PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING JANUARY 11, 2014

Well, for better or worse no actual writing this past week, because I've been wearing my Editor's Cap.

Will be able to make a big announcement about the status of a past project tomorrow!

Meanwhile, The Free Choice E-zine is doing well and has already hit 1000+ page views for the 29th consecutive month! Considering how early its achieved that milestone this time, I'm wondering if our readership will give us 3000+ page views again before the end of January? An accomplishment we made for the first time at the very end of December 2013.

Time will tell, but for now, see you Monday about that big announcement!

Lee Houston, Junior
12 January, 2014

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING JANUARY 4, 2014

A new year is upon us!

So far, I've kept up with The Free Choice E-zine in my capacity as its Editor-In-Chief.

Alpha

Almost finished Chapter 7 of Alpha, Book 2: Wayward Son. While I'm uncertain how many chapters will be in the final manuscript, I do hope to complete the novel by Spring, so I can start work on the third installment in my Hugh Monn, Private Detective series.

I did start work on one of my two open ended (no set deadlines, thankfully!) short story commitments for 2014. The idea just came to me out of the blue and I couldn't resist, so there's progress there too.

Hugh Monn

There is one other item I'm hoping to brag about soon, but unfortunately I have to wait and see how things go before I can officially say anything about it. Sorry to be a tease, but sometimes that's just the way it is.

So on behalf of my creations and their creator, I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays and are looking forward to a happy new year!

See you around the Internet!
lh,jr
05 January 2014

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 28, 2013

As I predicted, for better or worse not much creative work got accomplished this past week beyond tending to my duties as Editor-In-Chief of The Free Choice E-zine.

Although I did manage to complete chapter 6 of Alpha, Book 2: Wayward Son; Christmas is more about being with family and friends.

While I am not much of a "party animal", there is still New Year's Eve on the horizon, and I am looking forward to watching the 125th Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year's Day; besides more camaraderie with the aforementioned family and friends.


In any event, we'll see just how much actually got done in my first progress
report of 2014 next weekend.

But until then; I wish all my friends, family, fans, and readers the safest and happiest of New Year's.

See you around the Internet!
Lee Houston, Junior
29 December 2013

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 21, 2013

Well folks, here we are, just a couple of days away from Christmas, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, or whatever you celebrate.
Because of all the holiday prep that needed to be attended to, unfortunately I didn't get much actual writing done this past week beyond my responsibilities to The Free Choice E-zine.

Chapter 6 to Alpha, Book 2: Wayward Son is almost done, but that is far from having the entire manuscript completed.
Not sure how much will be accomplished between now and the start of the New Year, but I wish all my readers and fans the happiest of holidays, and I'll see you around the Internet.

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 14, 2013

Oh the weather outside is frightful 
But the keyboard is so delightful
So as long as the power stays on
Let me write, let me write, let me write!

Although winter doesn't officially start until December 21st, one would think it has already arrived from the cold temperatures and snow on the ground. It has not gotten above freezing in my neck of the woods (New England) since December 9th, and the earliest prediction of it doing so again is December 18th!

Meanwhile, I have finished my short story commitments for 2013, and am back at work on Alpha, Book 2: Wayward Son. The first five chapters of that project are completed, and hopefully I'll have it completely done and submitted to the publisher before the Spring thaw.

Looking ahead: As soon as Alpha, Book 2 is done; I will immediately start work on Book 3 in the HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE series! So far, there are only two short stories currently on my agenda for 2014. Thankfully neither one of them actually has a specific deadline at the moment, but there are still a couple of previously written short stories in various publisher queues that await their debut. However, everything will be put on pause the next time I have to don my Editor's Cap, for I promised my friend and writing buddy Nancy Hansen that I would beta/proofread her next manuscript when it is ready. And of course there is still my Editor-In-Chief responsibilities for The Free Choice E-zine.

All that, and Christmas fast approaching with the New Year close behind!

Take care everybody!
Stay warm and I'll see you around the Internet.

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 7, 2013

Well the weather outside is frightful
But the keyboard is so delightful
So as long as the power's on
Let me write! Let me write! Let me write!

Not really much to report since last week.
It took a little longer than I thought it would to finish making corrections to that last short story. Some other authors and myself are contributing to a shared anthology, and I was trying to figure out how/when Character A could be with Character B when that character was actually somewhere else at the time.

But I am thankfully back at work on Alpha, Book 2: Wayward Son now.
That manuscript will definitely be finished in the early part of 2014, although I certainly can't make a more exact prediction at this point.
Otherwise, am trying to prepare for the holidays and winter while taking care of The Free Choice E-zine and a few other things.

I hope you and yours are doing well.
See you around the Internet!

PROGRESS REPORT, WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 30, 2013

"I handed in a script last year and the studio didn't change one word. The word they didn't change was on Page 87."--Steve Martin, at the 2003 Academy Awards.

I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving and/or Hanukkah. While the two holidays will share weekends again, they will not share the day again until 79,811!

I am almost done with the requested revisions to those two short stories I had to amend.
As I post this, there are no short stories currently on my agenda for 2014, but we're still a month away from the start of the new year, so who knows?

In any event, will definitely be back to work on ALPHA, BOOK 2: WAYWARD SON before the end of this week.

Meanwhile, have had another fun week as Editor-In-Chief of The Free Choice E-zine.

ALPHA

HUGH MONN

Wish I could say writing paid, let alone paid well, but let's be honest with each other.
If I was in this strictly for the money, I would have quit a long time ago!
Writing is not only an unique, creative endeavor, but it is a creative outlet that I happen to love and am good at.
I may not be the fastest writer in the world, but I do take great pride in my work.
I apologize to those of you who are waiting (patiently, I hope) for the next volumes in the lives of Alpha the superhero (at left) and HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE (at right); but in my mind it is a question of quality over quantity, and obviously I'm doing something right for these characters to be building the following(s) they are.

See you around the Internet!