Miyuki Jane Pinckard is joining us today to talk about the Kickstarter for Mermaids Monthly. Here’s the description:
Mermaids Monthly is a digital magazine all about mermaids. What kind of mermaids? Every kind. Happy mermaids, murderous mermaids; mermaids, merdudes, mermxs – maybe even a few highly confused manatees! Any cool aquatic chimeras that you could possibly think of with any and every fin color and combination. Our magazine has short stories, flash stories, comics, poetry, art, and more. We’d love for you to join our adventure.
What’s Jane’s favorite bit?
MIYUKI JANE PINCKARD
Hello there! I’m Jane, the incoming co-publisher of Mermaids Monthly Magazine. I want to start by thanking you, you wonderful community of readers, writers, and fans–helped create a full year of gorgeous mermaid content at Mermaids Monthly Magazine. Because of you, Mermaids Monthly paid pro rates for words, a fair rate to license art, and was able to commission four stunning covers.
While the original founders, Julia Rios and Meg Frank, are moving on to other projects, the journey isn’t over for Mermaids Monthly. In 2022, Noelle Singh and I will take over and continue making Mermaids Monthly a place for all kinds of merfolk, BIPOC and queer and disabled and neurodivergent merfolk and their stories. We want to show that mermaids are more than the white, femme, blond creatures we so often see depicted. Because merfolk come in all shapes and sizes and from every corner of the world!
We would love it if you would join us on this adventure! We’re sailing into international waters this year–Noelle and I have covered the East and West coasts of the United States, our Assistant Editor Vida Cruz is in the Philippines, and our social media manager J.D. Harlock is in Lebanon. The Logistic Wizard Lis Huilin-Wheeler is staying on to help us run a tight ship!
We have two big goals for 2022: first, we’re planning to source at least 50% of each issue from creators outside the United States. There’s mermaid lore from all around the globe and Mermaids Monthly should reflect that! Second, we’re going to invest in building a community. We’re launching a Discord server and we’re planning some events to bring people together, like poetry readings, Q&A sessions, watch parties–just, you know, fun mermaid stuff for us to enjoy together.
To do this, we’re launching the Kickstarter campaign to fund Mermaids Monthly Year Two. It’s still mermaids, still digital, and still free to read on the website. Please help us spread the word far and wide!
Here’s a sample of what we’re offering:
- For the first 48 hours of the campaign, we’re offering an Early Bird special, a full digital subscription to all twelve issues of Mermaids Monthly for the year, at $25.
- At 400 backers, we’re going to host a watch party of Ponyo by Studio Ghibli!
- We’re thrilled to have a range of gorgeous and cute rewards for a range of budgets: pins, stickers, stunning sea-themed jewelry, a custom Spotify playlist, and more.
- While physical rewards won’t ship until next year (and sorry in advance for any shipping delays!), we’re giving out digital cards for physical items that you can include if you’re planning on giving any of these rewards to someone.
- Speaking of gifts, digital subscriptions make awesome gifts for the mermaid fan in your life! We have three special packs, “Swim Buddies,” “Tails for Twins” and “Synchronized Swimmers” that includes two of everything–for you and a friend, with a digital card you can send to your giftee.
Thank you. We couldn’t have had a spectacular year one without you. We’d be thrilled if you want to join us for this voyage! Please check out our Kickstarter campaign, follow us on Twitter @MermaidsMonthly, or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/mermaidsmonthly .
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BIOS:
Miyuki Jane Pinckard is a writer, game designer, educator, and the co-publisher of Mermaids Monthly. Her fiction can be found in Strange Horizons, Uncanny Magazine, Flash Fiction Online, and other venues. She likes wine and mystery novels and karaoke. She can be found at www.miyukijane.com and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/miyukijane
Noelle Singh:
Noelle Singh is a multimedia artist and baking enthusiast, with a love of nature, specifically the ocean. She earned an art degree and double minor in environmental science and media, society & the arts. She got her SCUBA certification while studying coral reef biology and ecology abroad. She enjoys curling up in her grotto with her catfish and a good book. https://twitter.com/LibitinaSinistr
