PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 25, 2025

 October 25 would have been my father's 89th birthday. Although he passed away Spring 2024, he outlived my mother by about six and a half years. To say I miss both of them is a serious understatement. 😢

I'm hard at work on Chapter 6 of the HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE prequel novel, but find myself having to go back and tweak details of Chapter 5.

It's kind of hard to explain without giving away plot details, but basically I'm writing what turns out to be HUGH's first case as he works to obtain his Private Detective License.

Being my own worst critic😉, I know I'll get everything write/right eventually to my personal satisfaction in time, but I'm not sure how much of that I'll have available this coming week.

On top of all my regular errands, housework and other personal responsibilities of life; I also have my annual examination with the cardiologist💓 this week and that usually turns into practically an all day event just because of the long drive to and from their office.

My prerequisite fasting blood work tests all came back good, but it doesn't hurt to have a professional confirm that in person.

In any event, I better get back to writing now.

Take care.

STAY SAFE!

And I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

26 October, 2025

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 18, 2025

 It's been another busy week behind the scenes on the personal front, but at least I'm on Chapter 5 of the
HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE prequel novel.

Still don't have a subtitle for the book, but it's early yet.

Hopefully something will come to me in time.

Afraid there's not much else to say at the moment, so I better get back to writing now.

Take care.

STAY SAFE!

Have a great week and I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

19 October, 2025

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 11, 2025

 I'm posting a very familiar image with today's PROGRESS REPORT because once again, it has been one of those weeks.

Besides all the housework, errands and other personal matters that needed attending to; my short story was eliminated from the writing contest I submitted it to.

While disappointed, not a major problem. I have absolutely no idea how many actual entries there were and the apologetic email I received did say "competition was fierce".

Better luck next year.

Still trying to finish Chapter 4 of the HUGH  MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE prequel novel but a lot of other stuff that had to be dealt with kept getting in the way. 😕

But for those interested, there is absolutely NO AI in any of my stuff!

It is all 100% ME!

And that does take time.⌛

Hey, if DC Comics can announce they are and will remain AI free, figured I could and should make the same statement.

Yet if any AI would like to help me with all my housework, errands and other personal matters that need attending to so I have more time to write...

In any event, I better get back to HUGH now.

Take care.

STAY SAFE!

Have a great week and I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

12 October, 2025

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 4, 2025

 It has been a very LOOONNNNGGGG day on the personal front, as evident by the fact that I am just now posting my weekly Progress Report and still have to post The Sunday Funnies on The Free Choice E-zine.

In any event, I am now on Chapter 4 to the HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE PREQUEL NOVEL but for some reason the future BOOK 2: EARLY DAYS has been talking to me more.

I know which of the short stories from the original Pro Se Press collection will at least open that novel and I even have the new framing sequence for the book planned out.

On paper at least.

But all of that is in the (far flung) future.

Right now I've got to get my work on The Free Choice E-zine done, then I'm going to bed and will pick up writing fresh after breakfast Monday morning.

So until next time, take care.

STAY SAFE!

And I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

5 October, 2025

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 27, 2025

 GETTING ALL MY DUCKS IN A ROW.😉

It's been a busy week so let's make sure everything that needed to be done so far has been.

ENTERED SHORT STORY CONTEST?

✅

The publisher's computer system said mine was Entry 37. Contest ends September 30 and winners will be announced sometime in October.

CONTRIBUTED TO A BENEFIT ANTHOLOGY?

✅

This just popped up the other day but all I really had to do was make sure some previously written material was in the proper format for submission to Airship 27.

More details as this project develops.

WORKED ON THE HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE PREQUEL NOVEL?

✅

With needing to take care of the items before this one first, I didn't get as much done this past week as I would have liked to, but at least I did do some writing.

HAVE A SUBTITLE FOR THE NEW PREQUEL NOVEL?

🗆

Unfortunately not yet.

This book will relaunch the series anew, probably as a self publishing effort.

I have considered LAUNCH, since Book 2 will definitely be EARLY DAYS, but there is still plenty of time left before I need to make a (final) decision because I'm only on Chapter 3 of the manuscript at the moment.

ALL THE HOUSEWORK AND OTHER ASSORTED DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES OF PERSONAL LIFE?

✅

My entire "staff" consists of me, myself and I. Somehow we get the job done when needed. 😎

WRITING TODAY?

🗆

Going back to that now, so take care.

STAY SAFE.

And I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

28 September, 2025

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 20, 2025

 I have briefly paused work on the HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE PREQUEL because there is a
short story contest I want to enter and time is running against me on it.

Just found out about the contest last week and the deadline is September 30, although the contest has been going on since August 1. 😕

Thankfully I only need between 1,000 and 5,000 words so it's not like this will be a long project, but still...

For better or worse I still haven't heard anything regarding that comic book horror story contest I previously entered, but I'll give them until the end of this month before I make an official inquiry because the deadline for entry was the end of August and who knows how many submissions they got.

Besides, there was no formal statement as to when the winners would be announced so for all I know, they could still be on schedule judging and trying to make decisions.

In any event, I better get back to writing now.

Take care.

STAY SAFE!

And I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

21 September, 2025

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 13, 2025

 SHERLOCK HOLMES and "The Adventure of the Shakespearean Folly" is at Airship 27 waiting for publication and I am hard at work writing that HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE PREQUEL NOVEL. No subtitle yet, but it's still early in the first draft of the manuscript.

The first chapter is completed and I am currently working on the second that sets up the case that will take up the majority of the book as HUGH apprentices with an already established Private Detective so he can earn his own license and go into business for himself.

Of course, everyone who read the last post on my writer's blog knows why I am doing this.

Obviously there is still a long way to go before I have to make a final decision on whether or not to self publish, but considering there have been no (serious) offers from any existing publisher...

I'm certainly not opposed to taking matters into my own hands because it would be nice to be my own boss for a change, but a final decision on that isn't necessary until around sometime next spring at the earliest.

Now before I conclude this post, a quick shout out and apology to JEFF DEISCHER and everyone else who tried to leave a comment about something on this blog and couldn't.

I have no idea when Google did so, but they've changed the system so now you need some variety of a Google account to leave a message here.

Explains why I haven't gotten many responses to things I've posted recently. 😉

Yet if you don't have a Google account, I'm still accessible on Blue Sky and Facebook.

In any event, I better get back to writing now.

Take care.

STAY SAFE!

And I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

14 September, 2025