Philadelphia Stories

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.

Rae Cline

Rae Cline is the author of the short story collection The Indefinite State of Imaginary Morals (Patasola Press, NY). Her debut novel is forthcoming from 7.13 Books in spring 2026. Her stories, essays, and poetry have appeared in print and online at The Paris Review, The Missouri Review, McSweeney’s, DIAGRAM, North American Review, Gargoyle and more. Her fiction and creative nonfiction have won prizes, scholarships and fellowships from Johns Hopkins, American University, Aspen Writers Foundation and North American Review. She earned an M.A. in Writing at Hopkins and received her M.F.A. in Fiction and Creative Nonfiction from American University, where she was the recipient of the Starr and Sartwell scholarships. She has lectured on campuses and other venues including Hopkins, American University, the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa, St. Mary’s College of Maryland and others. Rae splits time between NYC and the Gulf of Mexico with her husband Rand and Havanese puppy Sophi. She is the founding editor of Eckleburg and is represented by Jennifer Carlson with Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary Agency. Read more at raecline.com.