PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 19, 2026

MANUSCRIPT REVIEW TIME!

 At this point I have written over 50,000+ words while completing the first 27 chapters of what will be HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE's prequel novel PRIVATE BATTLES to restart the series once I have acquired a new publisher.

No word from that magazine yet concerning the HUGH MONN short story I submitted for consideration.

Based upon my hand written notes the novel is about to enter the "final act", where all the pieces come together as the mystery is solved and the culprit(s) revealed before facing justice.

But before I start writing those last chapters, I need to go back and reread the previous 27 to make sure everything is in place and all the clues are there.

Growing up, I've always enjoyed the "fair play" mysteries and detectives like Ellery Queen more than any other.

You discover the clues when they do and while your solution may not be the right one, it was always a question of misinterpreting something instead of the detective having specialized knowledge in a particular field that is vital to the outcome of the mystery but isn't shared with anyone until revealing who did what.

Plotting, so to speak

Regardless of what I'm writing, I do plot out my stories to a point.

Especially the mysteries where you have to make sure everything makes sense, all the suspects are accounted for at any given moment and the solution is viable even if the clues present other possibilities.

However, my plots are not so rigidly strict that if another idea arises while I'm writing that I can't use it.

My plots are more like points on a map for a leisurely road trip that still allows for alternate destinations along the way if an interesting attraction appears.

But to resume that journey I better get back to writing reviewing the manuscript now.

Take care.

STAY SAFE!

Have a great week and I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

20 September, 2026

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 12, 2026

 Even if not on the novel in progress, it has been a long but productive week.😎

As far as the HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE prequel novel PRIVATE BATTLES is concerned,
while I'm still on Chapter 27, I have broken the 49,000+ word mark.

That may not seem like much compared to last week, but this time it isn't because of the never ending battle of housework, errands, chores and other life commitments.

It's because I've been working on a HUGH MONN MARKETING STRAGETY!

When I finally finished cursing out the universe and pulled myself back together after the demise of his previous publisher in 2025, I've been trying to figure out how to get HUGH back into the public eye.

While writing the PREQUEL NOVEL as the beginning of a new series of books is a good start, there is still a long way to go.

Once I've finished the PRIVATE BATTLES manuscript and find a new publisher, I'll need to reintroduce HUGH to a new audience as his existing fans welcome back the Private Detective of the Far Flung Future.

So I've taken "DINEENA'S DILEMMA", the very first short story from the previous HUGH MONN collection (Book 1 from the original publisher) and have reread, amended and reformatted it for magazine submission consideration.

It has already been sent to the first possibility. If they say no, then I'll send it on to the next.

If they say yes, then I'll prepare "SHORTAGES", the next short story in the original collection and the debut of fan favorite Big Louie, for possible submission.

More on the short story front when I hear something.

Yet whatever happens with the short story submissions, at least I'll have already done some preliminary work preparing them for eventual inclusion in BOOK 2: EARLY DAYS of HUGH's new continuity.

In any event, I better get back to writing now.

Take care.

STAY SAFE!

Have a great week and I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

13 September, 2026

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 5, 2026

Good and Bad in Balance

 Depending on how you look at it, I have good news and bad news concerning the writing front.

Last week I did manage to get some writing done, and even broke the 48,000+ word count doing it on the HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE prequel novel PRIVATE BATTLES.

However (you knew that was coming, didn't you?), after I finished rereading what I wrote yesterday, I decided that instead of being the start of Chapter 27, most of the material worked better as the new latter half of Chapter 26 instead.

Hey, it happens.

Sometimes writing is like working on a jigsaw puzzle.

You move the pieces around and think you've got them in place only to discover the proper arrangement later.

Of course in this case, I'm working on everything from scratch and making all of it up as I go along.

Now on to some other business.

FIRST, I would like to thank everyone for granting my humble writing blog 46,460 page views during August 2026!😎

SECONDLY, Monday is Labor Day here in the United States. So for those of you who actually have the day off, enjoy the break!

THIRD, 2026 has a lot of 60th anniversaries this year. We've already had the Adam West-Burt Ward version of Batman in January while Dark Shadows celebrated in late June.

Now Star Trek turns 60 September 8 as the franchise holds its annual STAR TREK DAY while The Monkees hit the big 6-0 Saturday September 12.

All of these and the rest that lie ahead are kind of bittersweet since most of the original casts are no longer with us, but us First Generation fans have our memories while new generations discover what is so amazing about some of our favorites.

In any event, I better get back to writing now.

Take care.

STAY SAFE!

Have a great week and I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

6 September, 2026

LIVE LONG AND PROSPER.

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING AUGUST 29, 2026

 After such a great week writing completing TWO chapters, things are back to "normal".

I'm still on Chapter 26, but at least I've moved into the 46.000+ word neighborhood on the HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE prequel novel PRIVATE BATTLES.

Not sure what lies in the week ahead yet. Errand Day will be sometime within the next 72 hours and there's the never ending battle of housework and other chores like making meals, so we'll just have to see how things go.

And for those of you interested, while I'm somewhere between the halfway and three quarters point in my plot at the moment, I have no idea how long PRIVATE BATTLES will turn out to be.

I can tell you that while there is no actual limit, because my plot looks more like a cross between an outline and a story summary, all the previous HUGH MONN novels wound up in the 30s, chapter wise.

Then again, I'm trying to restart the series from basically scratch to find a new audience with a new publisher (identity to be determined) since the old one folded and delisted all their offerings (including my works) from Amazon.

Yet to achieve that fresh start I better get back to writing now, so take care.

STAY SAFE!

Have a great week and I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

30 August, 2026

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING AUGUST 22, 2026

 I actually had a good writing week last week despite all the errands and household chores I had to do!

I not only managed to finish Chapter 24, but also completed Chapter 25 and started Chapter 26 of the HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE prequel novel PRIVATE BATTLES!

Which also now leaves me somewhere at the beginning of the 46,000+ word count area!

I hope I have another good writing week within the seven days before me, but we'll just have to wait and see how it goes.

With that in mind I better get back to writing now.

Take care!
STAY SAFE!

Have a great week and I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

23 August, 2026

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING AUGUST 15, 2026

 Really not much to say at the moment.

I'm still on Chapter 24 and within the 42,000+ word neighborhood on the HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE prequel novel: PRIVATE BATTLES.

I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow and errands day later in the week as well as the never ending battle against housework and other chores.

However I do have a couple of photos to share with everybody that I took with my cellphone while dog walking.

Monarch Caterpillar

This first one was taken on a walk with Belle the Dog Friday afternoon.

On the left is an actual Monarch Caterpillar that will hopefully someday become a Monarch Butterfly.

On the right is the lady Belle, expressing her opinion on the winter weather we experienced this past January 2026.

On the left is a baby(?) field bunny Belle and I saw Saturday.

The weather has been wonderful the last couple of days in my neck of the woods, so you have to take the time to enjoy the moment, and let the dog do what the dog needs to do 😉, whenever you can.

Of course, if Belle had her way, we'd be out there all day long when the weather is good and I'd never get any writing done.

Speaking of which, I better get back to it now so take care.

STAY SAFE!

Have a great week and I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

16 August, 2026

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING AUGUST 8, 2026

 There WAS some actual progress this past week!

I have finally made it to Chapter 24 of the HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE prequel novel PRIVATE BATTLES, and entered the 42,000+ word mark doing so!

Hopefully this coming week will be better (famous last words😉) because all I have scheduled is errand day and the never ending battle against housework.

Considering it's just me, myself and I; I think the three of us can handle it.

In any event, I better get back to writing now.

Take care.

STAY SAFE!

Have a good week and I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

9 August, 2026