Editors
Dear readers and contributors,
The original creators and editors of Imaginarium have all graduated and are stepping down, and we can't wait to see what the next generation of UC Berkeley speculative fiction enthusiasts has to offer the next issue. We had such a great time reading, editing, and gazing over all your works, and we want to deeply thank all of the artists for their contributions to Imaginarium.
Courtney:
The founder of Imaginarium, the seed that grew the mechanical tree. For me, speculative fiction opens worlds of possibilities not limited by the technical or cultural realities of today. It's experimental and romantic and continually changing and challenging. To describe me, I'm just a blob of particles whizzing around, occasionally collected enough to get something accomplished.
Lesley:
I'm a science junky who would rather write about it than work in the field. I love talking about cosmology, posthumanism ethics, and why quantum phenomena is like a glitch in reality. One thing that makes speculative fiction great is that it can keep the profundity with the entertainment.
Louis:
I was born in Sydney, Australia and lived half of my life there. I moved to Los Angeles when I was eleven and eventually found my way to Berkeley where I am currently studying English and Rhetoric. I have long been obsessed with improving my writing. I have read several books on style, grammar, etc. all in an attempt to give my writing the prowess that seems to come so naturally to many authors. Writing is difficult but rewarding work.
Out of my interest in written word has bloomed my love of reading, specifically speculative fiction. Why this genre? All fiction has agency—any powerful novel can kindle revolutions in emotion, thought, and even society. While speculative fiction teems with the power characteristic of regular fiction, it is unique; it produces similar themes while making greater use of imagination—it speculates, it imagines the new.
Kirsten:
Speculative fiction interests me because it provides the opportunity to explore ones imagination in ways unparalleled by other genres. Through Imaginarium I am able to share my interest in the creative aspects of speculative fiction with my fellow editors and enjoy the submissions sent in by our contributors. When I'm not on campus or studying, I spend my time hunting for vintage items, writing letters, and coming up with raw vegan recipes.
Assistant Editors
Wendy Mao, Michael Osakwe, and Michelle Poon