SYREETA BENJAMIN | Updates

Change is Hard

SYREETA BENJAMIN — Thu, 3 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Can you believe it has been two days since the release?! It's been a whirlwind and I feel so many emotions...

Gratitude. Relief. Inspired. Even baffled.

You really love my story 🥹

Honestly, the love and support have me in a chokehold. I'm ready to tackle my next project, but most of all, I feel a deep clarity in my purpose.

The tagline for By Hook or By Crook is: "Sometimes destiny demands more than we are willing to give."

Most of us follow the world's perception of what we are "supposed" to do. Go to college, start careers, start a family...but then sometimes the universe shows us something different. I don't know about you, but I'm immediately like, "Nah!"

(That's my inner Black Horse voice)

Change is hard.

However, on the other side of that is growth. Be uncomfortable. Sit in all the ugly, the tingly feelings, the itchiness, and even sometimes pain. Give it its due process... and then build on it. Heal from it. Be YOU!

Anyway, let me stop getting all sappy on you. I gotta tell you a few things.

Give Away

I announced at my release party on TikTok (thank you to all who came 😍) that I will do another giveaway for a signed copy of By Hook or By Crook. But I'm gonna do you one even better...

I'm also adding a signed copy of Ev'ry Goodbye Ain't Gone. So the winner will receive a signed copy of BOTH books. 🎉

I'm excited about this. If you are interested, please be sure to read the details below👇🏽 to enter the giveaway.

Details:

Read By Hook or By Crook e-book and leave an honest review on Amazon by October 1st, 2026.
I will pull all review names from Amazon on that day (If you have already left a review you will be automatically included).
October 5th, I will make a video with an announcement of who is selected on both TikTok and Instagram.
The winner will have 48 hours to DM me with their address.

If you have any questions about this or anything else, please reply to this email.

Thank you for being a part of my story.

Syreeta Benjamin

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New Release Ev'ry Goodbye Ain't Gone: A Time Drift Novelette

SYREETA BENJAMIN — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Drumroll, please…

My new time-drift novelette releases February 14th. YAY!!!

Ev’ry Goodbye Ain’t Gone is about Joy, a thirty-year-old woman who has forgotten herself in her career, divorce, and spiraling life. This tale is about rediscovery…oh and she meets a rugged, fine cowboy who doesn’t play about her. It’s a time-drifter romance that settles right into the genre of historical fiction. A short read filled with introspection, adventure, and love.

I had so much fun writing this, and it helped me digest some pretty difficult things to swallow. A part of me, as a writer, remains attached to every word I pen. So I hope you enjoy every moment of it. I will leave the cover and blurb below to check out.

My third book is still on track to release in December ‌2026. If any of you lovelies would like to become one of my ARC readers, please fill out this form.

ARC READER FORM

I’m also trying to build a street team–those who put the word out there about my books. As a full-time indie author, I’m doing most things myself, so I appreciate any support and love.

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The Prose of Grief

SYREETA BENJAMIN — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Hello to all my beautiful people!

I hope all of you are staying out of this crazy weather and keeping warm. It’s been a while since my last newsletter and I have no excuse because life has been lifin’. My mind is chaotic right now, like a puzzle with pieces from five different boxes. Current projects, future projects, and, of course, my family (they are the real MVPs here).

Crazily, that is just the norm for me.

When I was around twelve, my mom was in real estate and she’d show homes at open houses, usually Sundays. She’d take me with her, and for the life of me I couldn’t sit still. So she’d allow me to walk around the neighborhood. I’d get lost on purpose, then slowly find my way back. As scary as that would be in this timeline, back then I knew (Mom did, too) that I had a wild spirit. I was a drifter.

Unfortunately, my mom passed away in August. Aside from losing a very important light in my life, my grief has manifested in ways I wasn’t expecting. From the time I could read, she encouraged me–libraries and bookstores were our thing. She is the very reason I’m a daily reader and doing the very thing I love: writing.

Thank you, Mom ❤️

With that said, writing has more purpose for me than ever before, which brings me to my next update.

Drumroll, please…

My new time-drift novelette releases February 14th. YAY!!!

My third book is still on track to release in December ‌2026. If any of you lovelies would like to become one of my ARC readers, please fill out this form.

ARC READER FORM

I’m also trying to build a street team–those who put the word out there about my books. As a full-time indie author, I’m doing most things myself, so I appreciate any support and love.

As always, stay blessed and stay YOU,

–Syreeta Benjamin

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What my "About Me" Doesn't Say!

SYREETA BENJAMIN — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Photo credit: Naomi Lundy

My Love for Books

I recall writing my first book when I was around six or seven years old. A piece of construction paper folded in half enclosed my little rough stick figures and my upside-down and inside-out letters. It only made sense to me, of course, but I remember being so proud when I showed it to my mom. Thinking back, I always wanted to be a storyteller. A need to move someone with words and watch their eyes lift in anticipation, or crack a laugh along the way.

As I grew older, my preference for books over people grew, and I found solace in fiction. My mom nourished this part of me, a reader herself. We checked out books at the library or spent the day at the bookstore.

As a teenager, I journaled a lot—my way of letting out my unmanageable feelings. I felt awkward, unseen. Mixed with German and Black, I didn’t fit the mold either way. Depending on where we lived, my hair curled too much, or maybe it was not thick enough. My skin was too light or, often, too dark. I felt lost and found it hard to make and keep friends. So, books were my companions.

Fantasy fiction was my thing. Made-up worlds never reminded me of my flaws or life’s hardships, while writing gave me a silent audience. The paper on which I penned my poems held no pressure or judgment, just the canvas to express myself during those chaotic years.

It wasn’t until my late 30s, though, that I took either of my crafts seriously. Prior to that, my career was in social work. Art and writing were more of a therapeutic hobby. While I don’t regret my path (I wouldn't be who I am), I still remember picking my college courses for my undergrad and wanting so badly to be a writer. Unfortunately for me, creative works were just a hobby, not a career back then.

However, social work gave me self-discovery. To hone your craft, you need a calm headspace to learn, to accept critique, and to build grit and determination. Above that, you need patience with yourself, and it wasn’t until later in life, after becoming a mother and helping others, that I gained that skill.

"A room without books is like a body without a soul."

— Marcus Tullius Cicero

A Lesson in Peace

Living comfortably in social work—or any career—means consistently doing the right things, moving up, seeing opportunities and going for them. Eventually, I became a supervisor. Working hard and playing harder with my family seemed like the norm.

I won’t lie. My sector–working with neglected and abused children– was rewarding, but highly stressful and heartbreaking. I traveled with my family to decompress and tried not to bring work home, but even that became impossible. My depression dipped to hard lows, and my anxiety flared all the time. Unfortunately, being intentional about my peace wasn’t something I truly understood.

Things changed in 2019, when my husband and I welcomed our baby boy. We had him late in life. To put it in perspective, his sisters were 12, 14, and 16. I struggled to grasp it all, thinking possibly my age had something to do with feeling depressed. But then, my doctor diagnosed me with Post-Partum Depression (PPD).

Listen, PPD is a beast. None of the classes my husband and I went to, nor the baby books we read, could have prepared me for it. I gazed down at my son, filled with overwhelming love, but my mind was drowning. My emotions spiraled, and my mind felt fractured. Not even my husband (bless his heart) could truly understand.

Somehow, my midwife knew. During my check-up, she took one look at me and knew I wasn’t okay. She said, “You don’t have to tell me details, but make sure your husband knows. Let your family and those you love help you when it feels too much.”

Those words truly saved me. For most of my life, I moved like a machine—efficient, relentless, and self-contained. Letting others help me or “delegating” tasks wasn’t part of my wiring. As a mother and wife, I was the organizer, doctor, nurturer, therapist, chef, banker, teacher, cheerleader, and the one who absorbed everyone’s worries while lifting their spirits. It never occurred to me that I might need those same things myself.

Of course, I imagined the house burning down immediately without my intervention. But then one day, my husband came home from work and wanted to vent about his hard day. I took one look at him and said, “I can’t.”

This wasn’t me being mean, but honest. I could not take on his burdens, because I was drowning myself. The saying, “You can’t pour water from an empty pitcher,” is very true. If I wanted to be better, then I needed to let my family handle things themselves for a while. I needed to focus on myself.

In 2019, my husband and I held our son.

Back to Hell

After my maternity leave, I returned ‌to work, but it wasn’t the same as before. I wasn’t the same anymore. Next to my office was the visiting room, where parents came to have supervised visits with their children. Hearing the little ones cry after their visits made my heart break into pieces. The numbness I built throughout the years–telling myself the work I did was necessary and reminding myself of the children I’m saving–didn’t work anymore. On top of all that, I experienced paranoia–a troubled feeling that something may happen to my son in someone else’s care.

Then COVID hit, and the world changed. I resigned twice before I resolved that I no longer wanted to do this type of work. Guilt and failure clawed at me. Nobody truly understood the immense anxiety I felt on Sunday before the week even started or the crushing sadness I felt being away from my son. I knew in my heart that I needed to do something different.

What I didn’t know then is that it takes at least five years for postpartum depression to fully leave you, and for some of us, it changes our brain chemistry for the rest of our lives.

“Red Door” One of my earlier paintings while reflecting.

Being Intentional

During my time away from work, I did things that made me happy. While deep in self-reflection (trying to figure out who I am and what course my career would take), I cuddled with my son, painted, crafted, and read a ton of books. Though writing poetry was a hobby of mine, writing an actual full-fledged novel was just a dream. But as I read about destined queens, fated mates, and imagined worlds, I realized none of the main characters reflected me. The books I read all my life sometimes never even had a diverse character in them. Not a speck of color.

This told me two things: Black women authors who write fantasy fiction or sci-fi are extremely rare. Though urban fiction, contemporary romance, biographies, and self-help books dominate the pocket of black women readers, I couldn’t be the only black woman who loves fantasy, science fiction, cosplay, or Airbender. I’m not the only female BLERD in the world.

I can count on both hands how many American Black women authors traditionally publish fantasy fiction. This is specific to the fantasy/science-fiction genre written by American Black female authors. We have our own culture aside from our skin being black.

So, yes. I said what I said.

The bias of publishing companies is a rabbit hole I’m not covering here because that in itself is its own book, but of those few authors I mentioned, most went indie first after a slew of rejections.

The second thing it told me was that I needed to be intentional, too. If I wanted to see my children and grandchildren reflected in this genre, then I needed to WRITE THE BOOK. I know…one author is like a sand pebble on a beach, but that never stopped Alicia Ellis, Jessica Cage, or Leslye Penelope from opening that door for us. So, I went back to school.

My First, but Not Last

I started plotting my debut book, LIGHT AMIDST the SHADOWS, in 2021 while I returned to school and earned my Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing. I learned so much during the process. The good, the bad, the sweat and the tears are why I stay firm as an author.

LIGHT AMIDST THE SHADOWS: CHRONICLES OF THE KEEPERS BOOK ONE

As I wrote, I kept thinking, even if nobody ever reads my book, I did what I set out to do. I represented my people and my culture in a genre that will tell us we have no space in it. The same ones who suppressed our ancestor’s ancient spiritual system in the name of “Christianity,” and called it spiritism, then stole it for themselves and called it their mythology.

With all that said, I have no regrets that my debut novel is an unapologetic Black YA fantasy fiction novel. Black characters, Black gods, Black world = Blaquity-Black. And as I write my second novel, “Memories of a Dream Walker,” I continue on my path of positive representation. This time, I delve into the space of science fiction (my other favorite genre) and I’m even more intentional, tapping into mental health representation, grief, and love. It’s set for release in 2026, and I’m beyond excited to share it.

But before I go back to writing, I want to stop and thank every single one of you who supported me on this long, crazy journey. I’m beyond grateful, and every share, subscription, email, and text message means the world to me. Those who are new to my shenanigans, I invite you to join my newsletter for my latest ramblings. If you haven’t already, follow me on social media @oneartsyauthor, and stop in at my Etsy shop where I create bookish art, including pre-made book covers for my fellow indie authors 🙂.

Thank you for being a part of my story.

Share & follow

For any inquiries, please contact:

Syreeta Benjamin at:

Author Website: https://syreetabenjamin.com/

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/syreeta_benjamin

Social Media: Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Facebook

Etsy shop @ https://www.etsy.com/shop/OneArtsyAuthor

If you know anyone who recently gave birth, please check on them. Don’t wait for them to call you. For more information on postpartum depression, also known as PPD, visit https://postpartum.net/

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My Favorite Reads of 2024 (So Far)

SYREETA BENJAMIN — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

I’m hands down a fantasy fiction junkie. I switch between epic fantasy, dark fantasy, and romantasy. That’s not to say I don’t delve into sci-fi, or even thrillers every once in a while.

My three favorite reads are so different from each other, but they are all fantasy. One of my all-time favorites is So Let Them Burn, by Kamilah Cole. I have never resonated with a main character like I did with Faron. She’s like my soul FMC. The world-building left some to be desired, but as a whole, I loved this book.

If you want to see my full review of the book, check out my July Newsletter, where I dive into Kamilah’s world of dragons and sisterhood.

Gallows Born by A.C Salter was a pleasant surprise. It’s a Viking fantasy series that kept me on my toes. I barely put it down, and, no lie, I read the first two books in a week. The third, The Crooked Shard, just dropped, and I can’t wait to delve into it.

The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang is an Asian-inspired war fantasy that had me crying for the last half of the book. My husband called me while I was in the middle of reading it, just out right bawling. He was very concerned until I told him why. Then he’s like, “Oh, you’re reading.”

Just another day.

My Current Projects (UPDATE)

I understand your curiosity about the release date of Tempest Amidst the Flames. I’m excited to announce that it is currently in progress and I have set a tentative date for the end of 2026.

I'm excited to introduce my other book, “DREAM WALKER,” which is a standalone Sci-Fi/Romantasy. Its release is tentatively scheduled for May of 2026. I have already completed approximately 60% of the book, and I’m thrilled to share that the cover design is finally finished (I couldn’t help but sing that part).

Things are rolling, y’all. Thank you so much for supporting me. It means the world to me. As a journeyer, you have exclusive access, so please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts. Make sure you tune in next month 🙂

With Love,

Syreeta Benjamin

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