Over my nearly 20-year career as a reporter, editor, and freelance writer, I have written several thousand pieces for more than a dozen newspapers, magazines, websites, and niche publications. Below are links to samples of my work.
Press Releases & Brand Stories
The 3 O’Clock Spot
Boyne Business Expo
Fustini’s Oils & Vingegars opens new location
Duck race remains afloat
Celebrating July Fourth in the new normal
Why the 2020 census matters to your family
Better internet coming to Beaver Island
Boyne youth arrested for bomb threat
Northern Michigan lizard on the loose
Story links
BCPS faces $718,000 in cuts to sports, education, jobs
When the mentally ill have nowhere to go, they go to jail
County angry, frustrated, embarrassed with trail delays
Boyne City Commission to discuss fluoride in the water
South Africa to Boyne City—Martin Neuhoff’s 43-year journey
Housing Commission forced to release information
Brownfield Plan for Dilworth Approved
Local creates high fashion brand
Mixed ruling in Charlevoix County FOIA case
Massive St. Pat’s celebration close to home
Libert closer to identifying ship wreckage he believes is Le Griffon
Stranger’s brew—homemade moonshine gone wrong
Newspaper editions
Some recent editions of the Boyne City Gazette, which ran for nearly 11 years and closed in summer of 2020 due to the devastating financial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown.
Older Newspaper Editions
Niche Magazines
Some of the many niche magazines I wrote, edited, and designed over the years.
2015 boyne holiday guide WEB VERSION
2016 Boyne Gazette Summer Guide
Boyne Holiday Guide 2014 master
Books
Toynbee
On the remote Islet of Mt. Banke, there is a thriving backwoods community of reformed murderers, rapists, and thieves.The doctor who leads this motley band of castoffs toils ceaselessly to atone for his own terrible sins—which have marked him, body and soul.When their idyllic existence is threatened by unstoppable forces, wrongs are done which cannot be made right again.So begins a strange and dangerous journey into the blackened heart of mind and man.Can the most reviled of men outrun cruel indifference … and their own worst selves … in the search for sanctuary? Buy Toynbee here
The Stickhare
The time is not now nor long ago, and the meek—as Frank Zappa sang—have inherited nothing. Fresh out of prison, Henry Coney struggles with gambling and booze, complications from his dwarfism, and caring for his sweet but hulking older sister Georgia, who has the mind of a child.
When Henry’s bookie is murdered under fantastical circumstances, he is thrust into a clockwork catastrophe. To unravel the apocalyptic riddle, Henry and Georgia embark on a cross-country holy mission beset by a bizarre menagerie of philosophers, assassins, and madmen.
Can it be that the lowest of men have been called to answer the word of God … or something more sinister?In his intense new novel, Benjamin J. Gohs returns to the Great Lakes region with a calamitous tale of life on the run—away from fate … and right back into its cold cruel arms. Buy The Stickhare here
A Thin Porridge
When Abeona Browne’s renowned abolitionist father dies in 1860, her life of privilege and naiveté in Southern Michigan becomes a frantic transatlantic search for answers to devastating family secrets.
Along the journey, Abeona learns of her father’s tragic and terrible past through a collection of letters he intended for someone lost long ago.
Passage to the Dark Continent is fraught with wild beast, raging storm, and bounty hunters who will stop at nothing to possess those damning secrets that threaten the very anti-slavery movement Abeona’s father helped build.
Can Abeona overcome antebellum attitudes and triumph over her own fears to right the wrongs in her famous family’s sordid past? Buy A Thin Porridge here
Humor Books
Before focusing on super-serious novels, Benjamin wrote several humor books including a compilation of his newspaper columns entitled I’m So Great & Other Delusions as well as the essay collection Frickin 40: Funny Stories About Middle Age. He also created an a-b-c book for grownups called and eventually … death.
I’m So Great & Other Delusions
Frickin 40 – Funny Stories About Middle Age
“A Thin Porridge is a tour de force and gripping historical fiction at its very best.” —Indie Reader
“[A] powerful historical coming of age adventure…. Adventurous and gutsy.” —Self-Publishing Review
REVIEWS
Reader praise for A Thin Porridge
“A Thin Porridge is a coming-of-age story as well as a cracking adventure. There is so much to like about it, with plenty of … twists and turns.” —D.G.
“This book is incredibly fascinating! I was hooked and it had me thinking about it (and) what would happen to Abeona, even when I wasn’t reading it. I have never heard a story like this, told in this time period, from a woman’s point of view. I loved this story. Thank-you for a wonderful adventure.” —Rachel
“[A] knack for imagery, scene-setting, and conveying dialect. This writing is rich. I can almost smell the pipe smoke and hear the accents. Historical fiction sometimes gets cumbersome when writers spend too much time trying to illustrate an authentic time period. (Benjamin) achieves it effortlessly. Some of these sentences are just jaw-dropping! The true testament for me is: Do I tense up when the situation is tense? Do I tear up when I’m meant to be saddened? And I must say, this book got to me.” —T.H.
“I like how the backstory is relayed in the form of Jon Browne’s journals.” —Sheila
“It brings a fresh perspective to an old idea and avoids cliché at the same time. The plot twists were unexpected. Everything is built into the flow of the story brilliantly. The descriptions are vivid and immerse the reader into the story in such a way that you are in the wilds of Africa with Abeona. It was a grand adventure for Abeona and … it was great to be part of that. The obvious love and dedication that went into the piece … shows in the writing and the accuracy to the era. There were times when I went and verified something because I wasn’t sure, and whatever I looked at would be spot on.” —Brandee
Goodreads Reviews
Jean Roberts: “I love it when a book takes me on a journey back in time and gives me the grand tour. I can taste, smell and feel the fabric of the past. Gohs has done an amazing job of creating a rich tapestry of settings.”
READ MORE
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3367174907?book_show_action=true&from_review_page=1
Kristine D: “I think this book is certainly worth a read for a reader who is prepared to work for the story or who adapts to and enjoys experimental writing styles.”
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https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3401173586?book_show_action=true&from_review_page=1
Naomi: “I really enjoyed the actual plot of the book. There were a lot of subplots and side notes, and yet it all came together brilliantly.”
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https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3420641801?book_show_action=true&from_review_page=1
Sally Flint: “I can’t say that I loved this. It was just too vast for me, but I guess that is a problem with me, for not having the staying power. You have to admire the writer for being so ambitious and not being satisfied with anything other than a whirlwind of an adventure.”
READ MORE
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3407431668?book_show_action=true&from_review_page=1
Susan Alpert: “The writing soars when describing the horrors of the African slavery trade which Abeona sees as soon as she gets off the ship in Cameroon. Mr. Gohs has a gift for cinematic details and has done a remarkable amount of research, which gives the novel its verisimilitude.”
READ MORE
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3404568079?book_show_action=true&from_review_page=1
James W: “Meticulously researched, perfectly paced, and captivating from start to finish, A Thin Porridge transcends and is highly recommended for fans of any and all sub-genres of fiction.”
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https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3396757409?book_show_action=true&from_review_page=1
Julie: “Abeona’s story will draw you in quickly and keep you reading ~ chapters are short, and the action is non-stop. You will cheer her on as she grows from a sheltered rich girl into a brave woman ready to conquer the world.”
READ MORE
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3391443627?book_show_action=true&from_review_page=1
Elaine: “[Gohs’] descriptive settings put you right there and the characters come to life with his words along the way. This is a definite must-read!”
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https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3400152048?book_show_action=true&from_review_page=1
Mark Smith: The author masterfully paints a portrait of a broken young lady who heals during her path to redemption. Each chapter draws the reader into a new land and shows that even heroes have a darker past.
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https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3410762180?book_show_action=true&from_review_page=1
Corrine Cassels: “Africa is almost like a character in this book, as opposed to just a setting, and it really took the book to a different level. Great read.”
READ MORE
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3399043968?book_show_action=true&from_review_page=1
Sandra Gross: “It’s been a long time since a novel held my interest like this book did.”
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https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3411400316?book_show_action=true&from_review_page=1
When Abeona Browne’s renowned abolitionist father dies in 1860, her life of privilege and naiveté becomes a frantic transatlantic search for answers to devastating family secrets. Along the journey, Abeona learns of her father’s tragic and terrible past through a collection of letters intended for someone lost long ago.
Passage to the Dark Continent is fraught with wild beast, raging storm, and bounty hunters after those damning secrets that threaten the very anti-slavery movement Abeona’s father helped build.
Can Abeona overcome antebellum attitudes and triumph over her own fears to right the wrongs in her famous family’s sordid past?
A Thin Porridge is a Homeric tale of second chances, forgiveness, and adventure that whisks readers from the filth of tweendecks, into the treachery of Cameroons Town, across the beauty of Table Bay, and deep into the heart of the fynbos—where wicked Boer miners continue the outlawed scourge of slavery.
Benjamin J. Gohs, Screenwriter 