Chris Simmons
Chris Simmons writes the Evansphere, a science fiction series about a Martian family, the systems that sustain them, and the principles they find hardest to practise when something goes wrong.
His stories begin with things people need: warmth in a room, clean water, food on a table, a safe way home. Around those needs are people doing demanding work, making imperfect decisions and trying to remain available to the people they love.
Work, experience and fiction
[edit | edit source]Chris brings experience in technology, operations and oil and gas safety to his writing. As a software developer and builder of practical tools, he is interested in the distance between a design that looks sound and a system that has to work in human hands.
That interest runs through the Evansphere. The equipment has a purpose, the work has consequences, and competence includes knowing when to stop, ask a question or listen to someone else. Physics and engineering shape the setting, while human behaviour determines what people do with the knowledge they have.
Responsibility is a recurring concern: who notices a problem, who has the authority to act, and who lives with the result. These questions belong as much to a family kitchen as to a control room.
The family behind the stories
[edit | edit source]His wife, Cathrine, and his family are at the heart of the books’ dedications. The Evans family lives on Mars, but its arguments about work, trust, pride and making time for one another are much closer to home.
The books give ordinary moments space alongside the larger problems: a school assignment, a cooling meal, a colleague’s question, a promise to be there. Those moments let the reader meet the people behind their professional roles.
Explore the Evansphere
[edit | edit source]- John Evans: 39 Minutes introduces John’s journey from Mars to Earth and the work of restoring essential systems.
- Paul Evans: The Divide follows the demands of keeping a community warm while being present for a family.
- Caitlyn Evans: The Two-Body Problem brings food, care and the boundary between protection and control into focus.
The Reader guide offers a starting point. Books lists paperback and large print editions, and Discussion questions leaves room for readers to disagree about the ideas behind the stories.
Other ventures…
[edit | edit source]Chris’s software work continues through Starlit Digital, an independent Canadian studio building practical tools for the people who use them. Its work includes Voci, a workspace for karaoke hosts, alongside tools for developers.
The connection with his fiction is straightforward: understand the work, pay attention to the person doing it, and take responsibility for how the system behaves. Visit Starlit Digital to explore that side of his work.