Q&A with Award-Winning Author J.M. Benjamin

Q&A with Award-Winning Author J.M. Benjamin

There are many that will claim to have made a change in their life, and will go on to incorrectly label that change a 360, which means they are heading the same direction they've always been. I recently had a conversation with someone that made a 180 and truly changed his game plan.

J.M. Benjamin has gone from self-admitted menace to society, to self-published award-winning author and entrepreneur. I reached out to him to kick the actual factuals on what led to his transformation, the secrets to his success and more.

Q) Please share a bit of your background for those that may be unfamiliar with you.

A) I grew up in the Elmwood Gardens housing project in Plainfield, New Jersey. After literally becoming a product of my environment, I made some bad choices and decisions and consequently I wound up incarcerated. As a result, I served a total of twelve and a half years between State and Federal prison facilities.

While in prison, I uncovered my passion for writing after it was suggested that I write as a form of therapy. What began as something therapeutic ultimately became a way to purge my past and the gateway to my future.

At that point, I became a persistent, dedicated and determined writer and landed a two-book deal with Flowers in Bloom Publishing and my first novel Down in the Dirty was in stores four months prior to my release from prison. By the time I came home in 2006, I was nominated for two awards and I haven’t looked back, rather gone backwards, I’ve only moved forward.

Q) At what point did you realize that writing was the new direction for your life to follow?

A) Like I stated before, writing was therapeutic for me, it afforded me the opportunity to take a good look at my life, past, present and intended future. It allowed me to confront my weaknesses and build my strengths. It made me reevaluate how I viewed people, places, material items and most important, myself.

I remember when I first started putting ink to paper other than to write to loved one. I was in solitary confinement for a physical altercation and this counselor, who happened to be much older and Caucasian believe that I as this bright, intelligent dude with a promising future. She came to visit with a journal in hand and challenged me, and I remember her saying to me, “Maybe you will be able to find out why you’re so angry all the time.”

Needless to say, when I did start writing, I was able to answer questions about myself that I either didn’t care or never took the time to explore. My awakening coincided with the rise of Urban Street Literature and I was running through the books like they were going out of style. While reading these particular books, I realized that my life experiences and what I wrote about in my journal was along the lines of these street based fiction books.

After letting a few other inmates read what I had written and getting positive feedback, I knew this was what I wanted to do. Dudes would say, “Yo, that joint was hotter than author so and so” or “Your story is better than such and such” and, “When are you gonna write another one?” That was the challenge that caused me to write Down in the Dirty, which was my first novel in print, but second ever written. I knew I didn’t want to go home and do what I was doing before, and land back in the place I despised the most, so I had to change my game plan and switch to a product that wasn’t detrimental to my health or freedom. Writing was and continues to be that product.

Q) How many books have you produced at this point?


A) : Menace II Society (an anthology w/ Al -Saadiq Banks, Crystal Lacey Winslow, Mark Anthony and Isadore Johnson, this book actually came out before Down In the Dirty), Down In the Dirty, My Manz and ‘Em, Ride or Die Chick I & II, On the Run with Love, Christmas in the Hood ( anthology w/ Nikki Turner and others), Heaven & Earth, From Incarceration 2 Incorporation ( non-fiction motivational w/ Randy Kearse), Changin’ Your Game Plan ( non-fiction motivational w/ Randy Kearse).

Under my publishing company, A New Quality Publishing, I released Back Stabbers by Nyema and Have you Ever…? by FiFi Cureton and two of the most controversial Street Lit titles in Street Lit genre (if you’re a follower of the genre you should know the titles.)

Q) You’ve quickly put together a catalog, how do you stay so active?

A) Basically, I was like this when I pushed a different product. I simply came home and applied the same time, energy, dedication and work ethic to a new product. I was on call 24/7, would travel state to state, risking everything for financial gain in the other game. So my theory is why couldn’t I do the same for self-gratification as well as financial gain, with minimal or no risk. Before, if I slipped up or made a mistake I could lose my life or my freedom. With this product, I may lose a couple of dollars or books. So in this game I don’t mind learning through trial and error. Over the years I have gotten better and stronger in what I do.

Q) Where does the inspiration for your characters come from?

A) My characters are inspired by the countless men, women and children from all walks of life that I have encountered throughout my own life. I write what I know and what I come from. I write reality fiction, not a true story, but could be a true story, it’s someone story. My characters are universal.

Our communities around the world suffer from the same conditions and are subjected and affected by the same social ills. Whether New Jersey, Texas or California; poverty, struggle, dysfunction, negativity, violence, hyper sexuality, class divisions, racism (historical, institutional, within our communities), social injustice, abuse and the list goes on. These are the issues I address and write about, these are things in life that everyone can relate to. My characters are inspired by and reflect us.

Q) Heaven & Earth is you latest offering, can you summarize it for us?

A) Heaven is the brains and Earth is the Muscle. Heaven inherited her beauty from her mother but her inheritance from her father, which was her street smarts, was more valuable to her.
Earth was raised by her mother, who was a gay single parent and a force to reckon with in the streets. Impacted by their upbringing the two find themselves in prison where they meet and form a bond that spills over into the streets of New Jersey.

Once released, they show and prove to dudes that they can survive in a game mostly played by men with all female team, and the dudes put them through the test to see just how built they really are. I give you how females go just as hard as the males in the streets and what price has to be paid when you embrace that type of lifestyle.

Q) Congratulations on your new venture, A New Quality Literary Lounge & Boutique, what’s your vision for this project?

A) Thanks. My partner Stacey and I have a vision far beyond just coming to our establishment and purchasing books or other products available. We’re opening something that Plainfield hasn’t had, but needs. During store hours we offer our customers an opportunity to relax in our lounge area, either watching one of our flat screen televisions, or listening to the surround sounds of music while enjoying a J.M. Benjamin book ( ha, ha, ha, plug) or one of their favorite authors or a magazine. We also offer refreshments and beverages, such as buttered rolls, muffins, hot and cold drinks etc. Additionally, we offer our patrons internet service through our desktops or afford our customers an opportunity to access internet on their own laptops. You will be able to fax or copy documents.

We provide essentials for the mind, body and soul. Not only will you be able to purchase books but also music, movies and accessories such as designer jewelry and clutch bags for women and oil fragrances for both genders. After business hours, we will provide an intimate setting where we’ll be hosting poetry readings (all poets and those who appreciate poetry are welcome), open mic night, comedy shows, live jazz, karaoke and a re-entry night for ex-offenders, which I will be facilitating. There will be a $5 door cover charge and again refreshments and drinks will be made available.

Our after hours events will be geared towards a mature, working class population, the nine to fivers, entrepreneurs and positive people from the hood who just want to come out, mingle, network, have a good time and get back home safe. We’re creating a social and networking gathering for people who want to party without having to go to the club and be subjected to some of the things that go on in those type of settings here in Plainfield or wherever.

Q) Urban Fiction or Street Literature has gotten a bad rap for glorifying violence, reinforcing stereotypes or perpetuating negative portrayals of our community, explain why you believe these opinions to be incorrect?

A) It’s like this; in order to better understand or give your view or opinion on something you must first educate yourself on the entire subject matter. How can you speak about a successful African-American without discussing or knowing about one who has struggled? Why do our people continue to run from or want to hide the truth? It’s our reality. I say that to say, prior to Urban Street fiction you had the traditional Urban Fiction by the Eric Jerome Dickey’s, Omar Tyree’s, E. Lynn Harris (R.I.P), Carl Weber’s, Terry McMillan’s, and the list goes on.

They wrote about the socioeconomic issues and the drama of our people, they created African-American characters similar to Bill Cosby’s Huxtable family and the women from Waiting to Exhale. They lightly touched on the typical rough necks, thugs or what have you but their basis was relationships and drama. These authors are and have been held in high regards and have become national best-sellers and made countless dollars.

But when authors emerge and make their stories based on the rough necks, thugs, hustlers, etc.., and write the way they really speak, think, act, and so forth, we’re dumbing down our readers, this is not real literature, we’re exploiting our people, giving our people a bad name, glamorizing and glorifying the life. Majority of the people who feel this way have never so much as cracked open a Street Lit novel, at least not a J.M. Benjamin book anyway. Because if they had, they would see that I deliver just as strong of a story line as an Eric Jerome Dickey or Omar Tyree. They’d see that I address the same issues between our Black men and women as Terri McMillan. They’d see that I acknowledge the positive, as well as the negative and they’d see that at the end of the day, my stories do not promote negativity, but rather educate you on what comes behind living the type of lifestyle that I once lived and so many continue to live.

How can you tell someone they can’t write about what they know, isn’t that one of the first things they teach you in a writing class? It’s because of these bias and prejudice opinions and critics such as the likes of Nick Chiles and others that Black authors and Blacks in general stay divided. And the funny thing is this, in the mainstream stores, no matter who you are or what genre of fiction you write in, if you’re African American, Terri McMillan and Walter Mosley books will be right next to J.M. Benjamin and K’Wan, in the African-American section, you know the section, the small one over in the corner.

Q) What separates you from other writers in your genre?

A) Basically, I do and say what I want and can back it all up. No disrespect to my colleagues, but I answer to no one, such as a major publishing house, so I don’t have to watch what I say or what I do. I have come into the industry and established a voice and name, and not just as a Street Lit author. Through Street Lit I have become a motivational speaker, using Street Lit to connect with our youth, in an attempt to deter or derail them from the type of things I’ve lived and write about. Through Street Lit I have become an entrepreneur as an independent publisher and bookstore owner. And because of all that I have accomplished as a Street Lit author I was able to write a non-fiction motivational book about my journey of change and how it is possible.

My life is literally an open book. I have survived the worst, so I have no problem speaking out about something I believe in or feel. I am not afraid to discuss what so many others are afraid to in this genre or any genre for that matter. If I got jerked, I’d speak about it. If I was broke, I wouldn’t pretend to be caked up. If I needed help, I wouldn’t hesitate to ask. I don’t get caught up in impressing the next person or making something seem more than what it is.

Besides all of that, I am more than just a Street Lit author, I don’t even consider myself a Street Lit author. Rather than impressing my peers with titles, I rather impress upon the youth who are watching and taking notes the fact that I’ve been such a major contributor to the destruction of my community in the past that it’s only right that I become a major contributor. I believe my behind the scenes work separates me from many in my genre.

Q) By self publishing, you are your own product; tell me about the effort that goes into marketing yourself and your material?

A) First, let me say that self publishing is extremely hard work. You wear many different hats on a daily basis and have to, if you want to succeed in this fast growing genre. For me it’s rise and grind. My entire day consists of books, whether creating, distributing, selling, promoting, discussing, etc... Everyday when I wake, I wake as an author, publisher, bookstore owner, and wholesaler-retailer. Before I leave the house I have to check and answer e-mails, update my website (http://www.anewqualitypublishing.com/) and other internet outlets, budget, manage and utilize monies for what I may think is a good route to market, advertise or promote my product.

Once I release a new product, like Heaven & Earth, I have to spend money to make more money. I have to tour with the product, which means expenses like hotels, gas, tolls, food, cost for events, etc... I have to evaluate the overhead before even beginning to move the product or get to where I need to be to move it. Sometimes the overhead dominates the event itself, but it may be an event that I must attend for exposure and future opportunities.

There have been times when I have spent a thousand or more dollars on advertisement, marketing and promotion and didn’t recoup half of what I put out. With time comes experience and with experience you become better at what you do. That’s where I am right now. After all these years, I still flat foot my books in the streets, promote in streets, but I’ve trained others and pay them to do what I’ve done, so my product can be in more than one place at a time.

Some may question my methods but I’ve resorted back to what I know and using my tools from the streets in a positive way now to get the job done. If I was in North or South Carolina or wherever I still always had someone back home in the New Projects with the product, so I’m trying to see if it works in a different arena with a new product, so far so good.

Q) There are many people out there with a story in their heart or notebooks full of poems and other things they’ve written, do you have any advice for them when it comes to getting their material published or can someone submit material to you for publication?

A) To all my aspiring writers and poets, stay true to your craft. Never let anything or anyone get in your way or discourage you. No one believes in you more than you. I welcome submissions, visit http://www.anewqualitypublishing.com/ for submission guidelines, if you already know requirements submit to anewqualitypublishing@yahoo.com. Anyone who knows me will tell you that if J.M. can help he will.

Q) What’s next for you?

A) I have a lot of things planned for the 2K10. I’m trying to drop two more books before the year is out by me, one joint called The Dutty Way, you can catch a snippet in the back of Heaven & Earth, another one titled Just A Week Ago. I’m also re-releasing My Manz and ‘Em Special Edition with new cover and new scenes. That book has been out of print since 2007, they screaming for it now. I’m dropping a few more authors this year, a book titled Robbery Report by Glorious, Ski Mask Way 2 by Randy “Ski” Thompson, something new from author J-Rod Nider, Back Stabbers 2 and Would You Ever Again…? which is the sequel to Have You Ever…? by FiFi Cureton.

My partner Pisces, who is a poet, will also be releasing a poetry book series for every one hundred poets that visit A New Quality Literary Lounge & Boutique and are interested in seeing their dreams become a reality. I’m approached by so many poets who’d like to see their works published, but either don’t have the knowledge, funds, or following to do so. I took a chance exposing that, so if anyone steals the idea just know J.M. created it and will still go forward with it!