Where She Went - Book Review

By Sara E Thompto

SPOILER ALERT -- Right off the bat this blog tells the ending of If I Stay. If you haven't read If I Stay but plan to and you care about spoilers, I don't recommend reading any further.

If I Stay ended with Mia's decision - to stay. 

She stayed for love, she stayed for passion and she stayed for music. But then what happened?

Where She Went answers that question. 

Gayle Forman starts the tale three years later, when Adam and Mia live on opposites sides of the country and are no longer together. Mia is at Juilliard and Adam is now a super-famous rock-star who lives in LA with his Hollywood girlfriend. 

But after a fateful night brings the two together again, in New York City, for the first time since "the split" we start to piece together just what happened to tear these two apart. From flashbacks from Adams point-of-view and a night of walking around NYC, the two start to connect in a way they haven't connected, since the crash. Adam and Mia are then faced with a new choice: to finally fully move forward with their individual lives, or get back together and face their demons.

Although the book started a bit slow, Forman wrote another solid novel with Where She Went. 

Like usual, I did have a couple things that bugged me.

The wording and descriptions were fumbled at times, holding up the flow of reading. Some of the over articulated words seem as though Forman was at a loss and simply pointed to a word in a thesaurus. This was something that also held me up in If I Stay, so I'm starting to think this might just be a trademark of Formans work. 

My other complaint is Adam. He's just a little too.... much. I understand he's hurting and anxious in this book, but some of his stories were painful to read. Not the type of painful that means I felt sad for him, but the type of painful that simply made me want to put the book aside for a while because I couldn't stand him and his complaining anymore. This was very limited though. 

With my minor complaints aside, Forman did a great job at wrapping up this sequel. Especially with the epilogue. 

I'm not a huge fan of how epilogues wrap up books usually, but Forman writes an epilogue that's truly a non-epilogue, epilogue. She uses her magazine journalism experience to write an article about Adam, another three years later, that ties up lose ends and finishes the story of Adam and Mia very nicely. 

Overall I would recommend this book to anyone who liked If I Stay, and wants to know more about Adam and Mia and where they end up. It offers good detail of what they've been up to, and is a nice and easy read that gives more closure to the emotional roller-coaster that was If I Stay.

Book vs Movie: If I Stay

By Sara E Thompto

The Book

If I Stay, written by Gayle Forman, follows the point of view of seventeen-year-old Mia Hall. Mia has always felt a bit out of sorts; she's a cellist in a rock 'n' roll family and isn't quite as outgoing as the people that surround her. She has a close friend, Kim, but even there she's always been in her own world.

She does have one person who fits her just right though, Adam. He may play guitar in a band gaining fame, Shooting Star, and he might be able to rock-talk with her parents, but he also loves Mia more than anything else and loves her deep passion for the cello.

But after her entire family is involved in a horrific car accident, leaving Mia in a coma, she has an out-of-body experience where she learns she has the choice: to stay and live, or to die, leaving her life and Adam behind.

Through flashbacks you learn all that Mia loves and holds dearly - her family, friends, Adam, and the cello. But, as the story continues we learn the decision is not as simple as it seems. What at first appears to be a cut and dry decision soon becomes more difficult than anyone could have ever guessed.

If I Stay is a true tear-jerker and I would highly recommend a box of tissues nearby while reading.

My only true complaint about the book is the wording used from time to time. It didn't really feel as though Mia and Adam were teenagers. I know they are both supposed to be more mature... but sometimes certain wording didn't flow well and it felt as though Forman hit the thesaurus verse working it out for herself.

With that said, I would still definitely recommend If I Stay. The plot was a nice change of pace for a young adult novel. It is well worth the emotional roller-coaster to learn more about the life of Mia Hall and the answer to the question, will she stay and live, or will she leave this world forever?

The Movie

Refreshingly, the movie follows the book quite closely; something that doesn't seem to happen regularly when it comes to turning a book into a movie. The movie kept the small details such as little conversations about coffee and "categories" Mia and her friend Kim are always putting people into, which helped the movie keep the same vibe as the book.

My only offenses with the movie are very small.

Chloë Grace Moretz and Jamie Blackley were well casted as Mia and Adam, making up the main roles of the movie. Leading up to the movie I noticed far more hype over Blackley than Moretz (especially on the movies official instagram) but after seeing the movie I think that hype needs to be switched. Moretz did a beautiful job playing Mia, especially the more emotional scenes when Mia deals with loss. Blackley on the other hand shined during his parts playing music, but seemed a little lackluster during the more emotional scenes. Sometimes he gave off an air of cockiness when he was supposed to be portraying his love for Mia.

Overall though Moretz and Blackley were a fantastic choice for Mia and Adam.

My one other minor complaint dealing with the actual portrayal of the characters was the major amount of kissing. Whether the script called for it, the director took liberties, or perhaps a bit of both... I do surely hope Moretz and Blackley had some attraction towards one another, because it felt as though at least 90% of their scenes together ended in a hefty make-out session.

Other than the fantastic acting and the wonderful story line, the other main reason to watch this movie is the music. The movie kept right on track with most of the music the book discusses, which presents a fabulous soundtrack. Adams music is on par with how it was described in the book as well, and Blackley did a great job, particularly with the last song in the movie.

My only problem with the music is also my only real big problem with the movie: the final song played.

Small spoiler alert ahead!

The last song is the song that helps Mia make her decision to stay or move on. In the movie Adam writes a song for Mia and plays it for her on his guitar, while she is in her coma. In the book Adam puts headphones on Mia while she is in a coma, and the song is done by cellist Yo-Yo Ma who plays Andante con poco e moto rubato. My issue with Adam being the one who plays the last song in the movie is that it makes it feel like Mia should stay for no other reason than to stay with him, where as in the book it makes it feel like Mia should stay because of her own passions for music and her own future. The symbolical differences between the two are huge.

Overall I would highly recommend this movie. The acting was good, the plot stuck close to the book, and the soundtrack is definitely worth a listen.

Just make sure you have some tissues handy. You'll need them.

Series 5, Post 4: Pen-Pals and Snail Mail

By Sara E Thompto

Throughout July and August our bi-monthly series has been all about stationery; how we create it, why we create it, and the best places (on etsy) to purchase it. But, once you have all of these stationery products... what should you do with them?

Start writing people of course!

Many people have had a pen-pal at some point in life. A friend, relative, or maybe even a student in another city or country, assigned to you by a grade-school teacher. But, how do you find pen-pals now that you’re older? 

Here are just a few websites that I use and have had some success with...

Post Crossing
www.PostCrossing.com

How it Works: The basic gist goes - you get randomly assigned a person to send a postcard. With that assignment comes a registration code. You then send that person a postcard and include the registration number somewhere on the card. Once the person receives your postcard and has registered it, someone will be assigned to send you a postcard in return. You can work your way up to being able to send multiple postcards at a time.

Although the main point of Post Crossing is to connect with people from around the world via postcard, you can also choose to receive letters in envelopes. You can even list that you're open to being pen-pals, outside of the one-time exchange of a postcard.

The Positive: I have been using Post Crossing since 2010 and have yet to have a bad experience with this website. I have sent postcards all over the world and have received them from dozens of countries as well, which I have loved. I've had letters and continued with a pen-pal exchange as well. It's also extremely interesting to see all of the postcards from around the world and experience the different cultures in such an easy way.

The Negative: My only complaints are sometimes it can be a bit boring if you receive a bunch from the same country because postcards tend to be similar and the website seems to offer no way of blocking this from happening. Also, not everyone is open to a continuous pen-pal exchange so it's not the site to go to if that's the main thing you're looking for in a snail-mail exchange. Most prefer the one-time postcard registration.

Inter Pals: Pen-pals

www.interpals.net

How it Works: With Interpals you set up a profile, which is very similar to Facebook's "about" section. They also ask languages you speak and what countries you're interested in meeting pen-pals through, along with what gender and age group you prefer. From there you can message people privately or comment on their message board (very much like a facebook wall) to make the initial contact. 

Some people just want to be continue to talk via messaging or email. However, most are there for traditional snail-mail. You choose when you feel comfortable giving out your address, and go from there!

The Positive: I currently have three solid pen-pals using this website - one in Germany, one in Australia, and one here in the USA (Michigan). I love sharing letters with them and I would not have met them if not for Interpals. I also love that you can choose the age group, countries you're most interested in, and block people and countries you're not interested in. The versatility of this websites options probably make it my favorite of the ones listed here.

The Negative: The first night I joined Interpals I was discouraged because it felt more like a dating site than a pen-pal site. I was getting hit on by men who definitely were not interested in writing letters back and forth. I am very happily married and the attention was unwanted. Clearly this is not what I was looking for in a pen-pal website. Then an awesome person messaged me (who I am now pen-pals with) and I told her my issues with the site. She gave me some tips on how to eliminate those unwanted messages. I started blocking countries where the worst offenders came from, narrowed down my age group settings, made it even more obvious I was married by changing my profile picture, and wrote in my profile that I only wanted messages from people interested in snail mail. Now I only have a positive experience with the website.

Pen Pal World

www.penpalworld.com

How it Works: Pen Pal World is very similar to Interpals. You set up an account, set up a profile, and start the search for a pen-pal. Message anyone you feel would be a good fit, or write on their message board (wall).

The Positive: This website is incredibly easy to use and looks prettier than Interpals. It also has great tools to narrow your search and you can block countries or people as needed.

The Negative: I have yet to gain a solid pen-pal via Pen Pal World. I admit, I disabled my site for a while but am now giving it a second chance because I've seen people mentioning it more and more in the pen-pal and snail mail world. I've had some good interactions, but none that have lead to being pen-pals, yet. The reason I'm still including this on my list is because I feel it's still a good site, especially based off of reviews. Just maybe it's not for me.

But, knowing where to get a pen-pal and actually getting a pen-pal are two very different things. Especially if you’re like me and sort of timid. Here are some tips for getting a pen-pal and keeping a pen-pal:

• Be yourself and don't be afraid to message someone you find interesting. After all, you're both on a website for pen-pals so you already have one thing in common!
• Make sure you're actually writing back. I've fond that a more timely response tends to get you a better conversation.
• Remember what you wrote. Repeating yourself over and over again is not only boring for your pen-pal, it's boring for yourself. Keep a notebook with topics you wrote about in your last letter. Or even consider just running your letters through a copier before sending them out. Whatever works to keep the letter fresh in your mind.
• Ask questions! Too many people just want to talk about themselves, but without questions, a conversation is hard to maintain. Let alone one that is chopped up into waiting periods (aka: waiting for the postal service to deliver your letter, sometimes to the other side of the world. Than waiting for the reply).
• Remember things about your pen-pal. If they mentioned they had an important trip or event coming up, remember to ask them about it. If they mention a family member or friend, ask about that person from time to time. If they brought something up in a snail mail letter, it usually means it's something they like to talk about.
  
  

Lastly, sometimes people have reservations about giving out their address online. This is completely understandable; there are some creeps in this world. But, not a single site I posted above has your address out and about for just anyone to see.

Here are some basic tips about how to stay safe:

• Report of block any person who seems like they're not on the website for the intention of the website - gaining pen-pals. No one wants to put up with a creeper when there are so many awesome people to meet!
• Use a PO Box if one is available to you.
• If you are under 18 perhaps it would be best talking to a parent about this first. They can help you make sure you’re not giving your information out to anyone you shouldn’t be giving it too.
• And most importantly, if you are feeling any sort of uncomfortableness with someone, do not give them your address. It's as simple as that!

If you have any snail mail tips, tricks or websites you use that I didn’t mention above, please leave them in a comment below!

Book vs. Movie: The Giver

By Sara E Thompto

*Some very minor spoilers may be present in the movie portion of this review if you have never read The Giver.

When I was in seventh grade my English class was assigned The Giver by Lois Lowry and I wasn't thrilled to read it. 

First off, I hated being assigned to read something I didn't want to read, and second, I wasn't a huge fan of dystopian story lines. But, I read it anyway because that is what you're supposed to do when assigned a book in school.

I'm glad I did too because it has stuck with me ever sense as one of my favorite childhood books.   

The Book

The Giver portrays a future world that has given up on individuality and has morphed into a world of sameness.

The world is literally black and white. People are all the same skin color, boys all have one hair style and girls all have the same hair style. Clothes do not vary from person to person. No one is an individual - every person and every thing is the same.

There are also no physical relationships, and there are no career decisions or educational decisions. Each person is assigned a career path, a spouse and two children - one boy and one girl.

On the other hand, there is also no violence and the world is at peace.

But the question becomes, at what expense is this peaceful existence?  What has been giving up? No one knows or understands, because it is not in their mind to know or understand. That is, not until Jonas, a boy of 12, is given the career as The Receiver of Memories.

There is always one receiver - one person who knows the worlds history who can help guide the society from making bad decisions that might lead them into a fitful world again.

But what about the beauty that was lost? What of the joy and love?

These are all questions Jonas not only asks himself but asks The Giver, the person who was previously The Receive.

Although this is a young adult book, I believe the message to be quite powerful. Especially to those who are young adults. The message of individuality, love and culture is a strong message for young people to learn. With the good, comes the bad. But is it worth giving up the good to get rid of the bad?

These types of questions arise in The Giver and I strongly recommend reading this book if you've never done so before.

The Movie

When the movie was announced I wasn't sure what to think. Successful adaptations are rare. This one was no different - it definitely did not follow the book to a T but it was decent representation.

I'll start with my issues first though:

First off, in the book Jonas is a 12 year old boy. In the movie he is written as an 18 year old adult. I think this change made an interesting plot as far as the movie is concerned, but it also changed the entire feel of the story line.

The book is more innocent - to give a 12 year old child the pain of the entire world is a heart wrenching concept to grasp. No person wants to be the one to ruin a child's innocence, let alone spoil their innocence from zero pain to all of the pain the world holds.

Changing Joanas from 12 to 18 lessens that blow in my mind. In our society, an 18 year old is much more likely to know of many of the worlds pains. I understand Jonas doesn't, because he doesn't live in our world, but the age change did make a huge difference in my empathy for the character.

The other issue I had with the movie was how the mother (Katie Holmes) treated Jonas. In the book the mother and father were always nurturing, it seemed. Or, as nurturing as parents could be who lived in that world. It's what made the lies and lack of trust heartbreaking. However, in the movie, Jonas's mother was cold, and followed the rules to a T, which made her not as likable. It's one of the main points of the movie I was extremely disappointed about.

The only other plot change I found more startling was the role of the community leader, acted by Meryl Steep. She seemed blood thirsty and evil, something that was never portrayed in the book. And she definitely seemed to know more of the world than someone in the community should know, other than the Receiver. Her character was a villain which was not needed.

On the other end, there are quite a few things I loved about the movie. I enjoyed all of the acting. And, even though I had some hesitation about the casting of Jeff Bridges as The Giver, I thought the casting was completely well done.

I also loved how they kept the beginning in black and white (true to the book) and had color develop as Jonas began to learn of color. The visual was a nice change of pace and the development visually interesting to see.

Lastly and surprisingly, I love the additive of a love interest for Jonas. I mean, sure, in the book Jonas has an interest in Fiona. But the movie takes it further and a genuine love story develops. When I saw this love interest in the previews I was definitely worried. But, I think it played out well on screen and was written in a way that didn't detract from the main plot points I admire in the book (unlike the changes I mentioned above, which did detract).

Overall I would recommend seeing this movie, however I wouldn't watch it thinking you're going to see a film depicting a beloved childhood book.

If you watch it for what it is: a futuristic dystopian movie, than I think it's worth seeing.

Robin Williams & Inspiration

By Kristin Bivens

"We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for. To quote from Whitman, "O me! O life!…of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the the faithless…of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?" Answer. That you are here-that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. That the powerful play *goes on* and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?" - Dead Poet's Society

With the recent passing of Robin Williams, it seemed appropriate to remind ourselves of this fantastic quote from his character, John Keating, in Dead Poet's Society.

What can make you feel more alive than words and art? That's exactly how we feel at Shiny Happy People Publishing.

I remember hearing this quote for the first time when I watched the movie years back. It resonated with me because those "noble pursuits" he mentioned were so not my gig. I like the passionate route. More often than not, it seems that artists get a bad rap, that their professions won't get them anywhere, that maybe they're just flailing along, waiting for their big break. But, one thing is always forgotten--their passion. It may take them forever, and it may never happen, but they have passion and they are following it until the end.

I think this falls perfectly into what Sara and I are trying to do with Shiny Happy People Publishing. We're following our own artistic talent and dreams. That's our verse.

We're bringing words to the world, one way or another, because words are life sustaining.

So, thanks Robin Williams, for giving us a quote that within it has all the inspiration we need to continue the play.

Photo courtesy of dlisted.com

Series 5, Post 3: Great Places to Look for the Best Stationery!

By Sara Thompto & Kristin Bivens

In the world of paper products it can sometimes be hard to find just the right type of stationery. Although there are those “gem” stores out there, carrying beautiful paper products, it seems the average traditional brick and mortar retail store carries enough to appease birthdays, thank you notes to grandma, and special occasions but not much else.

It can really be a challenge sometimes to find cute patterns or designs that are original and fresh. So, where do those people who write letters regularly, have pen pals, send postcards just for fun, or have dozens of family members and friends to send cards to each year, get their stationery?

Online stores of course! This is why online store communities such as Etsy.com are such a huge success.

Etsy has thousands upon thousands of stores filled with unique products where stationery designers display their work. They offer paper products galore and the designs tend to be more unique. Sometimes though, it can be daunting sorting through the site to find that special product that you just have to buy.

We took the time to go through numerous Etsy stationery and paper product stores and compiled a list here of what we feel is a good selection of the unique stationery products available to you on Etsy.

Have fun browsing - we sure did!

1. Courtney Oquist

Artist Courtney Oquist creates cute patterns and imagery through painting. In her bio you can tell she has a big passion for painting when she says “I recommend everyone paint!” Her products are reproduced images of her artwork (mostly abstract nature scenes and geometric patterns), and as far as stationery is concerned, her shop offers greeting cards and postcards.

www.etsy.com/shop/courtneyoquist

2. Castle on the Hill

If you love vintage-y, kitschy design, this is the shop for you. Full of postcards with an old book page and a picture of a classy lady on the front, these designs will provide a touch kitsch to any note you want to send. One of their designs even includes wedding invitations, which are complete with a bride and groom on the front of an old book page. Castle on the Hill also sells prints and paintings. This shop is truly full of unique designs.

www.etsy.com/shop/CastleOnTheHill

3. Earth to Girl

This shop says it best with their tagline when they say “Silly, odd, cute and bizarre illustrated creations.” You’ll find everything from robots to adorable baby deer on her colorful stationery products, which include postcards, greeting cards, and stationery paper sets. Most of her designs are hand drawings with a ton of color. Perfect to brighten anyone’s day!

www.etsy.com/shop/earthtogirl

4. Ladybug Press

In her shops biography owner Angela Stewart says  “I fell in love with letterpress long ago,” and her love of letterpress shows in her beautiful work. Her designs are simple and sophisticated, yet charming and surprising at times. As far as stationery is concerned Ladybug Press offers greeting cards, notecard sets, and she even offers custom work.

www.etsy.com/shop/ladybugpress

5. Pemberley Pond

Are you a Jane Austen fan? If so, Pemberley Pond is probably the store for you! Sisters Lalla and Luisa Lodetti started their shop theme based off of the romantic and witty writings of Jane Austen. When it comes to stationery products, postcards are what you’ll find. The illustrations and writing are so cute you’ll need to buy two of each - one to send to a special someone, and one to keep for yourself!

www.etsy.com/shop/PemberleyPond

6. Sudachan

If you’re a dog lover, you’ll want to take a look at the inventive dachshund designs, created by Cindy Masunda for the shop Sudachan. Inspired by her own two dachshunds, Frodo and Sam (cutest names ever!), her designs are adorably unique and you’ll surely fall in love with her greeting cards, pads of paper, and other dachshund products!

www.etsy.com/shop/sudachan

7. She Can Lift a Horse

This shop sells Gilmore Girl postcards. How can you find a better shop than that? The rest of the shop owner’s designs are funky and original, including “Kitten Aid” recipe cards, that quite literally have a cat sitting in a mixer. The designs are just a tad edgy, which makes them a little less traditional, but oh so cute.

www.etsy.com/shop/shecanliftahorse

8. Rainy Day Colors

“Handmade paper goods” is what best describes Rainy Day Colors because that’s exactly what the shop offers. You’ll find greeting cards and notebooks here, most with a craft brown base, and paper cutout designs in cute, bright, colorful shapes and designs. Because they aren’t a traditional printed card they have a truly different vibe than you’ll find at most stores!

www.etsy.com/shop/RainyDayColors

9. Note•ify

Notecards are the main stationery product that Note•ify offers, and the off-beat, city themed designs are quite impressive.  In her bio shop owner Samantha Barsky explains she was not only inspired by the city in which she lives, but also by places she’s traveled and by vintage photos as well. Her creative process of taking a photograph and manipulating it makes it a wonderfully unique experience you’ll want to check out!

www.etsy.com/shop/noteify

10. Shiny Happy People Publishing

You didn’t think we could make a list of Etsy shops worthy of checking out, without plugging our own shop in here as well, did you? Our Etsy shop has a small sampling of our work based off of what we currently have printed and ready to ship out. Postcards, notecards, letter paper, and baby shower invites currently populate our Etsy store. As always, you can view our full catalog at www.ShinyHappyPeoplePublishing.com, or if you want to order something we already have on hand go to our Etsy link below!

www.etsy.com/shop/ShinyHappyPeoplePub

*Although some of these Etsy stores may have products in retail stores somewhere throughout the country, we’ve listed them on the blog anyway, in case they’re not in a store near you.