Karen McLeod - Lifting Off

Lifting Off is a fly on the wall tale of flying long-haul, drinking miniatures, hotel bedroom parties with the rest of the crew, one-night stands in exotic locations and the loneliness of having to deny your true self.

Karen McLeod’s account of flying as long-haul cabin crew offers a fascinating insight into the profound impact of airline life. Having come out as a lesbian shortly before getting the job, she is forced to go back in as colleagues advise her that it’s not OK to be gay, unlike male cabin crew.

It is the story of how Karen McLeod saved herself and finally came into land.

Karen will be in conversation with festival director Wayne Berkeley Herbert, and we’re hoping not to be interrupted by a certain poet of the people who tends to follow Karen around!

‘An absorbing and often hilarious account of the author’s 12 years as closeted cabin crew for BA & the profound impact that had on her life as a gay woman’ The Bookseller, Editor’s Choice

‘Beautiful, wise and funny…I really did love it’ Evie Wyld

Anny Knight, local poet-performer who has appeared at many women's events and Prides all over the UK, wil be opening the event. 

A Super Saturday ticket is available for this event - the special ticket gives reduced price entry to all festival events on Saturday 21st Sept as well as a 20% discont on food and drink in THe Observer Cafe throughout the day.

This event is being sponsored by the Hastings and Rother Rainbow Alliance  which has been supporting LGBTQIA+ people for over 20 years through social events and advocacy. www.hrra.org.uk  The Hastings Book Festival is very grateful for this kind support. 

More about Karen: 

Karen McLeod is a writer, performer and creative writing tutor. Her debut novel, In Search of the Missing Eyelash, was published by Jonathan Cape and won the Betty Trask Award and was translated widely. In June 2024 it has been celebrated by being republished by Muswell Press.

After attending an Arvon Course at Lumb bank, Ali Smith championed her writing and Karen went on to write In Search of the Missing Eyelash in hotel rooms across the globe, while working as cabin crew. Coming full circle, her memoir, Lifting Off  (Muswell Press, June 2024) is about the 12 years she  flew for British Airways and how this sent her into freefall.

When she's not writing, she can be found treading the creaky boards at theatres, cabaret clubs and pubs as her comedy character, the self-appointed Poet Laureate of Penge, Barbara Brownskirt. Working with Duckie and Polari LGBTQ+ Salo, she is writer-in-residence at Bookseller Crow in SE London.