LI Issue 13 Introduction

by Sue Babcock

Due to outside commitments, John “JAM” Arthur Miller, the creator and publisher of Liquid Imagination, has stepped away from LI. He has been such an inspiration, and will be sorely missed. However, be assured that LI will continue. Our great editors (Kevin, Chrissy and Brandon) continue to … well, edit. The narrator (Bob) will narrate. And the managing editor (that’s me, Sue) will continue to manage. I am also now the “publisher.” We will continue to have our usually collection of heart wrenching, palm-sweat-inducing intense stories, poems and flash.

It has been a journey for me, one that I have enjoyed every step of the way: from engineer to novice writer (I don’t claim to have ever advanced past the novice level) to editor to website builder and designer and now publisher. What a joy it is to work with some of the most wonderful people I have know – the staff at LI, our writers, and our readers! Without them, LI would not exist.

A key figure in my journey has been always been JAM. He was there for me when I began writing, and again when he dreamed of Liquid Imagination and offered me to join him on his journey to find this dream. Thank you, JAM, for all that you’ve done.

In Issue 12 JAM spoke of LI being race horse, gathering more and more speed as it matured and moved forward. I share that ideal. LI is transitioning, hopefully to an ever better future.

Issue 52 is the ultimate issue of Liquid Imagination. John Arthur Miller (we called him Jam back then) had a dream, and made it a reality. He dreamed of Sophia, his muse, and how she would help him create a fusion of art and stories and poems and music. Sophia was on the cover of Issue 1, published online in the fall of 2008, and in memory of those days, she is on the cover of this last issue. For fourteen years she has kept Liquid Imagination in her heart, but now it is time for her to rest.

It’s been an unbelievable journey for me, and I have made so many friends. Of course, number one is Jam. And Karl Rademacher who helped me build my first website and made Silver Pen come alive. Kevin Wallis was Liquid Imagination’s first Senior Fiction Editor and what a great job he did! His selected stories embodied the vision of Liquid Imagination. John C. Mannone, our Senior Poetry Editor, has been a powerhouse, selecting poetry that is both beautiful to read, as well as thought provoking.

Brandon Rucker composed music for the site and was a poetry editor, and Bob Eccles was the voice of Liquid Imagination for many issues. Past poetry editors also included Sherri Ellerman and Chrissy Davis.

We had a series of highly talented fiction guest editors between 2014 to 2019, including AJ Brown, Samuel Barnhart, Perry McDaid, Maureen Bowden, Edwin Riddell, Gary Fields, and Shah Khan. Edwin Riddell moved on to be Senior Editor from 2019 until this very last issue.

And I cannot forget the hundreds of authors and poets and photographers and artists whose work we were honored to publish. I hope you will browse through the old issues and enjoy experiencing once again the wonderful variety of stories and poems published over the years.

For fourteen years we’ve read thousands of submissions, struggling to select the best ones to publish from all the great ones submitted. I sincerely thank all who made Liquid Imagination such a success, and a great joy for me. I’m very proud of the magazine and of all of the people who contributed in so many ways. I wish every one of you the best that life has to offer.

Signing off with a full heart
Sue Babcock
Publisher, Liquid Imagination