PromptedIt 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. Alison, who has run the Studio for more than thirteen years, had a proposal for PS Books: to publish an anthology that would offer a sampling of work from her students both past and present. We liked it, and agreed to take on the project.
Publishing the anthology was not the journey we expected. Alison’s father became very ill during the production of the book, and she often had to travel between Pennsylvania and California to care for him. During this difficult time, she managed to juggle author edits, formatting questions, permissions issues, and more. Co-editor Elizabeth Mosier spent many hours helping to fine tune the book, and the result is Prompted, an anthology that explores the human condition via poetry, personal essays, and fiction. From internationally published author Julie Compton (Tell No Lies, Rescuing Olivia) to first-time poet Marsha Pincus, Prompted’s connective tissue lies in a deep love andrespect for the craft of writing.
Alison’s father passed away the week before the book launch this past May, and while she was unable to attend the launch party, her voice was present throughout event. It was a beautiful day– the sun broke through the rain in time for the event, and more than one hundred people came out to celebrate the launch. It was another moment that reminded us why we volunteer so many hours for Philadelphia Stories– to see so many people gathered together to celebrate words was proof that the muse is alive and well here in the Philadelphia region. We’re honored to be a part of it.
Thank you for the journey, Alison. Your father would be proud.
Christine Weiser and Carla Spataro
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