PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING AUGUST 17, 2019

I have had more interruptions this past week than I care to think about or want to discuss, but I HAVE FINISHED going over the PDF galley of HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE BOOK 3: FEMME FATALE from the very first letter to the final punctuation mark!

Have sent my list of corrections back to Tommy Hancock at Pro Se Press, so now it's just a question of waiting to see how long the remainder of the editorial and publishing processes take before the novel is released.

Am definitely getting back to both The New Idea and "Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure of the Unimaginable" this week, despite the fact that Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday have more appointments that I must keep.

My muse has been calling me from time to time since I received the Hugh galley with tidbits here and there for The New Idea, but despite how much effort goes into writing an adventure worthy of the great Victorian Era detective, I am closer to finishing Holmes than the novel The New Idea will be.

In any event, once one of the above is totally completed and off to its prospective publisher, writing on what will eventually be PROJECT ALPHA 3 will begin.

So with that in mind, I better get back to writing now.
Take care, and I'll see you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
18 August, 2019

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING AUGUST 10, 2019

WELL...
My previous week went pretty much as I suspected it would.
Because it's easier to work in the present than the past, spent most of what writing time I did have on
"The New Idea" rather than "Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure of the Unimaginable".

However, BOTH of those projects are on hold at the moment because Tommy Hancock of Pro Se Press has sent me the PDF galley of HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE, BOOK 3: FEMME FATALE to go over and make any necessary corrections before publication.

Between that and a couple of more appointments this coming week, your guess is as good as mine at the moment as to when I will be getting back to either Holmes or The New Idea, because Hugh is the priority.

A friendly reminder that this coming Thursday, August 15, The Free Choice E-zine is hoping that everyone who can will share their memories of the original historic Woodstock Music Festival.

Whether you were an entertainer, an attendee, someone working at the event, or (like me) too young to even fully grasp what was happening back then; all you have to do on August 15 is just Tweet, Instagram, Facebook, blog, or whatever to help celebrate by sharing and reliving the moment with others.
That isn't too much to ask, is it? #REMEMBERING WOODSTOCK

In any event, I better get back to writing proofreading now.
Take care, and I'll see you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
11 August, 2019

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING AUGUST 3, 2019

Most of this past writing week was on Sherlock Holmes' "The Adventure of the Unimaginable" rather than "The New Idea".
Holmes' is definitely past the halfway point now, but is leaning more towards being a small novella than a traditional short story. It remains to be seen how it all turns out.
Not sure how much writing time I will have this coming week, because I am looking at several appointments and other commitments in the days ahead.


I am trying to drum up interest on The Free Choice E-zine for the world to have its own mini-celebration in honor of The Woodstock Music Festival's 50th anniversary August 15, 2019.

Not really asking for much.
Just trying to encourage people to Tweet, Instagram, Facebook, blog or whatever their memories of the festival.
#REMEMBERINGWOODSTOCK
I was only 7 and lived nowhere near New York State at the time, so I obviously have no personal memories of the event.
However I love the music of the 1960s and if time travel were possible...

In any event, better get back to writing now.
Take care, and I'll see you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
4 August, 2019

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING JULY 27, 2019

THIS AND THAT

This past writing week once again came down to a balancing act between my Sherlock Holmes short story and "The New Idea" I'm working on.

Since it's set in the present, I do find it easier to work on "The New Idea" on days when I wind up not having as much writing time as I hoped for, or get stuck in Victorian England, researching the authenticity of my facts or whatever.

On the other hand, although both projects are approaching the 13,000 word mark, Holmes' "The Adventure of the Unimaginable" will be finished long before the novel that The New Idea is.

In case you haven't noticed yet, I have added a new feature to my writing blog! 😀
The FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES section on the left is just a very quick overview of direct links to fellow writers I know whose work you might also enjoy.
So with that in mind, I better get back to my own writing.
Take care, and I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior
28 July, 2019

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING JULY 20, 2019

THE BALANCING ACT

Spent most of this past writing week working on my Sherlock Holmes story for Airship 27.
"The Adventure of the Unimaginable" is now approaching 12,000 words, and will probably conclude somewhere around 20,000; give or take final editing.


Still worked on The New Idea from time to time too.
Have found that on days where I don't have a whole lot of writing time to begin with (because of errands, appointments, or whatever) it is quicker to get into something set in the present than to attempt putting myself within a Victorian Era-Holmes mindset.

In any event, as soon as one of the above is fully completed and submitted for publication consideration, its place on my agenda will be taken over by either whatever becomes PROJECT ALPHA-BOOK 3 or the GHOST BOY short story I promised Ron Fortier.

So that means that I better get back to writing now.
Take care, and I'll see you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
21 July, 2019

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING JULY 13, 2019

Had a lot going on this past week, including an overnight sleep study to reevaluate my sleep apnea versus CPAP needs.

Got more writing done on The New Idea💡 than Sherlock Holmes🔍 though.

Guess that's because The New Idea💡 is in a contemporary setting and doesn't require much research, compared to Holmes'🔍 Victorian England.

But anyway, considering all the hard work I've accomplished so far, I've decided that it's SNEAK PREVIEW TIME! 😀

Below are the opening paragraphs from both of my current projects.
First, Sherlock Holmes🔍 in THE ADVENTURE OF THE UNIMAGINABLE...

Reviewing all the copious notes I have taken over the years of my long association with Sherlock Holmes, out of all the cases I have ever been upon with him that I have yet to formally record, one of the most extraordinary began with a most unusual proposition.
“A holiday?” I said, unsure of having heard my friend correctly, for I could not immediately remember the last time Holmes had ever taken one.

And from the as yet untitled NEW IDEA...💡

He ran, darting and weaving across the crowded sidewalks as fast as he could without drawing too much attention to himself. Afraid of every shadow and person he passed, the man never stopped looking over his shoulder, no matter how many times he saw nothing there.

Hope you liked the sneak peaks.
In any event, I've got to get back to work now.
Will definitely try to concentrate more on Holmes🔍 than The New Idea💡 this coming week, because I would like to get Sherlock finished so I can send it on to my friendly neighborhood beta-proofreader for her opinions before submitting it to Airship 27.

Take care everybody, and I'll see you around the Internet!
Lee Houston, Junior
14 July, 2019 HAPPY BASTILLE DAY TO EVERYONE IN FRANCE!

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING JULY 6, 2019

Today is July 7, 2019.
7-7.
Now, if this year was either '07 or '77, then that would be REALLY lucky!

AHA! A new idea!

Anyway...

As I suspected, last week didn't yield a whole lot of writing time.
Yet what time I did get was dedicated to the new idea.
Not that I have given up on my Sherlock Holmes story.
It's just that, after working on one project for so long, you need a break, regardless of what you're specifically discussing.
In any event, I will be back on Holmes this coming week, although I do have a couple of doctor appointments ahead.
And still none of them with a TARDIS!
Oh well...

Take care, and I'll see you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
7 July, 2019