Tuesday 9 January 2018

A fabulous "This or That" Question and answer session with Ben Davis, Author of "The Private Blog of Joe Cowley" (OUP / Oxford Children's Books)

We're joined by ace wordsmith Ben Davis, author of the awesome "The Private Blog of Joe Cowley" books to celebrate launch day for his latest brilliant title, "Make Me Awesome!" What's it all about? Well hark rest ye, and listen forth...

Hey you! Yes, you! Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror and thought Wow! My life is really rubbish? I can tell from looking at you that you probably have. But I'm here to tell you that all that is about to change.

Why not climb aboard the Make Me Awesome programme and buy a one way ticket to Awesometown, calling at Successville, Dollarsdale, and Camp You're the Greatest!
My name is Chuck Willard and I CAN make you AWESOME, just like me! 

(Well, maybe not that awesome, I'm one of a kind)
When Freddie Smallhouse signs up to the Make Me Awesome programme, he's ready to turn himself from zero to hero, all with the help of his idol, Chuck Willard. Freddie embarks on various schemes to make himself awesome safe in the knowledge that Chuck is always there, at the end of an email, to give him lots of personal advice . . . isn't he?

We were asked to come up with some tricklishly difficult questions for Ben in our semi-regular "This or That" feature, to coincide with the upcoming launch of the book.

We've cogitated, we've meandered, we've bent our brains into interesting shapes to come up with ten "This or That" questions, so take it away Ben!

Ben Davis, author of "Make Me Awesome!"



1) Chocolate or Cheese?


Starting with a toughie, eh? I respect that. I’m a big fan of both, as my athletic physique will attest, but I’m going to go with chocolate.


2) Star Wars or Star Trek?


I never used to be a fan of either, but when I decided Joe Cowley was going to be a Trekker, I watched Star Trek: The Next Generation for research and got well into it. There! Are! Four! Lights! (HEY! I got that reference! - Ed)


3) Tea or Coffee?


Tea. Earl Grey. (Boom! Call-back to the previous question!)


4) Blogs or Diaries?


I’ve never managed to keep up a diary for more than a week, so I’ll say blog. I have a slightly better track record with those. Slightly.


5) Pens or Pencils?


I can draw about as well as your average gibbon, so I have very little use for pencils these days.


6) Summer or Winter?


Summer. All two days of it.

7) Writing for adults or writing for kids?


Now this is the easiest one. Writing for kids. Knowing that my books have turned young people into readers is the best feeling.


8) Mo or Mr Underbed?


Mr Underbed. I’m still annoyed with John Lewis for ripping off my book ‘Daisy and the Weird Moon Man’ a few years ago.


9) Marvel or DC?


This is complicated. See, Batman is my favourite superhero. He has been ever since I watched repeats of the Adam West TV series when I was a kid. Then it was the Animated Series, the comics, the first couple of movies in the 90s series before they went rubbish, and the Christopher Nolan trilogy. I was there the whole time. But, as much as it pains me to admit it, Marvel have been making the better films for quite a while. Plus, most annoyingly, my two year old is obsessed with Spider-Man, so I’ve been exposed to Marvel a lot more lately.



10) And finally…”The Private Blog of Joe Cowley” or “The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4”?


Adrian who? Only kidding. As much as I’d like to say Joe, I must doff my cap to the immortal Bard of Leicester.

Utterly awesome answers to our questions Ben (I hooted with laughter at Answer 8!) - Thank you so much for joining us. 

Don't forget, "Make Me Awesome" by Ben Davis is out now, published by OUP / Oxford Children's Books. Don't forget to check out the other fantastic blogs on this blog tour too!