J.M. Benjamin is a successful entrepreneur and motivational speaker from Plainfield, New Jersey. He is the author of the of the Essence Best Seller Ride Or Die Chick, Award Winning author of Down In the Dirty, My Manz and Em, On The Run With Love, Ride Or Die Chick 2 and a co-author of the non-fiction motivational book From Incarceration 2 Incorporation. He quickly made his presence felt in the fast growing genre of Urban Literature after the completion of his incarceration. Ironically, having spent more than half his life in the streets and a substantial amount of time in prison, J.M. Benjamin’s only credential as a street tale story teller is simply his own first hand experience and knowledge of what the street life consists of.
“I was in the Game wholeheartedly, since I was 12 years old, and throughout that time I survived near death experiences and escaped prison as being my permanent place of residency. For that I am blessed. Those are just two out of many things that inspire and motivate me to write, And if my stories save at least one person’s life, whether it be death or imprisonment, or cause them to change their game plan, then my work is serving it’s purpose,” he says when interviewed by The New York Times and The Courier News newspapers.
J.M. is also a motivational speaker, mentor and activist within his community. He shares his experiences and knowledge of the streets as well as how writing was and continues to be his outlet at various high and junior schools, colleges, probation and religious programs for the youth, institutions and re-entry programs for ex- and incarcerated men and women, and urban communities throughout his travels, in hopes to make a difference.
He is the owner of A New Quality Publishing and publisher of the urban novels Back Stabbers by Nyema and Have You Ever…? By FiFi Cureton. Mr. Benjamin has also contributed to several urban anthologies and has received numerous of awards and accolades for his accomplishments and his contribution to his community. J.M. is also the owner of A New Quality Literary Lounge & Boutique downtown in his hometown of Plainfield where he still resides.
For more info on J.M. go to; anewqualitypublishing.com or facebook.com/jmbenjamin.author
Synopsis:
Meet the female Nino Brown and Gee Money, only these two really are their sister’s keeper.
New Brunswick, New Jersey native Heavenly Jacobs inherited her beauty and street smarts honestly. Father a top notch go getter, mother a grade “A” dime piece. After tragedy strikes her home her only means of survival is to rely on what she acquired from them both. Her choice to ride for the wrong man ultimately lands her in prison where she is forced to re-strategize her game plan.
Eartha Davis is not your average female. Her eyes as well as her body were exposed to more then they were ready for at a young age. Between her mother, who was a bonafide gangster that loved young pretty females, and the streets of Plainfield, New Jersey, it was hard for her not to fall victim to and embrace all that was going on around her. Her crave for the streets, violence, and women all contributed to her imprisonment in Edna Mahan Correctional Facility.
As fate would have it, these two females are thrown together, in which they form a bond that is un-breakable and spills over into streets. Seeing that everybody got fat while they starved, they put together a team of female hustlers that got all men in the game on edge.
Jealousy, envy, ego’s, and pride all come into play unraveling beef between male and female that is far from being a game. Will the brothers sustain? Or will they succumb to the wrath of Heaven & Earth?
Contact info for J.m. Benjamin:
A New Quality Publishing
P.O.Box 589
Plainfield New Jersey 07061
908-531-8699
E-Mail: jmbenjamin.author@yahoo.com anewqualitypublishing@yahoo.com
Facebook.com/jmbenjamin.author anewqualitypublishing.com
“I was in the Game wholeheartedly, since I was 12 years old, and throughout that time I survived near death experiences and escaped prison as being my permanent place of residency. For that I am blessed. Those are just two out of many things that inspire and motivate me to write, And if my stories save at least one person’s life, whether it be death or imprisonment, or cause them to change their game plan, then my work is serving it’s purpose,” he says when interviewed by The New York Times and The Courier News newspapers.
J.M. is also a motivational speaker, mentor and activist within his community. He shares his experiences and knowledge of the streets as well as how writing was and continues to be his outlet at various high and junior schools, colleges, probation and religious programs for the youth, institutions and re-entry programs for ex- and incarcerated men and women, and urban communities throughout his travels, in hopes to make a difference.
He is the owner of A New Quality Publishing and publisher of the urban novels Back Stabbers by Nyema and Have You Ever…? By FiFi Cureton. Mr. Benjamin has also contributed to several urban anthologies and has received numerous of awards and accolades for his accomplishments and his contribution to his community. J.M. is also the owner of A New Quality Literary Lounge & Boutique downtown in his hometown of Plainfield where he still resides.
For more info on J.M. go to; anewqualitypublishing.com or facebook.com/jmbenjamin.author
Synopsis:
J.M. Benjamin Presents…
Heaven & Earth
By J.M. Benjamin
The Columbians had Pablo Escobar…The Cubans had Scarface…The Italians had John Gotti…And the Brothers had Bumpy Johnson…But what about the Sisters? Meet the female Nino Brown and Gee Money, only these two really are their sister’s keeper.
New Brunswick, New Jersey native Heavenly Jacobs inherited her beauty and street smarts honestly. Father a top notch go getter, mother a grade “A” dime piece. After tragedy strikes her home her only means of survival is to rely on what she acquired from them both. Her choice to ride for the wrong man ultimately lands her in prison where she is forced to re-strategize her game plan.
Eartha Davis is not your average female. Her eyes as well as her body were exposed to more then they were ready for at a young age. Between her mother, who was a bonafide gangster that loved young pretty females, and the streets of Plainfield, New Jersey, it was hard for her not to fall victim to and embrace all that was going on around her. Her crave for the streets, violence, and women all contributed to her imprisonment in Edna Mahan Correctional Facility.
As fate would have it, these two females are thrown together, in which they form a bond that is un-breakable and spills over into streets. Seeing that everybody got fat while they starved, they put together a team of female hustlers that got all men in the game on edge.
Jealousy, envy, ego’s, and pride all come into play unraveling beef between male and female that is far from being a game. Will the brothers sustain? Or will they succumb to the wrath of Heaven & Earth?
Contact info for J.m. Benjamin:
A New Quality Publishing
P.O.Box 589
Plainfield New Jersey 07061
908-531-8699
E-Mail: jmbenjamin.author@yahoo.com anewqualitypublishing@yahoo.com
Facebook.com/jmbenjamin.author anewqualitypublishing.com
Interview with J.M. Benjamin
- Tell us who J.M. Benjamin is?
- I’m just a dude from the projects in Plainfield New Jersey that embraced some of the many negative behaviors that existed in my community and like so many others had to learn the hard way that their was no longevity in the path I chose. I’m someone who society had already predicted my fate as being either death in the streets or prison being my permanent residence. I’m someone who took a negative situation such as incarceration and turned it into a positive opportunity by changing my game plan and switching my product. And now today I am a successful entrepreneur and business owner, author, publisher, motivational speaker and free man, have been for nearly four years.
- How did you become an author?
- I started writing while I was incarcerated in federal prison. Writing started out as therapy for me. A means to learn about myself and contribute to bettering myself. Ultimately something which was intended to be therapeutic wind up becoming my profession and life. I signed a two book deal with a small publishing house named Flowers In Bloom Publishing while I was incarcerated. They are responsible for my titles Down in The Dirty, which was my first and Ride Or Die Chick, which was my third being published, then later I signed a one book deal for Ride Or Die Chick 2. While signing with Flowers In Bloom Crystal Lacey Winslow of Melodrama Publishing accepted a short story from me, which was published in an anthology titled Menace II Society feat Al-Saadiq Banks and Isadore Johnson, it was released before my first novel and opened doors for me. Thereafter Nikki reached out to me and I submitted a shorty to her and it was released in an anthology titled Christmas in The Hood. Since then I’ve solidified myself as an author by releasing four of my titles independently.
- 3.) Your new book is titled Heaven & Earth, who does this book gear towards?
- This is a read for both genders of all walks of life from teens to adults. If you come from this, then you'll be able to empathise with the characters more and possibly re-evaluate your own life style and if you don't come from this the you will learn valuable lessons without having to go through what the characters had in their lives.
- 4.)What is your book about?
- It’s about two females who meet in a women prison, one is the brains from new Brunswick nj, the other is the muscle from Plainfield NJ, who is also gay, they come up with a plan while in prison to get out and form a all female crew of money getters. In doing so they are at constant war with men, so they have to prove that women go just as hard as dudes. Ultimately something happens and the book becomes a who dunnit? type of story. Still have your sex, money, murder people are use to reading from J.M. but with more substance in the story line.
- 5.) What makes you any different if you consider to be then other authors in your genre?
- I don’t know if it makes me any different but I pour all of me into my writing. I hold no punches so that my readers may feel what it’s like almost to the point of living it themselves. Not to take away from anyone else, but I write from the heart and soul.
- 6.) Who are some of your favorite authors?
- I appreciate authors such as Claude Brown, Sydney Pointier and Richard Wright, Chester Himes and Donald Goines. They inspire me in different ways and many different reasons. And then I also enjoy James Paterson and Dean Koontz
- 7.) What message would you want to relay to your fellow writers or people in general?
- That’ it’s never too late…Never let anything or anyone come in between making your thoughts, dreams and vision into a reality…It’s doable!
- OTHER BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR:
EXCERPT - HEAVEN & EARTH -CHAPTER 6
“I’m a movement by myself/ but I‟m a force when we‟re together/ I‟m good all by myself/ but girl you make me better/ you make better…”
Keya slithered down and off the pole in the middle of Earth‟s bedroom and made her way onto the king size after displaying a sexual acrobatic performance. She began to dance provocatively over top of Earth while staring into her eyes as the Fabolous track featuring Neyo filled the dim lit, surround sound, bedroom. Earth used the stereo‟s remote to increase the volume of her Panasonic 51 disc CD changer while she puffed on a stick of Sour Diesel, as she lay back enjoying the performance. She stuffed some of the remaining two hundred dollars in singles she hadn‟t used to make it rain while Keya was performing her pole dance into the front part of her lover‟s thong. Keya stuck her middle finger in her mouth then slid it into her thong and began playing with herself. Earth could see her knuckle prints protruding through the thongs fabric as Key fondled her sex as she continued her dance. The way she was gyrating her entire body to the lyrics and beat of the song was making Earth horny. Each time Keya dropped down over her in a straddling position caused Earth to become more and more aroused. Keya was a hell of a dancer and knew how to shake her moneymaker. Her specialty was making both of her ass cheeks clap and then pop them individually. It was a sight to see and the same moves that had caught Earths attention six months ago at a local establishment not too far from her hometown called Liquid Assets in South Plainfield . As Earth continued to blow on the high-powered weed watching Keya in a lust filled and intoxicated daze, she reflected back on the night she and Keya had made each other‟s acquaintance.
Liquid Assets strip club always had something going on but Lollipop Thursdays with DJ Rit Rat and Melle Mel was a definite night to be in the building. It was the closest Earth had come to visiting where she was from in many years. She was attracted to women with voluptuous bodies and believed this to be one of the best places to find them. Some of the hottest chicks in the tri-state area and beyond came out either to perform on stage or to watch the show, while hustlers popped bottles, sipped Hennessey, Remy Martin and tipped big. That particular night Earth had stumbled across a locked doors party full of money shakers, sponsored by a known adult magazine. It was apparent to Earth when she pulled up to the hot spot that the place was flooded with local ballers judging by the
rides parked outside. She recognized a few cars from New Brunswick
Earlier she had tried to get Heaven to come out with her but she had refused, claiming to be drained from the streets that day. Although she was not bi-sexual or lesbian, Earth knew that Heaven enjoyed going to and watching some of the girls dance but not on a regular basis like her. If one hadn‟t known, you would have sworn Earth was just another dude coming to get his freak on, especially when she was dressed the way she was that evening. Earth sported a North Face with a pair of Antik Denim jeans and shirt to match and a pair of construction Timberland boots and a Yankee fitted. They were charging twenty dollars at the door due to the erotic magazine presence but Earth was friends with the owner John so she never paid to get in.
Once inside, she was not at all surprised at the capacity of the bar. It never failed, Thursdays you could guarantee L A‟s as it was referred to, being wall to wall packed. As soon as she entered the building Earth gave her home girl Tiaa who worked the door a hug then made her way through the crowded bar giving head nods to the congratulators and shooting ice grills at the haters. She was eager to get her drink on as she smoothly diddy bopped off of Lil Wayne‟s A Milli track through the body-infested club.
After finally reaching the bar, four shots of Remy and two Corona‟s later, Earth was ready to direct her undivided attention towards the dancers as she nursed on the bottle of Rose she‟d ordered. Scanning the stage of half-naked women, in all shapes, sizes and colors Earth immediately zeroed in on one of the dancers in particular who had caught her eye.
She had known most of the others up in there that night from frequenting the surrounding strip clubs in Jersey , Philly, and New York
Earth continued to watch the honey toned dancer for the next twenty-five minutes until she had exited the stage. Occasionally the two of them made direct eye contact. They stared at one another for five minutes straight as Earth continued to nurse the champagne and watch the dancer prop her leg up on the bar and make her glutes do a routine dance of their own for a paying customer. As if he‟d read her mind, Earth learned from DJ Rit Rat that the girl‟s stage name was Lite. As he announced her exit, she and the DJ exchanged acknowledging head nods. Earth was contemplating on seeking out the sexy stripper after losing sight of her in the midst of the crowded club, but before she had the chance to make her decision she saw the girl slither through the crowd, heading in her direction. “You wanna lap dance?” Lite asked seductively walking up on Earth.
“Nah,” Earth replied.
Disappointed, Lite flashed a fake smile and attempted to walk away, only to be stopped in her tracks by a hand. She turned back in the direction in which Earth sat, and again the two-made eye contact. Earth leaned in closer. “I didn‟t say I wasn‟t gonna tip you though,” Earth smiled.
Earlier she wondered whether Lite had thought she were a dude from a far, when they‟d acknowledged one another, but close up, there was no mistaking her gender regardless to how much her attire made her appear masculine, so Earth was positive that Lite was into females. Lite‟s next words only confirmed it. “You‟s a fly bitch,” she said pressing her body up against Earth. Earth just smiled and sucked her teeth as if something were caught in them. Lite began to slow grind her inner thighs into Earth‟s pelvis as Lil Wayne‟s track “Lollipop” played in the background. Earth grabbed her by the waist and matched her rhythm.
“Do you like this?” Lite leaned in and whispered in Earth‟s ear.
“Do you?” Earth shot back in the same whisper tone sliding her hands down to Lite‟s ass cheeks, palming them. “Um hm,” Lite replied licking her lips.
Earth then reached into her front right pocket and pulled out a stack of bills. Lite pretended not to notice but Earth had already peeped the way her eyes had lit up. She could practically see the dollar signs in Lite‟s pupils, not to mention the fact that her grinding became extra hard. She knew that Lite was already thinking and plotting on ways to get as much as she could of the money Earth possessed in her hand, especially after seeing the big faces that dominated the bankroll. Earth decided to make it easier for her.
“What‟s ya name?”
“Lite.”
“Nah, what‟s ya name?”
Lite looked at her with attitude. Earth remained stoned face.
“Keya, why?” she decided to answer with hands on her hips. Earth disregarded her uestion.
“How much you think you gonna make before the night out?” Earth asked aloud. “Huh?” Lite answered dumbfounded while continuing the dance.
“You heard me.”
“Tsk. Why?” Lite asked with even more attitude trying to sound feisty and offended, but Earth brushed her tone off and maintained her coolness. “Just answer the question and you‟ll find out.”
“Tsk!”
At the sound of Lite sucking her teeth for a second time, Earth was instantly turned off. She grabbed Lite's arms in attempts to release her hold from around her neck, but before she could, Lite clinched her grip tighter. “I don‟t
know, about another $300 to $400,” she blurted out, curious to find out Earth‟s reasons for inquiring.
“Okay, let me go ahead and give you that so we can get up outta here then,” Earth said calmly. “What?” Lite asked. “What makes you think I roll like that?”
“I don‟t, I just asked.”
Her words caused a huge kool-aid smile to appear on Lite‟s face. In all honesty, at one point or another against her better judgment, Lite had rolled like that to make ends meet. She did not believe that she would make any more than
another $100 or $200 in addition to the $600 she had made already. Here it was she was being offered nearly twice
that. She had left with men for less, so she had no problem with leaving with a woman, especially since she was bi- sexual. Without hesitation, she said, “Alright let me go get my things.”
“Don‟t keep me waiting long. I‟ll be parked out front in a green Benz truck.”
Earth gave a few daps and head nods to those worth acknowledging, threw her hand up in the air in the DJ‟s direction as her name was announced by her hometown friend DJ Rit Rat and made her exit out of the club. Since that evening, Keya and Earth had spent many nights together enjoying each other‟s company the way they were doing now.
“You know I love you right.” Keya purred, laying her head on Earth‟s chest, after they had just finished making
passionate love.
“Yeah, you love me alright. You love my paper,” Earth slyly remarked.
Keya‟s head instantly shot up. “See, why you gotta say some fucked up shit like that?” Keya spit now pushing off
Earth‟s chest.
“Cause it‟s true,” Earth replied nonchalantly.
“You know what E, Fuck you!” Keya screamed, hopping out of bed. “I already did,” Earth retorted.
Keya gave Earth the middle finger as she heatedly gathered up her clothing. “I already did that too,” Earth
sarcastically stated, rolling over to retrieve the half blunt and lighter she had on the nightstand.
“I hate ya punk ass,” snapped Keya hurrying into her powdered blue-laced thong.
“One minute you love me the next minute you hate me, make up ya mind,” Earth replied.
“E, why are you actin‟ all shitty to me all of a sudden?” Keya questioned in a whining manner.
For a minute, there was a brief pause. Earth lit the blunt, inhaled a mouthful of smoke, and then clouded the air with its residue.
“You really wanna know why Lite?” Earth asked dryly-addressing Keya by her stage name knowing that would
irritate her.
“Oh, it‟s Lite now huh? Tsk! Muthafucka it ain‟t been Lite in six months, so what‟s changed?” Keya spit with venom.
“Nothin‟, that‟s the fuckin‟ problem,” Earth shot back. “You still doin‟ the same bullshit you been doin‟ from six months ago.”
“Oh, I get it now,” Keya said understanding. “Here we go with the bullshit again.” “Whatever,” Earth stated uncaring manner.
“No, it‟s not whatever. I told ya ass before that if you wanted me to stop dancing then make me wifey and not ya bitch, but you the one that wanna be this muthafuckin‟ gangsta and act like you don‟t know how to love and shit,” Keya lased out, her New York accent now coming out. “Soooo, Im‟ma keep doin‟ me until you start actin‟ right. If you not gonna take care of me exclusively then I‟m gonna keep suckin‟ and fuckin‟ muthafucka‟s until-.”
“Bam!”
“Muthafucka, no you-.” “Umph!”
Keya never saw Earth fly off the bed, let alone throw the right hook that connected on her jaw while in mid sentence, sending her straight to the floor. Semi dazed, Keya attempted to lash out verbally only to have her words cut short again with a kick in the midsection by Earth, causing her to instantly curl into a fetal position.
“Bitch, don‟t you ever disrespect me in my own ma‟fuckin‟ house again like that,” Earth roared. “I don‟t give a fuck
who or what you do, but don‟t try to throw that shit up in my face like I‟m some ma‟fuckin‟ lame or something. I‟ll kill ya dumb ass up in here, you hear me.”
Earth could see the fear in Keya‟s eyes as she launched her assault and was unmoved. She also saw the blood that
was beginning to trickle out of Keya‟s mouth from one of the blows she had just delivered. “Bitch, get the fuck up off of my floor „fore you fuck up my carpet and I really have to hurt ya silly ass,” Earth ordered.
“Matter of fact get your ass outta my fuckin‟ house before you make me break your ma‟fuckin' neck.”
Keya could not believe what had just happened. She was stricken with both fear and hatred towards the woman she had professed her love to and wanted nothing more than to get as far away as she possibly could from her . After the first time the two of them left the club together, Keya had done her homework on Earth and found out more than she would have ever imagined, but the news of Earth being both a baller and a gangster did not deter her but rather intrigued her. Initially, she had set out to get as much money as she could out of Earth but in the process of trying to
do so, she fell in love with the female hustler. Now here it was, all the love she thought she‟d felt for Earth had
quickly been replaced with hate. Slowly, Keya rose, never taking her eyes off of Earth who stood in front of her motionless. Neither of the two uttered a word but their eyes spoke volumes. Earth‟s telling Keya it was officially
over, while Keya‟s said it was far from it. Keya snatched up her three-quarter Chinchilla she had worn over to
Earth‟s home and made her way to the door with nothing but revenge on her mind…
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