JANUARY 1, 2017

I did manage to get some writing done this past week, finishing Chapter 6 of the (still untitled) story in progress for what will be HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE: BOOK 3.
But considering what today is, let me just pause and say...

Lee Houston, Junior
1 January, 2017

DECEMBER 25, 2016

Normally on a Sunday, you'd be expecting to find a Progress Report in regards to my writing efforts for the past week here. But since it is a major holiday, let me just say...

PROJECT ALPHA: PROVING GROUND NOW AVAILABLE!

The following is the major announcement I promised everyone at the end of yesterday's Progress Report.

Cover by Michael Hegedus

JUST RELEASED by Pro Se Press is Book Two in my superhero series: PROJECT ALPHA: PROVING GROUND!

Nothing comes easy when you're a super-powered cosmic orphan without a home.
After having failed miserably to prevent the destruction of the planet Shambala at the hands of his unwanted arch-nemesis Conalaric in his debut (Project Alpha), the fledgling champion Alpha searches for a chance to become the hero he was destined to be.
Thinking the blue-green planet before him might present that opportunity, Alpha struggles to prove himself or be doomed to be misunderstood and hunted down as a potential threat to all life, including the world known as Earth.

With a cover by Michael Hegedus, PROJECT ALPHA: PROVING GROUND is now available in both print and e-book formats from Amazon, with all links active in that last sentence.

While there must be some suspension of disbelief when reading any work of fiction, I strove for a high degree of believability with this novel. It was a labor of love and I hope all my readers and fans enjoy it immensely.

—Lee Houston, Junior

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 17, 2016

I have finished the funeral sequence for Chapter 6 of what is looking like will be the opening story for HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE: BOOK 3.
Not sure what else will be happening in that chapter yet, for I'm uncertain at the moment where to actually end it and begin Chapter 7.
Okay, still a lot of unanswered questions in regards to this tale and the rest of the book, but at times that is part of the fun of being an author.



My friendly neighborhood beta/proofreader Nancy Hansen has

informed me that she will not be doing any more friendly neighborhood beta/proofreading until sometime after Christmas.
Come to think of it, with Christmas approaching, I'm not sure how much more writing I'll be able to accomplish before the holiday is actually here.
Then again, I know 2017 is going to be a busy year for me writing wise, so maybe I should kick back and enjoy the holiday.
In any event, take care everybody
AND THERE WILL BE A MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT POSTED MONDAY, DECEMBER 19TH!

Lee Houston, Junior
18 December, 2016

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 10, 2016

Right now Hugh Monn, Private Detective, is still attending that funeral I mentioned in last week's Progress Report, and the event is not turning out as solemn as one might think it should.
WHY?
Well, you'll just have to wait until BOOK 3 comes out to learn why.

A friendly reminder that WHEN THE SHADOW SEES THE SUN: CREATIVES SURVIVING DEPRESSION anthology is available from Amazon in both print and e-formats.
(There are 3 different links in that last sentence.)

A lot of authors (including yours truly) got together to share our stories of our own close encounters with the darkness in order to help the family of Logan L. Masterson, who lost his own battle with depression earlier this year.
Hopefully besides them, this book can help someone else too.

Afraid that's all for now.
See you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
11 December, 2016

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 3, 2016

MIXED NEWS AND A SPECIAL TEASE!

Well, I seem to be fighting another dang cold now.
HOW did I catch this one?
Dang if I know. I certainly didn't want it!
Anyway...
First five chapters of whatever will become HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE: BOOK 3 are back from my friendly neighborhood beta/proofreader.
Haven't gotten a chance to go over them yet but, depending upon how things turn out, it looks like BOOK 3 might wind up being composed of two novellas, for I will NOT pad a story!
Title of the first tale, nature of the second, and an overall title for the book to be determined.
Yes, this is a work in progress, hence why these posts are called PROGRESS REPORTS.

Now then, time for that SPECIAL TEASE!

The following is an actual line of dialogue from the story in progress.

I hate funerals. Always have.

Now, obviously it's not Hugh's funeral, for his tales are first person narratives, so who passed away?
Only time will tell.
Better get back to "work" now.

See you around the Internet!
Lee Houston, Junior
4 December, 2016

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 26, 2016

Well...

Unfortunately there wasn't that much progress on anything this past week, what with the impending Thanksgiving holiday and other matters to attend to.
But this coming week should be MUCH better, because things will be about as "normal" as they get.
So we'll see how it goes.
Hope you had a good Thanksgiving yourselves.

Lee Houston, Junior
27 November, 2016

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 19, 2016

I finally finished going over the PDF Galley of PROJECT ALPHA, BOOK 2: PROVING GROUND!
Between doctor appointments and other personal matters, I'll be the first to admit that it took longer than I thought it would, but then again, I wanted to make sure everything was as right as humanly possible.
Now my list of corrections is back with Pro Se Press' Editor-in-Chief Tommy Hancock, so it's just a question of time now before I can start bragging about that book's release, let alone eventually share with you some "Easter Eggs" and other tidbits that went into creating that novel.

If not tomorrow, by Tuesday I'll be back at work on what will eventually be HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE: BOOK 3.
The only known interruption to my schedule this week will be Thanksgiving, but then again, I don't consider that an interruption more than a peaceful holiday, with the only thing I'll be doing that Friday morning while everyone else is out and about in the middle of the night looking for "bargains" is sleeping!

In any event, take care, and I'll see you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
20 November, 2016

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 12, 2016

THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER...

Hugh Monn

WELL...
I did get to work some on HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE BOOK 3 last week, despite having 3 different doctor appointments and other matters to attend to.

Alpha

BUT...
I had to set Hugh aside when I got the Galley PDF for PROJECT ALPHA, BOOK 2: PROVING GROUND!
Haven't gotten as far into that as I would like or need to right now, but the sooner I do and send a list of any corrections to Tommy Hancock at Pro Se Press, the closer ALPHA 2 will be to getting published!

THEN...
I'll go back to work on Hugh 3.

In-between a couple of more doctor appointments and a few other things this week.

See you around the Internet!
Lee Houston, Junior
13 November, 2016

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 5, 2016

For better or worse, the only thing I accomplished last week was catching a cold.
Not that I wanted one to begin with.
After all, who willingly wants to get sick?
Besides, with my cardiac situation after having survived both congestive heart failure AND an aortic aneurysm, about 99.9% of what's medically available to treat a cold I can't take anymore.
Which left me with just chicken soup, orange juice, and LOTS of tissues when not trying to rest and recover!
About the only thing I accomplished creatively last week was thinking about writing.
I seriously doubt the caper I'm working on right now will wind up being the entire contents of HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE VOLUME 3.
Just how long this tale turns out to be, let alone how many more will be required to fill out the book, remains to be seen.
Have 3 different doctor appointments scheduled for this week and sadly, none of them involve a TARDIS.
Hopefully I will get some writing done, but for now...

Take care, and I'll see you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
6 November, 2016

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 29, 2016

WELL...
Chapter 5 of what will be HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE BOOK 3 has come back from my friendly neighborhood beta-proofreader.
Did get started on Chapter 6 while I was waiting, but it just has not been a good writing week for me.
Too much personal stuff to attend to that keeps taking away from writing time.
So how does this week look?
I honestly don't know right now, but I'll certainly keep trying and we'll see what happens.

For now, take care, and I'll see you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
30 October, 2016

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 22, 2016

Well, I knew last week would not be an ideal writing week going into it, but things did turn out better than I thought they would.
Finished Chapter 5 of the story in progress for HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE BOOK 3.
My friendly neighborhood beta/proofreader won't be able to look at it before late Tuesday at the earliest, but still...

The plot is tighter too, because I have a clearer idea now of not only how many of the clues will turn out to be false leads, but I have stumbled across another twist to make the reader wonder how this will all turn out in the end.
Still uncertain whether this story will turn out to be a novella (half the volume) or the entire book, let alone am still lacking a title for this caper.
Then again, that's part of the wonders of writing.
You don't want to go into a project with so rigid a plot that you don't have room for new ideas if one comes along.
But all the pieces will fall into place in time.

Better get back to writing now.
See you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
23 October, 2016

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 15, 2016

Sorry folks.
Not much progress to report this past week.
Lot of errands, chores and other tasks that needed to be attended to.
Such is life.

Did manage to get over a 1000 words on the third HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE book.
Yeah, even by my standards that isn't much.

Today, tomorrow, and this coming Friday aren't looking all that great either at the moment.
Then again, they say life is what happens while you're busy making other plans.
Just wish I knew who "they" were so I could have a looooonnnnngg talk with them.

In any event, take care, and I'll see you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
16 October, 2016

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 8, 2016

So let's see now.

Over 11,000+ words.
Into Chapter 5 of HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE: BOOK 3.
HOWEVER... (don't you hate when that happens?)
The scene after the opening where Hugh confronts his attacker doesn't work for me.
Not that it's a bad scene, just that I'm uncertain of the timing, for it might be too soon, provided it should occur at all.
Hate to sound cryptic, but there's not really much more I can say right now without giving plot points away prematurely.
For now, I'll push the scene in question to the end of the manuscript, where some other notes and tidbits are sitting idle at the moment, and pick up where I left off on Chapter 5, right after Hugh versus his attacker.

Art by David Russell

Now, a situation like this isn't unheard of for an author.
There was a big sequence in HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE: CATCH A RISING STAR where, in the middle of everything else that was going on in that novel, Hugh helped Ca D'r catch a thief in the Galveza Hotel, but it got excised from the final manuscript between putting the word count over 70,000 and not really being germane to the story.
But it's sitting in a file waiting for it's turn.

Better get back to writing now.

Take care, and I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

9 October, 2016

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 1, 2016

Okay, let's see where I'm at right now.
Still working on HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE Volume 3.
As far as I'm concerned, the first 3 chapters are done.
Have reviewed my friendly neighborhood beta/proofreader's notes on Chapter 4 and revised accordingly, but not sure what she'll think of the new version until I send the manuscript back to her again with Chapter 5 finished.
Still don't have a title for this adventure, let alone know whether or not it's going to be the first caper or the entire book, but that's no biggie at the moment.

Head problems off early before they grow!

Now, for those of you wondering, while Nancy Hansen is my friend and friendly neighborhood beta/proofreader, reading and kibitzing on each other's manuscripts is not a one way street.

It's just that I prefer to have my work reviewed completed chapter by completed chapter so that no mistakes sneak past and pile up to become a major problem later, while she prefers to wait until a specific project is totally completed before I get to beta/proofread her work.
From what I hear, she re-reads all her previous day's writing each morning before going on to that day's wordsmithing.

I do that too. So what she's getting is like the second or third draft of each chapter, while I have no idea how high the draft count is on her manuscripts when I receive them.

Just a quick behind the scenes look at the work methods of two different authors for those interested.

I have to get back to writing now.

See you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

2 October, 2016

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 24, 2016

Finished writing Chapter 4 of what will eventually be HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE Volume 3.
Almost at 9000 words now, but have sent it to my friendly neighborhood beta/proofreader Nancy Hansen for review.
Should get it back by tomorrow.


Have been working on Chapter 5 of whatever this mystery will eventually be called, because I ended Chapter 4 with Hugh about to be attacked!

Wish I had more to report, but writing is art, not assembly line work. It takes time to create and I need to get back to work now.

See you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

25 September, 2016

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 17, 2016

Hugh by David Russell

The HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE story is going well.
Almost four complete chapters and over 7600+ words as I post this.
Wish there was more I could say at the moment, but right now I still don't have a title for this tale, let alone know whether or not it will be the opening or only adventure for the private detective of the far flung future.

Have been thinking about my future writing plans for the rest of 2016 and beyond, but the first thing on the agenda is to finish Hugh.
Therefore, I better get back to it.

Take care, and I'll see you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
18 September, 2016

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 10, 2016

Hugh Monn's past volumes, available via Amazon

Have gone over my friendly neighborhood beta-proofreader's notes on the first 3 chapters of what will eventually be the third book in the HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE SERIES.
Working past that, I am now almost at 6500 words into the first(?) tale.
Still don't know at this point how things will turn out as to whether this still untitled caper will be the opening story or the entire volume.
Sorry I don't have more to report at this time, but that's one of the more interesting things about being a writer.
Sometimes even we don't know how a story will turn out until we're finished.

So take care and I'll see you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
11 September, 2016

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 3, 2016

Okay. Got the first draft of what will eventually be HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE:
VOLUME 3 back from my friendly neighborhood beta/proofreader Nancy Hansen.
This consists of the first three chapters and the opening paragraphs of Chapter 4.
Still can't say at this point whether or not this case will be either the opening tale or the entire book like CATCH A RISING STAR turned out to be.
Right now, I don't even have a title for the caper, but I do feel that over 5700 words is a good start.
Not sure how much work I'll get done within the next 24 to 48 hours either, depending upon what former hurricane former tropical storm Hermine does.
Guess that's part of the creative process too, but who looks forward to bad weather???

In any event, have a great week and I'll see you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
4 September, 2016

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING AUGUST 28, 2016

GOODBYE RANGER.

Well, it was another one of those weeks again.

When I wrote last week's Progress Report, I knew there was a lot on the agenda ahead of me to begin with, having a bunch of errands and other stuff to attend to.

What I didn't expect nor was prepared for was to lose a furry friend.

Ranger the chocolate Labrador Retriever actually belonged to my friendly neighborhood beta-proofreader Nancy Hansen, but he was one of the nicest dogs it has ever been my privilege to know. Always kind and friendly. Ranger would only bark to acknowledge and announce your presence, happy to see you. His tail always wagging as he looked forward to a pat on the head, a kind word, or maybe a yummy treat.

Ranger, in better days

I first met Ranger when he was still in the prime of his canine life, so seeing his declining health in the last couple of years is not something I wish to remember or dwell upon.

The last few months were especially not his best, but you couldn't tell that from the way he acted. Sure, Ranger looked bad. A lot of gray fur with an almost totally bare tail, difficulty standing up or sitting down, let alone even moving around in the last couple of weeks; but in his heart he was still that friendly dog I first met all those years ago who always looked forward to and enjoyed your company immensely.

I did get to say goodbye to him before the end. Told Ranger he was a good dog and meant every word.
Even as I post this Progress Report, I still can't believe how choked up I am over his passing, and at best I was just on the outer edge of Ranger's circle of friends, so you can imagine how Nancy and her family felt when he left for what became that final trip to the vet.

We consider them pets, but it's amazing how much of our hearts an animal companion occupies.
They're always there, with all the love and friendship they're able to give, and ask so little in return.

Goodbye Ranger, and I hope to see the rest of you next time.