The mission of Philadelphia Stories is to cultivate a community of writers, artists, and readers in the Greater Philadelphia Area through publications, professional development, and promotion of area writers.
Philadelphia Stories is a 501c3 that has been serving the writing, reading, and art community of the Greater Delaware Valley since 2004. Co-founders Carla Spataro and Christine Weiser began Philadelphia Stories to build a Philadelphia-based community of writers, artists, and readers through the free magazine and affordable educational programs and events. Program highlights include:
Philadelphia Stories Magazine (since 2004 – FREE): The primary vehicle for this mission is the free print magazine, which publishes work by local writers and artists. Five thousand copies of the free print magazine are distributed each quarter to more than 200 locations throughout the Delaware Valley, including all 52 branches of the Free Library of Philadelphia.
Philadelphia Stories, Jr. (FREE): This bi-annual print and online literary magazine by writers age 18 and under from the Philadelphia area is distributed for free throughout the region. Philadelphia Stories, Jr. has two release parties each year where young readers and musicians share their talents through performance. Since 2012, Philadelphia Stories, Jr. has also partnered with Mighty Writers, the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, the Arden Theatre Company, Montgomery County Poet Laureate Program, the Musehouse Literary Arts Center, area public schools, the PoetryWITS (Writers in the Schools) Program, That’s So Philly, Philly Girls Read, and more.
PS Books: This books division of Philadelphia Stories showcases local writers through book-length works.. Titles include collections by Randall Brown, Alison Hicks, P.C. Scheponik, and more.
Philadelphia Stories Masthead
Publisher/Executive Director:
Christine Weiser
Publisher/Editorial Director:
Carla Spataro
Fiction Editor
Mitchell Sommers
Assistant Fiction Editor
Amy Luginbuhl
Poetry Editor
Courtney Bambrick
Assistant Poetry Editor
Nicole Marie Pasquarello
Nonfiction Editor
Julia MacDonnell Chang
Susette Brooks
Art Editor
Pam McLean-Parker
Production Manager
Derek Carnegie
Web Design
Loic Duros
Contest Coordinator
Nicole Marie Pasquarello
Editorial Assistant
Lena Van
Marketing Assistant
Dom Saunders
Interns (click HERE to learn how to become an intern)
Editorial Board
FICTION
Aimee LaBrie
Brian Ellis
Darrah M. Hewlett
Owen Hamill
Shelley Schenk
Elizabeth Green
Lena Van
Conor Mintzer
Nathan Long
Abigail Reed
Chelsea Covington Maass
Walt Maguire
Leslie McRobbie
Robert Kerbeck
Kathleen Furin
Addison Namnoum
John Barwick
Ally Evans
Kathleen Furin
POETRY
Peter Baroth
Deborah Burnham
Blythe Davenport
Liz Rose Dolan
Margot Douahiy
Pat Green
Vernita Hall
Maria James Thiaw
David Kozinski
Ed Krizek
Shira Moolten
Aimee Penna
Thomas Jay Rush
John Shea
Notus Williams
NONFICTION
Deborah Off
Sarah Wecht
Rachel Mamola
Sam Dodge
Conor Mintzer
Andrea Vinci
Board of Directors
Concha Alborg
Alison Hicks
Alex Husted
Mitchell Sommers
Will Woldenberg
PS Junior/Teen
Aileen Bachant, director
Kara Cochran, assistant director
Sharada Krishnamurthy, Lead Editor, PS Teen
Heather Kristian, Lead Editor, PS Junior
Become a volunteer of Philadelphia Stories today.