Columns

Philadelphia Stories honored Alison Alsup, winner of the second annual Marguerite McGlinn National Prize for Fiction, at an awards ceremony held on the campus of Rosemont College

Welcome to our second annual awards issue, featuring our 2010 Marguerite McGlinn National Prize for Fiction winning story from Allison Alsup of New Orleans.

In the fiction workshops I lead for Philadelphia Stories, I have one rule for the writer when we’re going over his/her story; you can’t speak during your critique

If I’m hooked in the first paragraph, I am more likely to give the writer the benefit of the doubt on page three, when he stumbles on an awkward bit of dialogue.

As we enter year six of publication, we can reflect on another good year. Why? One word: members.

It was about one year ago when we sat down with Marc Schuster, our book acquisitions editor, and Alison Hicks, founder of the Greater Philadelphia Wordshop Studio, a well-known Philadelphia-based creative writing workshop.

Years ago, as a graduate student in writing at DePaul University, I took two fiction classes from Phyllis Moore.

We have lots of events this spring for literature lovers – including our biggest FUNdraiser of the year: our online auction
and spring fling. So, get out your calendars – here are important dates to note:

Find an enthusiastic (and, in retrospect, possibly gay?) English teach named Mr. Calise who encourages your fledging writing efforts, including a full-length revision of Flowers for Algernon which you turn into a six act play.

First,  you  must  experience  an early  trauma.  It  can  be  as  dramatic  as  a  kidnapping,  a  house fire,  or  abuse  from  a  trusted adult or  something  as  simple  as being an only child to