Award-winning Donegal writer and lecturer Karen Quinn will have a humourous new short story premiered on BBC Radio Four this Christmas week.
Shopping All the Way, airing on Friday 27th December at 3.45pm, is a short comedy read by Becca Henderson (Derry Girls) and produced by Sylvie Conway.
Karen penned the story with a focus on today’s financial crisis, with a humorous blend.
“It’s about re-evaluating what Christmas is all about,” Karen explains.
“While that has been done before, it’s probably more relevant now, given everything that’s going on.”
This is Karen’s second short story commissioned by BBC Radio 4 for the Short Works series.
The first tale, MENopause, follows a manager’s attempts to support a woman in the workplace as she was experiencing the menopause.
Karen is a lecturer at ATU Donegal and is completing her PhD in Creative Writing with Ulster University.
The New Year will bring more exciting works by Karen, who also has a short film, Operation Pablo, doing well in the festival circuit.
Karen is currently writing a Donegal-based gothic novel as part of her PhD. Inspired by her research, she has also crafted a collection of chilling tales, a blend of poetry and short stories, to be published soon. This work is supported by the Donegal County Council Artist Bursary Scheme.
On her upcoming publications, she said: “I love writing comedy because that is the natural way I write, but to tell ghost stories or write with a slightly more serious tone gives me freedom of expression and allows me to explore different topics and styles in different ways. I love it.”
Mark your calendars to hear Shopping All the Way this Friday 27th December on BBC Radio Four, or save this link https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00268x6 to hear it shortly after broadcast.