PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING JULY 11, 2026

 FIRST AND FOREMOST, MY MOST SINCEREST APOLOGIES FOLKS.

With everything going on lately, I forgot to mention in my previous PROGRESS REPORT that my second Last Kiss contribution was published on July 3.

This time I co-wrote a Fourth of July based gag with series creator John Lustig.

I do have a couple of more submissions pending and am always thinking of other possible gags, so will try to keep everyone posted as to when my next joke will appear there.

But everyone can enjoy John Lustig's Last Kiss feature either on Go Comics or his website.

And as for the reason a lot of people check out my writer's blog every week, I have finally made it to Chapter 22 and past the 40,000+ word mark on the HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE prequel novel PRIVATE BATTLES.

Besides all the usual obligations and hassles of life, there have been times when this manuscript has been a real emotional ride as it dives into HUGH's past to (re)establish the character as he tries to obtain his private detective license.

Once it's finished and accepted for publication, this novel is both a jumping on point for new readers while restarting the series that was orphaned when HUGH's previous publisher went out of business.

But to get this book done and restart the series so HUGH's past and future adventures can be told, I better get back to writing now.

So with that in mind, take care.

STAY SAFE!

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

Lee Houston, Junior

12 July, 2026

The 4/FOUR links used were active at the time of posting.

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING JULY 4, 2026

 THIS IS THE 700TH POST OF MY WRITER'S BLOG!

I hope those who celebrated America's 250th anniversary of Independence yesterday had a good Fourth of July despite the excessive heat in some areas.

The heat wave is supposed to end today in my neck of the woods but herald a lot of rain off and on over the next several days.

I'm still on Chapter 21 of the HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE prequel novel PRIVATE BATTLES, but at least I'm now past the 38,000+ word mark, so there has been some progress this past week.

And I would also like to thank all my readers and fans for granting this humble writer's blog 24,231 page views during June 2026.

My very first post was September 28, 2013 and we all have come a long way since then, so thanks for sharing part of the journey with me.

This coming week is the usual plethora of chores, errands and other household duties. Nothing major on the horizon until a doctor's appointment the next week.

So with that in mind I'm going back to work now.

Take care.

STAY SAFE!

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

Lee Houston, Junior

5 July, 2026

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING JUNE 27, 2026

 First of all, I would like to thank everyone who has already acquired a copy of JAIME RAMOS' STREETS OF GOLGOTHA.

His last creative project at the time of Jaime's untimely passing was finished by his friends Teel James Glenn, Nancy Hansen, Wayne Carey, Bobby Nash and myself; along with Ron Fortier, Rob Davis and Adam Shaw at Airship 27 to honor and celebrate the life of a friend and kindred spirit in the world of New Pulp.

Cover by Adam Shaw

Jaime's creative voice might have been stilled, but his spirit lives on in his past works that current and future fans will enjoy.

For those who haven't read the anthology yet, it can be found on Amazon in both print and e-book formats at

https://tinyurl.com/y7zvmmbr

As for my own work, it was another rough week between appointments and the usual assortment of chores, errands and other personal life responsibilities, so I'm still on Chapter 20 and within the 37,000+ word count on the first draft of HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE'S prequel novel: PRIVATE BATTLES.

Hopefully this coming week will be better, but we shall see.

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

28 June, 2026

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING JUNE 20, 2026

 There IS actual progress to report this week!

I have made it into Chapter 20 and the 37,000+ word count on the first draft of the HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE prequel novel PRIVATE BATTLES!

I freely admit that it took far longer than normal to get to this point, but I've been busy over the last couple of weeks helping to finalize the galley for publication and then promoting the release of JAIME RAMOS' STREETS OF GOLGOTA, the memorial anthology realizing my friend's final creative dream and making it a reality.

COVER BY ADAM SHAW

Teel James Glenn, Nancy Hansen, Wayne Carey, Bobby Nash and myself; along with Ron Fortier, Rob Davis and Adam Shaw at Airship 27 all worked on seeing this project through to publication because unfortunately Jaime passed away while it was still in production. 😢

I like to think we did him and his family proud, but the final say on that lies with the readers.

If you haven't already acquired a copy yet, it's available from Airship 27 via Amazon in both print and e-book format at 

https://tinyurl.com/y7zvmmbr

I'm going back to my own writing now.

Take care.

STAY SAFE!

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

Lee Houston, Junior

21 June, 2026

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING JUNE 13, 2026

 Unfortunately there is very little progress to report on my own material over this past week between a doctor's appointment and other commitments, but things are going well concerning the Jaime Ramos tribute anthology: JAIME RAMOS' STREETS OF GOLGOTHA.

The initial announcement of the memorial book took off like wildfire on social media, with a lot of reposts and comments concerning the man and his work.

While I don't have any access to those statistics, I'm hearing sales on Jaime's last project have been good between the print and e-book formats, which is nice to hear.

It means his final creative dream was a success.

Cover by Adam Shaw

For those who haven't gotten a copy of either version yet, it's available from Airship 27 via Amazon at 

https://tinyurl.com/y7zvmmbr

I'm going back to my own writing now.

Take care.

STAY SAFE!

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

Lee Houston, Junior

14 June, 2026

JAIME RAMOS' THE STREETS OF GOLGOTHA

Alas the man is gone, but his legacy lives on.

Cover art by Adam Shaw

Jaime Ramos reluctantly left us September 30, 2025 with his last project still pending at the time, but his friends pulled together to make his dream become a reality, for Airship 27 has published JAIME RAMOS' STREETS OF GOLGOTHA.

The word Golgotha means "the city of skulls," and "the place of Christ's crucifixion.” Jaime thought that a city based on this meaning, which was founded by French monks in the 1800s, would be an interesting place to set noir and detective stories with a touch of horror. As he wrote in his introduction when the project was first being developed back in 2023:

"I wanted the city to be hard-core, filled with dirty cops, the Mafia, corrupt religious figures, and a TV psychic named John Normandy. I wanted the city to be laid out with French catacombs underneath and urban Gothic design on the surface."

After designing landmarks for the city, Ramos had a friend create a map, placing Golgotha in upper Wisconsin, where it always seemed to be raining or snowing or both. Crime was mixed with mysticism and darkness.

Inviting several author friends to contribute, Ramos created an omnibus of collected stories about the city.

The back cover

Unfortunately, life and medical issues kept Jaime from seeing this through, that's when we stepped up to help.

Assembled here for your enjoyment is the fruit of his editorial and creative desires through the loving labors of Jaime Ramos and his friends Teel James Glenn, Nancy Hansen, Wayne Carey, Bobby Nash and myself.

Interior illustrations are by Rob Davis and cover by Adam Shaw.

The Ramos' in happier times.

According to Airship 27 co-founder Ron Fortier: "Jamie's wife Phyllis asked me to pass along her sincerest thanks to all of you for your efforts on the book and more importantly, for your friendship and support of Jamie all these years. She is deeply touched by what all of you have done."

Part of me wishes we could have done more, but at least one last dream came true for Jaime.

Take a walk down the shadowy, dangerous, and mysterious STREETS OF GOLGOTHA.

Available in print and e-book from Airship 27 via Amazon at 

https://tinyurl.com/y7zvmmbr

The above is a combination of my thoughts and feelings along with Ron Fortier's press release. Any mistakes are purely my own.—lh,jr.

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING JUNE 6, 2026

 HELLO EVERYBODY!

There's a lot of ground to cover this week so let's get right to it.

There isn't much progress to report in regards to HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE's prequel novel PRIVATE BATTLES. Still within Chapter 19 and the 35,000+ word count.

But this time it wasn't because of life, the universe and everything else that usually gets in my way.

Early last week I, and all the other contributors to the project, received the PDF galley from Airship 27 to proofread and make any corrections concerning the Jaime Ramos Tribute Anthology.

The book's back cover

Jaime's last writing endeavor before his untimely passing on September 30, 2025 was a new noir project entitled Streets of Golgotha.

Part mystery. Part horror. All Jaime, who was kind enough to open the mythical Wisconsin city to his friends and fellow contributors.

Jaime has the first tale "The City of Skulls" and introduced his latest character, John Normandy. A reluctant TV personality and psychic.

Then Teel James Glenn, Nancy Hansen, Wayne Carey, Bobby Nash and myself all explore those unforgiving streets before a round robin adventure closes out the anthology.

As he wrote in the introduction back in 2023:

"I wanted my city to be hard-core, filled with dirty cops, the Mafia, corrupt religious figures. I wanted the city to be laid out with French catacombs underneath and urban Gothic design on the surface. I set the landmarks of the city and had a friend of mine make me a map. I decided to place it in upper Wisconsin. And I decided it always seemed to be raining or snowing or both. Crime would be mixed with mysticism and darkness."

He was even hoping to work on a second volume once the first was published, but life and health issues had other ideas.

The anthology is due out soon from Airship 27 in print and e-book formats via Amazon and everyone involved has done Jaime proud.

I'll have more about this upon publication but before I go, I would just like to thank all my readers and fans for granting this blog 32,120 page views during the month of May 2026.

Now I better get back to writing.

Take care.

STAY SAFE!

And I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

7 June, 2026