PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 14, 2026

 Another busy week is behind me, but at least I got some writing done.

Had to get both an eye exam and my car past emissions this past week, on top of the usual cooking, cleaning, laundry and other assorted errands and chores.

Since I was dilated, that day was a total loss to everything except the radio. 😕 I did get to hear some good music while my eyes readjusted to normal.

The optometrist says that while I may be facing cataract surgery someday, it happens to everyone in time but it won't be within my foreseeable future.

No pun intended.

And I'm over 22,000+ words and into Chapter 12 of the HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE prequel novel: PRIVATE BATTLES.

So you have to take the good with the bad.

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

15 February, 2026

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 13, 2021

 ♫SECOND VERSE, SAME AS THE FIRST.♫

From "Henry the VIII" by Herman's Hermits.

The life and times of a writer are not as glamourous or as fantastic as some people seem to think.

We go through our own daily struggles while trying to enjoy and live life one day at a time like everyone else in this world.

Last week is a perfect example.

Between housework, errands, etc; I managed to write more of the SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL (up to 15 chapters/16 counting Prologue and approaching 30,000 words) while accomplishing some more proofreading on the SOLITAIRE novel in my "spare" time.

The biggest highlight of this past week, if you can even call it that, was when the washing machine decided to go KABLOOEY during the middle of a load of laundry. 😠

That, like everything else in life, will have to be dealt with in time the best it can be.

SO WHY BE A WRITER?

The most obvious answer would be "Why not?"

But the more accurate answer would be that I want to contribute something positive to this world🌎 and the best way I personally can do that is by sharing my thoughts and words with everyone creatively.

Whether you like HUGH MONN PRIVATE DETECTIVE, ALPHA the superhero, the forthcoming SOLITAIRE, any of the short stories I've written over the years or one of my future endeavors beyond the current SCI-FI PROJECT; as long as you liked my humble efforts and have been entertained in the

process—and maybe thought about things you hadn't previously considered before—then I've done my "job" as an author.

With that in mind, I better get back to "work" now, but before I forget:

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!💕

Take care.

STAY SAFE!😷

And I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

14 February, 2021

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 14, 2015

I sincerely hope everyone had a fantastic Valentine's Day!

Chapter 14 of ALPHA, BOOK 2: WAYWARD SON is with my friendly neighborhood beta/proofreader right now, but before I can go on to Chapter 15, Nancy Hansen has pointed out that I have a bit of a timeline problem between Chapters 11 through 14!

She does realize that it is the night of the second day for Alpha's visit on whatever planet he's on (and no, I'm still not revealing that information because it's a plot point of the novel), but exactly when during the night is never mentioned!
There are no outside lights on when needed, or somebody stating what time it is when that fact is important to know. Just a bunch of little things that I, as the author, am aware of but that get overlooked sometimes when writing.

Sean Taylor will be posting a round table later this week about the importance of beta/proofreaders, and the above is one of the reasons I have one: to catch mistakes like this before a manuscript is submitted and the editor finds it.

{ADDENDUM: As of February 19, 2015; Sean has posted that article and it can be found HERE.}

Now, writers are only human beings and we do make mistakes.
No matter how well you write (or think you write), or how many beta/proofreaders you have go over your material before you send it to the publisher, their editor(s) will still go over it again before your words are released to the public. So the more work you put into your manuscript now, the less problems there will be down the road.
It all comes back to one thing: QUALITY OVER QUANTITY!

I have to get back to writing now.
See you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
15 February, 2015