PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING JANUARY 30, 2016

STILL wearing my editor's hat going over PROJECT ALPHA, BOOK 2: WAYWARD SON.
Have trimmed some sentences, and even moved a few paragraphs around here and there.
Started at 71,041 words.
Currently at 70,855 words after four chapters; for 186 less words.
Still 16 chapters to go as I post this.
Will the work be done by next weekend?
I honestly don't know.
But what I have gone over is now reading much better than the first draft.

See you around the Internet!
Lee Houston, Junior
31 January, 2016

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING JANUARY 23, 2016

Still wearing my editor's hat, but have finished going over the second Lazlo Dragon volume of Companion Dragon Tales for my friendly neighborhood beta/proofreader Nancy Hansen.

There are some pretty funny tales in this volume, as anyone who has read Lazlo's debut in A FAMILIAR NAME can attest.

Once Nancy finishes going over my work, she will be sending it on to Pro Se Press for future publication. When exactly that will happen remains to be seen, for at that point it's out of our respective hands.

Have started going over the completed manuscript for PROJECT ALPHA, BOOK 2: WAYWARD SON!

Alpha

Besides wanting to make sure the novel reads well as a coherent whole, I wanted to see if I can tighten up my prose any. It started at 71,041 words and at the end of the first chapter, I have only trimmed 12 off so far.

I'll admit, it's kind of hard to edit your own work, but it's a task that must be done to make your creative endeavors the best they can possibly be. Which is why after I make my "final" pass, my friendly neighborhood beta/proofreader will be going over it one last time as well.

As for what actually happens in Book 2...
Well, it does pick up events shortly after the conclusion of Book 1: PROJECT ALPHA.
Otherwise, you folks will just have to wait and see for yourselves when it (hopefully) comes out later this year from Pro Se Press.

But to make that happen, I better get back to work now.
See you around the Internet!
Lee Houston, Junior
24 January, 2016

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING JANUARY 16, 2016

I spent this past week in Victorian England, working on the Sherlock Holmes story that I promised Airship 27.

I freely admit that it did take me a while to develop a plot that would be worthy of the famous consulting detective created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, for I have read and seen both good and bad adventures featuring the English sleuth, and certainly do not want my tale to be amongst those in the latter category.

My Editor's Hat ;)

However, while that adventure is far from finished, this week I must return to the present and will be wearing my Editor's hat for the foreseeable future.

First, I am going over the stories within the second Lazlo Dragon volume of Companion Dragon Tales for my friendly neighborhood beta/proofreader Nancy Hansen, then I shall be making my last pass over the manuscript for PROJECT ALPHA, BOOK 2: WAYWARD SON to make sure it reads as a coherent whole and tighten what I can, for the first draft came in at over 70,000 words; and I didn't even get to do everything I originally had planned for that novel!

Any way you look at it, I've got a busy week ahead of me.
See you around the Internet!
Lee Houston, Junior
17 January, 2016

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING JANUARY 9, 2016

O FRABJOUS DAY!

CALLOOH! CALLAY!

PROJECT ALPHA, BOOK 2: WAYWARD SON IS DONE!

I still have to go over the entire manuscript to make sure the novel reads as a coherent whole before submitting the book to Pro Se Press, but otherwise...

With some personal events scheduled for this coming week through Wednesday, I have decided the best use of what time I will have available is to start writing my Sherlock Holmes story for Airship 27.
Therefore, the final edit of PROJECT ALPHA 2 will begin in earnest on Thursday.

Either way, I better get back to work now.
See you around the Internet!
Lee Houston, Junior
10 January, 2016

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING JANUARY 2, 2016

HELLO, and welcome to the start of a brand new year!
I sincerely hope the third day of 2016 finds everyone safe and sound.

Now then, exciting news! I have FINISHED Chapter 20 of PROJECT ALPHA: BOOK 2, WAYWARD SON!
Of course, it is now in the capable hands of my friendly neighborhood beta/proofreader, and once it's settled, I still have to go over the entire manuscript to make sure it reads well as a coherent whole; but I should finally be submitting the novel to Pro Se Press by the first of February!

Project Alpha 2 IS coming!

Despite the false starts, mistakes, and life interruptions I've faced over this past year; a LOT of hard work has gone into the creation of this novel, and I'm happy to be so near completion now.

So, what ELSE did I accomplish in 2015?



Last year saw the following short stories published...

*IT ALL STARTED INNOCENTLY ENOUGH in the Judson & Gardner anthology as part of the Charles Boeckman Presents project for Pro Se Press

*THE SOUND OF OBEDIENCE published in Ghost Boy, Volume 2 from Airship 27; my first contribution to Captain Ron Fortier and Loyal Airman Rob Davis, but far from my last

*THE SUBSTANDARD QUINTENT: COME TOGETHER, and I co-edited Jim Beard's Super Swingin' Hero 1968 Special from Mechanoid Press; which was truly a great honor in and of itself and I look forward to working with Jim again...

AND
*THE UNFAIR FARE in Legends of New Pulp Fiction, the Tommy Hancock benefit anthology, Airship 27; which was truly a labor of love for all involved to help out one of our own.

You already know my immediate plans for the beginning of 2016. After PROJECT ALPHA 2, I still owe Ron and Rob a SHERLOCK HOLMES story, and then I'll start work on whatever will become HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE, BOOK 3.

Beyond that? Let's see what the new year brings.                Lee Houston, Junior

3 January, 2016

Note: All book links are active, although for some reason Amazon doesn't always list both print and Kindle editions in the same screen.