I’m super excited to announce that on Friday I was at Penguin Random House with my lovely editor, Sarah Howe, to record an audiobook version of my collection. It was a wonderful day starting with a visit to Battersea Power Station for lunch – Wagamama – a new lipstick – MAC – followed by recording into the evening. Naturally I headed back to Battersea to oil my parched throat with a much needed medicinal coffee. The link to the audio recording is already on my Penguin page and launch day, March 20th, is fast approaching. How excited am I? Very excited, as you might be able to tell.
Karen Downs-Barton is an award winning poet. Minx, her first collection, is published by Chatto and Windus, Penguin Random House in March 2025. Her pamphlet, Didicoy, won the 2022 International Book and Pamphlet Competition and was the Poetry Book Society recommended pamphlet 2023. Her writing incorporates experimental form and multilingualism alongside lyric pieces exploring an Angloromani heritage, times in state child care, and in diverse occupations including a magician's assistant. Karen has appeared on BBC Radio 4's The Verb, Ledbury Literature Festival, and is currently touring, promoting Minx. Karen gained a Doctorate in Creative Writing from King's College, London and is a regular workshop facilitator for Creative Future UK. Follow her on social media at: @downsbarton Instagram, @karendownsbarton.bsky.social
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Karen Downs-Barton 