The Leeds School of
Art, Architecture Design

A spark of an idea comes often from a conversation, snatched hurriedly during the demands of the day, or a newspaper clipping found by chance. The need to discover, to know more, drives the writing process but the initial spark is crucial to power that need, has to be sufficiently intriguing.

Writing then comes in different stages. The first can simply be a list of words or notes to self - minimal. The second stage, in more a recognisable prose, is written in longhand during, often, a train journey, hand and eye, pen on page, no distractions of email or jobs to be done. This writing can be wordy but is often passionate and fulfilling.

The third stage is in transferring the story onto the computer, editing as I go, tidying up. Next comes more in-depth research, adding historical detail, making sure facts are right: language, accents and dialogue add colour.

At this stage I have found that the story can be handed round to trusted friends and colleagues, for feedback and conversation. Good ideas come out of this exchange, the writing can expand, or be cut back, depending.

Writing the book in a series of short stories, fits in well with the demands of work and family, the challenge then comes in fitting the stories together to make a complete, workable whole. I met this challenge by physically distributing the stories around a room, swopping and changing places until a balanced, cohesive whole was achieved.

Karen Babayan


Blood Oranges Dipped in Salt

by Karen Babayan

This is a book of fictionalised 'hand me down' family stories. Patiently collected over a lifetime of conversations, the stories are woven around family photos and recollections that have assumed a mythical quality over the years. Occupying a timespan of 400 years to the present day, events cover the geography of three continents: from Jugha, Dilijan and Yerevan in Armenia; Salmas, Isfahan and Tehran, Iran to Leeds and Appleby, England and finally Toronto, Canada.

The book reflects the history of the Armenians of Iran from the perspective of the author's own family. Dreams feature strongly; also births, marriages and deaths, the stuff of family life. The stories bear witness to a minority cultural with a monumental history that has experienced generations of loss, displacement, migration, immigration and assimilation. Babayan has tried to bring a sense of 'here and now', creating a tangible link from the past to the present whilst trying still to retain something of the spirit of the original tales.

When she came to the UK in 1978 at 16 years of age, Babayan brought with her a sensory understanding based on the geography and climate, the language and traditions of Iran and the Armenians of Iran. And so it was that she found herself in 1970's Leeds, a place with a climate and geography as alien to her as 'blood oranges dipped in salt' would be to a child born and bred in West Yorkshire. Gradually, she found a place in this strange new world but her displacement has always and will always continue to have a profound effect on her life. As a child, salt-dipped oranges were the author's favourite snack. The thought of dipping oranges in salt may sound disgusting, but you should give it a try (health permitting). Choose a large juicy orange, cut it into chunks and dip into a small sprinkling of sea salt. 

Published by The Wild Pansy Press 2012
ISBN 978-1-900687-40-9
Hardback £14.99
Book launch: Leeds Art Gallery, Wednesday 29th February 6.00pm.