Kevin McGowin | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1970 (1970) Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
| Died | January 18, 2005(2005-01-18) (aged 34–35) Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
| Occupation |
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| Alma mater | Auburn University at Montgomery University of Florida |
Kevin McGowin (1970 inBirmingham, Alabama – January 18, 2005 in Birmingham) was an American writer, college teacher andtypewriter enthusiast.[1][2] Holding degrees in literature fromAuburn University at Montgomery[3] and theUniversity of Florida, he taught literature and creative writing, moving from one college to another quite often, before he decided to become a full-time writer.[4] He lived in Birmingham,Micanopy,Denver,Raleigh,New Hampshire, New York City,New Orleans, and then back in his native Birmingham, where he died in a tragic accident, choking on food.
He was first noticed as a poet, with such collections asBogus Pastimes (1993),Wild Afflictions (1994), andThe Better Part of a Fortnight (1999).[5]
Initially his fiction was published online, notably the three novels known as "The Benny Poda Trilogy":The Benny Poda Years (2001),Town Full of Hoors (2001) andWhat God Has Joined Together (2002), all written and posted "a chapter a day". The trilogy is his only major work of fiction published in print. His last novel,Flies in the Buttermilk, was serialized online in 2003–2004. All these are social satires, with some elements ofsupernatural andmacabre, spiced up with a considerable amount of strong language. McGowin showed a more lyrical side in his short stories, to be found on various websites online;Slender Accidents (2004) being a major collection of vignettes.
Kevin McGowin was a notedreviewer, contributing for years toOyster Boy Review magazine andEclectica Magazine, where he was appointed Reviews Editor in 2003.[6]
He also recorded a CD of original folk songs entitledLove & Pity (A Priori, 2000).[7]