The Ben Esch Website

Hey readers,

I know that as a big internet celebrity and critically acclaimed author, my word carries a lot of weight, so when I tell you to check something out, you better believe I understand the full magnitude of my recommendation.  I like to think I haven't steered you guys wrong in the past: 

Stuff I've recommended for you guys in the past

1.  Read Dave Yoo
2.  Buy my book (author's note: I particularly like this suggestion)
3.  Listen to The Adam Carolla Podcast
4.  Dinosaucers. 

When I tell you that you'll like something, you can be confident that it is awesome enough to deserve the full benjaminesch.com seal of approval. 

Without further ado, allow me to present, "The Room" by Tommy Wiseau

I had been hearing rumors about this movie for months, but I finally sat down and watched it yesterday.  And holy crap was it amazing.  I don't think I've ever laughed or thought harder for 90 minutes in my entire life.

I mean, what other movies have inspired their own tribute rap songs? 

(note:  this video will be offensive for people who don't like the F word and tasty rhymes). 

 

The room is in the house, indeed.
 

And I'm gonna be talking at the downtown branch of the Los Angeles Public Library tomorrow...about reading...and teens...and why teens should be reading, I suppose (author's note: my talk still needs a little work). 

So, if you happen to be around downtown LA tomorrow and want to hear me explain why you should be reading more, I suggest that you give it a visit. 

CLICK HERE FOR INFO ON TEEN READ WEEK

Now, I'm sure there are some of you who are interested in the idea of coming to the teen read event at the downtown library, but aren't quite sure that they're ready to commit their prime Tuesday at 4PM time to hearing me talk.  Well, how about I sweeten the deal a bit. 

More reasons you should come

1.  I'm not the only one talking.  I will be joined by fabulous YA authors Cherry Cheva and Brenda Woods. 

2.  When she isn't writing hilarious YA fiction, Cherry Cheva is also one of the head writers on Family Guy.  Thus, she is at least partially responsible for the following clip. 

And since Cherry cares so much about Teen Read Week, she is going to be playing an exclusive clip from next week's episode.  Seriously.  If you come to the library tomorrow, you will get to see next week's Family Guy a solid five days before your friends and neighbors.  Just imagine that kind of bragging power. 

3.  You can win Guitar Hero somehow.  I'm guessing in a raffle.  Sorry, I just read that off the flyer, so I don't have all the details, but still...WIN GUITAR HERO. 

4.  I've been told that there will be brownies.  I don't know if these are supposed to be special "for the authors only brownies" but since we're cool, I'll make sure you get some. 

So, there you have it guys.  I hope to see you at the downtown library. 

Also, for any of you guys who live in the greater LA area but don't want to go downtown, send me an email at [email protected], and I'll let you know where the closest library is that is participating in Teen Read Week. 

Therefore, I am completely confident that you guys want to see a video of some guys in a Salt Lake City library doing a puppet version of Adam Rex's PSST! 

A few reasons why you guys should watch it: 

1.  It clocks in at over nine minutes.  Which is like one tenth of a movie, at zero zeroeth the price. 

2.  The guy does the pig with a german accent...and maybe I'm just simple minded, but I think german accents are really funny.  Maybe I have conflicted feelings about my heritage or something.  Either way, this is some top notch pig doing a german accent action. 

3.  This video only has like 44 views, so if this springs into a "Piano Cat" type internet phenomenon, I'll feel really important. 

4.  PSST!  Is a really funny book. 

5.  And Adam Rex is awesome.  I may have mentioned this before. 

6.  Library based puppet theatre is a seriously underrated field. 

Anyway, here is the video.  Enjoy! 

Hey readers,

So, the West Hollywood Book Fair happened last Sunday and it was more fun than a book fair should be.  First of all, take a look at this picture: 

This is the stage debut of Sophomore Undercover!  Well, a couple pages of it at least, but we made up for it in sheer dramatic intensity.  Okay, to be technical, the kids who were acting supplied pretty much a hundred percent of the dramatic intensity, but I'm wearing a really pretty lei in that picture, and I think that should count for something. 

Kendall (Ms. Trasker), Riley (Dixie) and Noah (narrator) did an amazing job with the scene and if the technology existed for me to clap through the internet, you better believe that's what I would be doing right now. 

The rest of the scenes went really great too and a fun day was had by all.  And, as an added bonus, the Book Fair thought so much of the star power of the LAYAs that they set us up next to Carol Channing and the original cast of the Brady Bunch.  Oh yeah...that's star power. 

I think somebody might have snagged some video footage of this, so stay tuned for that. 

Hey readers,

Some very cool things are going to be happening this Sunday at the West Hollywood Book Fair

1.  I'm gonna get a muffin from Joans.  Goddamn do I love muffins, and they make these super delicious ones that are super dense and have some kind of crunchy corn meal stuff thrown in and I'm too lazy to drive over to Beverly Hills on a normal day, but book fair days are special. 

2.  I will be signing books/available for pleasant conversation at the LAYA (Los Angeles Young Adult Authors) table. 

3.  Some super talented kids are gonna act out a scene from "Sophomore Undercover" along with scenes from nine other really great books.  Trust me on this one, I saw the rehearsals.  This is going to be legit. 

Here's the lineup:

1 to 1:45 on the Teen Stage 

"Duplikate" by Cherry Cheva. 

"Hottie" by Jonathan Bernstein

"All About Vee" by Leigh Purtill

"Kids Inventing! -- A Handbook for Young Inventors" by Susan Casey

"Side Effects" by Amy Koss

2:30 to 3:15 on the Teen Stage

"Danger Boy" by Mark London Williams

"Snap" by Carol Snow

"The Heights the Depths and Everything in Between" by Sally Nemeth

"Simon Bloom, Gravity Keeper" by Mark London Williams

"Sophomore Undercover" by Ben Esch



So, if you've got some free time this Sunday and you know from personal experience what Randy Newman's singing about here --

-- Then you should stop by the West Hollywood Book fair and have some good times with literary minded people.  Plus, I think they sell funnel cakes, and that's always good. 

Also, I will be making my acting debut as "Big Bob" in "The Heights the Depths and Everything in Between."  Just in case some of you guys needed some extra motivation. 

CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE WEHO BOOK FAIR.