Joni
Joni West Produces Joyful Queer.
Joni West is the author of the FLOATING BI posts.
I am Joni West, and I’ve been obsessed with creating cool stuff as an artist and a writer since telephones had cords. Some of you may know me from reading or hearing podcasts about my most recent notable work:
Full Frontal Murder Memoir - A Daughter Reveals the True Story Behind the Shocking Crime That Went From Tabloid to Textbook and Will Change the Way You See Blame and Brains
Click for the Amazon link to the book: Full Frontal Murder Memoir
Currently, Amazon’s AI-generated summary of customer reviews says:
Full Frontal Murder Memoir was released in 2021.
It was the #1 New Release on Amazon in 5 categories:
- Forensic Psychology
- Behavioral Psychology
- Criminal Law
- Neuropsychology
- Good & Evil Philosophy
How My Book Led To Creating Joyful Queer
The murder case I lived through is unique - it literally went from tabloid to textbook. It is considered the landmark case that brought neuroscience into the courtroom. Countless books, articles, and podcasts have covered the case from various angles, but my book is the only one that reveals the private, personal details that are necessary to understand the full picture of what happened that day and why.
In telling my life story - how the murder happened, and how it affected me - I explored a range of topics I thought people would relate to or find interesting including:
- Family Relationships
- Human Behavior
- The Criminal Justice System
- Fascinating Brain Disorders
I expected people to reach out to me with questions about these topics or the murder itself. I was wrong! The vast majority of people, whether I’d known them for five months or five decades, wanted to talk about two things instead:
- Bisexuality - Even though I only mentioned it once, in a scene about the first time I was with another woman (at a party in NYC).
- How I Managed To Keep My Sanity & Sense Of Humor - Despite facing enormous challenges, including the nightmare of the murder situation. To quote Margaret Cho, “Sometimes the only way to deal with horrific things in life is through a dark sense of humor.”
I will be talking about both of these subjects and plenty more in the Floating Bi posts here on Joyful Queer!
At first, I wasn't sure if I was going to write another book or what I wanted to do next. Full Frontal Murder Memoir was released just after I lost two of my closest friends to alcoholism within six months of each other. The world was just starting to turn again after standing still in the wake of COVID. After months of mourning and isolation, I decided it was time to flip the Yin/Yang back - letting the positive rise to the top!
I was invited to an art opening to celebrate Northern California artist, Deidre DeFranceaux and the introduction of a new portrait she had created of one of the iconic Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Sister Mable Syrup.
My goal was simple: talk to one person at the party and then leave. That alone would have been a major accomplishment given the year I’d just had. Instead, I met several wonderful people, enjoyed fabulous conversations, and immersed myself in incredible art. As I began spending time with the new friends I met that night - many of whom were Sisters - I learned about the mission of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence: to “promulgate universal joy and expiate stigmatic guilt.” I’ve witnessed my Sister friends live out this mission with passion and purpose.
The overwhelming joy the Sisters bring to people from all walks of life never fails to blow me away. Through events and community outreach, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence have not only spread joy to millions since their founding in 1979, but they’ve also raised millions of dollars to support small, under-funded organizations in communities across the globe!
I found myself awestruck and inspired, drawn to the mission of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence:
Promulgating Universal Joy!
The seed was planted that night at the art opening - I felt an undeniable pull toward the Sisters and their mission. Months later, the overwhelming joy I experienced at the Sisters' annual Easter In The Park became the (Easter 🤣) egg that joined with that seed. After many months of research, interviews, and development, Joyful Queer was born!
