Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls

By Kristin Bivens

I’ve always wanted to be a comedic essay writer. I try to create stories out of what seems nothing, make them funny and turn them into a three to five page tale of my silly life. But, frankly, things that are funny to other people rarely happen to me. And if they do, I can’t seem to stretch it beyond a page. Not only that, but it is really hard for me to show the situation happening. Instead, I basically say, “Dick and Jane ran. Then they stopped.”

I’ve read my fair share of comedic essays and every time I read one, I am insanely jealous of the talent in those words. To be able to take everyday life and experiences and actually make it sound halfway interesting. I suppose it helps when you are an author and get to fly all over the world and talk to crazy fans, but some of the best things happened to the authors before they were officially an author.

One of my goals in life is to write my own series of essays. We’ll see how it goes. In the meantime, let me tell you about the book of personal essays that I just read---Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris.

When David Sedaris writes a book, I make a point to buy it and at the very least, read it shortly after doing so. I read my first book of his, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, after graduating college. Honestly, I read it because it was suggested “emo” reading in the book Everybody Hurts: The Essential Guide to Emo Culture. Of course, then I felt really cool and asked everyone, “Have you read David Sedaris?” I acted like I was totally edgy and cool simply because I had read one of his books. After reading my first book, and feeling cool doing so, I made a point to buy each book that I could get my hands on.

I bought a book for my boyfriend at the time as a Valentine’s Day present, but only because I hadn’t read Me Talk Pretty One Day and now I could buy it and read it and not feel guilty adding another book to my book shelf. When we broke up, I got the book. And after reading Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls, I’ve started reading Me Talk Pretty One Day after all this time.

Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls was just as good as Sedaris’ other books. He writes a lot about living in France and England, which I always find interesting. He seems so much more exotic when he talks about living in West Sussex and as always, he talks about growing up in North Carolina. The culture he experiences is refreshing, especially with his unique, hilarious spin on it. You learn that a specific Asian country has poop all over the sidewalks. His little English town is filled with litter. And that apparently, France really wants a black president.

A few of the essays in the book are written like short stories, but take into account real life, like the ridiculous attitudes towards gay marriage and how because gays can marry, marriage is destroyed. They were entertaining, though I prefer Sedaris’ personal stories. His experience and his perspective on life is the best part about his writing. He doesn’t just take an experience and write about it well, he thinks about the experience in ways not everyone would. I always relate to the writers with the semi-crazed perspective on life. Self deprecation is my favorite.

Book vs. Movie: "Hunger Games: Catching Fire"

By Liz Brossard

My name is Liz and I am a book snob. I’m the person that will exhaust you with every detail of a book and tell you why it shouldn’t be made into a movie. Or if it was, what the director did wrong. “Hunger Games: Catching Fire” is no exception; however, I must give credit where credit is due. The new director, Francis Lawrence, made a solid adaptation out of the second book in the Hunger Game series.

Images courtesy of Liz Brossard.

I read the Hunger Games series a few years after all three books were released, but before the announcement of the movie. I just want to make sure everyone is aware that I didn’t jump on the bandwagon since; after all, I am a book snob. 

The three books were easy reads, but the best dystopian novels I’ve ever read. Every detail was perfectly explained and I became invested in Katniss, District 12 and the revolution.  

Suzanne Collins got me emotionally invested from book one, but “Catching Fire” is what really solidified my love for the series. Though it may fall into the same genre as other YA series’ like “Twilight,” the depth, darkness and social implications of the Hunger Games cannot be compared to the silliness of sparkly, lustful teenage vampires.  

The movies don’t show the depth in the way that the books do, but I think they did the best they could for a PG-13 audience. There were a few missing puzzle pieces, and I will explain why they were important and why the movie fell a little short. I’m not going to give you an entire synopsis of the book or the movie, but beware, there are spoilers. 

One of the missing pieces was that the victors had to show off a hobby or a skill, and the book explained that Peeta had become an incredible artist, which would have explained a little better why he drew the picture of Rue on the floor at the trials before the games. But that’s not the detail that frustrated me. 

I have anger built up from the first movie when they never even mentioned that Peeta’s leg or Katniss’ ear had to be reconstructed. These are things that they touch on in the second book quite extensively. Peeta is supposed to be a hindrance to the group due to his leg. Yet, in the movie they show him just as limber as the rest of the victors. In actuality, he is a problem and the only reason everyone goes out of their way to keep him alive is because he is important to Katniss.  

Overall, these are unimportant details. More so, I would like to touch on the foreshadowing moments in the book that left the movie lacking.

Plutrach Heavensbee

The culmination of the victors’ tour lands Katniss and Peeta at President Snow’s mansion for a party at the capitol, where Katniss meets Plutrach Heavensbee, the new gamekeeper. Heavensbee was eager to meet Katniss. During their meeting, he showed Katniss his watch, this watch is important for a couple of reasons. First, it had a holographic image of the mockingjay in the background, and he makes it a point for her to see that. The scene foreshadows the layout of the arena and was Heavensbee’s way to show Katniss his allegiance. She is not sure of where his loyalties lie, but in the movie that is never questioned. She doesn’t realize this until much later, but at some point she does realize that he was giving her a clue. This isn’t even alluded to in the movie, but what would it have taken, a whole three minutes for that scene?  

Bonnie and Twill

This is one of the biggest errors in the movie. Bonnie and Twill, the escapees from District 8, meet Katniss on their way to the supposedly non-existent District 13. She is introduced to the pair in the woods in her last excursion beyond the fence before the games. She learns about the uprisings, the possibility of District 13’s underground existence and how the mockingjay has become a symbol for the districts’ revolution.  There are some things you had to leave out to avoid a five-hour movie, but this, to me, was a key moment. 

President Snow

Not once in the book did we learn about President Snow and his grandchild. You know why? Because she didn’t exist. The movie also never alluded to President Snow’s odor of blood and roses, which I understand. How do you explain that in a movie properly? Still, it’s something that Katniss mentions frequently and it helps explain Snow’s character.

All that being said, I enjoyed the second movie much more than the first. Maybe it was the new director or the acting – the casting was great – but at the end of the day, it was a solid movie and it left me excited for what Collins and Lawrence will do with the final installments.

Bottom line: take the time to read these books. They’re a quick, simple read, but you will feel like you are part of the storyline. Katniss’ odds may not always be in her favor, but they are for the reader. 

About the Author: Liz Brossard is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago where she earned her BA in Print Journalism. Currently she resides in Crystal Lake, Ill where she works as an Administrative assistant and a freelance writer. Previously Liz was the editor of an online Indie music site/zine and hopes to find her way back to writing music reviews, book reviews and movie reviews on a more regular basis. She is an avid reader and finds it hard to put a book down, even if it subpar. To her, reading and learning is the only thing that keeps this world going well, that and her two cats.

Series 1, Post 2: Why E-Books Aren't Going Anywhere

By Sara E Thompto

If you look at the news in the world of publishing, you’ll find articles on how e-book sales have flattened out a bit. It could be the rise in price (these days the cost of an e-book is fairly comparable to its physical twin, whereas ebooks used to be marketed as the cheaper option). It could also be people, like myself, tend to prefer a physical book in hand.

However, even as a physical book lover, I don’t predict e-books disappearing. If anything, I think they will soon gain ground again and here is why:

Image courtesy of Maggie Smith / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Baby Boomers and Older
It used to be my opinion (perhaps an ignorant one) that bound books would never be replaced by e-books because, if anything, older generations would not convert to using the new technology. Well, I was wrong. From my experience, older generations LOVE e-readers.

My 52-year-old co-worker started selling off her large collection of paperback novels that was “cluttering her house” and instead favors her e-reader where she already has a collection of over 2,000 novels stocked up. She no longer needs to drive around to various bookstores to find the novel she is looking for, which she is happy about, as she does not like to drive.

Meanwhile, a friend's grandma was just discussing how she likes being able to choose the size setting on her e-reader so reading doesn’t strain her eyes anymore. When she was searching the bookstores for books, she had a limited selection, as not all books come in large format print.

E-readers are easy to navigate, they are lightweight, and they can store more books than a bookshelf, making it much more easily accessible for any generation. E-books are not only more accessible for those limited with their transportation, but with the use of e-readers and the ability to adjust font size, they are also easier on the eyes, making them a popular buy with older generations.

Portability
Another hot sell with e-books is their portability. Something I’ve come across more than once while traveling is finishing a book, and having nothing else with me to pass the time while waiting at the airport (or the dmv, or doctors office, etc). The wait can be boring, and it’s difficult to carry more than one physical book with you at one time, especially while traveling.

With an e-reader, finishing one book isn’t really an issue, since there can be dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of books on one single device. E-readers can easily be slid in a bag or purse, and can be carried with less effort than a physical book - especially large books or sets of books. Your entire library can be carried with you wherever you go.

Which brings me to…

Instant Gratification

I can read for hours, sucked into a world written by authors where no one can reach me, except the characters and the world the author has painted. The idea of having to pause to charge up always seemed frustrating and a waste of time. However, what’s more frustrating is reading a good book in a series, and finishing it just in time for the bookstores to be closed. 

This is where instant gratification comes into play. In my desperation of wanting the next book, it’s easy to click a few buttons and have the next book at my disposal. An e-book serves its purpose, giving me my moments of solitude from the outside world, and allows me to continue my story, uninterrupted, without leaving the comfort of my home.

The thrill of immediate gratification is not something people throw aside easily. If something is accessible in a faster, uncomplicated way, people will start preferring that route, once they get used to it. Simply put - it is a “why wait” attitude that e-books have the ability to fill, and people are happy to take advantage of what is at their fingertips. Myself included. 

Although I do personally prefer physical books, I can recognize e-books have  a strong place in today's world, and I feel they will only become more relevant as time goes on. The way I see it, the initial e-book boom was caused by e-readers and tablets being something new and shiny to play with. Now that they are common place, it gives those initially against the new technology more breathing room to experience it for themselves. Sales of e-books may be slowing for now, but after exploring the pros of what it means to have a wide selection of books at your fingertips, wherever you go, easily accessible for all generations… I can’t help but feel e-books have a bright future.

Series 1, Post 1: One Person’s Bias Toward Physical Books

By Sara E Thompto

I was nervous as I walked up to the bookstore, my heart pounding, almost in my throat. Then again, that’s what I was always like when I was going on a first date. This one was different though; this boy wanted to take me to a bookstore. Not any bookstore, but my favorite little hole-in-the-wall bookstore with used books that smelled of age and overuse.

When I walked in he was there already, leaning against a shelf reading a book. We spent hours in that bookstore, browsing the shelves slowly, discussing our favorites and our least favorites. There was not a single book we agreed on. In fact, we strongly disliked most of each other’s choices. Which really should have been my first indicator that he was definitely not the guy for me.  

The Top Reason for My Bias

The memory written above is the number one reason why I will never stop browsing and buying traditional bound books. Not that specific memory, but more or less the idea of it. In my experience books can help develop human connections, such as the one shared. I have yet to have a similar experience while browsing for an e-book.

Recently I drove up to Beatnik Books in Roseville, CA with my brother and wife. I heard a good deal about this locally famous bookstore, and had to check out what all of the fuss was about. The bookstore is rather small and sells used books, but the charm within is vast. While browsing the bookstore my brother discovered a book by one of his favorite sociologists and philosophers and when he opened the front cover, he discovered it was signed by the author. This find was completely unexpected, and as a lover of books, especially rare finds, this book made my brothers day. He bought it, excitedly, and started going into stories about his experience with this sociologist and his college studies and professors of his who would be jealous. This book - this physical object - lit his happiness and we were all able to share in on the experience and connect over this signed edition of The Condition of Man. An experience we wouldn’t have had if he was simply just looking for an e-book, just something to read.

These type of unexpected connections are a constant in my life when it comes to a physical, in your hands, book. As a book lover, sharing books is a natural progression for a strong friendship for me. My closest friends and I have shared books from our own bookshelves, which allows the other person to view your interests more closely, and it becomes something you can bond over. It may sound simple, loaning someone a book, but it can be seen as a sign of trust, bonding the friendship more. You’re loaning someone something you feel strong enough about to share, and you’re trusting they will return the book in the same condition. Not only that, but in some cases, you may be trusting them not to judge you based on your tastes in literature. I know in more than one case I have shared books that I first read in middle school, because no matter how old I am, they will always be my favorites.

Sharing a book this way isn’t something easily done with an e-book. For instance, Amazon only allows the lending of a book for 14 days, and you may only lend out a book once. It also doesn’t offer the same value. Especially if you are someone like me who writes in the margins of a good book, jotting down important thoughts and ideas that you don’t want to forget in reference to the book.

Writing in a book for some is a taboo. For me, it’s an act that allows me to capture the spark of emotion that specific section of the book causes. It’s a tool that helps me remember how I felt at that moment in time the first time I read the book, or the second or third, at different stages of my life.  With an e-book I don’t get that same experience. I can’t jot down a note on the pages of the book to find later, and rediscover how the story resonated with my life at that moment. It’s felt, but forgotten.

I will always love the smell of paper and ink and the weighted feel of a book in my hands, if for no other reason than books connect me with not only others, but myself as well.

With that said, I do believe e-books have their place, and I am grateful for many reasons to live in a time and place where e-books exist. But that blog won’t be coming to you for another week.

Introducing Shiny Happy People. . .

By Sara Thompto & Kristin Bivens

Mission Statement

Passionate about each person's individual process for crafting and creating unique works of art, Shiny Happy People Publishing brings to the public books, stationery, and gifts. Our products are recognizable for their edgy and vibrant appearance, the content recognizable for its diversity, openness to life, and inherent depth, and the overall experience of Shiny Happy People Publishing recognizable by its high quality, both of product and presentation.

Sara "Tiptoe" Thompto
Bivie and I met in college; both journalism majors, both trying to work our way toward a career in a creative environment where we could write and express ourselves. At the time, our passion was print journalism, which isn’t a booming market. And, when you go to school for a dying industry a person can become easily jaded. Luckily, I’m not someone who easily gives up on my goals; when I feel as if I am losing a battle, I only fight harder. In the end I came to a conclusion: instead of making my goals smaller, I needed to make them larger. 

The good thing about Bivie and I is we are soulmates in friendship and tend to experience similar creative needs. In my mind, this is where the spark for something greater came from, something where we could put forth our ideas and maybe even help others get their art and passion out for others to see. 

Shiny Happy People Publishing isn’t only for the writers like Bivie and myself, it’s for the designers, the artists, and the innovators. It’s for the people who work hard and pour themselves into a creation, and know it must be out there for others to see and experience. 

Bivie and I are passionate people. We feel everything one hundred percent and we wouldn’t want it any other way. We’re strong, we have our opinions, we believe in quality, we believe in hard work. It’s my simple hope to not only have people come to us who believe in those values, but who can also add to the brand and share in on the experience. 

Tiptoe outside her apartment in Sacramento, CA

Kristin "Bivie" Bivens 

When I started writing my book, I didn’t really give much thought to where I’d actually get it published. I never thought about who would want to publish it, or if it would even be good enough to be published. 

These are all things a writer, at least a writer like me, doesn’t think about. Or, that’s at least the type of writer I want to see contact Shiny Happy People Publishing, the kind of writer who writes because it is simply what they do. The end result is beyond their thought process. Because it has to be written, regardless of if anyone ever reads it.

Tiptoe and I are the type of people that appreciate good writing, we believe writing is art and we believe in the process and the journey and the goodness of art. We believe strongly in following one’s dreams, which is the only reason why we’re here, starting Shiny Happy People Publishing. We believe in ourselves, in our abilities and we want other artists to feel the same way. We want to have an outlet for people to give their art and writing to the world.

Tiptoe and I are pretty edgy, so we want art that pushes boundaries, makes you laugh, creates emotion. There will be no cheap pornos in SHPP’s catalog. I want the troubled ones, I want the ones who have taken years to write a book but finally finished it, I want the exciting, positive, fun people. I want a sense of humour. I want honesty. These are the kind of artists this world needs. Here at SHPP, we want to help the world fill that need.

Bivie, drinking a beer in Madison, WI.

What’s Coming Next

Shiny Happy People Publishing will be posting blogs every first and third Wednesday as part of a series. Each series will last two months for a total of four posts per topic. Our first series is on e-books versus printed books, and will have four blogs ranging on topics from opinions, to what e-readers are most worth your money. 

Check back between “series” posts to read more on the world of publishing, and more information about what’s coming next with Shiny Happy People Publishing!

Together we make Shiny Happy People.