PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING APRIL 20, 2024

 Work The Writing, I can't really call it "work" when writing is something I love doing.

ANYWAY, the writing is proceeding apace on "Operation Colossus", the short story I am creating for the third volume in Robert J. Mendenhall's CODE NAME INTREPID CONFIDENTIAL

CLASSIFIED anthology series.

Not quite sure when either the title changed or if I've had it wrong this entire time.

If the latter is the correct answer, then I do humbly apologize.

In any event, I have no idea who else will be included in Volume 3 besides Mendenhall and myself.

Yet look at the roster of writers who also contributed to the first two editions in this series:

VOLUME ONE featured Wayne Carey, Teel James Glenn, Charles F. Millhouse and Bobby Nash as well as Mendenhall himself, while VOLUME TWO showcased stories from Michael A. Black, John C. Bruening, Nancy Hansen, Ray Lovato, Jonathan W. Sweet, George Tackes and the series creator, who has also written several other novels featuring Team Intrepid.

And the Amazon links were active when I posted this.

So I am definitely honored to be in such illustrious company with whoever else is contributing to Volume 3.

In any event I better get back to writing now.

Take care.

STAY SAFE! 😷

And I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

21 April, 2024

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING APRIL 13, 2024

 Well, thankfully the 13th of this month wasn't on a Friday😉 and there still doesn't seem to be enough time in any given day to do everything I want to do, let alone all the stuff I have to do, but the writing IS going well! 😁

I've broken the 6,000 word mark on the "OPERATION COLOSSUS" story, my contribution to the upcoming third volume in Robert J. Mendenhall's CODE NAME INTREPID CONFIDENTIAL anthology series.

I figure at this point it puts me about two-thirds of the way through the adventure as I head toward the climatic conclusion.

Of course part of that will be a final showdown, but I'm certainly not going to say against who at the moment, because that could spoil part of the suspense or the adventure for those who plan to read this story and the other exploits of Team Intrepid that will be within the collection.

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

Take care.

STAY SAFE! 😷

And I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

14 April, 2024

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING APRIL 6, 2024

 Can you believe that it's not only already April, but that we have a Solar Eclipse Monday, April 8?

Anyway, work proceeds apace on "Operation Colossus", my contribution to Robert J. Mendenhall's
upcoming third volume in his ongoing CODE NAME INTREPID CONFIDENTIAL anthology series.

Unfortunately I had a doctor's appointment and a few other things to deal with this past week, so I didn't get as much writing done as I hoped to, but another week is upon us and I still have plenty of time left before the June 1 deadline on this project.

Not that I've wasted or dilly dallied any of it away, but you know the old adage: Life is what happens while you're busy making  other plans.

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

Take care.

STAY SAFE! 😷

And I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

7 April, 2024

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING MARCH 30, 2024

 Work is proceeding well on "Operation Colossus", my short story submission for Robert J. Mendenhall's third volume in his CODE NAME INTREPID CONFIDENTIAL anthology series.

I've broken the 5,000 word mark.

The submission has to be at least 7,500 words minimum but not over 10,000 maximum.

While I can't predict an exact finish at the moment, my tale will conclude somewhere within the two extremes.

In the meantime, for those celebrating today...

Take care.

STAY SAFE! 😷

Enjoy the day with family and friends, and I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

31 March, 2024

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING MARCH 23, 2024

 Even though I'm still dealing with {REDACTED} on the personal front, work is proceeding apace on "Operation Colossus", my contribution to Robert J. Mendenhall's next CODE NAME INTREPID CONFIDENTIAL anthology.

Volume 2 is due out at any moment, if it hasn't already been released and my tale will be in Volume 3, scheduled for release later this year.

As previously mentioned, the series is like Kolchak: The Night Stalker meets The X-Files in a pre-World War 2 setting where an elite multi-branch military group encounters the "weird and unexplained" while trying to stop a dedicated unit of Axis soldiers from gathering anything they can to help the Third Reich rule the world.

At this point the team knows basically what they are up against in the adventure, just not all the whys and wherefores yet, let alone how to neutralize the threat.

Now then, I've previously discussed how some think that writing is an easy task compared to other jobs. While it's not as physically demanding as some occupations, it is a long term mental exercise between developing plots, doing the research to have background material and details accurate—especially in any story not set in the present—coming up with the right words to tell your story in a clear and precise, let alone entertaining manner.

Yet some also think the life of a writer is all fame, fortune, and glamour.

WRONG!

We have our ups and downs, along with other problems just like every other human being in this world.

I do all my own laundry, cooking, cleaning and errands, along with all the rest of the housework and chores —let alone surprises and outright emergencies—that arise on a daily basis.

Because of my heart condition and age, having recently turned 62, I am now up to 11 pills in the morning and 3 before bedtime.

Yet despite all the hassles at times, I am VERY Happy and fortunate to still be alive and kicking.

Life may be what happens while you're busy making other plans, but it sure beats the alternative.

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

Take care.

STAY SAFE! 😷

And I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

24 March, 2024

PROGESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING MARCH 16, 2024

 Work proceeds apace on my CODE NAME INTREPRID story for Robert J. Mendenhall's third volume of his CONFIDENTIAL anthology, collecting adventures from other writers.

My working title for the adventure featuring a pre-World War 2 multi-military task force investigating the "strange and unusual" while trying to stop a group of Axis soldiers dedicated to finding anything Germany might be able to use in hopes of bringing the world under control of their pending Third Reich is "OPERATION COLOSSUS".

The reason why is quite interesting and will be revealed when Volume Three is released this fall.

Considering today is March 17, HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY TO ONE AND ALL. 🍀

Take care.

STAY SAFE! 😷

And I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

17 March, 2024

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING MARCH 9, 2024

 Things are finally starting to get back to "normal".

Whatever that is.

While my actual writing time is still a bit limited at the moment, especially dealing with that ongoing/private family matter via long distance; at least I AM writing! 😀😎

My CODE NAME INTREPID story for Robert J. Mendenhall's CONFIDENTIAL anthology series is going well, although I haven't broken the 4,000 word mark yet.

For those who came in late, the submission has to be between 7,500 and 10,000 words maximum, featuring Mendenhall's team of multiple military branch representatives united together to investigate the "unusual" and stop would-be world dictator Adolph Hitler's soldiers from gathering any possible supernatural or otherworldly weapon that might aid his cause.

There's also lots of research involved in a pre-World War 2 story, especially considering I'm a civilian who wasn't born until 1962. In fact, I celebrated my 62nd birthday last week!🤯🎂

I definitely have to agree with Garth Brooks on the fact that ♫I'm much too young to feel this damn old.♫

Then again, although they have taken a collective toll on my overall health; considering that I have survived two different bouts of pneumonia, congestive heart failure, an aortic aneurysm, a second heart operation to replace a failing part from repairing the aneurysm and a bout of COVID—which I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy!—I AM VERY THANKFUL to still be around! 😁

I better get back to writing now.

Take care.

STAY SAFE!😷

And I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

10 March, 2024

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING MARCH 2, 2024

 "Prepare for trouble." "And make it double!"—Team Rocket's (in)famous Pokemon intro.

Still trying to remotely deal with some Texas based family issues from my neck of the woods in the
"wilds" of New England right now. But that's a personal matter, so I won't be expanding any further on that subject at this time.

Otherwise, working on my CODE NAME: INTREPID CONFIDENTIAL story for Robert J. Mendenhall when I can. Haven't put too many words on it overall since the last Progress Report, but at least I do have a story title now. Since I started on this project before 2024 began, I'm not worried about making the June 1 deadline. Yet I'm certainly not resting on my laurels, or my Hardys either. 😉

Most of the time I write because it's my creative expression outlet.

I "paint" with words. Creating scenes, stories, and whole books about people, places and adventures that most of us can only dream about at best.

Then there are other times like right now when writing can be therapeutic by taking your mind off your troubles for awhile and giving you a much needed break.

Which could be why a lot of writers started out and still are avid readers.

I know I am.

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

Take care.

STAY SAFE! 😷

And I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

3 March, 2024

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 24, 2024

 There has just been too much going on in my personal life at the moment to get much writing done, which is one of the reasons that I am just now posting a Progress Report at all despite how late it is.

On the other hand, I am still working on my CODE NAME INTREPID story for Robert Mendenhall when time is available.

I have managed to break the 2,600+ word mark, which puts the first draft of my story roughly about a quarter done.

I will be well finished long before the June 1 deadline on this project and then back to SOLITAIRE 2: THE AGEDNA. Just skidding through a rough patch at the moment.

Take folks, and I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

27 February, 2024

I'M BACK!

 OR: ON BEING ANALOG IN A DIGITAL AGE.

Computers are wonderful things.

My old system, so to speak.

Until they break down and become nothing more than oversize, useless paperweights.

I was without a computer since December 26, 2023 until sometime the week before this was posted.

All I really had to work with was my cellphone📱, along with a few pens and a lot of paper.

Every word written during that time was in long hand.

Does anyone even still remember how to write in cursive beyond signing their name nowadays?

Anyway, I'm still trying to transcribe all my notes into a coherent manuscript. Thankfully between multiple flash cards/drives I was able to recreate all my files, but work on SOLITAIRE 2: THE AGENDA is on hold at the moment because—what I eluded to last time but didn't get the chance to reveal before now because of being involuntarily offline for so long—is that I have been asked to contribute a story to Robert J. Mendenhall's CODE NAME INTREPID series! 😀

CODE NAME INTREPID CONFIDENTIAL, VOLUME 1 came out last fall and is on the ballot for BEST PULP ANTHOLOGY in this year's Pulp Factory Awards! 😁

Volume 2 is scheduled for a Spring (March or April) 2024 release.

My story, along with everyone else contributing to Volume 3, is scheduled to be out sometime this fall.

I have a 7,500 minimum to 10,000 maximum word limit and, now that Mendenhall approved my plot, the story itself is due by June 1, 2024.

For those unfamiliar with the series, CODE NAME INTREPID is a team with representatives from every branch of the United States Military Services investigating "the unusual" while trying to stop the Sonderstaffel, whose mission is to gather every possible weapon and artifact of supernatural or unknown origin that could aid the Axis/Nazis in the days before World War 2 began; which would be September 1, 1939 for Europe and December 7, 1941 for the United States.

While obviously a work of fiction, everything has to be as historically accurate as possible, hence all the research I had to do via my cellphone and trust me. On that device, I don't set any texting speed records as it is so typing Google requests, let alone attempting to read the results on such a small screen was really "fun".

But now I have a working computer again and am trying to get back up to speed even as you read these words.

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

Take care.

STAY SAFE! 😷 (I was gone for so long, Google changed the Blogger emoticons on me!)

And I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

18 February, 2024

STILL OFF LINE

 I'm on a borrowed system at the moment to let all my readers and fans know that if they didn't see the notice on The Free Choice E-zine, my computer byted the big one (no pun intended) December 26.

I am trying to do all my writing by hand at the moment and have no idea when my computer will be fixed or replaced.

Until then, take care.

Lee Houston, Junior