PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 7, 2026

 I'll be the first to admit that it was another rough week on the writing front, because the personal side of my life had far more demands on my time than I originally figured for the last seven days.

Voting Tuesday November 3 took far longer than I planned or expected it too, but considering the outcome it was WELL worth it!

Wednesday was Errand Day once again.

Thursday I had to take Belle the Wonder Dog to the Vet and Friday was catchup day on all the housework and laundry.

The entire household staff—me, myself and I—are exhausted!

In any event, I did manage to proofread another chapter of HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE's prequel novel PRIVATE BATTLES.

When I started going back over this trying to "unterse" myself while making sure all my clues were in place before I write the final chapters to wrap up and solve the mystery, I was at 49,805 words.

I am currently at 51,391 words and still have about 17 chapters of existing material to reread and check before I pick up where I left off.

So 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

8 November, 2026

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 31, 2026

 I hope everyone who celebrated had a happy and safe Halloween. 🎃👻

The ZEPHYR LILY short story that was supposed to be for Jim Beard's 1970s anthology is now a contest entry in that superhero short story contest I told you about last week.

In any event, I'm now back to reviewing the existing chapters of HUGH MONN, PRIVATEE DETECTIVE's prequel novel PRIVATE BATTLES before I pick up where I left off and finish writing the novel.

I would also like to thank all my friends, fans and readers for granting this blog 16,859 page views during October 2026.

But before I get back to writing, I would like to take a moment and specifically address everyone reading this who is also living in the United States.

FACT BASED ADVICE

This coming Tuesday, November 3 is a very important election that will decide the immediate future of not only every man, woman and child in America, but could also affect the rest of the world for years if not decades to come.

I humbly urge every registered voter in America reading this to exercise your civil rights November 3 and GO VOTE!

I know I will be.

But until then I better get back to writing so take care.

STAY SAFE!

Have a great week.

I'll see you around the Internet and please remember to VOTE TUESDAY!

Lee Houston, Junior

1 November, 2026

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 24, 2026

I freely admit that with everything going on in my personal life, this past week {censored} writing wise.

 

I didn't get anywhere near the amount of writing time I would have liked, but what little there was I devoted to a different project than continuing to review the existing chapters of HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE's prequel novel PRIVATE BATTLES.

There is a superhero short story writing contest with a December 1 deadline and I'm polishing and going back over ZEPHYR LILY before reformatting it to their rules and submitting the story.

Bygone memory, still available on Amazon

For those who came in late, ZEPHYR LILY would have been my contribution to Jim Beard's UNTITLED 1970s ANTHOLOGY, which was planned as a sequel to his SUPER SWINGIN' HERO 1968 SPECIAL, but unfortunately the project was scrapped and never saw the light of day with all contributions reverting back to their creators.

Considering one of the contest rules is "no previously published material", ZEPHYR LILY certainly qualifies since she has just been sitting in my files all this time.

Once "the beautiful but deadly flower of the night" is on her way to the competition, then I will go back to work on HUGH.

But 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

25 October, 2026

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 17, 2026

 Another week has passed and HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE's prequel novel PRIVATE BATTLES is still under manuscript review to make sure everything is as it should be before I write the final chapters.

I know some of my readers and fans out there are probably saying something to the effect of "GET ON WITH IT!", but these things take time.

Besides wanting to make sure all the mystery's clues are in place and trying to unterse myself for reasons explained last week, I have corrected a couple of typos and other mistakes along the way.

There were a couple of places where I added so much new material that I was able to split the chapter into two separate units, so my chapter count is now up to 30/THIRTY, depending upon how reviewing the rest of the existing material goes before I finish writing the manuscript.

Of course I've also got Errand Day as well as a Doctor's appointment coming up this week, so those will cost me most of 2/TWO days worth of potential writing later this week, but that can't be helped because life goes on.

In case anyone missed it, my FOURTH Last Kiss contribution was published October 11.

For those being materialistic about  it, all I get is bragging rights about series originator John Lustig publishing my gag(s), but they're fun to write and it's even more fun seeing them in print.

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

18 October, 2026

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 10, 2026

 The HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE prequel novel PRIVATE BATTLES is still under review before I write the concluding chapters of that mystery adventure.

For those who came in late...

HUGH's original publisher folded and closed shop in 2025.

As part of trying to find a new home for the Private Detective of the Far Flung Future, I am writing a new novel explaining his backstory and how he acquired his Private Detective's license before the start of representing the existing material that will be reworked into new and better novels inbetween writing other new HUGH mysteries since I will (presumably) have a higher word count to work with at a new publisher.

Part of the current review process is to make sure all my clues are in place before HUGH solves the mystery involved.

Another part is to... unterse myself, so to speak.

The past publisher demanded everything be between 60,000 to 65,000 words.

Most publishers nowadays are looking for a minimum of 80,000.

Then again, it's not just a question of adding words per se, but adding the right words.

Case in point...

The following is from when HUGH is remembering being caught by a Cryobomb blast,

"The blast cut a chip off the upper corner of my icy prison as I took aim with my free hand, hoping to target the enemy when he came out to take another shot at us."

That's okay, but untersing myself and adding a few more words when necessary in this case meant adding a touch more detail to the scene. To wit...

"The blast cut a chip off the upper corner of my icy prison that thankfully didn’t contain any part of me as I took aim with my free hand, hoping to target the enemy when he came out to take another shot at us."

See what I mean?

Not too many words overall, but not any additional words just for the sake of adding words either.

And all of them do add up over time because I'm about to break the 51,000+ word mark.

But I still have a long way to go to finish reviewing what I've already written so I can work on the rest of the novel, which means 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

11 October, 2026

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 3, 2026

How last week felt to me.

 In all honesty, the only way this past week could have been any worse was if it was composed entirely of Mondays.

From the last Progress Report to this one, I only managed to proofread another 3/THREE pages in the manuscript for HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE'S prequel novel PRIVATE BATTLES.

There was just so much to do in regards to housework, chores, errands and other tasks that it's a small wonder I managed to complete THE WEEK IN REVIEW for The Free Choice E-zine.

How I should look at adversity.

It also didn't help my mood that the Boston Red Sox were knocked out of the first round of the Wild Card⚾ playoffs by those {censored} New York Yankees.

And for the topper, the magazine that I sent the HUGH MONN short story "Dineena's Dilemma" to sent me a brief form rejection email only stating that my submission "didn't fit their present needs", whatever those are.

Well, there are other magazines.

There's always next season for the Red Sox.

And a new week is upon me.

So with that in mind I better get back to writing proof reading now.

Take care.

STAY SAFE!

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

Lee Houston, Junior

4 October, 2026

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 26, 2026

 The first 27 chapters of HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE's prequel novel PRIVATE BATTLES are still under review.

I worked until the Nor'easter hit the Eastern Atlantic Coast of the United States this weekend and left me in the dark for awhile.

I have added details here and there, a little bit more dialogue or explanation when necessary, and just tried not be be as terse as I usually am during the first draft of any manuscript.

The above has resulted in adding nearly almost a full thousand words so far, but I'm still within the high end of the 50,000+ word count at the moment.

I will resume work tomorrow (Monday) and pick up where I left off now that the bad weather has blown away until the next whatever rears its ugly head.

With my post length discussion about plotting last week, I forgot to mention that I had another Last Kiss contribution published! 😁

The September 15 installment of John Lustig's comic was a collaborative effort between my original suggestion "Of course I have a bucket list, and as soon as I acquire a bucket, I'll work on the rest of the list." and John's wry sense of humor.

I do have a couple of more submissions "in the que" as they say and will keep you folks posted in regards to when/if the next one is used.

But right now, as tense as things were during the Nor'easter, I think I'm taking the rest of tonight off to relax and go to bed early since I couldn't sleep between the lack of electricity to operate my CPAP machine and all the roaring winds keeping me awake before the power went out.

In any event, take care.

STAY SAFE!

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

Lee Houston, Junior

27 September, 2026

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

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING AUGUST 1, 2026

 Well, as I suspected in my last PROGRESS REPORT, this past week was not very productive writing wise. 😒

Between the Cardiologist appointment (and for those interested, everything went fine. I'm as healthy as a 64 year old man with a heart condition can be 😀) along with all the regular ins and outs, ups and downs and every other imaginable directions of life; I just didn't get much writing done.

I'm still on Chapter 23 in the 41,000+ word count neighborhood on the HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE prequel novel manuscript PRIVATE BATTLES.

Plot wise I'm approaching the halfway point of the overall story. HUGH is about to resolve one major portion of his first case in hopes of obtaining his private detective license but the initial mystery that started everything has yet to be taken care of.

Of course, the series title does reveal HUGH gets his license.

After all, there were three existing novels in this series before the original publisher went belly up.

But I never said how that happened, nor answered a lot of other questions concerning his background.

PRIVATE BATTLES will have the answers, once I finish writing it and find a new publisher.

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

2 August, 2026

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING JULY 25, 2026

MY MUSE, Internet estimate

 Another busy week is behind me.

About all I really had time to do most days was just take notes of whatever my Muse had to say to me.

Hope I can read my own handwriting when the time comes to use them.😉

In any event, I HAVE made it to Chapter 23 and past the 41,000+ word mark on the HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE prequel novel PRIVATE BATTLES.

I've got a long way to go yet considering I'm only about at the halfway point, plot wise, of HUGH earning his private detective license.

If it was the halfway point in the manuscript, then I'd be looking at an estimated 46 chapters and 82,000+ words but the longest HUGH novel from his now defunct publisher was about 35 chapters and close to 68,000+ words.

Not sure how this coming week is going to turn out because I have to see my cardiologist Monday July 27 for my bi-annual (twice a year) physical and that's usually a most of the day event with travel time and I'll still have to have errand day (more hours away from the computer shopping for groceries and other stuff) sometime later this coming week.

But to get any writing done this week I better get back to it so take care.

STAY SAFE!

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

Lee Houston, Junior

26 July, 2026

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING JULY 18, 2026

 Once again, it wasn't one of my better weeks. 😐

I'm still on Chapter 22 of the HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE prequel novel PRIVATE
BATTLES, but at least I'm closer to the 41,000+ word mark than I was last time.

Haven't gotten into that neighborhood yet, but some progress is better than none.

I will admit to not being a fast writer.

I take my ideas as they come.

Sometimes I'm "in the zone" as they say, trying to get everything down on the computer file as fast as I can, and other times the only "zone" I'm in seems to be the one with Rod Serling.

I will admit to not being a quick typist either.

The last time I was ever officially timed, my typing speed was about 40 words per minute and that was well over a decade ago.

Even if I was in a position to get my typing speed tested again, I'm not sure I want to find out because it's probably slower now than it was back then just because of the passage of time.

I've spent way too many past PROGRESS REPORTS talking about errands, chores, life, the universe and everything versus the fact that the only ones on Team Houston are me, myself and I.

Yet above all else, I AM A WRITER!

Come what may, I will get this and all future projects completed as soon as humanly possible.

With that in mind, 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

19 July, 2026

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