Kenny Penn

Thank you everyone for being patient! While I juggle my life, I have decided not to do the podcast every week, and instead will aim for once a month! While this is not nearly enough, it is better than nothing! Thank you for the support and as always if you haven't rated the podcast in your podcast player please make sure to give it 5 stars today! Now on the interview!

Kenny Penn

Here we have Kenny Penn. A man of words and vision. This is his website, and I recommend giving this a click and some love. This is the author page I have linked, I feel like it's always really interesting to give the authors we read about some background. Like finding out he has his own website, is married and has kids and recently finished his first novel "Mississippi Wizards." Sometimes on the site we get caught up in the words; forget that their are people with lives and personalities here. When I do research before the interview, I always feel like I find out the most interesting things and it really adds depth to these writers.

I have learned that he has a masters and a lifelong love of writing and reading. Which is evident in his language and word usage. His ability to tackle complex emotions and draw them out of the reader is palpable. When I read his work I feel transported to different feelings in my body and at times, can physically feel the setting he composed on paper. His ability to create relatable material is inspiring. While his attention to emotions is sublime, I can't help but love that he is also very empowering for everyone else as well on the site.

While talking to Kenny I was obviously very much liking his voice, quite literally the first thing I said to him when he answered the phone. I was also struck with how well this man could articulate what it is he was able to do to become the writer that he is. I, personally as a writer, struggle with what I say at times, but he very easily helped point us in the direction he took to elevate his writing. Here is one tool Kenny mentioned in regards to his writing.

What I was also enjoying about his adivce was that he mentioned to "write everyday". This has been a common theme I have come across when talking to other writers. They mention that they practice the craft daily. To those new to Vocal, take this man's advice and simply write.

This story was a finalist in the Vocal Awards; and for good reason. Reading this story you felt as if it was longer than it was. The context was brilliant and the small glimpse you see in the story opens your mind to even more that could have happened here. I get vibes of "Ferngully" and the movie "Faeries", which if you haven't seen is quite close in context to this story.

This is the first piece published to Vocal in August of 2023. WHich is odd, because I feel like I've known him longer. What strikes me in his writing is the story never goes where one would assume it would go. I love the twists and turns, and his first story was the perfect symbolism to that.

I remember this was one of the first I had read by him, when he came on the scene. This set in motion a series of events I can only descibe as awesome. This story is so well-written and funny, and his humor really comes through; as a parent I was equal parts horrified as I was laughing.

Wanted to make sure I included his poems that I really liked. Not to mention that it is super inspriing to me that someone who didn't ususally write in this genre decided to tackle something so structured! Haikus are not my specialty, but safe to say that Kenny has them down! Make sure to check them out!