The convention I look forward to most

A premier gathering for creatives

It’s become the main event on my calendar, and I’ve got big plans for the next one — the 13th — in my adopted hometown of Louisville, KY. The Imaginarium Convention is an annual gathering of authors, poets, filmmakers, game designers, creatives of all kinds. My co-host for the podcast Vamp Chat with Dan & Eva, Eva Vertrice, will share a vendor table with me in Main Expo where we’ll hand out Vamp Chat swag and autograph copies of our vampire novels. Plus, we’ll take part in some of the 130+ panels, including one we’ll moderate called, “Has Ireland Become the New Transylvania?” This will explore the surge in pop culture vampires from the Emerald Isle. I’m hoping top-notch authors will join us for this one.

We will also kick off the Summer/Fall season of Vamp Chat with a live stream from the Imaginarium’s main stage. Guests TBD, but most likely they’ll include New York Times best-selling author Heather Graham who will be an Imaginarium Guest of Honor. Graham is famous for her Vampire Hunters and Alliance Vampires series.

But the Imaginarium is about way more than the fanged undead. Two of my publicity clients will also have tables in Main Expo. Christina Marrocco writes literary historical fiction, and she’ll bring copies of her latest release, The Way Beauty Comes Apart. This novel-in-stories is set in the fictional village of Nefin, Wales, during the early to mid-20th Century. Each chapter features a character speaking directly to the reader, sharing their aspirations, observations, and the circumstances of their untimely death. Christina’s book received a glowing review from the Historical Novel Society and I’m sure it will win awards. She will also bring copies of another novel-in-stories honoring her Italian-American heritage, called Addio, Love Monster. That title won the Book of the Year award from the Chicago Writers Association.

Also in Main Expo you’ll find Andrea Jones, whose Hook & Jill Saga re-imagines Neverland for mature readers. Inspired by J.M. Barrie’s characters, Andrea breathes new life into Captain Hook, Wendy, Peter Pan, and the Lost Boys, creating a pirate adventure stretching four novels, with a fifth on the way. The first installment, Hook & Jill, is a Gold Recipient from Mom’s Choice Awards and the subsequent novels have each garnered numerous awards in various categories. Andrea will also proudly display copies of her lovingly restored edition of Barrie’s novel, Peter and Wendy, with the 1911 original text.

Another client of mine, Ritu Anand, will have a table in Creatives Alley. Her children’s book, Kara’s Dreams, is another Gold recipient from Mom’s Choice Awards. Illustrated by Veen Redwood, this book is a tale of faith, growth, and resilience. Ritu’s forthcoming title, I Am My Language, is based on her experience in India attending a Catholic girls school learning English as her first language. At the age of seven, Ritu became determined to learn her native Punjabi, which she did with the help of a translator.

Ritu is also a literary agent at the D4EO agency and hopes to sit down with authors for pitch sessions. I am also advocating for Christina Marrocco and Andrea Jones to lead their own solo presentations.

Finally, I’ll debut the sequel to my vampire novel, Fiona’s Guardians. Five years in the making, Agripina’s Firstborn picks up from where the first novel left off, with human guardian Daniel now working for Fiona’s latest creation, Camilla. A crisis involving Camilla prompts Fiona to return to the U.S., only to find that Daniel has fled to Mexico where he’s captured by a powerful vampire named Atlacamani. During this time, Fiona learns that her creator, Agripina, sired another vampire a century before Fiona. This older “sister” is reportedly vicious, revolting to look at, and has a grievance against Agripina concerning the circumstances of her transition. After Agripina dies in Book 1, the elder sister invokes the Sins of the Sire law which allows her to pursue revenge against the next in line: Fiona. That retribution is a battle to the death which the younger Fiona expects to lose. But secret research involving vampire DNA offers an opportunity. Fiona learns that her sister is funding an experiment that would allow her to walk under the sun, making her invincible. The elder vampire’s name is also revealed: Atlacamani, the same one who’s using Daniel to lure Fiona closer. Fiona’s only hope is to become a test subject for this risky experiment, betting everything that she’ll be the first to obtain immunity from the sun’s rays.

I hope you’ll join me, Eva, Christina, Andrea, Ritu, and scores of other creatives at the Imaginarium Convention, July 17-19, at the Holiday Inn Louisville East. And if you wander into Main Expo, be sure to stop by and say Hi.

Dan K