A 'lil update for tha real ones
on PANSY the memoir + personal news
Hey hey,
If you’re reading this, you’re a real one. Thank you so much for supporting my ‘lil newsletter whether you’re new here, or someone who’s been reading my work for a good minute now. I appreciate you!
This week is a quickie. Just a couple updates for y’all and we’ll leave it there.
First, let’s talk about PANSY!
Just a few more days left to support Pansy: A Black American Memoir on Indiegogo.
Ironically, though, this update is not necessarily a request for funds. Let me explain.
Pansy will be coming out Fall 2024 whether I raise all its Indiegogo funds or not. It’ll either be a scrappy, low-budget release or a bigger-budget one. And as an indie grrlie, I’m cool with either!
My main goal with this fundraising campaign is to let y’all know that my memoir is on the way and to give everyone interested a chance to get involved in the journey of its release, whether that’s with a financial donation or an offering of your services.
As I write this, Pansy has raised 2% of its goal.
On its face, that’s wildly low. And we can talk about the historical disparities in support for Black trans fundraisers versus others some other time.
Because in reality? So far I’ve received service donations for a photographer, graphic designer, and I’ve found an amazing editor willing to work with me on upfront costs.
With these service donations, Pansy has technically raised more like 60% of its goal!
What other service donations could be useful now?
Publicist: Any solid book rollout could use a good publicist. Especially since I’m planning a mini tour.
Lawyer/ legal advice: I may or may not be dragging some well-known corporations with very true retellings of my experiences with them. Please advise.
IngramSparks expert (specifically with formatting): If you are skilled in book formatting for e-books and print, please reach out!
Studio recording access (or recording equipment): As a truly slow reader and someone who listens to many an audiobook on my own, Pansy will most definitely have an audiobook. But I want a high-quality audiobook. Can anyone here help with this?
Tiktokers: If you’re big into Tiktok, I could use your expertise and assistance.
I’m so grateful to every one of you who’ve donated and shared this fundraiser. And special shout out the most recent share by the brilliant
of The Prophets and one of my favorite newsletters, Witness.Every single show of support helps, especially since yer boi has a rather small platform (not a bad thing, just a fact). The more folks learn about Pansy, the more potential readers it can have and that’s a beautiful thing.
If you can help or you know of anyone who can, let me know at jaz@jazjoyner.com
Now, some good personal news
Some of you may know from my Money money money moneé post that 2023 has been an expressly hard time for not just writers everywhere but myself specifically. Well, as of about two weeks ago…
I’m the new Managing Editor for a local LGBTQ magazine!
As an anticapitalist, I’ve navigated many feelings around sharing this news. But it is good. For the first time in my life, I have full-time work that speaks to my higher purpose of uplifting queer art and writing. Celebrating my city of Memphis. Of building loving community, and denouncing anti-Blackness on a local and regional scale. There’s so much potential for good stuff, and for that, I’m hype as hell.
Now with this said, I’m a former freelancer. I haven’t worked a full-time role in years. So to start out, I’m going to opt for more sporadic posts here.
I want to be mindful of work/life balances, and though this newsletter is a labor of love, it’s still labor. So for now, no more biweekly posts. However, I will definitely be dazzling your inboxes on a semi-regular basis. Maybe you’ll enjoy the element of surprise with this!
I hope so.
Now I’ll leave you with this the very first line from my memoir…
Thank y’all. Talk soon(ish),
Jasper Joyner
Jasper is a free newsletter. Thank you for taking the time to read, like, share, and support this work! Consider recommending JASPER if you’re having an extra-good time.
Delighted and honoured to support you and your work 💚
Just thought I'd say hi as one of your newsletter newbies who was immediately struck by your writer's voice and vibe. There's a warmth and magick about both of them - I definitely get a cosy reassuring energy <3
Good luck with your memoir release prep! Sadly I don't have much money to spare (freelance writer fam eyyyy) or the experience you're still looking for (terminally not cool enough for TikTok). But I will be marking down the release date and wishing you the best all the same.