Benediction is a darkly humorous novel of a middle-aged gay filmmaker’s journey through prostate cancer. Title character Ben Schmidt’s having an affair with the sexy artist upstairs, has another guy on the side, and he’s also just directed a movie, something he’s always wanted to do. At work, his nemesis is hell-bent on getting him fired. Despite all this, the guy’s got a darkly skewed sense of humor, and learns to navigate the strange reality of Cancerworld just as his movie begins its festival tour and the situation at work gets worse.  

The happy outcome of any of these situations being far from certain, Ben struggles to figure out what love and friendship really mean, as he fights for his literal survival – at the same time dealing with those who want to give advice, including dead friends – who can't resist popping back in as ghosts with words of questionable wisdom.