He was first noticed as a poet, with such collections as Bogus Pastimes (1993), Wild Afflictions (1994), and The 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) and What God Has Joined Together (2002), all written and posted "a chapter a day".
All these are social satires, with some elements of supernatural and macabre, 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.
[6] He also recorded a CD of original folk songs entitled Love & Pity (A Priori, 2000).