Welcome to the official forum thread for
Sim Stories: Hijinks from the World of Sims 3, a collection of tales using worlds, characters, and situations from
Sims 3.
Currently
Sim Stories features one ongoing story,
The Cat Chronicles, as well as any
Short Stories I might write for the
Monthly Simlits Short Stories Challenges thread or other events.
The Cat Chronicles follows the adventures of Shadow, as he struggles to catch birds, gets in fights with canines, searches for new comfy places, trains his wrinkly two-legger Rose in proper kitty-owner etiquette, and does all manner of other activities considered “cute” and “feline.” A simple slice-of-life series told from the viewpoint of a cat, it is recommended to cat-lovers or anyone that likes a “dessert read”; sweet, but not particularly filling.
Day 1: A New HomeDay 2: Kitten TemptationsDay 3: Twilight Hour VisitorDay 4: New AquaintanceDay 5: CaninesDay 6: Kitty MaintenanceDay 7: Destructive ImpulsesDay 8: Cat BurglarDay 9: Whacked OutDay 10: Noisy Two-leggersDay 11: A Day at the GardenDay 12: Big CatDay 13: Fire MonstersDay 14: Hunting PracticeDay 15: Dish-eaters and DogsDay 16: A New Sleeping PlaceDay 17: Needy CatDay 18: AmusementsDay 19: Kitty GiftsDay 20: Shedding and BeggingDay 21: ProblemsDay 22: Cat HeavenDay 23: An Evening at the FairDay 24: Kitty KissesDay 25: Feeling FriskyDay 26: Expecting!Day 27: Kittens!Day 28: Trick or TreatDay 29: Feed Me!Day 30: Family VisitDay 31: House TourSide Story: The StrayDay 32: FrustrationSide Story: Remembering EarlDay 33: The Other Two-LeggerDay 34: TresspasserDay 35: A Fine Day for a DateDay 36: PersistenceSide Story: Edgar Evans AwardDay 37: Best in ShowDay 38: Hunting LessonsSide Story: MemoriesDay 39: Feline PhilanthropyDay 40: The Art of Being TinyDay 41: In the Enemy's DenDay 42: The Importance of Proper GroomingSide Story: Senna's StoryDay 43: Aspiration Achieved!Day 44: Kitty CharmsDay 45: Comfy PlacesDay 46: A Mid-Winter TragedyDay 47: The Wrinkly OneDay 48: Holiday VisitDay 49: Before the Wrinkly OneDay 50: Growing UpDay 51: New HomesDay 52: Feline CollectorsDay 53: BrokenDay 54: Snowflake Eve
Every month, the
Short Stories Challenges thread posts a new short story challenge: to write a story, typically of 500-1500 words using 1-12 images, with a particular theme that changes every month. Though these
Short Stories are written to fill the challenge themes each month, they may have crossover ties with my other works. I also write short stories for other special events, as well!
The Stray - Shadow from
The Cat Chronicles tells his kittens a bedtime story about a kitten that dreams of being a witch’s cat. Written for the October 2015
Short Stories Challenges theme “Two themes are scarier than one: Scary stories/Halloween-inspired.”
Lost in Space - Madigan Finnegan from
The Yandere Diaries sends a transmission out into space after the disappearance of her siblings leads her to believe that alien abduction might be the culprit. Written for the November 2015
Short Story Challenges theme "Lost."
Remembering Earl – Rose Hatcher from
The Cat Chronicles remembers the life she spent with her late husband, Earl. Written for the
Purple Day Sims event.
Resolutions Resolved – A teen learns about body image during the holiday season from a rather unexpected place, and realizes the best New Years Resolutions are the ones that come from the heart. Written for the December 2015
Short Story Challenges theme "'Tis the season for…"
The Final Final Countdown – A middle-aged geek, obsessed with a past memory, is intent on adding a certain item to his collection. Written for the January 2016
Short Story Challenges theme "The Countdown."
For the Love of Furbabies - Bridgette Lee fondly remembers growing up with her cat Tabby, and the love between owner and pet as she is faced with a difficult decision. Written for the February 2016
Short Story Challenges theme "A Different Kind of Love."
The Writer's Lament - My Simself reveals her typical writing experience. Written for the March 2016
Short Story Challenges theme "I knew I had to find it before..."
Seven Seconds 'Til the Rise - A man has mere seconds to reflect on the events that led to the end of his life. Written for the April 2016
Short Story Challenges theme "Choose Your Screencaps."
Blogaversary: Year One – Join me and my friends for a Q&A session and celebration for my one year anniversary of
Sim Stories!
Growing Pains - A transgender man reminisces on his struggle through puberty growing up with gender dysphoria. Written for the May 2016
Short Story Challenges theme "Growth."
Bibliotaph - A traveling bard stumbles upon a secluded library, and meets its most peculiar inhabitant. Written for the June 2016
Short Story Challenges theme "Balderdash."
Sims Pride 2016! - Join me as I host my first Sims Pride event, featuring photo submissions of the many diverse Simmers and Sims in our lovely community!
Edgar Evans Award - Rose Hatcher from
The Cat Chronicles receives the
Edgar Evans Award. Written for the July 2016
Short Story Challenges theme "I Open with the Close."
The Summer I Fell in Love - Nathan Zimmerman discovered a life-long love during a summer vacation at his grandmother's house. Written for the August 2016
Short Story Challenges theme "Summer Love."
Mastress Alita and the Tomb of the Lost Tomes - My Simself embarks on a quest library books long overdue. Written for the September 2016
Short Story Challenges theme "Late."
Play Your Ace - A teenage girl struggles with discovering her asexual orientation during a visit to a haunted house. Written for the October 2016
Short Story Challenges theme "So Spooky" and
Asexuality Awareness Week 2016.
Morning Reflections - An introspection about how much the
Short Story Challenges has meant to me over the last year as a thank you to Carewren123, who has been hostess of this thread from August 2015 through October 2016. You've been awesome, Carewren!
The Thanksgiving Weekend Rescue Mission - Mastress Alita gets a little too invested in a new computer game. Written for the November 2016
Monthly Simlits Short Story Challenges theme "One Hundred."
Memories - A compilation of images from
The Cat Chronicles set to the lyrics "Memories" by Within Temptation. Written for the
Purple Day Sims event.
Feline Philanthropy - Shadow from
The Cat Chronicles teaches his kittens about the various ways to show appreciation to your two-legger. Written for the December 2016
Monthly Simlits Short Story Challenges theme "Gift."
Senna's Story - Senna from
The Cat Chronicles starts over after the death of her father with the adoption of a very unique-looking kitten. Written for the January 2017
Monthly Simlits Short Story Challenges theme “Anew.”
Winter’s Touch – A boy faces the dangers of winter during a terrible blizzard. Written for the February 2017
Monthly Simlits Short Story Challenges theme “A Picture’s Worth a Thousand Words.” This theme required creating a story using an emotion or idea tied to one of the following colors: red, white, pink, or purple.
Before the Wrinkly One - Shadow from
The Cat Chronicles recalls his past before he came into Rose's home. Written for the March 2017
Monthly Simlits Short Story Challenges theme "A Tall Tale."
Blogaversary: Year Two - Join me and my friends for a Q&A session and celebration for my two year anniversary of
Sim Stories!Yandere Days - A high school student witnesses something he shouldn't, and appears to be the next victim of a murderous classmate... Written for the April 2017
Monthly Simlits Short Story Challenges theme "Expect the Unexpected."
Sims Pride 2017! - Join me as I host my second Sims Pride event, featuring photo submissions of the many diverse Simmers and Sims in our lovely community!
Goodbyes - Sometimes, the weight of a single word is just too much. Written for the June 2017
Monthly Simlits Short Story Challenges theme "A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words."
I'm Sorry - A tragic love triangle is told through the lyrics of the song "I'm Sorry" by Roxette. Written for the May 2017
Monthly Simlits Short Story Challenges theme "I'm Sorry."
The Face of Captivity - Sometimes, love turns into obsession, ensnaring and forming a prison around those we love the most... A companion piece for the May short story "I'm Sorry." Written for the July 2017
Monthly Simlits Short Story Challenges theme "The Face of."
Comments
Have a Sim story site? Please submit your link to the Stories and Legacies Index!
Check out my Simlit at Sim Stories: Hijinks from the World of Sims 3!
My Simlit Discussion/Updates | The Fringe | Short Story Challenges
Have a Sim story site? Please submit your link to the Stories and Legacies Index!
Check out my Simlit at Sim Stories: Hijinks from the World of Sims 3!
My Simlit Discussion/Updates | The Fringe | Short Story Challenges
Have a Sim story site? Please submit your link to the Stories and Legacies Index!
Check out my Simlit at Sim Stories: Hijinks from the World of Sims 3!
My Simlit Discussion/Updates | The Fringe | Short Story Challenges
Have a Sim story site? Please submit your link to the Stories and Legacies Index!
Check out my Simlit at Sim Stories: Hijinks from the World of Sims 3!
My Simlit Discussion/Updates | The Fringe | Short Story Challenges
Have a Sim story site? Please submit your link to the Stories and Legacies Index!
Check out my Simlit at Sim Stories: Hijinks from the World of Sims 3!
My Simlit Discussion/Updates | The Fringe | Short Story Challenges
Have a Sim story site? Please submit your link to the Stories and Legacies Index!
Check out my Simlit at Sim Stories: Hijinks from the World of Sims 3!
My Simlit Discussion/Updates | The Fringe | Short Story Challenges
Have a Sim story site? Please submit your link to the Stories and Legacies Index!
Check out my Simlit at Sim Stories: Hijinks from the World of Sims 3!
My Simlit Discussion/Updates | The Fringe | Short Story Challenges
Have a Sim story site? Please submit your link to the Stories and Legacies Index!
Check out my Simlit at Sim Stories: Hijinks from the World of Sims 3!
My Simlit Discussion/Updates | The Fringe | Short Story Challenges
Have a Sim story site? Please submit your link to the Stories and Legacies Index!
Check out my Simlit at Sim Stories: Hijinks from the World of Sims 3!
My Simlit Discussion/Updates | The Fringe | Short Story Challenges
Cora is forced to have to deal with some unpleasant consequences involving her latest plot...
The Yandere Diaries Entry 32: Night of the Senior Prom
Have a Sim story site? Please submit your link to the Stories and Legacies Index!
Check out my Simlit at Sim Stories: Hijinks from the World of Sims 3!
My Simlit Discussion/Updates | The Fringe | Short Story Challenges
Shadow continues to have some hunting troubles...
The Cat Chronicles Day 32: Frustration
Have a Sim story site? Please submit your link to the Stories and Legacies Index!
Check out my Simlit at Sim Stories: Hijinks from the World of Sims 3!
My Simlit Discussion/Updates | The Fringe | Short Story Challenges
Lost in Space
Have a Sim story site? Please submit your link to the Stories and Legacies Index!
Check out my Simlit at Sim Stories: Hijinks from the World of Sims 3!
My Simlit Discussion/Updates | The Fringe | Short Story Challenges
My short story, Remembering Earl, should work as a stand-alone piece, but is also somewhat of a side-story to my Cat Chronicles series, as it features characters from that series. It is about Rose, the main character's wrinkly two-legger, remembering her life with her late husband, Earl. (This actually marks the first thing I've written related to Cat Chronicles that is from one of the human character's perspectives!)
I will admit, since I've only been playing Sims 3 for about a year now, I actually haven't had a file yet where I've had a character die "au natural". In my story The Yandere Diaries I've witnessed several Sim deaths, but then, the main character of that series is a yandere -- someone so obsessed with her love that she'll resort to murder if she sees someone as a threat -- so those deaths have just sort of been... a necessary element of the plot. Definitely some have upset me, because they were characters I created by hand, not just random townies, and I really loved those characters and were sad to see them go, but... the story went in that direction and I can't help that I'm the one that "pulled the trigger" in those cases, you know?
But death by old age of a Sim is a bit different. When I created Cat Chronicles, I knew, from the start, I wanted the main human character of the series to be an elderly cat lady that was widowed. I created Rose as an elder from the start (I've found it seems rather rare for SimLit authors to "create" elder characters; rather, it seems the only ones they have are "aged up" versions of younger characters from their stories). I created her husband because I wanted to be able to use genetics to make their (now adult) children, which I immediately set up with their own families into separate households at the beginning of the game. All that was left at the beginning of that file was an elderly Rose and Earl. I used a mod to set aging on Earl so he'd have 3 days left on his life bar, and I was determined to make them the best days ever, filled with fishing and family.
Only, I didn't really know at the time how the whole aging with elders thing worked in Sims 3. I assumed once the bar was filled, they would pass away, only to discover that... they didn't. That basically after that, it would just be "random" after that. But I wanted to get on with my story about my widowed cat lady and her new kitten, so I had to use TestingCheatsEnabled at that point to trigger an age transition on Earl at that point to make him pass (I know it sounds quite awful now, but...) Even for a Sim I didn't even really play, that wasn't going to be featured in the story, watching Rose's mourning process was still quite heartbreaking. But that was really meant to be the catalyst for her getting her new kitten companion, Shadow. And she has been Shadow's two-legger since.
Her bar has been full in that story for some time now. I have no idea when Rose is going to pass... and it's really heart-breaking to me. I love that old cat lady. Shadow loves his wrinkly one. I know it's going to be very hard when it does come... and I know it's going to come soon.
Basically the inspiration for the story was "How does a character who hasn't really featured in the story, who's death was never witnessed, have an impact?" I wanted to show how a death, even if that character was never a player, is significant, because Rose is a player, and so much of her life and character are tied up in that off-camera life.
Have a Sim story site? Please submit your link to the Stories and Legacies Index!
Check out my Simlit at Sim Stories: Hijinks from the World of Sims 3!
My Simlit Discussion/Updates | The Fringe | Short Story Challenges
Here's an advance hug for when your two-legged character goes. Having played a legacy, I've seen lots of visits from Grim. Some touch me deeply. Please reach out if you want support when that time comes.
Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
Have a Sim story site? Please submit your link to the Stories and Legacies Index!
Check out my Simlit at Sim Stories: Hijinks from the World of Sims 3!
My Simlit Discussion/Updates | The Fringe | Short Story Challenges
A big thanks to @RebornMonster, @ra3rei , @SilverDaybreak , @CathyTea , and @Julyvee94 for taking the time to leave comments on my site! You five were listed as the top five commenters on my blog on the annual report! It can be hard for new sites just getting started and every little word of encouragement or just "Hey there! I dropped by!" is always appreciated! I'd also like to thank @rednenemon , @CitizenErased14 , @MedleyMisty , and Kater Creation for also dropping by, checking out a story here and there, leaving a comment, and being awesome people. (And if I missed anyone else as I was going through my comments, I promise it was unintentional! I've been on a lot of the headache meds today! I love you all!) I hope you all have a fabulous 2016!
Have a Sim story site? Please submit your link to the Stories and Legacies Index!
Check out my Simlit at Sim Stories: Hijinks from the World of Sims 3!
My Simlit Discussion/Updates | The Fringe | Short Story Challenges
Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
Sims 3 Stories
Sims 4 Stories
Resolutions Resolved – A teen learns about body image during the holiday season from a rather unexpected place, and realizes the best New Years Resolutions are the ones that come from the heart. Written for the December 2015 Short Story Challenges theme "'Tis the season for…"
Some random trivia:
Have a Sim story site? Please submit your link to the Stories and Legacies Index!
Check out my Simlit at Sim Stories: Hijinks from the World of Sims 3!
My Simlit Discussion/Updates | The Fringe | Short Story Challenges
The Final Final Countdown – A middle-aged geek, obsessed with a past memory, is intent on adding a certain item to his collection. Written for the January 2016 Short Story Challenges theme "The Countdown."
Have a Sim story site? Please submit your link to the Stories and Legacies Index!
Check out my Simlit at Sim Stories: Hijinks from the World of Sims 3!
My Simlit Discussion/Updates | The Fringe | Short Story Challenges
Shadow has trepidations about the new human in the household...
The Cat Chronicles Day 33: The Other Two-Legger
Have a Sim story site? Please submit your link to the Stories and Legacies Index!
Check out my Simlit at Sim Stories: Hijinks from the World of Sims 3!
My Simlit Discussion/Updates | The Fringe | Short Story Challenges
Shadow meets an old nemisis...
The Cat Chronicles Day 34: Tresspasser
Have a Sim story site? Please submit your link to the Stories and Legacies Index!
Check out my Simlit at Sim Stories: Hijinks from the World of Sims 3!
My Simlit Discussion/Updates | The Fringe | Short Story Challenges
For the Love of Furbabies - Bridgette Lee fondly remembers growing up with her cat Tabby, and the love between owner and pet as she is faced with a difficult decision. Written for the February 2016 Short Story Challenges theme "A Different Kind of Love."
Have a Sim story site? Please submit your link to the Stories and Legacies Index!
Check out my Simlit at Sim Stories: Hijinks from the World of Sims 3!
My Simlit Discussion/Updates | The Fringe | Short Story Challenges
The Writer's Lament - My Simself reveals her typical writing experience. Written for the March 2016 Short Story Challenges theme "I knew I had to find it before..."
Have a Sim story site? Please submit your link to the Stories and Legacies Index!
Check out my Simlit at Sim Stories: Hijinks from the World of Sims 3!
My Simlit Discussion/Updates | The Fringe | Short Story Challenges