Hello, it is always a pleasure I delight in to write to the community on any and everything. This column is a cumulation of that. Everything happening in Pencilmarks and that has happened in the preceding days. Let us start from the past to see what is there to learn.
From January until now has felt like a century but we have remarkable timestamps even in that flood of days. For one, we launched our internship program which now has seven lucky successful interns and they will be with us until the end of the year. Next year, we will open our doors again to more brilliant minds.
Second, we have published over 35 literary works and that is a huge celebration to us, the writers, and the literary community as a whole. Breathing life into the scene time after time is why we are here and more than glad, we are grateful that we understand the assignment.
Third, we launched our editor’s column run by the editor Timileyin Akinsaya and it is a corner of literary command on what it feels like to see as an editor and be one. The column speaks on her experience as an editor and everything in between and is a good place to spend some time.
Fourth, the reading list of the Editor In Chief (me) was also introduced and is expected to make its debut sometime in August with all the moving pieces I have curated for your consideration. I have read volumes of art these five months and I revel in the joy that is Nigerian Literature. It is a wonder and a gift. I also wrote an ode to the scene some weeks back which can be read through the embed below or on medium. Now, other jurisdictions have also been included in my list but charity begins at home.
On what is coming, we will be taking a quick breather on the 26th of this month to return on the 12th of June. This breather is to allow our interns and staff to give a little more time and attention to other areas of their lives and return with renewed strength. All submissions made between now and Thursday the 25th will be published on the 26th before the breather is proceeded on and publication will resume on the 16th of June but submissions on the 12th. We love to read you.
In addition to the regularly scheduled publications, we have two projects on our hands and that is exciting news! The first one is the first collection of the year due at the end of the month of June and yes submissions will continue during the breather. The second project is a discourse on neuro-divergence and will be released in August alongside the reading list.
It is evident that there are exciting times ahead and this is what we seek refuge in on discouraging days. The publishing house has a fallow period in September and during that time, we take a recess to return firmer for the anniversary and end-of-year activities.
With all of this highlighted, it is obvious that we are not without you and so thank you for engaging us, choosing us as a home for your pieces, and preaching our gospel. The current channels of collaboration are through the June anthology and the neurodivergent discourse. Both of which can be found on any of the social media channels or through this link.
As always, with all the excitement at what we can create,
Clara Jack,
Editor-In-Chief
Pencilmarks Publishing House and Scribbles Magazine.
