Welcome to the third insidious installation of Susto's 2024 Swap-A-Thon! This week we are visited by Floaties for Krakens!

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Hi Cuttlefish! ^-^

Welcome to Season 2 Episode 14 of Floaties for Krakens - A podcast about the monsters in your head, but reclaiming them instead.

WELCOME! Just a quick reminder that Season 1 in its entirety is available to stream on Spotify, and Season 3 is currently underway on YouTube. Go check it out!

The following episode is a bit of a throwback to our Pride Month Special called “Lavender for Monsters”. It was a beautiful four part series where we explored the intersections and power within Queerness and monstrosity.

I’m going to begin this episode description with a phenomenal quote introduced to me  by our guest of honor, Robin today. This quote is by Cuban American Queer Activist and Academic Jose Esteban Munoz:

“Queerness is not yet here. Queerness is an ideality. Put another way, we are not yet queer, but we can feel it as the warm illumination of a horizon imbued with potentiality. We have never been queer, yet queerness exists for us as an ideality that can be distilled from the past and used to imagine a future. The future is queerness's domain. (p. 1)”― José Esteban Muñoz, Cruising Utopia: The Then and There of Queer Futurity

Let’s hear it for the beauties, complexities, and histories to come for Queerness. Robin Gow (it/fae/he & él y elle) is a poet and witch from rural Pennsylvania. It is the author of several poetry, Middle Grade, and Young Adult books. It works as a community educator on topics of LGBTQIA2+ and disability justice.

Robin is a literal ray of sunshine. My goodness, I’m not kidding. The work that Fae does to explore the brilliance of Queerness in all of its monstrous complexities is nothing short of astronomical. Please, go check out this beautiful soul’s poetry work Monstrous Cartography  and all of the other outstanding works in Faer repertoire. Thank you so much for doing this show Robin, and I’m so excited to now call you a friend.

Today’s episode is all about the kindest person in the world Robin Gow, Robin’s mastery in writing and poetry, the power of a ghost story, how monsters become manifestation of what society doesn’t understand, Robin’s PHENOMENAL new poetry book Monstrous Cartography, the relatability of “Queer Sea Monsters”, Robin’s partner Rain and his monstrous watercolor mastery, the tears of the Squonk, Robin’s explorations of Mothman, Climate Grief, the fears of endless wandering, the amazing Paranorman film, and how Robin and myself will forever be proud, proud, crybabies; because feeling “too much” is a superpower.

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Content Warnings:Mentions and discussions of mental health complexities, depression, grief, and the beauties, trials, and tribulations of growing up QueerMisophonia:

• Snaps, Pops, Clicks, and Hisses throughout the episode.

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Robin’s Monstrous Mentions:

• Instagram: @ robin_gow_poet
• TikTok: @ robin_gow_poet & @ transdemontologist 
• Website: robingow.com
• Monstrous Cartography: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/monstrous-cartography-robin-gow/1145307923?ean=9798990348837
• Dear Mothman: https://store.abramsbooks.com/products/dear-mothman

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Mental Health Resources:

• LGBTQQIP2SAA+ Mental Health Resources: The Trevor Project: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/category/mental-health/
• Domestic Violence Resources: https://www.thehotline.org/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=domestic_violence
• National Institute of Mental Health: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: https://988lifeline.org/
• Disaster Distress Helpline: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/disaster-distress-helpline
• National Alliance on Mental Health:
• NAMI HelpLine is available M-F 10 am – 10 pm, ET. Connect by phone 800-950-6264 or text "Helpline" to 62640, or chat. In a crisis call or text 988.

Floaties for Krakens Links/Contact:

• Website Link:
• https://www.floatiesforkrakens.com
• Spotify Show Link:
• https://open.spotify.com/show/1LTqFzeNq4OpgEMQiRrGtK?si=5ab2c8ab16e44abb
• Youtube:
• https://www.youtube.com/@FloatiesforKrakens
• Instagram:
• https://www.instagram.com/floatiesforkrakens/

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This episode of Floaties for Krakens was written and recorded by me, Camille Maria Acosta. A monstrous thank you to Robin Gow for such a kind interview. A big thank you to Michael Cosman for producing a stellar episode, and a huge thank you, to Natalie Hedberg for designing such a phenomenal logo.Music for the show was also written and produced by me, with a special appearance by my Thatha, Toby Acosta.Floaties for Krakens is not a Sponsored Podcast.However, here are the tools I used and am very thankful for to get this idea off the ground:

• Adobe Audition
• Adobe Premiere Pro
• Arturia Minilab Mk II
• Canva
• Garage Band
• Logitech for Creators White Yeti USB Microphone
• Zencastr

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Keep Being Monstrous.Keep Shining Bright.