PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 26, 2015

Well folks, as I originally thought would happen going into last week, unfortunately I didn't get much actual writing done beyond Internet posts.
There were a couple of paragraphs here and there on the final chapter to PROJECT ALPHA, BOOK 2: WAYWARD SON; but besides finally getting over that dang cold, it was more important to get ready for the holiday and spend precious time with my family and friends.

I hope your holiday weekend went well too.

But that doesn't mean I'm without news!

Last week saw the release of not one,

but TWO projects I have been involved with!

Cover art by Doug Klauba

Cover by Scott McCullar

THE SUPER SWINGIN' HERO 1968 SPECIAL that I co-edited with Jim Beard for Mechanoid Press and THE LEGENDS OF NEW PULP FICTION anthology from Airship 27, aka the Tommy Hancock benefit book that I am just one of many contributors to.

Both were marvelous projects that I'm proud to be associated with, and I cannot say enough about them, especially considering that 1968 and LEGENDS got their own special announcements on this blog when first released last week!

In time, either here or in my capacity as Editor-in-Chief of The Free Choice E-zine, I will be going into further detail on both; but for now, take care of yourselves, and I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior
27 December, 2015

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 19, 2015

Well folks, it's my sad duty to report that unfortunately, there was no writing progress this past week, for I've been fighting a bad cold!

Now normally, like my recent battles with the stomach crud, I try to keep on writing as much as humanly possible.

Unfortunately, it just isn't possible with a cold in my situation.
Over the course of my life thus far, I have survived TWO bouts of pneumonia, congestive heart failure, AND an aortic aneurysm!
The above has unfortunately taken its toll on my overall health, but I'm still here.
Yet whenever I do get a cold nowadays, there isn't much medicinally I can take without risking something else, and it's bothersome (at best) to wear my reading glasses because of the extra sinus pressure their weight creates on

my nose.

Therefore, I just have to grin and bear everything the best I can, so
unfortunately, there was no writing progress on the final chapter of PROJECT ALPHA, BOOK 2: WAYWARD SON this past week.
Yes, that first word is back, because the publisher (Tommy Hancock at Pro Se Press considers PROJECT ALPHA the overall series title, while I just thought of it as the title of Book 1.

Anyway, I CAN tell you that I received an e-mail from Pro Se, which included a pencil sketch of the cover for Book 2, and it looks promising!

Not sure how this coming week looks yet. Still have to wrap gifts and am looking forward to spending the holiday with my family and friends.
But I'm not that far away from concluding the last chapter, so who knows?

See you around the Internet!
Lee Houston, Junior
20 December, 2015

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 12, 2015

Am still working on Chapter 20 to conclude ALPHA, BOOK 2: WAYWARD SON.
Two out of the three sequences are done.
It's the last, and the longest, that I'm still on. It will wrap up Book 2 and set the stage for Book 3.

What I didn't count on was a return of the stomach crud!
Thought I was over this junk after a weekend battle, but it came back Thursday for an encore!


In any event, I'll see you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
13 December, 2015

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 5, 2015

First and foremost...

To those who celebrate

the Festival of Light,

HAPPY HANUKKAH!

Chapter 19 is DONE! Am working on Chapter 20 (the finale) to ALPHA, BOOK 2: WAYWARD SON now.
Once that is completed to my satisfaction, I will take a short break from A2 to write the Sherlock Holmes story I promised Airship 27, then I will go back and reread the Alpha 2 manuscript to make sure it is a solid, coherent novel before submitting it.

After that...?

So, I better get back to writing now.
See you around the Internet!
Lee Houston, Junior
6 December, 2015

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 28, 2015

I HOPE EVERYONE HAD A GREAT THANKSGIVING WEEKEND, WHETHER YOU HAD TO WORK ANY OF IT OR NOT.

As far as the 2015 Christmas retail season that is now upon us is concerned, I

could always humbly recommend my own creative endeavors, or those of others; but you folks didn't come here for a commercial.

But in truth, there really isn't much progress to report since my last post.

Chapter 19, Take Two of ALPHA, BOOK 2: WAYWARD SON is still with my friendly neighborhood proofreader as I post this. I do have a rough draft of Chapter 20 completed, but will definitely need to go over it once more before sending it to Nancy Hansen, after Chapter 19 is done to my satisfaction.

Bet you were wondering if I'd get to use this, weren't you?

I also started work on the Sherlock Holmes story I promised Captain Ron Fortier of Airship 27!

Starting a new project is always refreshing, even if you don't know how the story is going to turn out when you begin.

In any event, I better shake off the sleepiness from all that turkey and start thinking about getting back to writing.

See you around the Internet!

Lee Houston, Junior

29 November, 2015

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 21, 2015

Chapter 19, TAKE TWO of ALPHA, BOOK 2: WAYWARD SON is back with my friendly neighborhood beta/proofreader, with over two pages of NEW material!
Because of the impending holiday, not sure when Nancy Hansen will be able to review and send it back to me.

I know everyone is looking forward to reading this novel, but question why it's taking so long.
I do understand everyone's anxiousness to read ALPHA 2, but would you prefer to read a high quality work or a hack job?

The latest word from Captain Ron Fortier of Airship 27 concerning the LEGENDS OF NEW PULP FICTION project (also known as the Tommy Hancock Benefit Anthology) is that all 62 stories are done, the volume will be roughly 400 pages, and they are still hoping for a between Thanksgiving and Christmas launch date, as seen by the image on the right.

Over 100 talented writers and artists, including yours truly, have donated their time and talents toward this endeavor. You will be hard pressed to find such an exotic collection of today's creative personnel in one place, and we all hope you appreciate our efforts towards this worthy cause when its available to the public.

There are roughly six weeks left in 2015, and 2016 is on the horizon, so let's see what awaits us.

See you around the Internet!
Lee Houston, Junior
22 November, 2015

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 14, 2015

Alpha

Well folks, I've gotten Chapter 19 of ALPHA, BOOK 2: WAYWARD SON back from my friendly neighborhood beta/proofreader and I'm going over it now.

Once that's done, I'll send it back to Nancy Hansen to review again while I resume work on Chapter 20, the grand finale to the novel.
Of course, I'll still have to go over it one last time to make sure the manuscript reads well as a coherent whole once I finish the first draft.

Everything I've mentioned before about impending releases is still on schedule. I'm hoping at least one of those projects will be out for the holiday season, but it all takes time.

SOLIDARITÉ!

So I better get back to writing now.
See you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
15 November, 2015

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 7, 2015

Okay, Chapter 19 IS FINISHED!

Will be sending it to my friendly neighborhood beta/proofreader after I finish posting this progress report today.

However, the manuscript to ALPHA, BOOK 2: WAYWARD SON WILL be going a full 20 chapters!





I have been thinking about my future projects after Alpha 2 is finished and submitted for publication.

I now have a plot worthy of Sherlock Holmes for that short story featuring the Victorian era's consulting detective that I promised Airship 27. I've also been considering a few short stories for some of their other anthologies, but more on that when those plans start edging closer to reality.

I'm also five pages into the other short story I originally committed to writing this year. Thankfully neither Holmes or this tale ever had an actual deadline attached (and I'm even more thankful that I met all those commitments on time as they arose), because in this case I'm dealing with a totally BRAND NEW CHARACTER and I definitely want to make sure everything is as right as humanly possible.

I've also been considering potential plot ideas for whatever will become Book 3 in the HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE series. Still not sure exactly what caper(s?) the detective of the far flung future will be taking on yet though.

Let's be honest with each other folks.
So far, 2015 has not been a great writing year for me.
Parts of it have been my fault, and for those I take full responsibility.
Others were influenced by things outside my control, and I just had to deal with them the best I could. Not as well as I would have liked to, but the best I could.

With this year only having a few weeks left at this point, it's definitely time to move forward and plan ahead.
No commitments at this time for 2016 beyond the plans I've already discussed above. Just have to take it all one day at a time.

Better get back to writing now.
See you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
8 November, 2015

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 31, 2015

FIRST OFF...
I hope everyone had a safe and happy Halloween.
I also hope that those who needed to remembered to set the clocks back one hour, since Daylight Savings Time ended overnight.
If you didn't, at least you'll really be on time wherever you have to go today.

NOW THEN...
I finished formatting and proofreading that anthology for my friendly neighborhood beta/proofreader Nancy Hansen; so I'm back working on ALPHA, BOOK 2: WAYWARD SON.

Writer's cap

At this point, still not sure if Chapter 19 (the one in progress) or Chapter 20 will be the last one.
Unfortunately, I lost Thursday to a cardiologist's appointment, but I have my writer's hat back on now and intend to have this manuscript finished by Thanksgiving.
Of course, I'll still have to give it its final "once over" to make sure the entire story reads as one coherent novel instead of a disjointed start/stop/restart project. But I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

I have been told that everyone involved at Mechanoid Press is hard at work preparing THE SUPER SWINGIN' HERO 1968 SPECIAL that I helped visionary Jim Beard with for release, and that the Tommy Hancock Benefit anthology: LEGENDS OF NEW PULP FICTION is doing well at Airship 27.
Only the latter is scheduled for actual release before the end of 2015 at the moment, but I'm looking forward to both projects being available to the public when ready.
I had a great time participating in both anthologies, and Jim Beard has already shared some thoughts on a potential sequel to 1968 with me, so I'm truly looking forward to working with him again.

Meantime, I better get back to writing.
Take care, and I'll see you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
1 November, 2015

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 24, 2015

While I am still working on Chapter 19 to ALPHA, BOOK 2: WAYWARD SON and am still uncertain at this moment whether or not 19 or 20 will be the final chapter of this novel, I have had to pause and switch gears for the moment.

My editor's hat, sort of

I am now wearing my editor's hat as I format and proofread an anthology for my friendly neighborhood beta/proofreader Nancy Hansen.

As I post this, I am only a couple of pages away from finishing the second of three stories, so I will be back on ALPHA 2 later this week.

Meanwhile, I hope everyone has a safe and fun Halloween, and I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior
25 October, 2015

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 17, 2015

AH, THERE'S GOOD NEWS THIS WEEK!

Okay, I know some of you folks out there might be tired of hearing about Chapter 18 over and over for the last few weeks.
You know what?
So am I, but there comes a point in every writer's creative endeavors (or at least, there should be a point) where they always want to make sure that what they've written is the best they humanly can produce.
With that in mind, Chapter 18 of ALPHA, BOOK 2: WAYWARD SON IS done!

However, while revising and tweaking the chapter, I came up with a much better cliffhanger than originally planned.
So now, even though I am working on Chapter 19, I'm back to honestly not knowing whether or not there will be a Chapter 20.

This book has undergone so many rewrites and revisions that just goes to prove writing IS hard work!
Part of it is my responsibility. I'm striving for the best novel I can create since I personally consider Book 2 the lynch pin of the entire ALPHA series.

Project Alpha (Book 1) told our hero's origin and first adventure.
Book 2 picks up where Book 1 ended as our hero takes and...
Sorry. You'll have to wait and read the novel for yourself in 2016.

I have, or thought I had, Alpha's story plotted out at least through the end of Book 5.
However, I discovered that I had too much material that I wanted to include in Book 2 that has since been reluctantly set aside, so Book 3 will now be the second half of Book 2's adventure, pushing all the other plots back by at least one book.
But I will promise each and every one of you out there one thing right now.

BOOK 2 WILL NOT END WITH THOSE DREADED WORDS:

TO BE CONTINUED!

The latest word on THE LEGENDS OF NEW PULP FICTION: THE TOMMY HANCOCK BENEFIT ANTHOLOGY from Airship 27, according to Captain Ron Fortier himself, is that the project is roughly three images and some final production away from a (hopeful) Thanksgiving-ish release just in time for the holidays.

There are so many people rallying around and creatively contributing to this cause, that the projected page count for the print volume stands at an estimated 1000 pages!
Unless Ron was joking about that.
Then again, 63 writers, 4000-5000 words per story, each tale with one illustration...

Of course, that won't matter to those of you with e-book readers. But any way you look at it, that is A LOT of good short story reading ahead!

More on this as we get closer to an actual release date.
For now, I better get back to writing.

See you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

18 October, 2015

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 10, 2015

"Let's do the time warp again!"—The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year!

Okay.

GOOD writing takes time!

Chapter 18, Take 3 of ALPHA, BOOK 2: WAYWARD SON is still with my friendly neighborhood beta/proofreader. Nancy Hansen promises me that I will have it back sometime in the early part of this coming week. Meanwhile, she is spending the weekend canning vegetables for winter.

Not sure why they call it "canning", since she's putting everything in jars, but anyway...

I do have the first draft to Chapter 19, the FINAL chapter of the manuscript almost finished, but want to wait and see what my F.N.B/P thinks of 18, so if I have to make any revisions that might affect 19...

Therefore, I have spent the last couple of days working on one of the two short stories that I actually committed to in 2015.

Not that I haven't written a few already this year.
One of them has even already been published!
FRIENDLY REMINDER: it was "The Sound of Obedience" in the second GHOST BOY anthology, available in print and e-book formats from Airship 27.

Thankfully neither of my two original commitments have an actual deadline.
While I still owe Airship 27 a Sherlock Holmes mystery, the one I'm working on at the moment is my first foray into comedic adventure (think The Princess Bride), that unfortunately I can't say much more about right now.

It has proven a blast to write, and I'm only on page 5 of that manuscript.
But I will be going back to ALPHA as soon as I get Chapter 18 back.
Still believe that I will have the manuscript done and submitted to the publisher by Thanksgiving for a 2016 release date.
If not, definitely BEFORE Christmas!

In the meantime. I better get back to writing.
Take care, and see you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
11 October, 2015