PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING JANUARY 24, 2026

😀 GOOD NEWS THIS WEEK!😁

I'm well into Chapter 11 and the 19,000+ word mark on the HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE PREQUEL NOVEL PRIVATE BATTLES.

Obviously I still have a long way to go to complete the first draft, let alone consider the manuscript ready to submit to whoever HUGH's new publisher will be, but at least there IS progress!

ALSO, I even got as good of a medical checkup as an almost 64 year old man can get from his cardiologist this past week.

While two bouts of pneumonia, congestive heart failure and an aortic aneurysm have taken their toll on my overall health, I'm still here AND my weight is even lower than my last visit.😀

While I have never been obese by any stretch of the imagination, I have been fighting the proverbial battle of the bulge since puberty, so it's wonderful to see a favorable scale reading.

AND FOR THOSE INTERESTED...

Please don't forget that the original SOLITAIRE novel and it's sequel SOLITAIRE 2: THE AGENDA are both on sale at Amazon from Airship 27.

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

Take care.

STAY SAFE!

And I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior

25 January, 2026

All links were active at the time of posting.

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING JANUARY 24, 2015

Ah... there's VERY good news this week!

I have solved my exposition versus action problems, thus eliminating a lot of the "blah blahs" that my esteemed, friendly neighborhood beta/proofreader Nancy Hansen thought was weighing down Chapter 13 to ALPHA, BOOK 2: WAYWARD SON.

The solution?
I've been going back over Chapters 11, 12, and 13, restructuring the sequence of events. This has allowed me the chance to eliminate some words here and there, as well as creating opportunities for new sequences that, by the time I'm done with what was originally three chapters will now be at least four chapters worth of material, and maybe even at least part of a fifth!

One man's balancing act

The main problem wasn't just Chapter 13 itself, but the two prior chapters leading up to the issue in question. It turned out to just be a matter of balance.
Once I started rearranging sequences, it all fell into place.

Falling into place...

Of course, this also means that I have to backtrack somewhat on getting the new material/chapters proofread.
Hansen just sent me back Chapter 11, and I honestly don't know whether or not she's started going over Chapter 12 yet.
But now that I have all my ducks in a row,

Don't you just love puns?

the rest of the book should just be a question of time and effort.
I know some of you out there are disappointed that ALPHA, BOOK 2 hasn't already been finished and released, but wouldn't you rather read the best book I am able to humanly produce rather than whatever I can quickly "crank" out to get to the next project?

In any event, I better get back to work now.
See you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
25 January, 2015