PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING APRIL 25, 2020

I HAVE FINISHED THE FIRST DRAFT OF SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE ADVENTURE OF THE UNIMAGINABLE!

Over 25,000+ words at the moment, depending upon the final results of my friendly neighborhood beta-proofreader Nancy Hansen going over it and then me making my final pass before submitting the manuscript to Airship 27.

Speaking of which, there is a new project pending with them that I WILL be contributing to!
"Captain" Ron Fortier and (I'm not sure what his actual title is) Rob Davis want to publish a WHO'S WHO IN NEW PULP DIRECTORY, an alphabetical list of every creative soul between that publisher, Pro Se Press and everyone else active in the New Pulp (new stories for today in the classic style of the past) community.
All proceeds from this project will be going to the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

But between the above and waiting for the Holmes manuscript to return, I will be going back to SOLITAIRE.
However, considering it's been so long between Holmes, working on my audition story for a major publisher, dealing with the pandemic and regular life issues; I'm going to have to reread that manuscript from the beginning before I'm able to pick up where I left off.

Ah, the life of a writer! 😉
In any event, I better get back to "work" now.
Take care. STAY SAFE! and I'll see you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
26 April, 2020

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING APRIL 18, 2020

A LOT OF GROUND TO COVER THIS WEEK, so let's get right to it!

First and foremost...
Hope everyone is still safe and sound as the pandemic continues!😷
I'm about as well as can be expected and taking every precaution humanly possible.
Even wearing a mask and gloves whenever I go out, which is actually as little as possible, but geez!
Those long lines at the store and you're not even guaranteed total fulfillment of your grocery list even when you get up at the crack of dawn and are one of the early birds waiting in line to enter when the store opens!

But that's not why you came here to begin with.
I've almost finished the first draft of SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE ADVENTURE OF THE UNIMAGINABLE.
Currently at 24,000+ words, the novella (for there is no way I can call this a "short" story any more) will be under 30,000 words, but afraid I don't have an exact word count for you at the moment.

Waiting in the wings...

Once Holmes is done, including being reviewed by my Friendly Neighborhood Beta-Proofreader and off for publication consideration, I will be going back to SOLITAIRE
.
After that novel is finished?
Strongly thinking about the plot for whatever becomes PROJECT ALPHA 3, but am also mentally kicking around ideas for a science fiction novel in the classic style of Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon, Tom Corbett, etc.
And if you get the references, you have an idea of the style I'm contemplating.

For those wondering, the deadline for my audition story to that major publisher was April 30. Submitted the tale with time to spare, although when/if I'll hear back from them is anybody's guess at the moment.
Best I'm hoping for right now is for them to like my audition and wonder what else I have/am capable of.
That last part I'm wondering about myself.
With each new project, I do think I'm improving as a writer.
I'm certainly not the person I was back in high school, let alone a decade ago before I started getting published.
And obviously you folks like my efforts. Otherwise you wouldn't be here reading these words right now, wondering how things are going and what I've been up to since the last Progress Report.

In any event, take care.
Stay strong.
STAY SAFE!

And I'll see you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
19 April, 2020

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING APRIL 11, 2020

All these years and only 1 gray hare. 😉

HOPPY EASTER EVERYBODY!

Writing proceeding apace on attempting to finish SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE ADVENTURE OF THE UNIMAGINABLE.
Over 23,000+ words at this point.
The end of the story IS in sight, just haven't reached it yet.

Being only human, writing has been difficult at times what with the current COVID-19/Coronavirus crisis weighing heavily upon everyone's mind.

These may be trying times, but we WILL get through this!

BE STRONG AND STAY SAFE!

Lee Houston, Junior
12 April, 2020

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING APRIL 4, 2020

My audition piece has been e-mailed to the prospective publisher with plenty of time to spare before the deadline! 😀
Don't know how long it will be before/when/if I hear from them, but here's hoping!

Have gone back to work on SHERLOCK HOLMES, "THE ADVENTURE OF THE UNIMAGINABLE" since.
I feel I'm in the home (or should that be Holmes?) stretch now, but we'll see how long it takes to finish.
After all, it still has to be reviewed by my friendly neighborhood beta-proofreader before submitting it to Airship 27.

Now then, regardless of where you live, all the news concerning the COVID-19/Coronavirus crisis can be quite depressing.
I can personally vouch for experiencing plenty of sleepless nights and restless days too, but my Kindle has certainly gotten a good work out from all the reading I've done. 😉
I sincerely hope that everyone is doing their best to take care of themselves and maintain their spirits.

STAY SAFE EVERYONE!
And I'll see you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
5 April 2020