Karen McCreedy: Novelist and Freelance Writer - Writing diary

September 1st-12th

12/9/2020

Writing Activity: Filling in some of the gaps in latest draft of next novel
Revising talk on Science in SF for local U3A Science &
Technology Group
Counting down the days to launch of 'Ascent' by
tweeting Q&As from previous author events

Currently Reading: 'The Complete Dambusters: The 133 Men Who Flew
on the Dams Raid' by Charles Foster

18th-31st August

31/8/2020

Writing Activity: Completed another draft of sf novel 'Voyager's Flight'.
Now need to fill in all those [?] and [more here] markers
before I go any further!

Just Read: 'Lovely Bits of Old England' by John Betjeman

Currently Reading: 'Tidelands' by Philippa Gregory

Ascent: Unreachable Skies III Cover Reveal!

17/8/2020

The cover for 'Ascent: Unreachable Skies III' officially revealed today.

So happy with this wonderful artwork by Justine Alley Dowsett at Mirror World.

Copies now available for pre-order!

Amazon.com
Amazon UK
Mirror World Bookstore

August 1st-16th

16/8/2020

Writing Activity: Read through and corrected proofs for 'Ascent:
      Unreachable Skies III'. Amazing how many typos and
      silly errors slip through to this stage, even after a
      thorough line-edit from Mirror World.
Just hope I've now caught all the mistakes!

Just Read: 'A Closed and Common Orbit' by Becky Chambers
  'The King's Evil' by Andrew Taylor

Currently Reading: 'The Wizard of Earthsea' by Ursula K Le Guin

July 16th-31st

31/7/2020

Writing Activity: Continued work on latest redraft of 'Voyager's Flight'

Currently Reading: 'A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of
WWII's Most Dangerous Spy, Virginia Hall - by
Sonia Purnell

July 1st-15th

15/7/2020

Writing Activity: Continued to redraft new SF novel ('Voyager's Flight). Had
      a sudden inspiration about something that could be an
      interesting plot point - though writing it in will now mean
      more work and more redrafting!
   Also wrote a short piece for Bognor Regis WI on my one
      and only experience of visiting a crown court building.

Just Read: 'The Road to Little Dribbling: More Notes from a Small Island'
      by Bill Bryson
      'The Murder of the Bride' by Faith Martin

Currently Reading: 'Pieces of my Heart' by Robert Wagner

June 18th-30th

30/6/2020

Writing Activity: Continued 3rd redraft of 'Voyager's Flight'. I do this by
   printing a few chapters at a time, and working through
   the hard copies with a biro and a notebook. Lots of
   crossings out, arrows here and there, and new sections
   indicated with letters and numbers.
   Once I've scribbled enough, I type up the changes, and
   print the next few chapters.

Just Read: 'The Greatest Knight: The Remarkable Life of William Marshall'
   by Thomas Asbridge

Currently Reading: 'Girlfriend in a Coma' by Douglas Coupland

June 1st-17th

17/6/2020

Writing Activity: Completed short story
   Won local WI writing competition with a poem on 'After
      Lockdown'
   Started work on Draft #3 of new SF novel. Now titled
      'Voyager's Flight'

Just Read: 'The Deep Silence' by Douglas Reeman
'Spaceman' by Mike Massimino

Currently Reading: 'Winston's War' by Michael Dobbs

May 16th-31st

31/5/2020

Writing Activity: Worked on SF short story
Wrote short piece for local WI competition #2

Just Read: 'Empire in Black and Gold' by Adrian Tchaikovsky
'Rogue' by James Swallow

Currently Reading: 'The Birthday Mystery' by Faith Martin

May 1st-15th

15/5/2020

Writing Activity: Completed second draft of new SF novel
   Received and worked through line edits for 'Ascent:
   Unreachable Skies III', from MirrorWorld
   Made additional notes for U3A talk later in the year

Just Read: 'John G: The Authorised Biography of John Gielgud' by
   Sheridan Morley

Currently Reading: 'Dieppe, August 19' by Eric Maguire