Imagicopter—Imagination’s Helicopter—is hovering over Dragon*Con in the guise of “passenger” artists and authors. H. David Blalock, MidSouth Events Coordinator for Imagicopter, said that the voluntary, creative cooperative does not have an official presence at Dragon*Con, “since Imagicopter does not accept money from or give money to its participants.” Nonetheless, Imagicopter participants at Dragon*Con 2011 include: authors Elizabeth Donald (Nocturne, Abaddon, The Cold Ones), Stephanie Osborn (Burnout), J. L. (Jennifer) Mulvihill (The Lost Daughter of Easa), and Kathryn Sullivan (The Crystal Throne); author/editors Allan Gilbreath (Galen, Dark Chances) and Kimberly Richardson (who is also a poet, Tales of a Goth Librarian; editor, Dreams of Steam and Dreams of Steam II Brass and Bolts); and artists Chuck Jett and T. D. Roebuck.
Richardson, as editor, and Mulvihill, as novelist, will launch new books at Dragon*Con, both published by Kerlak Publishing and available at booth 406 Marquis (M). Dreams of Steam II Brass and Bolts, the second volume of steampunk stories edited by Richardson, celebrates its debut at Dragon*Con and includes Mulvihill’s short story “Chilled Meat.” The Lost Daughter of Easa, also just released, is the first book of Mulvihill’s young adult fantasy series, perhaps best described as bordering on “science fiction with a dash of steampunk.”
Mulvihill described her association with Imagicopter as a positive step, reinforcing her faith in herself as a writer. “When David [Blalock] told me about it I thought it was a wonderful idea, but I told him I did not have a book yet. He said to me that it didn’t matter–I could help promote my friends until I did. I think that was the second time I took to heart the fact that someone else believed in me and called me a writer, (the first . . . being my husband when I started working on the novel). The fact that David gave that respect to me caused me to believe more in myself and what Imagicopter stands for.”
The endeavor launched in Memphis in 2009, promoting participants’ talent and creative work at conventions and book events. Imagicopter works with a group of small press publishers (Kerlak Publishing, Seven Star Press, and Sam’s Dot Publishing, among others) and is approaching 100 individual participants throughout the South, many associated with local chapters such as Mississippi’s Jackson Tower, coordinated by Mulvihill. She said, “I enjoy promoting others’ work and finding events and putting them together.”
For more information about Imagicopter, visit its website or read its free geekzine, Imagyro Magazine. According to Herika R. Raymer, lead editor of Imagyro, the ezine features “articles on where we have been as well as interviews with Imagicopter and non-Imagicopter talent in an effort to raise awareness of lesser known storytellers and artists.” The Kerlak Publishing booth is also a good place at Dragon*Con to meet Imagicopter participants Gilbreath, Richardson, and Mulvihill, as well as other authors whose work is published by Kerlak.
