An Interview with Jhane Joiner

Jhane has a B.S. in Literature, Media, and Communication and an M.A. in Gerontology. She has been published in Wren’s Nest, Blood Moon Journal, and more. She is working on her next collection, infinite ways to burn, out on May 4, 2025. Keep up with her @allthatjhazz_ on Instagram.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

I have always enjoyed writing. When I was younger, I’d write song lyrics and go with my mom to the studio. I wrote throughout school and got second place in a contest in high school. I started writing seriously when the pandemic hit and I got very depressed and needed an outlet. From there, I found some favorite writers. I love Ari Cofer and Caitlin Conlon and have been able to meet and work with them. I also enjoy Ada Limon, Amanda Gorman, and others.

What inspired you to start writing this book?

This book contains a lot of poems from the last couple of years of my life. I wanted to compile some old and new pieces, some of the newer ones were written after a bad breakup in 2024. I really wanted to put out a new body of work that I think people will be able to relate to.

Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

Coming to the title was not easy. It went through a few different names. I noticed a sort of theme with fire and burning and blazing, even if not directly stated in the poems. That was the emotion it all came down to, in my eyes. So, that’s why it’s called infinite ways to burn.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

This is a great question! “Burn” by Usher, “Fever” by Peggy Lee, “Set Fire to the Rain by Adele,” just to name a few. I may actually make a playlist for this book!

Describe your dream book cover.

I already have a cover and it is a dream. Shout out to Na’imah Bryant for the cover of this collection. It’s a piece of paper that has a hole in the middle where it’s burned and in that hole, there’s fire and the words “infinite ways to burn” over and over. It’s amazing and intense.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

I currently work as a Communications and Marketing Manager. I also have an M.A. in Gerontology and love working with older adults. Something that my readers don’t know about me… Jhane (Jah•Nay) is my middle name and my parents named me after the group Zhané. Listen to the song “Hey, Mr. DJ” if you’ve never heard of them.

What books did you read (for research or comfort) throughout your writing process?

I have read so many books! I love to read. I’ve read The Hurting Kind by Ada Limon, Unfold by Ari Cofer, The Surrender Theory by Caitlin Conlon, The Year of Blue Water by Yanyi, etc. Non-poetry books: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, The Women by Kristin Hannah, Thicker than Water by Kerry Washington, and many others.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

I hope that readers see themselves in some of the poems and know that they are not alone in what they’re feeling. I envision my perfect reader as someone who has felt love, heartache, and maybe even has struggled with their mental health at a point.

Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.