CBTHH - THE KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN

Click here to access the Kickstarter Campaign site.

The Story

Who Am I?

Hi everybody, I'm Jaimee. I'm a veteran, a crafty Whovian and Browncoat, who knows all who wonder are not lost, and I know the ways of the force. I'm a LEGO addict, and I will ASSEMBLE whenever called. I also happen to be a reluctant extrovert trapped in the body of an introvert.

As an over-fifty Transgender Lesbian who has spent decades hiding, being Caught Between a Tie and High Heels is a fitting description of my entire life. Before finally stepping out of the closet a little over two years ago, I had lived my life hiding my true self and playing the safe role that I felt I needed to play to protect myself.

I started a podcast, Caught Between a Tie and High Heels: The Podcast, in 2019 as a way to express my true self while I was a full-time caregiver for my mom. It started out as a question-and-answer podcast. But slowly became my verbal journal of my life, discussing topics from my past and present, and all the new issues and situations I find myself in as I transitioned and began living my life as my true self.

What Am I Doing and Where Did the Idea Come From?

I'm publishing my memoir.

The primary focus and mission for the podcast has always been to connect with other people in the Transgender or LGBTQ+ Communities who have been hiding for one reason or another, or those who may have walked or are walking a similar path as I have. It was that desire to help others that inspired me to want to go beyond what I was sharing in the podcast and to start writing my memoir in 2020.

After numerous additions, edits, revisions, and what is likely an overabundant use of Grammarly, the current manuscript is 76,930 words, or approximately 300-350 pages. However, to be fully transparent, I completely suck at sentence structure and punctuation. I knew I needed help from someone who knows what they're talking about.

What Is My Plan and What's My Timeline?

I plan to get the manuscript edited, design the cover, and self-publish the book.

Here's what my timeline looks like right now. I may need to make minor adjustments, but things should go pretty smoothly with all the research I've put into this.

The editor told me the entire manuscript can be done in one month.
I'm projecting another month to go over the edited manuscript one more time and start designing the cover art and finishing the layout and design for all that. I already have templates for two different sizes of books just in case.
One month to finish up all design work, send the manuscript off to the company I'm going to be working with for POD (Print On Demand) services and distribution of eBooks. They need time to finish registration and verification of my book.
one month for ordering the copies of the print book and start sending those out to you all.

I should mention that the rewards for the various pledge tiers will have various fulfillment dates. This is why I have projected June of 2026 for the date I would have all the rewards sent out by. Although, please know I will be sending out the rewards other than the print books and eBooks before June of 2026, once this Kickstarter project is finished.

What is My Budget?

I'm looking to raise $2,330.

Here's the breakdown:

$1,900 - For the editor
$174 - Cost of the print books to send out for reward tiers
$250 - Kickstarter fees
$6 - I'll use towards any unexpected costs

A quick note about the design, the cover art you see in the images for this project is something I made up. But if you like it, please let me know. I'd love the feedback.

I will also be sending out emails as I complete each of the steps I laid out in my plan and timeline. That way you can keep up with the achievements your pledges are making.

Why Do I Care About This Project?

I'm an average person in this world. I have a high school diploma. I only took a couple of college courses at a community college, and I have no certificate or degree of any kind. I'm nobody famous, I'm not rich, and I didn't spend my youth experimenting with who I was by venturing out to mingle with the Transgender or LGBTQ+ communities I so desperately wanted to be apart of. I withdrew from socializing and kept my identity struggles deep within me as to not let anyone dare see the real me. And I have to tell you, living decades like that sucked, but I finally made it.

I care about this because I cannot help but think that there are others out there who are still hiding or walking their own path surrounded by fear. There is a wonderful quote I came across in the movie Coach Carter a few years ago that really touched me as a great way to express why I'm so passionate about this. I later found out the quote used in the movie was originally written by Marianne Williamson from her book, A Return To Love. It's a longer quote I share in my book, but it's the last part that hit me the most.

"And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

Well, this book is me letting my light shine. By publishing it, I will be liberated from my fear. And hopefully, others will let their own lights shine and liberated from their own fear. That is my main purpose in publishing this book.

Risks and challenges

The main challenges I believe might come from the company who will doing the creation of the book itself. Once I send them the files need to put it all together, It's in their hands. However, I have already been communicating with the publishing and distribution company I would like to work, in hopes to keep those challenges at a minimum.