PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING APRIL 23, 2016

THE GAME'S AFOOT!

Holmes statue in Edinburgh

Given the basic 15,000 word minimum for a short story at Airship 27, I am roughly a third of the way through my Sherlock Holmes tale for Ron Fortier and Rob Davis. Still don't have a title for my work yet, but it will more than likely be "The Adventure of..." something.

I know not how long it took Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to craft a Holmes tale, let alone the length of time writers of more recent adventures featuring the Victorian Era's famous consulting detective required, but I can tell you that I am proceeding apace while being careful to craft a tale worthy of Sherlock Holmes.

It's not just a question of research, although I can assure you there is a lot of that involved along the way. But there is a perception concerning Holmes that any conundrum he faces must be a(n eventually solvable) challenge that both entertains and baffles everyone except Sherlock.

In all the Holmes mysteries I have read, never once did I solve the case before Sherlock. My "batting average" against him is ZERO, as good as it is against another famous detective I love: Ellery Queen. I get bits and pieces along the way, but never the entire solution.

Which is why it's more fun to be in the "driver's seat" so to speak, guiding Holmes and Watson through the mystery since I already know the answers.


In any event, since I'll probably still be working on "The Adventure of...???" by the time I post my next Progress Report, I'll discuss my feelings concerning some of the more famous portrayals of Sherlock Holmes then.

See you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
24 April, 2016

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING APRIL 16, 2016

All right. It's been an interesting writing week. So let's recap everything I've done up to this point.

*First, a friendly reminder that I've turned in the manuscript for PROJECT ALPHA 2, although the subtitle is now PROVING GROUND, not Wayward Son. Now it's just a question of when it gets through production for Pro Se Press to release it.

*I've also turned in a 2200+ word essay about writing for an upcoming benefit anthology for Logan Masterson that Pro Se is planning to publish.
I never really met or corresponded with the man, but Logan recently lost a personal battle and is no longer with us. When this anthology will be published remains to be seen.

*The work of myself ("It All Started Innocently Enough") and fellow scribe R. P. Steeves ("The Backward Pawn") is now available on audio through Amazon.com with the Radio Archives' release of CHARLES BOECKMAN PRESENTS JUDSON AND GARDNER.

*I've signed the contract so Airship 27 can publish my short story "Sinbad and the Sinister Statue" in their next SINBAD: THE NEW VOYAGES anthology.

*Currently, I am now 4000+ words into the Sherlock Holmes story I promised Airship 27. I still have several pages of handwritten notes to transcribe, for one must craft the best Victorian era mystery they can to satisfy Holmes enthusiasts, but I humbly think my tale will please them when finished.

*THEN I will begin work on whatever will become HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE BOOK 3 as I consider some other irons in the fire beyond that.

So it's turning out to be a good Spring so far. Just wish the weather in my neck of the woods was as warm as it should be this time of year but alas, you can't have everything.
Better get back to work now.
See you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
17 April, 2016

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING APRIL 9, 2016

Sadly, I have no progress to report for this past week, mainly because I was stuck in bed most of the time fighting the flu or whatever it was I had.

Despite my nose being stopped up a lot, which prevented me from wearing my reading glasses, it wasn't a cold and if it was some version of the flu, I DID get a flu shot, but unfortunately there isn't one shot that covers everything.

Thankfully I turned in the manuscript for PROJECT ALPHA 2 just as I was getting ill, but a friendly reminder, the subtitle is now PROVING GROUND, not Wayward Son.

Anyway, I did electronically sign the contract with Airship 27 to clear the way for the Sinbad adventure I wrote them last year to be published in the upcoming fifth volume of Sinbad: The New Voyages; and I'm chomping at the bit to get back on that Sherlock Holmes story I owe them, as well as all the other tales I want to write so I better get busy.

See you around the Internet!
Lee Houston, Junior
10 April, 2016

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING APRIL 2, 2016

There is great news, a MAJOR announcement, and unfortunately a little bad news this week, so let's get right to it.

First off: the great news!

I have officially submitted the manuscript for Project Alpha 2 to Pro Se Press!
The final word count was 68,224 words.

Next: THE MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT!
While undergoing the final edit, I changed the subtitle, for I just didn't feel like "Wayward Son" was working out the way I thought it would.
Instead, the novel is now: PROJECT ALPHA: PROVING GROUND!
Considering everything that happens at Alpha's new location since the end of Book 1, it's more appropriate than ever now.

Unfortunately, I don't have an exact release date yet. Hopefully by the end of 2016. But you folks out there on the other side of this Internet post can always start asking Tommy Hancock and company at Pro Se Press and express your interest in reading it as soon as humanly possible.

Now, alas, a little bad news.
Just as I was putting the finishing touches on Project Alpha 2, I caught a dang flu bug or whatever this <censored> is.
The Sherlock Holmes short story for Airship 27 before I start work on whatever will become Hugh Monn, Private Detective Book 3 is still next on my agenda, but I want to get over this mess first; because right now it hurts to even wear my reading glasses for any long periods of time and my stomach feels like someone has taken a VERY BIG spin on the wheel of mis-fortune.

 

Hopefully I'll get something done this week, but I'm not placing any bets on it at the moment based on current feelings.
So take care.
Lee Houston, Junior
3 April, 2016