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 SEPTEMBER 7, 2024

 HAPPY STAR TREK DAY EVERYBODY!

Work's proceeding apace on SOLITAIRE 2: THE AGENDA as I write Chapter 32 within the 54,000+ words neighborhood.

Not sure when I will be reaching actual end of the novel's manuscript because I've thought of a couple more twists and turns to put the Secret Samaritan through before the final paragraph.

And of course CODE NAME: INTREPID CLASSIFIED VOLUME 3 is still available on Amazon.

If you already have gotten a copy, I sincerely hope you enjoyed it.

If you haven't bought one yet, why?

Pre-World War 2 adventure at its finest as the fiendish Nazi Special Squadron "Sonderstaffel" taps into the occult, the supernatural, and border science to create super weapons and monster soldiers in Hitler's evil quest for world domination.

Only one force on Earth can oppose them: a team of military and civilian daredevils, Code Name: Intrepid.

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

Take care.

STAY SAFE!

And, considering what today is:

LIVE LONG AND PROSPER!

Lee Houston, Junior

8 September, 2024

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING MAY 4, 2024

 Yesterday was May 4, also known to some as International Star Wars Day.

May the Fourth, I mean Force, be with you always.

Although I found it quite ironic that Amazon was having a Star TREK Kindle Book Sale the same day!😕

ANYWAY...

Have broken the 7,100+ word mark on my way to the climax of "Operation Colossus", my contribution to the forthcoming third volume in Robert J. Mendenhall's CODE NAME INTREPID CLASSIFIED anthology series.

The minimum, which I will well make, is 7,500.

I don't believe in padding a story, so I won't be attempting to achieve the 10,000 word maximum, but I seriously believe this is a good tale and an adventure worthy of Team Intrepid.

But while the goal is in sight, I better get back to writing now so the story is completed.

Take care.

STAY SAFE! 😷

And I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

5 May, 2024

and HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO too!

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING MAY 4, 2019

Well, depending upon what you decided to do, I hope everyone had a great May 4 between Star Wars Day and Free Comic Book Day.
Nothing against those who prefer a galaxy far, far away; but I've always been more of a Star Trek fan, so Live Long, and Prosper!

In any event, this past week writing wise has been far better than the two previous weeks combined!😀

Am far from finished writing the Sherlock Holmes story I'm working on, but considering that while working on this tale I've now had thoughts about TWO more!😏

So to get anything accomplished this week, I better get back to writing now.
Take care, and I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior
5 May, 2019
And if you're celebrating Cinco De Mayo today, please do so responsibly.

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 6, 2014

There IS good news this week!
I have not only finished the first draft on the short story that is due by Halloween, but I have also received Chapter 7 of ALPHA, BOOK 2: WAYWARD SON back from my friendly neighborhood beta/proof reader!

Nancy Hansen still has Chapter 8 to review, while I am in between Chapters 9 and 10 of the overall manuscript.

That may seem like a lot, but we are talking almost 25,000 words of a (minimum) 60,000 word novel. As I've previously said, between spending a lot of time on short stories and having to restart the manuscript a couple of times because I want this novel to be as good as humanly possible since it will be the foundation for the future of the ALPHA series, Book 2 will probably not be published until 2015.
The fault/responsibility for that is totally on my shoulders, but the manuscript WILL be finished this year!

ON THE AGENDA FOR THIS WEEK:
*Giving that completed short story a final proofread before submitting it.
*Finishing proofreading that novella for a friend, and sorry I can't talk more about that project; and
*Continuing to write ALPHA, BOOK 2.

Well, I better get back to work now.
See you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
7 September, 2014

And considering what tomorrow is: LIVE LONG, AND PROSPER!