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 DECEMBER 11, 2021

OF WRITING, COMMON SENSE, AND MONKEES.

Once again I have gotten some writing done.

After all, what else can I do while I convalesce after having heart surgery?

Seriously though, am past the 55,000+ word mark on my SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL although I've found some better story details that will work out great in the long run so am rewriting the current chapter at the moment before I move on to the next one.

Who will see this when I'm done?

Good question.

I do have a publisher in mind for submitting it to once the manuscript is complete, but don't think that will be happening until the beginning of 2022.

Then I will probably start work on what will eventually become SOLITAIRE 2 unless something else comes up between now and then.

I could rant and rave about those who refuse to either get vaccinated and/or won't wear a mask in light of not only COVID in general but this new Omicron variant sweeping the globe.

I mean, it just makes common sense to me to do so.

After all, you wouldn't rush to fight a forest fire with nothing but S'mores fixings, would you?

Got clearance from my cardiologist to do so and, barring anything unforeseen, I WILL be getting my vaccination booster shot later this week.

Jones-Dolenz-Tork-Nesmith, circa 1966

Now then, I hate to close on a sad note♫, but we have recently lost Michael Nesmith of The Monkees.

Granted, he accomplished a lot more within his lifetime than that (like writing ♫Different Drum♫, producing Repo Man, and helping to pioneer what we know today as the music video), but being with The Monkees maybe what people will remember him most for.

I know I don't remember the TV show first run on NBC between 1966-1968, but I can recall watching The Monkees on CBS Saturday mornings in the fall of 1968 after The Archies.

Considering I was only 6 at the time, that was a fantastic musical line up for this member of the target audience of the day.

Both the intellectual and elusive member of the group, Nesmith didn't tour much during the big anniversary circuits until after Davy Jones' passing in 2012 when he reunited with the others first in Jones' memory, and then later with Micky Dolenz after the world lost Peter Tork in 2019.

I got to see the Trio (Dolenz-Jones-Tork) at a few concerts over the years but only caught Nesmith with them in videos of special events.

Some of you out there may not understand what I am getting at here, but it seems to me like the older you get, the more of your past one loses until there's nothing left but nostalgia and the memories.

In the end, I guess that's all any of us have.

At least they're fond ones.

In any event, take care.

STAY SAFE! 😷

And I'll see you around the Internet!

Lee Houston, Junior

12 December, 2021                      ♫Weren't they good, they made me happy.♫

                           "Listen to the Band", Nesmith Monkees tune.