Image: Minnie Boardman

Fiction 

• In Search of the Missing Eyelash
• Boys & Girls
• Men & Women
• Short stories

Other publications

• Travel writing
• Letters ​

​​Karen McLeod is a writer and performance artist. She is writer-in-residence at The Bookseller Crow bookshop in South East London's Crystal Palace where she runs regular Creative Writing workshops.

Karen's novel 'In Search of the Missing Eyelash' is published by Jonathan Cape and won a Betty Trask Award. She is the creator of the rubbish poet and comedy character, Barbara Brownskirt.

Karen tours with the nationwide Polari LGBT Literary Salon, running workshops and performing. She also performs regularly at London's Southbank Centre, at national theatres and festivals but can still be found on stage in seedy gay pubs and as Barbara Brownskirt at the 197 bus stop, Croydon Road, London.

Karen was awarded an Arts Council England grant to develop and produce her first one woman poetry/theatre show 'Who Do You Think You Are? Barbara Brownskirt.' which ran at the 2018 Edinburgh Festival Fringe and which debuted at Brighton Fringe 2017 to sold out audiences.

Visit the Shows page to see Karen ... or Barbara live. You can also book Barbara to appear at you very own event, Contact Barbara through social media!