PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING AUGUST 30, 2014

Progress this week?
In all honesty, not as much as I would prefer.

Book 1, Art by Marc Guerrero

Still haven't gotten Chapter 7 of ALPHA, BOOK 2: WAYWARD SON back from my friendly neighborhood proofreader yet, but it's not her fault. Nancy Hansen just has a lot going on in her personal life right now.
Almost finished with Chapter 9, but for those keeping track, this is my fourth attempt at completing a first draft on the novel.
As I've explained before, I am striving for a high degree of realism in this novel, because Book 2 will be the cornerstone for the series going forward.
Alpha is trying to find his place in the universe after the conclusion of BOOK 1: PROJECT ALPHA, and I just want everything to be as good as I can humanly make it.

Hugh Monn 2

Then again, I have also been honest with everyone when I previously mentioned taking on and honoring all those short story commitments
since finishing and submitting HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE: CATCH A RISING STAR's manuscript.

Speaking of which...
Did get some more work done on the lone short story commitment that is still outstanding for 2014.
Will definitely have that completed before its Halloween deadline.
As I said in last week's Progress Report, the pendulum is swinging the other way right now, and I will be concentrating mostly upon novels for the foreseeable future. There is currently only one short story commitment for 2015, although I have had to pause everything for the last couple of days to proofread a novella for a friend.

In any event, I better get back to work now, despite the fact it's the Labor Day weekend here in the United States.
Take care and I'll see everyone around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
31 August, 2014

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PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING AUGUST 23, 2014

Alpha

Well folks, in all honesty, the news this week is mixed.
I've completed Chapters 8 and 9 to ALPHA, BOOK 2: WAYWARD SON.
However, Chapter 7 has yet to come back from my friendly neighborhood beta-proofreader. Nancy Hansen has just had too much on her plate at the moment between her own writing and family commitments.

Meanwhile, the short story with a Halloween deadline has grown from 3700 words to 4715 words! Have been working on it off and on for a while now, but will have to devote a solid time block to finish it soon before the deadline.

So let's take a quick peek at my current things to do list.
*ALPHA, BOOK 2: WAYWARD SON; in progress.
*Last short story commitment for 2014: in progress.
*Sherlock Holmes short story for Airship 27: work starts as soon as the above is done.
*HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE: BOOK 3; work starts as soon as the above is done.
*ALPHA, BOOK 3: work starts as soon as HUGH 3 is done.

Right now, I only have the one short story commitment scheduled for 2015, ironic considering all the short stories I have written, which in part has contributed to the delay on having the manuscript for ALPHA 2 completed.
Three have been published so far this year.
*THE DEATH DEALER in The New Adventures of Diamondstone The Magician, Volume One; from Pro Se Press/Pulp Obscura/Altus Press.
*WOLF HUNT in Once Upon A Six Gun from Pro Se Press, and
*CAPTURED in The New Adventures of The Man In Purple, Volume One; from Pro Se Press/Pulp Obscura/Altus Press.

Out of the other stories that I have already written, REBEL will be out by the end of this year as part of Singularity: Rise of the Post-Humans from New Babel Books.

I have two more short stories awaiting publication at Airship 27 that are more than likely 2015 releases, one more (to date) pending at Pro Se Press, and two short stories that I have absolutely no idea when or if they will ever see the light of day at this point.

I will keep everyone posted as things develop, but I better get back to work now.
See you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
24 August, 2014

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING AUGUST 16, 2014

Yes, I'm proud to say there was progress this past week. Chapter 7 of ALPHA, BOOK 2: WAYWARD SON is with its beta/proofreader while I'm working on Chapter 8.
Also am currently about 3700 words into the short story that's due by Halloween, with the project having a minimum 5000 to 6500 maximum word limit. The subject matter? Here's a hint: a groovy time all in color for a dime.

But the above is intentionally a little terse so I can share the following with everyone in need:

Rest in Peace, sir.

See you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
17 August, 2014

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING AUGUST 9, 2014

Yes, there is good news this week!

Have gotten Chapter 5 of the revised ALPHA, BOOK 2: WAYWARD SON back from my friendly neighborhood beta/proofreader Nancy A. Hansen, and she has Chapter 6 to review.

Chapter 7 is ready to send her after I get Chapter 6 back, and I'm working on Chapter 8 now.

But for those of you who think this just puts me where I left off before hitting the snag and the supporting cast problems that forced me to start over, I want to humbly tell everyone that is incorrect.

While going back over the last edition of the manuscript and salvaging all the original material I could, I have been also revising and adding scenes where needed.

This means that Chapter 8 to me is actually about Chapter 5 in the previous version, so at the current rate, somewhere between Chapters 11 and 12 I will be reaching the need for all new material to pick up where I left off before the rewrite began to finish the novel.

What this means to you, the readers, is that I will be presenting the publisher a much tighter, more action packed and dramatic story when I do submit the novel.

While I can guarantee that ALPHA, BOOK 2 WILL be finished in 2014, unfortunately I cannot guarantee that it will be published in 2014, and for that you have my most sincerest apologies. Yet, as I have said before, besides preferring quality over quantity, I want this manuscript to be the best I can humanly make it, for the groundwork I do in this novel will establish the foundation for Alpha series from this point onward.

Better get back to work now.

See you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

10 August, 2014

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING AUGUST 2, 2014

Still writing

Well, on one hand, I'm still between Chapters 5 and 6 of ALPHA, BOOK 2: WAYWARD SON.
Why do I keep running into so many problems you ask?
Because Book 2 is crucial to the future of the series.
I am setting up some major things for Alpha, as the fledgling superhero strives to find his place in the universe; and I want everything to be just right, or at least as right as I can humanly make them.
Granted, there has to be some suspension of disbelief when you're reading (superhero) fiction, but you still have to believe a man can fly, and find a lot of the other things that will happen in the novel at least plausible.

Meanwhile, I have made some
additional progress on my last short story commitment for 2014, and have scheduled my first short story for 2015, which will feature what is perhaps the most famous detective duo of literature. But the publisher is aware that I will not be able to start work on it until after I have finished honoring my 2014 obligations. Thankfully Airship 27 works on a "no deadlines, first submissions" policy. The two short stories I have already done for them will see print within the next 365 days, I just can't say exactly when right now.

Art by Mike Fyles

And, in case you missed the announcement last week, I have a short story in THE NEW ADVENTURES OF THE MAN IN PURPLE anthology that was just released from Pro Se Press under their Pulp Obscura imprint.

On top of all of this, thanks to its loyal readership, The Free Choice E-zine closed July with 4,139 page views!
This continues the streaks of:
1000+ page views begun September 2011,
2000+ page views started September 2013,
3000+ page views for the fifth straight month,
AND our second 4,000+ page view month ever!

So I certainly have had a busy week.
Better get back to "work" now.
See you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
3 August, 2014