Print-on-Demand now available for C.M. Simpson: Short Stories and Poems from 2012

C.M. Simpson: Short Stories and Poems from 2012 is now available in both normal-print and large-print versions from CreateSpace. This collection includes the contents of the four anthologies released in 2012. In print-on-demand this is the equivalent of a two-for-one deal, with extra content thrown in. In e-book version its four-for-three with extra content. Check it out :-)

New Release: C.M. Simpson: Short Stories and Poems from 2012

This is a collection of all the short stories C.M. Simpson published and wrote in 2012. Many of these pieces can be found in earlier anthologies or on C.M. Simpson’s blog, but some have not previously been published. Genres range from paranormal urban fantasy to dark fantasy to space opera and comedic science fiction and magic realism. With tales ranging from her earliest years of writing to more recent times, this collection showcases one writer’s exploration of the worlds in her head and outside it.

This collection contains all short stories and poems included in An Anthology of Battle, An Anthology of Dragons, An Anthology of Those Who Walk Among Us, and An Anthology of Worlds, as well as previously unpublished content.

This collection is currently available from Smashwords and DriveThruFiction.

Published on: June 29, 2013

First Pages: The Duel by C.M. Simpson

The Duel is the third short story found in An Anthology of Dragons, and is available as a stand-alone title.

A young lord is challenged to a duel while drinking at the local tavern. The consequences of losing are as dire as for any other duel.

The Duel is available in An Anthology of Dragons, and is also available as a stand-alone title from Smashwords, Kobo, Kindle, iTunes and Nook.

First Pages: The Duel

Ollie lifted a handful of foaming tankards as the inn door opened. His brown eyes picked out the expensive cut of the newcomer’s clothing as he raised the tankards in brief greeting, then set them on the bar.

“Welcome, stranger,” he called, raising his voice above the friendly row that filled his tavern.

He caught sight of a gloved hand raised in answering salute as the newcomer made his way to a vacant table along the wall. The tavern was busy tonight; two caravans, a squad of royal scouts and one of the baron’s patrols newly returned from their scouting, and that was before he counted the local farmers, back in from their fields.

With a smile, Ollie swept the payment for the latest batch of tankards into his apron pocket, then bustled over to where the stranger was sitting. The door opened again as he reached the stranger’s table but this time, when he glanced towards it, Ollie frowned. The local baron’s youngest son was entering the inn. The newly arrived lordling was one of his least favorite customers. Ollie sighed.

The stranger followed his gaze, blue eyes observing the newly arrived lordling from beneath a mat of yellow hair, and taking in the barkeep’s displeasure. Ollie wondered at the sudden spark of interest that crossed the man’s face.

“Shut the door after you, Master Rockwell!” the innkeeper bellowed and watched to make sure the lord’s son obeyed.

The door slammed shut with a bang of annoyance, and a nattily-dressed young man strode through the evening crowd to seat himself across from the stranger. Ollie opened his mouth to object to the impertinent lordling’s presumption but the young man was already in full flight. 

“You’re new around here?” he asked the stranger, though he knew full-well the answer.

EXTRACT END

The Duel is available in An Anthology of Dragons, and is also available as a stand-alone title from Smashwords, Kobo, Kindle, iTunes and Nook.

First Pages: Everything has its Price by C.M. Simpson

Everything has its Price is the second short story to be found in An Anthology of Dragons. It is also available as a stand-alone short story.

When a young squire asks for a place at a merchant caravan's encampment, the price is a story. The tale she tells is one of a blind bard's encounter with a dragon, but the ending is interrupted by the arrival of the knight she serves.

Everything has its Price is available from Smashwords, Kobo, Kindle, Nook and the iTunes bookstores.

First Page: Everything has its Price

“And what would you offer for a place by our fire?” the merchant-guildsman demanded.

I let my eyes travel doubtfully over his portly, dust-covered frame and ignored the knight who had ridden up behind me.

“A tale,” I replied.

The knight snorted and rode past to make his camp not far from that of the caravan. I caught the gleam of interest that sprang into the guildsman’s eye before he could hide it.

“A tale,” he repeated eyeing me with the same doubt I had shown of him.

There was a murmur from the men behind him. The journey had been dull enough to warrant a tale, it seemed. The guildsman sighed, as though pressured beyond fairness by his crew.

“Very well,” he grumbled. “A tale it is.”

I wedged myself between two burly teamsters and, ignoring their frowns, began my story.

“Few about this fire would recall a blind bard, even if they’d had the fortune, once, of meeting her. Few would credit it indeed.”

A low murmur of disbelief greeted this. I moved to quell it, knowing that the murmurs would stop soon enough.

“No one knows how she avoided the perils of the road but avoid them she did, until the night she chose to follow some traders beyond the Dragon’s Peak Range. 
        “The route they took was new then, but is well known now. The traders followed Dragon’s Way through Drudonelle’s Forest and almost reached its edge before disaster struck.

END EXTRACT

Everything has its Price is available from Smashwords, Kobo, Kindle, Nook and the iTunes bookstores.

First Pages: Dragon Coast by C.M. Simpson

Dragon Coast is the first short story in An Anthology of Dragons. It is also available as a stand-alone short story.


Jessica is out of work and in desperate need of a job, so when fashion company, Dragon Coast, start advertising vacancies, she decides to aim high and then work her way down the list. Will she be good enough to snare the top job, or will she have to settle for something further down the ladder? Will she be able to score a job at all?
 
Dragon Coast can be found in An Anthology of Dragons, or for sale on its own at Smashwords, Kobo, Kindle, iTunes and Nook.

First Page: Dragon Coast

Critics described ‘Dragon Coast’ as “a vibrant, young company whose flamboyant style in garment design had already won the minds of the rich and famous”. Jessica saw the description and dismissed it with a snort.

Dragon Coast had at least won those minds for now, she’d thought. And if it hadn’t won their minds, someone was paying them an awful lot of money to wear the label on their bodies. Today, with bleak sunshine streaming through the kitchen window, Jessica ate her toast and read the newspaper classifieds, viewing the company with a lot less cynicism.

‘Dragon Coast’ is expanding, the advertisement read. We are seeking employees at all levels of production and managerial assistance. Positions include assembly-line workers, overseers, security guards, delivery drivers, department secretaries and managerial secretary. Interested candidates should apply to ...

Jessica let her eyes scan the rest of the ad. It was the best opportunity this newssheet had offered for a long time. She let her gaze wander over the page again. No restrictions on how many times you could apply, either.

She smiled.

‘Well then,’ she thought, ‘I might as well start at the top and work my way down.’ 

She knew the top was a long shot. There would be others with more experience to offer, more time in executive positions, more qualifications, but she’d done well in similar positions before, even if she’d only been ‘the temp’.

END EXCERPT 

 Dragon Coast can be found in An Anthology of Dragons, or for sale on its own at Smashwords, Kobo, Kindle, iTunes and Nook.