Robin Gow is a prolific author and poet. They are the author of the YA novels in verse A Million Quiet Revolutions and Ode to My First Car, as well as the middle grade Dear Mothman. They’ve also written a number of chapbooks, poetry, and even an essay collection. Gow works as a managing editor at The Nasiona. We recently had a chance to talk to Gow about their new novel and writing/publishing advice!
Hi there! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your writing, as well as your new YA novel, Ode to My First Car?
I’m Robin and I’m an autistic trans poet and witch from Pennsylvania. I write poetry and then I also write novels in verse and novels, primarily for Young Adult and Middle Grade audiences. I often write about similar themes of gender, queerness in history, and finding or creating home across genres. Then, also, as a human I love pretending to be a fay creature in the woods and I’m always reading or collecting something new.
Ode to My First Car is what I’m calling my messy bisexual summer romance novel. It follows the main character, Claire Kemp, as she’s falling in love with her best friend AND another girl all over a summer. The story begins with her crashing and destroying her first car who she had affectionately named “Lars.” Living in a tiny apartment with her family, Lars had been her special place to escape and be herself.
What did your road to publishing look like?
I first published with Independent presses, Finishing Line and Tolsun Books, and those presses I had just submitted to their open reading periods. I loved the process of bringing my first poetry books to the world.
While I was in graduate school and writing my first YA novel I began querying agents. I saw a deal announcement for a trans YA novel that my agent Jordan represented and so I queried her. Before Jordan, I hadn’t gotten much interest from agents in my novel-in-verse. She really believed in my first YA book which became A Million Quiet Revolutions. We went on submission and I was lucky to get to work with FSG and my editor Trisha there on that book and a second book, Ode to My First Car.
In addition to being an author, I see that you’ve also worked on the publishing side of things as an editor. Considering both of these roles, do you have any advice for authors who are currently trying to get their work out into the world?
I think my best advice is two-fold. The first advice is to read widely and curiously. Take notes on what you write and ask questions. Then, when you write, don’t be afraid to be strange or outlandish. Never write something just because you think people will like it, write what excites you. Other people will feel and resonate with the excitement.
Your YA novel A Million Quiet Revolutions is written in verse. How did you decide to go with this style when you were drafting? Is there any advice you would offer other writers who are looking to twist genre conventions but don’t know where to start?
The novel really just started with poems written from the perspective of this character. I think everyone goes out plotting stories differently but for me, they’re just about always character focused. For me when I write novels in verse I first follow the character’s emotional journey and then build out the world around them but that won’t work for everyone. I think overall, just expecting to build in layers is helpful. Like I tend to do characters, then plot, and then landscape, world-around. I imagine other people might navigate the layers differently.
How do you deal with the emotional impact of a book (on yourself) as you are writing it?
That’s a great question and one I’m not sure how to answer yet. It’s hard to write queer and autistic stories in a world that is becoming increasingly hostile towards queer and neurodivergent folks. I think hearing positive connections from readers and having a good queer group of friends helps ground me. I also really feel like my editors and agent has always had my back.
Do you have any exciting projects on the horizon, either as an author or editor, that you can share with us?
I have a manuscript of a gay and trans vampire and witches novel in verse that I’m soooo excited to share with readers.
I’m also working on another middle grade novel and it’s a dog story–I always loved dog books as a kid even though they ended up ripping my heart out when the dogs died. I will spoil one thing about my dog book, there are no dead dogs, just queer joy and found family.
After that, I have adult novels and other YA and middle grade projects I’m working on. I’m always working on 3-4 projects at once because it keeps my mind excited and engaged.
Can you provide links to any websites or social channels you’d like readers to follow?
Totally!
Website: robingow.com
Twitter: @Gow_Robin_Frank
TikTok: @Robin_Glow
