Jendella Benson

Birmingham

Author of ALL THAT WE’VE GOT (OUT NOW!! 👇🏽) & HOPE & GLORY • Head of Editorial @BlackBalladUK • Get 40% off Black Ballad membership w/ ‘JENI’

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Articles

You cannot be everything all at once

2 months ago | jendella.substack.com | Jendella Benson

(No audio version this month because I was fighting for my life over half term…🫠)Currently: All dressed up with nowhere to go. Reading: The Corn Maiden and Other Nightmares by Joyce Carol OatesWatching: White Lotus on NOW TVListening: Backwards Remix by Jorja Smith and Dirty DangerThinking: About a trip to Disneyland Paris…because why not? I gave up photography for motherhood, but that sounds more dramatic than it actually was.
The one where I talk about my mommy issues

Nov 12, 2024 | jendella.substack.com | Jendella Benson

Currently: I’m taking a breather after putting my kids to bedReading: Curandera by Irenosen OkojieWatching: The Con on Disney+ (are you starting to notice a pattern?)Listening: ‘Left Right’ by Keys The PrinceThinking: Keys The Prince is actually making the soundtrack to my life as a British Nigerian.
Waist beads, Mami Wata & the bodies we do not own

Oct 11, 2024 | jendella.substack.com | Jendella Benson

Currently: Looking forward to breakfastReading: The Binding Room by Nadine MathesonWatching: Love Rats on Netflix (definitely a cheat code for celibacy)Listening: ‘My Heart’ by AsakeThinking: I need to stop procrastinating and start re-writing this third novel. Content note: This post mentions miscarriage and discusses body image issues. For my 35th birthday, I bought myself two things.
Black female friendship at home and away

Oct 10, 2024 | jhalakreview.substack.com | Jendella Benson

Review by Jendella Benson | Originally published in the print edition, October 11th 2024“We have no say in the circumstances of our birth – the very things that determine the people we become: our parents, our families, our country,” muses Zina, one of the three narrators in Aiwanose Odafen’s second novel, We Were Girls Once.
Everything I was thinking about while I was writing my book

Sep 16, 2024 | jendella.substack.com | Jendella Benson

Currently: Procrastinating before I go and pick my kids from after school club. Reading: The Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. ButlerWatching: Kaos on NetflixListening: The ALL THAT WE’VE GOT playlist I made on Spotify.
All That We've Got

Jul 4, 2024 | uk.bookshop.org | Promoting Books |Jendella Benson

'Few people can write the way Jendella does' - Kelechi Okafor, author of Edge of Here'All That We've Got is simply brilliant' - Dorothy Koomson, author of Every Smile You Fake'A heartwarming story about the strength of...Black women' - Taylor-Dior Rumble, author of The Situationship'Simultaneously thought-provoking, heartrending and uplifting' - Onyi Nwabineli, author of Someday, Maybe'An engrossing, empowering story' - Lizzie Damilola Blackburn, author of Yinka, Where is Your Huzband?
What it means to be a teenage girl

May 27, 2024 | jendella.substack.com | Jendella Benson

Currently: experimenting with audio voiceovers…think of this like mini podcasts…we’ll see how this goes…Reading: Little Rot by Akwaeke EmeziWatching: Fresh Off the Boat on Disney+Listening: Mostly Lit podcast (welcome back, guys 🥲)Thinking: am I being too greedy trying to squeeze in a third holiday this year?
What it means to be a teenage girl

May 27, 2024 | jendella.substack.com | Jendella Benson

Currently: experimenting with audio voiceovers…think of this like mini podcasts…we’ll see how this goes…Reading: Little Rot by Akwaeke EmeziWatching: Fresh Off the Boat on Disney+Listening: Mostly Lit podcast (welcome back, guys 🥲)Thinking: am I being too greedy trying to squeeze in a third holiday this year?
I was in Abidjan thinking about a future that will never, ever come

Apr 27, 2024 | jendella.substack.com | Jendella Benson

Currently: sitting on a park bench freezing my fingers off (spring, where?!) while one kid plays football and the other is on the adventure playground Reading: Fast By The Horns by Moses McKenzie (a damn good book, out in a couple weeks) Watching: Baby Reindeer on Netflix Listening: ‘SWEET ★ HONEY ★ BUCKIIN’’ by Beyoncé and Shaboozey Thinking: about Beyond The Bassline: 500 Years of Black British Music at The British Library…*chef’s kiss* “Parlez-vous anglais?” I asked the young man sat in...
Based on a true story

Mar 10, 2024 | jendella.substack.com | Jendella Benson

Currently: drinking tea in my dressing gownReading: Nearly All The Men In LagosAre Mad by Damilare KukuWatching: Just finished re-watching Daria and emotionally, it was what I needed in this seasonListening: ‘Imithandazo’ by Kabza De Small & Mthunzi feat. Young Stunna, DJ Maphorisa, Sizwe Alakine & UmthakathiKushThinking: about the amazing IWD campaign we just launched at Black Ballad“Is your novel based on your life?”I smile, take a breath and steady myself.