P J Kennard

For me writing is an often difficult but cathartic part of me. I cannot imagine a life where I am NOT writing: it isn’t about making money (I am often too afraid to show others my work) it is about the impossibility of a day when I write NOTHING.

To me, writing is as basic a necessity as breathing.

A lifetime ago, I moved halfway across the country to reboot my life. Most did not care, it was easy.

Now I must return, for a job interview. Memories sandbagging my mind, shredding rational thoughts, past nightmares made fresh.

But I must face my fears for the sake of my future.

I am frightened.

Image of a hedghog, nose down, on a grey carpet, in an outdoor utility room.

As the colder weather begins to bite, we start to get the occasional visitor.
#Hedgehog

Photo of a white cat looking serenely into camera.

When I needed to pop out to the shops the other day, an old friend stopped me to say hello.
Had been a pretty rough week, so this pause was very welcome 😸
#Caturday

This is a frankly insane amount of dice and a fantastic range.
Gotta roll ‘em to win ‘em!

Every soul can witness the same moon, but each will see it in its own way 🙂

Well, it had to happen eventually: a hectic work month and in September averaged under 1K words a day. Still 981 a day, with over 1,100 a day average year-to-date.

4 short stories worked on, 6 new concepts, 3 articles (work), 6 poems (4 finished) + more on 2 WIPs.

More rejections. Sigh.

#BookSky

Growing up, I was always baffled why my oh so serious and distant grandfather had a collection of Peanuts book. I never got chance to ask him, it took me too long to realise he could appreciate humour as much as me. That collection helped me learn to read.
Happy 75th Charlie Brown 😻

Been struggling a little with the writing this month; work has been insane, so was pretty inevitable.

Awoke this morning with so many random thoughts exploding in my mind, I had to get them down. The resulting poem has made me feel a LOT better 😸

Aleays good to start the day with a scream. Gets it over with 😸

Definitely a blep day 😻

Heavy rain today, but needed to step out for milk. Discovered halfway round that my one pair of decent trainers are not as weatherproof as I had hoped!
#SoggySocks

Thank you for the trip down memory lane 🙂

It’s hard to overstate the impact this series had on my young and impressionable mind. The first series explores ideas that are still groundbreaking to this day, with a fantastic cast and one of the best spaceship designs ever!
#Space1999

I used to hate writing short stories, but have found they’re not only a good palate cleanser when struggling with something longer, but they’re stories I actually finish!
Still at the stage of entering things to get better known, so spent this week writing flash fiction. Whole story in 250 words !?!

Needing to clear out food from the pantry can produce interesting combinations.

Is it weird that dinner was a Rosemary and Sea Salt Focaccia, topped with olive spread and homemade raisin mash?

Wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was an enjoyable mix that worked together remarkably well!

Getting too stressed about work, using writing as an escape (again).

Found myself wide awake and writing a really dark story at 3am.

Re-read at 8:30 wondering where it had come from. Added stuff and now have a 1,400 word piece of fatalism. Not sure anyone will ever get to see it though.

#BookSky

Thanks so much for the article, it’s clear the huge amount of love that’s going into the SST HD rebuilds.
However, surprised to see no mention of the missing ‘International Space Commission’ scenes from the Network 16:9 release of “Alien Attack”. Will this release contain the same edit?

Creative Writing Contest Winners When we invited subscribers to pen a poem or short story inspired by my small painting EFFLORESCENT, the response caught me by surprise.

Artist Michael Whelan recently demonstrated this rather clearly: he posted a work, inviting people to pen a 250 word story based on it. In a week, he got sixty completely different works. 4 very different winners, all inspired by the same picture.

theartofmichaelwhelan.substack.com/p/creative-w...

Creative Writing Contest Winners When we invited subscribers to pen a poem or short story inspired by my small painting EFFLORESCENT, the response caught me by surprise.

Last month we invited writers to wrap a story around a small painting for the Leftovers & Palette Gremlins gallery project. The response was incredible with 60 entries submitted. Today we announce the winners!

theartofmichaelwhelan.substack.com/p/creative-w...

Huge congratulations to Josh Gauthier, @amtuomala.bsky.social and Justin Spencer. I feel honoured to be in your company. I implore people to read their fantastic pieces on the above link 🙂

Creative Writing Contest Winners When we invited subscribers to pen a poem or short story inspired by my small painting EFFLORESCENT, the response caught me by surprise.

Having grown up with no end of books bearing the beautiful artwork from Michael Whelan, I am stunned and humbled by this win.
Thank you so much to @michaelwhelan.bsky.social for his wonderful art and amazing contest. 😻

#BookSky

Creative Writing Contest Winners
open.substack.com/pub/theartof...

It’s odd what lingers…
Spent all day yesterday trying to progress any of 3 stories (2 shorts, 1 WIP), before abandoning them.
Was about to give up when from a single line, I spent the evening conceiving and writing a complete 1,500 word ghost story.
Mind is still in that haunted ramen shop.
#BookSky

Already preordered, but have to ask: will this have the same 16:9 special edition of ‘Alien Attack’ from Network/Spirit, which rather oddly omits the newer ‘International Space Commission’ sequences?
Always seemed odd that a ‘special edition’ would remove what made this cut of the story unique.

Definitely needed a purr at the moment 🐈‍⬛

Writing as Refuge.
With work mostly a dumpster fire doused in petrol, I spent July escaping into my Word Forest.
Wrote an average of 1,000 words a day, starting 9 short stories, completing 3; 4 poems started, 3 finished, plus more on main WIP.
Even found time to enter another competition.
#BookSky

This is why I write.
Flash fiction written and edited in a burst for a short-notice competition.
I know that once submitted it will drown under the ocean of marvels by talented writers, but for now it is perfect; every word a delight and exactly right.
I wouldn’t change a thing.
#BookSky #Writing

Future Gareth will only have himself to blame 😜

I may be beginning to turn a corner. This hasn’t been a great couple of weeks thanks to massive changes at work, which have really played havoc with my mental health.
But… there are signs today that I am finally making some progress in getting my head in the right place to get through it.

Well, I feel as though I am full of gas and fire, so this seems pretty accurate.

Another day, another (somehow entirely appropriate) wonderful sentiment. Thank you 😻