Karen Downs-Barton Wins the John Pollard International Poetry Prize

I’m beyond delighted to be able to share news that I won the John Pollard International Poetry Prize. I’d like to thank Dr Linda Doyle and Trinity College Dublin, Stephen Vernon and the John Pollard Foundation, the lovely judges Professor Eoin McNamee, Una Mannion, and Seán Hewitt for welcoming me and this bestowing this wonderfulContinue reading “Karen Downs-Barton Wins the John Pollard International Poetry Prize”

Minx – Birthday Girl!

It seems incredible that a year ago today my debut collection, Minx, was launched upon an unsuspecting world. April 8th is International Romani Day, an auspicious start for a collection celebrating the cultural history and diversity of the Roma. The venue was the London Review Bookshop where I first saw my pamphlet, Didicoy, in aContinue reading “Minx – Birthday Girl!”

Deptford Literature Festival

Mother Tongue, Poetry, Family and Inheritance, Saturday 28 March. Just one week until this fabulous event. I’ll be sharing the stage with three wonderful poets, Sarah Howe, and Erica Hesketh, hosted by writer and critic April Yee. We’ll be reading from our latest collections, exploring themes of matrilineage and family, reflecting on how they nourishContinue reading “Deptford Literature Festival”

Foyles New Romani Writing: Damian Le Bas, Karen Downs-Barton, Madeline Potter, Chaired by Bidisha

Join poets, travel writers and academics at Foyles for a discussion chaired by Bidisha on Romani culture and contemporary Romani writing. Wednesday 28th May, 7-8.30pm. Tickets: £10 General Admission / £8 Foyalty Member Venue: The Auditorium (Level 6) at Foyles, 107 Charing Cross Road* doors open 6.45.

Minx featured on Louise Wilford’s Showcase

I was honoured to be invited to be interviewed by Louise Wilford for her literary blog recently. There were questions that took us to some wonderfully diverse areas including portable writing spaces, cocktail alchemy, how to ‘get into poetry’, plus of course sharing poems from Minx and how they came into being. The interview isContinue reading “Minx featured on Louise Wilford’s Showcase”

Launch Day

I’m sending out a massive ‘Thank You’ to all the lovely people who came to @lrbbookshop on Tuesday evening to celebrate #Minx and launch her into the world.

Minx Launch Day

I woke up this morning full of the joys of Collection Launch Day. Yes, Minx finds herself moving out into the wide world as of this morning. I hope she finds a home on your hands, hearts, and shelves.

The Planets Aligning

I was honoured and moved by the words about Minx by Joelle Taylor when I read them on the books fly cover. ‘Minx is a splinter of a book, something that interrupts the body. It’s a beautiful violence, each page a shock of poetry that renders an underclass family vivid. Rich, delicate, and brutal. MinxContinue reading “The Planets Aligning”