Heart of a Scribe
A Pennacle Anthology
A compilation of all winning pieces from Pennacle's contests: POF 1-6, and Literesque Prize 1.
Edited by Kahlan Hills
Compiled and Published 2025
Publisher's Note
Literature has always been both a mirror and a fire: a mirror that reflects the textures of human experience, and a fire —the force of expression itself — that burns with urgency, clarity, and imagination, stripping away indifference, complacency and the boundaries of language.
Every age has turned to its writers for this alchemy of witness and wonder. Every society has been reshaped by voices brave enough to take the raw material of language and forge it into something enduring.
At Pennacle, we have long believed that the pen remains one of the most formidable instruments of change and illumination. For years, our literary competitions have invited writers to test the strength of their voices and stretch the limits of their craft, and we have witnessed again and again from hundreds of entries submitted across cultures and sensibilities, how a single piece of writing can startle, console, provoke, and inspire.
Heart of a Scribe: A Pennacle Anthology, puts this in perspective, bringing together the finest works from seven editions of Pennacle's literary competitions —six cycles of the Pen on Fire Writing Contest and Workshop, and one cycle of the Literesque Prize(previously known as Pennacle's Prize for Good Literature.)
Across fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, this collection gathers voices whose artistry lies not only in their creative brilliance, but in their boldness and courage to ignite thought, stir feeling, and press language to its highest form.
Here are pieces that wrestle with truth, fracture silence, and carry the burden of beauty. You will find each piece bearing witness —to grief and resilience, to memory and desire, to the persistent fire of the human spirit, even as little as a flint.
This anthology is both a record and a promise: a record of the excellence our contests have fostered, and a promise that literature —when sharpened by craft and purpose— remains one of the most powerful forces of transformation. Even more so, this anthology is a part of a larger commitment that Pennacle will continue to build spaces where writers are sharpened, celebrated, and seen.
To the writers whose works appear in these pages, we offer our recognition and gratitude. To the readers, we offer these words as conversation, as challenge, as light.
Beloved writers, readers and all who enter these pages, I welcome you to Heart of a Scribe.
With Love,
KAHLAN HILLS
Editor-in-chief
The Collection
Tap on a title to read full piece.
Pen on Fire Writing Competition & Workshop
1st Edition, April 2020
First Place — Courtney Ebele
Queen of the Waters
2nd Edition, April 2021
First Place — Kelechi Rosanna Joel
Blood Thirst
Second Place — Precious Chioma
Curated
3rd Edition, October 2022
First Place — Olivia Michael
Anxious for Nothing
Second Place — Ibekwe Chinonso
Repercussions
4th Edition, April 2023
First Place — Marylin Anikwe
Nineteenth of January
Second Place — Damilola Seyi
Salt on Their Skin
5th Edition, October 2024
First Place — Penelope Kosarachi
Mother Lied
Second Place — Kennedy Ohams
Living in Bondage (Or Whatever That Andy Okeke Movie Said)
6th Edition, February 2025
First Place — Kim Chioma
Murder Dresses Up
Second Place — Faridah Abdulrazaq
Hey Blue Eyes, I'm Going Under
The Literesque Prize, 1st Edition
POETRY CATEGORY
First Place — I Am Bread by Anele Zedd
Second Place — Too Much of a Woman by Maree Nefechi
Third Place — Bean Sprouts by Dika
Fourth Place — Beneath the Bulbous Baobab Tree by Deborah Egbekpalu
SHORT STORY CATEGORY
First Place — When We Dared to Dream by Damilola Seyi
Second Place — The Other End of the Cuffs by Okeke Ifunanya
Third Place — Nigeria Happened to Me Too by Emmanuel Faith Olatayo
Fourth Place — Love, Habibi by Ella Ngwakwe
CREATIVE NONFICTION CATEGORY
First Place — Default Destiny by Courtney Ebele
Second Place — Purpose Beacons by Adama Felix Ekene
Third Place — To Be or Not To Be by Ibezim Emily Chika
Fourth Place — Masked by Ogochukwu Tricia Onwaeze
Edition & Category Themes
POF 1-6 Editions
POF 1 – Craftsmanship
The first edition of the Pen on Fire Writing Contest & Workshop focused on craft itself —the shaping of words, the attention to structure, the careful balance between imagination and execution. These works testify to the belief that writing is not only inspiration but also deliberate artistry, where every sentence is an instrument, every line a choice, and every piece a work of deliberate design.
POF 2 – The Genius Edition
In its second cycle, the contest sought to uncover the spark of genius that distinguishes a writer's voice. These pieces are not only clever but revelatory, carrying insights that surprise and resonate long after the final line. The works in this edition embody a fusion of talent and originality, a reminder that true genius lies not only in brilliance of thought but in the ability to translate vision into words that live and breathe.
POF 3 – Writing Mastery
The third edition celebrated mastery —the honing of skill, the sharpening of voice, the command of form. The workshop focused on positioning writers in full control of their craft, helping them weave narratives, essays, and poems with precision and depth. The entries stand as examples of how discipline and practice, when married to imagination, produce works that are both artful and enduring.
POF 4 – The Beauty of the Art
Here, the contest turned its gaze to beauty, not superficial, but elegance, the kind that arises when truth and expression meet in harmony. The selected pieces demonstrate the aesthetic force of literature: its power to console, to dazzle, to move. Pieces in this edition, reveal how language, in the right hands, becomes both mirror and music.
POF 5 – The Creative Writer
The fifth edition focused on creative writing as a genre. The workshop emphasized the daring leap of imagination, the willingness to see beyond convention and breathe life into the unexpected. These pieces remind us that creative writing is both freedom and discipline —the freedom to imagine differently, and the discipline to render that vision compellingly on the page.
POF 6 – Short Stories That Sell
By its sixth cycle, the contest pressed into the craft of storytelling as both art and offeringstories not only told but shared, as book, as reels, as tweets, as content —stories that live in the marketplace of human attention. The winning short stories in this edition demonstrate that a work of art can be both beautiful and accessible, both refined and resonant with the reader's deepest needs. They remind us that literature's reach is widest when its heart beats in rhythm with its audience.
Literesque Prize, 1st Edition
Poetry
Theme: I AM
A declaration, a whisper, a prayer...however way you read it, I Am is both a statement and a journey into becoming. Poets stretch language into mirrors and masks, affirmations and doubts, tracing the fragile and fierce dimensions of selfhood. In these verses, being is fluid, unfolding, resisting, and creating.
Short Story
Theme: Nigeria Happened to Me Too
Every Nigerian carries a story that bears the marks of survival; of chaos, laughter, resilience, thriving, and the weight of “no be Naija again?.”In this section, writers peel back the layers of lived experience and imagination to confront how a country's storms and charms find their way into the lives of its people. These stories echo what it means to be born in the motherland and live long enough to tell the tale.
Creative Nonfiction
Theme: Pursuit of Purpose
When homes crumble, dreams scatter, or new beginnings emerge, the question of “why” becomes sharper than ever. Here, writers wrestle with purpose, searching for meaning in ruins, in recovery, and in the small victories of daily lives. These pieces are intimate, radical acts of reflection, asking what it truly means to live with intent.
Fun Fact
We didn't know or plan for it at the time of each POF contest but we realized during the production of this anthology that the themes follow a natural chronological journey. Each edition was simply an exploration of writing. But looking back, a hidden order reveals itself, moving from craftsmanship to genius, mastery, beauty, creativity, and finally, to stories that sell. Almost as if the anthologies were writing their own story of growth, edition by edition.
Craftsmanship → The beginning. Foundational. Where the writer learns to hone tools, shape words, and focus on precision.
The Genius Edition → After the craft, comes originality. The spark. Writers begin to show their voice and stand out as unique.
Writing Mastery → With originality cultivated, discipline and deeper control of technique take center stage. Mastery ties together craft + genius.
The Beauty of the Art → Once mastery is there, the writer sees beyond technical skill into elegance, aesthetics, and the soul of writing.
The Creative Writer → At this point, creativity is freer, broader. The writer is less bound by form and more confident in innovation.
Short Stories that Sell → The practical culmination. After journeying through craft, genius, mastery, beauty, and creativity, the writer is ready to meet the market with works that resonate and sustain.
Contributors Wall
Courtney is Pennacle's premiere contest winner. She is a poet, scriptwriter, accountant, and a feminist and LGBT rights activist. She loves creating stories that “challenge norms and spark conversations”. When she is not working, she is drawing or hanging out with friends who, in her words, like to tease her for labelling everything, even her daydreams, in neat spreadsheets.
After winning POF 1 in 2020, Courtney came back in 2024 and won the Creative Nonfiction category of the Literesque Prize.
Connect with her @badgalkhay_
Information about Kelechi Rosanna Joel.
Information about Deborah Egbekpalu.
Information about Ibekwe Chinonso.
Information about Okeke Ifunanya.
Information about Anaele Zeddekiah.
Information about Olivia Michael.
Information about Marylin Anikwe.
Information about Emmanuel Faith Olatayo.
About
Pennacle
At Pennacle, we are more than a little bit obsessed with storytelling, and narrative excellence. Our mission is to inspire writers to mastery and profitability, and we seek out creatives who are not afraid to be provocative, bold and explorative.
Through our programs and resources, we provide empowerment for writers to create freely, attain mastery, make impact and thrive.
Our team includes writers, editors, designers, marketers and branding experts, who have honed their craft individually and built credibility working with a vast number of customers both home and abroad.
As a team, we have helped thousands of creatives develop their skills, scale their brands, realize their visions and achieve their goals. Each member brings their unique skills and experiences to the table, allowing us to offer a comprehensive suite of services that meets your needs.
Acknowledgement
This anthology would not exist without the remarkable talent, courage, and creativity of all our contest participants. To every writer who submitted to POF 1–6 and Literesque Prize 1,: thank you for trusting us with your stories and for inspiring us with your voices.
We are deeply grateful to our judges, mentors, and volunteers, whose careful guidance and dedication helped shape these contests and uplift every winning entry. Your insight, encouragement, and patience have been invaluable.
A heartfelt thanks also goes to our editors, curators, and team members who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to bring this collection to life, ensuring that every story shines in its full glory.
Finally, we thank our readers. Without you, these stories would remain words on a page. Your support, curiosity, and love of storytelling give purpose to every contest, every submission, and every carefully crafted line in this anthology.