Kendall Defoe
Bio
Teacher, reader, writer, dreamer... I am a college instructor who cannot stop letting his thoughts end up on the page. No AI. No Fake Work. It's all me...
And I did this:
Stories (826)
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My Top-Five Film Books
I am between things right now. Another season is coming to an end. Not the summer, but the film festival season in my hometown. I volunteered to assist with the Fantasia Film Festival for a second year in a row, and now that it is over…I have time on my hands before I return to a teaching job at a college that covers the bills but no longer fills me with joy the way it once did.
By Kendall Defoe about a year ago in Geeks
What I've Learned from Living in Montréal...
It must be said that certain towns have a charm of their own, one that you do not appreciate until you leave and see what the wider world provides. I have lived in Montréal since the early 2000s (had visited in 1999 after attending a wedding), and I see no reason to return to my hometown (Hamilton), its loud neighbour (Toronto), or any other region I cannot afford or access without the benefit of an automobile.
By Kendall Defoe about a year ago in Humor
Terry Southern’s “Now Dig This: The Unspeakable Writings of Terry Southern (1950 – 1995)”
Another book review… Yeah, I know. You would prefer it if I wrote one of my smart-ass poems, or finally finished that multi-chapter piece that could possibly be a very interesting book or made-for-public-domain movie. You may even like my stories and other essays. But here’s the thing: I am on the last day of my volunteer service with a film festival, the heat warning we have received is still on (that threat of thunder, lightning and much-needed rain seems like a cruel joke), and I have very little time to tell you all about the reading companion I have taken with me as I worked too often for free in the steam and humidity of my adopted city.
By Kendall Defoe about a year ago in BookClub
The Gnome
What do you do when you want to get away from it all? Take a cruise! Yes, you take a cruise to get away from all the stress and nonsense of your daily life, like that neighbour who hates what you have added to your own home (the one that is fully paid for and owned by you). You are proud of the aluminum siding, the flamingos (only three), and the decorations that are seasonal and tasteful. But most of all, you are proud of Norman; your Norm.
By Kendall Defoe about a year ago in Fiction
Someth*ng's M*ss*ng
He woke up and knew that the day was…off. Monday afternoon – a late start to the day – and there was a real sense of the day as…strange and new. He had to make a cup of coffee to focus. There were plenty of mugs, glasses, spoons and forks, but he had no…what were those objects? They cut up bread and cheese? The name was a mystery. And lunch or breakfast – brunch was a strange word he hated - was fast, sweet and cold with the coffee a perfect match to the doughnuts and oatmeal. Next, some yoga (cat and cow poses), push-ups, squats, stretches and rest.
By Kendall Defoe about a year ago in Fiction
A Dog's Story
I do not understand the humans. Let me explain: I am “Rex” to my human, but “Steven” to my friends. I have had my human for over three years and it is a pleasant relationship, as long as I can understand the things that we are both supposed to do. I chase out the birds and squirrels, guard the space when the human is out, and make sure that this space is safe.
By Kendall Defoe about a year ago in Fiction
Addiction - Chapter IX
It was now just me and Laura in the room when the detective left. For some reason, I thought that Curtis was somehow responsible for him showing up. I don’t know why, but I felt that his hand was in this. It was too soon to blame any one person for what happened to me, but Detective Morris (I mean, Norris) was just trying to get me to accept that anyone could have done it. Anyone who had access to my drugs and worked closely with me…
By Kendall Defoe 2 years ago in Chapters
Grey Matters
Note: here is a link to the challenge provided by Belle this month. Under her rule, the story itself should hover around 350 words, allowing exceptions for stories that are a little bit longer. My tale did not quite follow that restriction because I wanted to make sure that it reached the required length necessary for acceptance into Vocal (is 600 really the perfect cutoff point? I have to wonder). So here is my attempt to write a story about a setting that eats. Perhaps I am being a little too metaphorical with this one, and even clichéed when it comes to corporate life, but I needed this to make the word count. ;)
By Kendall Defoe 2 years ago in Fiction
Hello, Andrea
Note: this piece was inspired by recent news about events in the life of the late-novelist Alice Munro and her daughter, Andrea Robin Skinner. I was also inspired to write this based on my earlier praise of the author and the piece written by Rachel Robbins (she has given me permission to provide a link to her work here):
By Kendall Defoe 2 years ago in Writers
