72-Hour Book Sale for Venezuela Relief
Pre-order the Premium Edition of Becoming Still, a travel memoir born in Venezuela
Pay what you can.
Suggested contribution:
$35
Signed, numbered, and a limited run, scheduled to ship in August.
Closes July 1 at 11:59 PM PST
PRE-ORDER USING THE FORM BELOW
WHAT THIS IS
My name is Sej Saraiya. I’m an artist, photographer, filmmaker, and author of Becoming Still, a book born from my journey through Venezuela.
Venezuela is the country that changed my life. Its rivers, jungles, wild places, and people shaped this book and shaped me. Some of my favorite people in the world are Venezuelan. Many still live there and I haven’t heard back from some of them yet.
As many of you know, Venezuela has been hit by two devastating back-to-back earthquakes. Thousands of people have lost homes, family members, safety, and stability in a country that was already carrying years of hardship. Children are especially vulnerable right now, being displaced, separated, grieving, and in need of shelter, food, medical care, and protection.
I’ve seen bake sales and community fundraisers happening around the U.S. for Venezuela. I don’t bake. But I do have a book based in Venezuela.
So I’m doing a 72-hour benefit book sale.
For the next 72 hours, I’m opening pre-orders for a Special Premium Edition of Becoming Still, printed only for this fundraiser. Signed. Numbered. Limited run.
WHERE THE MONEY GOES
All proceeds after printing + shipping costs will be donated to relief organizations supporting Venezuelans right now, with special attention to children and families. The final donation will be split between:
- We Love Foundation (emergency relief / local response)
- International Medical Corps (emergency medical care)
- Direct Relief (medical aid / emergency supplies)
- World Central Kitchen (meals for affected families and first responders)
- Fundana (34 years on the ground protecting children)
After the sale closes, I’ll publicly share: Total number of books ordered, Total amount collected, Printing & shipping costs, Final donation amount, Donation receipts.
** Direct donation links are also listed below for anyone who prefers to give straight to the organizations.
HOW TO PRE-ORDER
STEP 1
Fill out the form below
STEP 2
PAY BY VENMO:
To complete your pre-order, scan the QR code
or Venmo me at @Sej-Saraiya
Suggested contribution: $35 per book*
Venmo note: Book Fundraiser + your full name
*A $35 preorder covers approximately: $10 printing, shipping, handling & $25 toward Venezuela relief. Your order is not considered complete until the Venmo payment is made.
RELIEF SUPPORTERS
Books pre-ordered: 04
Estimated donation so far: $150
Last updated: 06/29/2026 09:39
Laura Parada
Melissa Stevens
Andy Sudol
Andrea Arnold
Direct donation
If you don’t want a copy of the book and would rather donate directly, please do. These are a few heavily researched organizations, vetted by friends living in Venezuela, that you can support:
Caritas Venezuela (in partnership with Caritas Switzerland)
PAYPAL mendesgonzalezs@gmail.com (He is dedicated to providing essential aid for children)
PAYPAL @MireyaCFabregas (supplying Starlink, electrical equipment, and other urgently needed aid)
Fundana (emergency relief focused on children, they have worked on the ground for 34 years to protect children, women and families in need)
Transparency note
This is a book purchase, not a tax-deductible donation.
I will donate the proceeds after printing + shipping costs and publicly share the final donation receipts.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Since you’re here to order the premium edition for Venezuela relief, you may be here first and foremost to help. And that is the heart of this fundraiser. But the book itself is part of the story too. Becoming Still was born from my time in Venezuela, so it feels only right to tell you what it is, where it came from, and why this country means so much to me.
Synopsis: What begins as a reluctant holiday—tagging along on her boyfriend’s trip to the untamed wilderness of Venezuela—quickly turns into an unpredictable journey, evoking fears, challenging perceptions, and questioning long-held beliefs. Amidst jungle rivers, towering waterfalls, and Pemón guides, a woman finds herself navigating not only unfamiliar terrains but also the hidden depths of her doubts and desires.
Becoming Still is a captivating and poetic tale of adventure, loss, and inner awakening, an invitation to surrender control, embrace the unknown, and discover the healing power of nature.
Interwoven with vivid storytelling, cultural insight, and moments of quiet revelation, this story explores how travel can simultaneously unravel and restore us, and how stillness, even in the wildest places, can guide us home.
“An open and vulnerable account of how journeys shape us.”
—KIRKUS REVIEWS
Goodreads Reviews
Early readers have called Becoming Still a moving, soulful travel memoir about Venezuela, inner reckoning, and the wild places that change us.
