Showing posts with label This or That. Show all posts
Showing posts with label This or That. Show all posts
Monday, 27 April 2020
A Fabulous round of "This or That" questions with Nicki Thornton, author of The Seth Seppi mysteries including the latest awesome title "The Cut-Throat Cafe" - Out now from Chicken House Books.
We're joining a fabulous blog tour to celebrate a local author now, awesome Nicki Thornton whose brilliant Seth Seppi Mysteries are available from Chicken House Books, including C's favourite to date - the superb Book Of The Week-winning "The Cut-Throat Cafe".
We've cooked up a series of 10 "This or That" questions to tax Nicki's amazing brain, so here without further ado are our questions and Nicki's answers. Take it away Nicki!
Cats or Dogs?
Oh start with a tough one why not! There is a widely held belief that you do have to be more one or the other, but I would like to say I have met many dogs I have loved; many smart pooches, many soppy-but-lovely ones. And some real monsters I would cross the street to avoid. And it is the same with cats. I should like to make a plea that I be allowed to make a judgment on each individual.
Magicians or Sorcerors?
As you probably know from the fact that I make up words in my books, I am quite interested in words and their origins. There are many different ways of referring to magical folk. Did you know ‘wizard’ probably relates to being wise (as in the middle ages, philosophy and the ability to see into the future and magic, were pretty blurred).
The words magician and sorcerer are pretty interchangeable, but I generally use ‘sorcerer’ as just about the only difference I can ever find is that ‘magician’ can refer to someone using sleight of hand or tricks. (That’s more information that you really wanted, isn’t it?)
Cakes or Biscuits?
If you were to ask my family this question they would instantly tell you that I am ‘very strange’ because I really don’t have a sweet tooth so I don’t go mad for either. Worse, when I make my own I cut down the sugar. Any pudding that doesn’t taste particularly sweet in our house gets referred to as a ‘mum pudding’ and the rest of my family avoid these. Most shop-bought biscuits I can taste little except sugar (nasty). So I would go for the cake, but would quite probably remove that nasty layer of icing. Yep – strange, I have been told!
Would you rather run a cosy cafe or a busy bookshop?
This is a very easy one for me. My preference for books over cake is very high. I can spend all day talking about books, even ones I don’t personally like. Whereas I tend to look at anyone with a piece of cake and just think ‘why are you eating that?’ It is no surprise that I was actually a bookseller for many years. I have never had a great deal of success selling cake.
Seaside or Countryside for a holiday?
Too too tough. I am lucky enough to live somewhere we can get out into the countryside quite easily, so for holidays we tend to head for somewhere with big waves.
Enid Blyton or J.K. Rowling?
I spent many hours as a child enjoying the company of Enid Blyton. She was kind of a one-woman industry for years. I hadn’t re-read any since my childhood I was pleased that when I read my favourite series of hers (the five find-outers) to my children, they did love them too. Funny, with great, yet simple puzzles.
Before Harry Potter were there even any specialist children’s publishers? Or specialist agents exclusively for children’s books? Did any children’s books ever get reviewed? JK Rowling kind of single-handedly revolutionised an entire industry, and one where I now earn my living. I am a huge fan of JK Rowling.
I also totally love Harry Potter and a self-confessed nerd, so don’t get me started on just how much I love those books. (Ask me a HP question, go on, anything . . .)
Brown Sauce or Tomato Ketchup on a Bacon Butty, Hotdog or Burger?
Easy one – you can keep all of it. I am vegetarian and although I would eat a veggie burger I would not put brown or red sauce on it (‘why are you eating that?’
Chocolate or Cheese?
I have nothing particularly against chocolate. It’s just that I love cheese. Cheese is my idea of pudding heaven. Chocolate is ok as long as it is not sweet. The plainer the better. Sorry cream eggs, you are the worst offenders in the ‘Why are you eating that?’ of the chocolate world
Winter, Spring, Summer or Autumn?
Tricky, tricky. One of the things I most love about the UK is the seasons. I like the UK weather, I really do. I love watching how things change and nature comes around. I like rain. The only thing I get fed up with is when anything goes on too long withoutchanging, so even I will grumble if it is still cold and rainy by May, but apart from that, you can’t really have any of them without the others, so I am going to choose them all. Greedy, I know!
Mary Poppins or Nanny McPhee.
You have caught me out on this one! You have picked two books I have somehow passed on. I have not even watched the Nanny McPhee film. So a poor show from me on your final question. Apologies (Nanny McPhee, based on Christianna Brand's Nurse Matilda books, right?) I have seen the Julie Andrews Mary Poppins film, but I’m pretty sure that wasn’t entirely faithful to the book so possibly not fair to judge on that. Must now go and read Mary Poppins, I have heard it’s very good and that there are even several books.
Our huge thanks to Nicki for answering such tricky questions with aplomb! Check out Nicki's fabulous books including "The Cut-Throat Cafe", all available now from Chicken House Books and do check out the rest of the awesome stops on this blog tour - see below!
Wednesday, 10 April 2019
"British Museum: This or That?" by Pippa Goodhart (Nosy Crow / British Museum)
Using clever layouts and amazing quality photos of the exhibits, kids can take a cultural journey around the collection, deciding which objects they like best.
Would you love a Viking Helmet or a Bronze Age Mask?
How about an egyptian cartouche or perhaps a beautiful silk gown from the furthest reaches of the orient?
Opulent treasures and amazing things are there to be discovered, and thanks to a handy set of pictorial guides at the back of the book you can find out what the objects are and from which era.
Sum this book up in a sentence: A thoroughly absorbing and fascinating look at one of the most impressive museum collections on the planet, filled with truly amazing objects.
"This or That?" by Pippa Goodhart is out now, published by Nosy Crow / British Museum (very kindly supplied for review).
Tuesday, 1 May 2018
Joining the "You're Safe with Me" Blog tour with Chitra Soundar and Poonam Mistry, creators of this wonderful dreamy book and another superduper "This or That" round
We're hosting another fantastic "This or That" question and answer session, this time with Chitra Soundar and Poonam Mistry, Author and Illustrator of "You're Safe with Me" from Lantana Publishing.
We've cooked up a crafty set of questions so let's see how Chitra and Poonam got on.
Tea or Coffee?
Poonam: Ohh that’s a hard one. I love both but I drink more coffee than tea. Nothing beats a cup of chai though.
Chitra: Coffee first thing in the morning. Tea when thirsty.
Chocolate or Cheese?
Poonam: Again I love both but if I had to pick one it would be chocolate….I have huge sweet tooth.
Chitra: Cheese! Don’t eat that much chocolate. Strangely I can go without chocolate for years together.
Pens or Pencils?
Poonam: I use both but I couldn’t draw without my Pilot V ball 0.5 pure liquid ink pens. They are an essential.
Chitra: Pens – pens full of ink. Mostly gel pens of all colours. Sometimes I use pencils – but rarely.
Cats or Dogs?
Poonam: Cats!
Chitra: Dogs if I have to choose. I grew up without pets and have never had a pet. Not even a fish. So I’m terrified of all animals. But I’ve tried to befriend dogs in controlled environments. I’d never try to befriend a cat.
Early riser or late nighter?
Poonam: Late nighter. There are times when I get artist block in the day and end up drawing till 4am just because I am on a roll and things seem to click. I also love a lie in.
Chitra: Very early riser. I start my day around 4:30 am, start writing from 5:30 or so, and can go on until noon. Once I get hungry, I stop writing.
E-Book Reader or Print Book Hoarder?
Poonam: Printed book hoarder. Nothing beats physically turning a page of a book.
Chitra: Ah! Both. I love the flexibility of carrying my entire library on holiday. So sometimes I buy the same book in print and electronic. But I’m a big fan of junior fiction and picture books – so I buy loads of them in print.
Summer or Winter?
Poonam: That’s a hard one. I enjoy summer because I go on picnics and long walks. However recently it has been winter. The snow has been a huge source of inspiration for the next book Chitra and myself have been working on.
Chitra: Where I grew up, the difference was marginal. So for me winter, snow, the biting cold, the cold wind in my face was an acquired. While I do like winter, I like the freedom of summer. The long evenings, the flowers, the endless things you can do when the sun comes up at 4 and goes down at nine. But I’ve learnt one thing though – without winter, summer wouldn’t be this joyous. I know, I’ve been in the tropics for the first 27 yeas of my life.
Trains or Planes?
Poonam: Trains. I am not much of a flyer.
Chitra: Trains, hands-down. Love travelling on trains – and all sorts of trains. As a kid, I once went to a hill-station on what they call a toy-train. It’s not a toy-train, but it’s lightweight and has fewer carriages to climb the steep mountains. I loved every minute of it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nilgiri_Mountain_Railway
Savoury or sweet tooth?
Poonam: Sweet tooth. I love my ice cream, chocolate, biscuits and cake!
Chitra: Ah both actually. Savoury most of the time. But after a nice Indian home-cooked meal, always I scramble for something sweet. Being on a healthy diet nowadays, I always keep some dates in the house for that occasion.
Cuddle up to a lion or snuggle with Mama Elephant?
Poonam: Mama Elephant! Nothing would be more comforting than her words of wisdom!
Fabulous answers both! We really enjoyed reading these (and love the idea of that fantastic mountain railway, Chitra!)
"You're Safe with Me" by Chitra Soundar and Poonam Mistry is out now, published by Lantana Publishing.
Don't forget to check out all the other stops on the Blog Tour...
Don't forget to check out all the other stops on the Blog Tour...
Wednesday, 4 April 2018
A fabulous "This or That" interview with two extremely talented folk, here's Ranjit Singh and Mehrdokht Amini, author and illustrator of "Nimesh the Adventurer" (Lantana Publishing)
You can find our review of the book (and two other brilliant Lantana Publishing titles) here: A triple-whammy of amazing titles coming from Lantana in 2018, celebrating original and diverse stories.
Ranjit and Mehdrokht have come up with some brilliant answers to our "This or That" questions, so without further ado let's see how they fared...
1) Tea or Coffee?
M: Always Coffee. My favourite is Cortado and as I try not to drink more than a cup a day I cherish every drop of it!
R:Tea with the Queen at Buckingham Palace whilst Her Majesty and I exchange gardening tips. Or else coffee on the beach at dawn, while I wistfully ponder my ideal garden (I am an avid gardener).
2) Chocolate or Cheese?
M: Chocolate. But I have difficulty choosing between an oozing truffle chocolate or a creamy burrito cheese.
R: I picture myself outside a beautiful 'fromagerie' somewhere on the outskirts of Paris, munching a Kit Kat.
3) Pens or Pencils?
M: Pens and especially 0.2 Uni pun fine liner.
R:Pens, because it will hurt less if I sit on one by accident. By the way, I have only just realised the word 'pencil' contains the word 'pen'.
4) Cats or Dogs?
M: Dogs but I also find the vulnerable little kitties quite irresistible.
R:According to my sister, I am “definitely a cat person”. I am not sure she means this as a compliment.
One thing I have against dogs is when they leave their excrement on the public pavement, and then when I approach it I suddenly realise its there and have to perform some intricate footwork to avoid it so that a passerby at that moment may think that I am tap dancing on the road (Yep that drives us mad too - Ed)
5) Early riser or late nighter?
M: A very late nighter. My favourite time of working is when everyone is sleep.
R: I really like both and so I think that there are benefits to being a vampire.
6) E-Book Reader or Print Book Hoarder?
M: Print Book hoarder. You leave a trace of your life on print books – a connection with the book as the object and as part of your own history, whereas ebooks are too cold and mechanical.
R:Print books because you can carry around ‘Wealth of Nations’ or ‘War and Peace’ and pretend to look intellectual. The only problem is if I come across someone who has read them and wants to discuss them. This is where my sunglasses come in use (see below).
7) Adventures in the city or out in the countryside?
M:I love both Ancient cities and unspoilt countryside equally.
R:A really leafy city.
8) Traditional Art or Digital Art?
M:Both really are tools of expression. It depends on the idea behind the art and the level of its execution.
R:What is digital art? You have both piqued my curiosity and made me look out of touch. I like viewing traditional art online.
M: Chocolate. But I have difficulty choosing between an oozing truffle chocolate or a creamy burrito cheese.
R: I picture myself outside a beautiful 'fromagerie' somewhere on the outskirts of Paris, munching a Kit Kat.
3) Pens or Pencils?
M: Pens and especially 0.2 Uni pun fine liner.
R:Pens, because it will hurt less if I sit on one by accident. By the way, I have only just realised the word 'pencil' contains the word 'pen'.
4) Cats or Dogs?
M: Dogs but I also find the vulnerable little kitties quite irresistible.
R:According to my sister, I am “definitely a cat person”. I am not sure she means this as a compliment.
One thing I have against dogs is when they leave their excrement on the public pavement, and then when I approach it I suddenly realise its there and have to perform some intricate footwork to avoid it so that a passerby at that moment may think that I am tap dancing on the road (Yep that drives us mad too - Ed)
5) Early riser or late nighter?
M: A very late nighter. My favourite time of working is when everyone is sleep.
R: I really like both and so I think that there are benefits to being a vampire.
6) E-Book Reader or Print Book Hoarder?
M: Print Book hoarder. You leave a trace of your life on print books – a connection with the book as the object and as part of your own history, whereas ebooks are too cold and mechanical.
R:Print books because you can carry around ‘Wealth of Nations’ or ‘War and Peace’ and pretend to look intellectual. The only problem is if I come across someone who has read them and wants to discuss them. This is where my sunglasses come in use (see below).
7) Adventures in the city or out in the countryside?
M:I love both Ancient cities and unspoilt countryside equally.
R:A really leafy city.
8) Traditional Art or Digital Art?
M:Both really are tools of expression. It depends on the idea behind the art and the level of its execution.
R:What is digital art? You have both piqued my curiosity and made me look out of touch. I like viewing traditional art online.
9) Winter or Summer?
M: Summer 100%. The warmer the better.
R:Uh Spring? Autumn? I suppose winter because I can wear my sunglasses without worrying about getting tan lines.
10) Go adventuring to the North Pole or Shoot off in a rocket to Outer Space?
M: Sorry, but neither. I don’t like the cold weather nor travelling in darkness.
R: Who will look after my cat? Maybe my cat could go to the North Pole.
Thank you both for such awesome answers! You can catch up with the rest of the blog tour with the fantastic folk listed below:
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