Karen McLeod is a British writer, performer, and creative writing tutor best known for her debut novel, In Search of the Missing Eyelash (2007), which won the Betty Trask Award. She explores themes of identity, love, and acceptance in her works.
Karen McLeod was born in the UK. She holds an MA in Creative & Life Writing from Goldsmiths University, supported by the Isaac Arthur Green Scholarship.
Her career began with her novel In Search of the Missing Eyelash, published by Jonathan Cape in 2007. The book won the Betty Trask Award and was shortlisted for the Best First Novel.
Later, Karen developed a comedic persona, Barbara Brownskirt. Described by The Sunday Times as "Rik Mayall meets performance art," Barbara Brownskirt's performances are supported by Arts Council England. Karen tours UK festivals and venues with the LGBTQ+ Literary salon POLARI and the performance art cooperative DUCKIE, among others.
Karen's role extends to being Writer-in-Residence at the Bookseller Crow on the Hill, where she is also the Literary Events Coordinator. She runs popular creative writing workshops and has been a visiting lecturer at UCAS and Shakespeare's Archive Trust.
Her memoir, Lifting Off (2024), details her twelve years as a cabin crew for British Airways. It is an account of love, creativity, and acceptance, exploring the transformative power of lesbian love. In it, Karen recounts her struggle with being closeted in a predominantly male environment and how she eventually embraced her true self.
Karen has also contributed to Queer Life, Queer Love 2: The Second Anthology by Julia Bell and Matt Bates. This collection includes stories, poems, essays, and flash fiction that explore the diverse aspects of queer experiences.
Karen McLeod resides in London.
Photo credit: Travis Elborough
