble/2013/09/10/25-steps-to-edit-the-unmerciful-suck-out-of-your-story/: an irreverent, but very useful look at editing by Chuck Wendig over at terriblemindshttp://terribleminds.com/ramble/2013/09/09/why-i-like-the-term-author-publisher/: on terminologyhttp://terribleminds.com/ramble/2013/09/06/got-a-book-coming-out-ten-questions-all-for-you/: Chuck Wendig on requirements for a regular blog columnhttp://terribleminds.com/ramble/2013/09/06/flash-fiction-challenge-wtf-is-this-thing/: Flash Fiction challenge - of course I read to the end of this one, and then I read to the end of...http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/09/weird-weblike-thing/?mbid=social11521984: andhttp://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/12/spider-building-spider/: and http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/01/giant-middle-eastern-spider-discovered/http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2013/09/03/25-steps-to-becoming-a-self-published-author/: about self-publishing in the modern erahttp://jakonrath.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/grandma-by-ja-konrath-and-talon-konrath.html: another writer emergeshttp://www.festivale.info/questions/richardleebyers2.htm: an interview with Richard Lee Byers http://kriswrites.com/2013/09/13/recommended-reading-list-august-2013/: What stories Kristine Kathryn Rusch has enjoyed.http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=10103: on agents, by Dean Wesley Smith; http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=10144#more-10144: Dean Wesley Smith being a writer;Go take a look :-)

Australian Birds: Heron

I caught a glimpse of this little beauty coming in to roost a few weeks ago and, this morning while taking my walk, I saw another fishing at the weir, so tomorrow I'm going to see if I can catch a picture of it not flying away. In the meantime, see if you can spot it:

Finding a place to land,


coming in to roost, 


and, now it's gone... somewhere.

First Chapters: Yard Boss as Carlie Simonsen

Here is a free preview of the first chapter in Yard Boss . Enjoy.
 
Yardboss is the first book in the Schoolyard Adventures series, which is set in the school grounds of multiple people, places and times. In Yard Boss , a new kid arrives at a boarding school and is targeted by bullies.

Robert just wants to get on with getting on. He's at a new school and he's trying to find his feet. Allan knows he needs to put the new kid down hard, but which one? How about the big one that returns his gaze? His sidekick, Tom, doesn't think that's such a good idea, but since when did Allan listen to Tom, anyway?



Yard Boss is available from Smashwords, Amazon-Kindle, Kobo, Nook, DriveThruFiction and iTunes.
 

First Chapter: Yard BossPick a Kid, Any Kid


“Are you kidding?” Allan turned to his friend, his eyes wide. “You think we should trust them?”“I didn’t say that,” Tom replied. “I only said we shouldn’t pick on them… yet.”Allan lifted his eyebrows in amazement. Tom tried to explain.“We should see what they’re like.”Allan shrugged.“I still say we should let them know who’s boss.”Tom saw the fear on the new kids’ faces. He saw how they looked up at the grey, brick buildings and weatherboard classrooms, and then back at the twin fences and two gates they had just walked through.“Who needs to?” he asked. “They already know.”“I still say we make sure,” his friend said. “Then they won’t make any mistakes. Look, the Scorpions have already started.”Tom looked. He listened too. Across the school yard, closer to the gates, a group of girls were calling out names. Some girls were even walking beside the lines of new kids. They had already picked who they were going to get.“I think we should be teaching them a lesson,” Tom muttered, but Allan didn’t hear him. He was already walking towards the doors into the building. The lines of new kids would have to pass right by him.Tom walked slowly after him. He didn’t come to stand beside his friend until the first five rows of newbies had gone past. “Allan,” he began, “we don’t have to ...”Allan swung around.“What’s the matter with you?” he snapped. “Anyone would think you’d gone soft.”Tom blushed and shook his head.“I haven’t,” he said.“Then come take a look,” Allan told him. “See who we should pick first.”Tom looked at the rows of kids passing him. They were trying hard not to look at him. They all kept their eyes down. He saw one that was bigger than the rest.“What about him, Al?” he said. “He looks like he needs taking down to size.”The kid wasn’t looking at the ground as he walked. He looked around at the school, at the yard and at the kids watching. He looked right at Allan as he walked past.Allan looked back. Tom thought they were going to have a fight, right then. The new kid kept walking through the door, but Tom thought he saw him wink.“He’ll do,” Allan said. “He looks like a trouble-maker.” 

END FIRST CHAPTER
If you would like to read more, Y ard Boss is available from Smashwords, Amazon-Kindle, Kobo, Nook, DriveThruFiction and iTunes.
 

Progress Report: Week 4 September 2013

Note to all authors: hurting your back *will* compromise your ability to do ‘stuff’.
So don’t be too impressed, 11,000 of the words below were produced on Monday, and then things went way south. I’m hoping this week will be better. On the up-side, it is a good lesson in the kinds of things that can affect an independent publisher’s ability to work for their living.OverviewNew words produced: 12,970Old words revised: 0Works completed: 8 (1 for release, 7 for inclusion in a larger work)Works revised: 0Covers created: 0 (1-3 variations)Works published: 0 (2-3 release platforms)Works submitted: 0Competitions Entered: 0Extra Tasks
ShortStory45 (previously ShortStory40)—The Reptile’s Blade: about a veteran of war caught up in intergalactic diplomacy between humanity and the lizardine. Added 12,164 words.
Publishing Tasks
Created 3 blog posts for this blog;
New ArrivalsThe following ideas arrived this week:ShortStory77—Storm-Riding Raiders: a piece of flash fiction about a desperate battle.ShortStory78—The Sacred Kitty and the Crocodile God: a piece of flash fiction about a kitty-cat’s hunting trip;ShortStory79—A Stranger’s Kindness: a piece of flash fiction about some urban bandits;ShortStory80—Vale for the Kessek’s Beast: a lament of sorts;ShortStory81—Kavesh and the Peace Deal: no one said it went right…;ShortStory82—They Must So Know: urban dangers humanity must know about;ShortStory83—The Rise of the Emerald Wizard: there’s more than one way of reaching the top.