My Interview With Kendall Defoe, College Instructor and Author
Mariann Carroll's 2025 Summer Interview Series
Today, the Interview is with vocal creator Kendall Defoe. He is a poet and college Instructor. He has been with Vocal since February 2018, that's 7 years. He has written over 742 stories and two self-published books under his belt. He has several Top Stories and three Vocal achievements.
Mariann: Where are you from?
Kendall: I am from Canada.
Mariann: What do you like most about Canada?
Kendall: Canada...well, it tends to leave you alone, and I like the drama of our weather.
Mariann: What word describes you as a writer?
Kendall: I'm "Stubborn" enough to think that my writing matters. I have to do it.
Mariann: What attracts you to read a story on Vocal?
Kendall: I look at titles and sometimes authors. These are bad habits because they can cause you to overlook someone new and remarkable.
Mariann: What did you like about Vocal that made you join?
Kendall: It had better set up than other pages I've used. Vocal makes me feel I'm part of a real community. Vocal should allocate more than one day a week to receive feedback on our work. And more categories.
Mariann: What genre do you like to write about on Vocal?
Kendall: I enjoy poetry, nonfiction, humor, and articles. Occasionally, I enjoy art, politics, and music.
Mariann: What other categories would you add to Vocal?
Kendall: Psychology, success, and more.
Mariann: When did you start writing?
Kendrall: I was fourteen and realised that I was writing or attempting to do so—poems and stories when I should have been doing my math homework. A friend of mine asked for song lyrics when I was in the middle of a programming assignment, and he won a contest with the lyrics I wrote in about ten minutes.
I realized that I could positively impact people through my work. For example, I used to write poems for women leaving our shared house in Tokyo to go back to their home countries. They would often tell me I reduced them to tears.
Mariann: How long did you live in Tokyo, Japan?
Kendall: I lived in Tokyo for three years. I taught ESL and wrote a few reviews. I help translate work information into English. (Strange to remember this now. I translated liner notes for a musician.)The Japan Times published one of my reviews near my birthday.
Mariann: What are your future goals?
Kendall: My future goal is to have a future. Be a Published Author and have a nicer Home.
Link to his self-published books https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Kendall+Defoe+books&crid=2B0A8Q8GC4U7&sprefix=kendall+defoe+books%2Caps%2C157&ref=nb_sb_noss
Mariann: Can you describe your writing space?
Kendall: I call it spare and practical. I don't write as often in my bedroom. The temptation to nap or do nothing is too strong in there.
Mariann: If you could interview a Vocal creator, who would it be, and what would be the first question you would ask the creator?
Kendall: It would be Annie Kapur. I would ask her about her life and work in the UK.
There, you have an interview with our very own Kendall Defoe. He is a very private person, but he has given me the privilege to interview him. He spent three years teaching in a foreign country, that's an amazing courage. The Japan Times published one of his reviews. Kendall remains very humble.
Above is Kendall Defoe, Youtube page. You can listen to him read poems from his book. You will never see a photo or image of him on his YouTube page. You get exclusive photo of his swag cover only through this interview. I hope this interview boost sells on his book. Enjoy knowing this talented Vocal creator. Show your support.
About the Creator
Mariann Carroll
Proactive for positive change.Born in the City of Chicago ,Illinois.
Multi race .Studied in a foreign country .Fluent in several languages .
fascinated by diversity.A Romantic and a dreamer.Interest in healthy living
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Comments (23)
Excellent interview… very interesting. I relate to this: “ Mariann: What attracts you to read a story on Vocal? Kendall: I look at titles and sometimes authors. These are bad habits because they can cause you to overlook someone new and remarkable.”
Great interview!
The thing I really like about his reply, was when he said he is stubborn enough to think that his writing matters and that he has to do it. That gives me a massive amount of motivation. The questions you chose for him pulled some interesting information from him. The song lyrics he wrote in just ten minutes, made his friend win a contest. That's amazing 🤩 I like that you both agreed to include a picture of his writing space. I didn't know he had a YouTube channel. This was a lovely read, congratulations on your leaderboard placement, Mariann 🎉🎉🎉🤗❤️
What a wonderful idea to interview Kendall! He is such a great person!!
Congratulations on your leaderboard placement 🎉🥳
Wooohooooo congratulations on your Leaderboard placement! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
This is an enlightening interview. As a fellow Canadian, lecturer and avid scribbler, I admire and identify with Kendall's excellent work!
Nice interview, Marriann! Kendall is the man and has tons of cool experiences under his belt. Congrats to you both on topping the leaderboard!!!
Nice interview. Kendall is great!
Great job Mariann!!! I’ve had a lot of interaction with Kendall. At one point he facilitated a Vocal + Assist Critique Circle Group on Facebook.
Another cracking interview Mariann and it’s lovely to learn more about Kendall too.
Kendall sure is an amazing writer. Those 3 years in Japan must have been nice. I enjoyed getting to know more about Kendall!
Wonderful interview!!! Loved learning some interesting facts about Kendell!!!❤️❤️💕
Great Mariann! I love reading your interviews!!💗💕
Teacher~Teacher - I Declare My Respect...! jk.in.l.a.
Great interview and inspired choice of interviewee. Delighted to see a photo of Kendall too
So nice to learn more about the elusive and mysterious Kendall Defoe!
Again, I'm embarrassed to see myself praised like this. Thank you, Mariann!
I am touched for being named here. ❤️🥹 Also a great interview of a great writer. Seriously, this guy has some great stuff out. X
This is my longest comment on VOCAL so brace yourself for it 😂: I found this interview with Kendall absolutely fascinating. I’ve admired his writing for a while and often wondered who this incredible storyteller really is. This piece opened a window into his world and felt like such a gift to the VOCAL community. His time in Tokyo was especially captivating to read about, and I smiled when he mentioned avoiding writing in his bedroom because he might fall asleep. I do the same thing. It turns out we have more in common than I expected, and this interview confirmed that quiet sense of connection I’ve always felt through his work. It was also really lovely to see him mention another writer he admires, Annie Kapur, who lives in the UK. I admire her work too, and it made the interview feel even more personal. Kendall lives in Canada, and I have a few friends there as well. It’s funny how sometimes you don’t really know someone, but their words make you feel like you already do. I wonder if, as the VOCAL community continues to grow around the world, we might start seeing national meetups one day. Just a thought. To Mariann, you did a truly wonderful job. And to Kendall, wishing you all the very best. Your writing continues to inspire.
Kendall is an excellent writer with an awesome sense of humor. Thank you for this dope interview. I enjoyed learning more about Kendall! Great job Mariann! 🌸
Wow, 7 years on Vocal, that's impressive! Great interview!
Brilliantly written very interesting 🦋🦋🦋🦋