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Neal Shusterman

Goodreads author profile

url

http://www.goodreads.com/Nealshusterman

born

November 12, 1962 in Brooklyn, New York, The United States

gender

male

website

http://www.storyman.com/

member since

March 2011

About this author

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Award-winning author Neal Shusterman grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where he began writing at an early age. After spending his junior and senior years of high school at the American School of Mexico City, Neal went on to UC Irvine, where he made his mark on the UCI swim team, and wrote a successful humor column. Within a year of graduating, he had his first book deal, and was hired to write a movie script.

In the years since, Neal has made his mark as a successful novelist, screenwriter, and television writer. As a full-time writer, he claims to be his own hardest task-master, always at work creating new stories to tell. His books have received many awards from organizations such as the International Reading Association, and the American Lib...more Award-winning author Neal Shusterman grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where he began writing at an early age. After spending his junior and senior years of high school at the American School of Mexico City, Neal went on to UC Irvine, where he made his mark on the UCI swim team, and wrote a successful humor column. Within a year of graduating, he had his first book deal, and was hired to write a movie script.

In the years since, Neal has made his mark as a successful novelist, screenwriter, and television writer. As a full-time writer, he claims to be his own hardest task-master, always at work creating new stories to tell. His books have received many awards from organizations such as the International Reading Association, and the American Library Association, as well as garnering a myriad of state and local awards across the country. Neal's talents range from film directing (two short films he directed won him the coveted CINE Golden Eagle Awards) to writing music and stage plays – including book and lyrical contributions to “American Twistory,” which is currently playing in Boston. He has even tried his hand at creating Games, having developed three successful "How to Host a Mystery" game for teens, as well as seven "How to Host a Murder" games.

As a screen and TV writer, Neal has written for the "Goosebumps" and “Animorphs” TV series, and wrote the Disney Channel Original Movie “Pixel Perfect”. Currently Neal is adapting his novel Everlost as a feature film for Universal Studios.

Wherever Neal goes, he quickly earns a reputation as a storyteller and dynamic speaker. Much of his fiction is traceable back to stories he tells to large audiences of children and teenagers -- such as his novel The Eyes of Kid Midas. As a speaker, Neal is in constant demand at schools and conferences. Degrees in both psychology and drama give Neal a unique approach to writing. Neal's novels always deal with topics that appeal to adults as well as teens, weaving true-to-life characters into sensitive and riveting issues, and binding it all together with a unique and entertaining sense of humor.

Of Everlost, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman has reimagined what happens after death and questions power and the meaning of charity. While all this is going on, he has also managed to write a rip-roaring adventure…”

Of What Daddy Did, Voice of Youth Advocates wrote; "This is a compelling, spell-binding story... A stunning novel, impossible to put down once begun.

Of The Schwa Was Here, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman's characters–reminiscent of those crafted by E. L. Konigsburg and Jerry Spinelli–are infused with the kind of controlled, precocious improbability that magically vivifies the finest children's classics.

Of Scorpion Shards, Publisher's Weekly wrote: "Shusterman takes an outlandish comic-book concept, and, through the sheer audacity and breadth of his imagination makes it stunningly believable. A spellbinder."

And of The Eyes of Kid Midas, The Midwest Book Review wrote "This wins our vote as one of the best young-adult titles of the year" and was called "Inspired and hypnotically readable" by School Library Journal.

Neal Shusterman lives in Southern California with his children Brendan, Jarrod, Joelle, and Erin, who are a constant source of inspiration!(less)

17 posts
Neal Shusterman's Blog

CyFi Meets Reality in Joplin

Last May, the town of Joplin, Missouri, was hit by one of the worst tornados in US history — An EF-5 that tore through the middle of town, leaving a path of destruction a mile wide, and five miles long. I mean, there was virtually nothing left standing in the tornado zone, because is moved so slowly over the town. Entire neighborhoods were wiped out.A middle school and high school were lost. Hu...

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Published on March 18, 2012 15:16 • 361 views

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combine editions
Books by Neal Shusterman

Average rating: 4.11 · 52,610 ratings · 9,294 reviews · 47 distinct works

	Unwind (Unwind, #1) 4.24 avg rating — 27,056 ratings — published 2007 — 20 editions	My rating:
	Everlost (Skinjacker, #1) 3.92 avg rating — 7,392 ratings — published 2006 — 24 editions	My rating:
	Everwild (Skinjacker, #2) 4.23 avg rating — 2,683 ratings — published 2009 — 14 editions	My rating:
	Bruiser 4.08 avg rating — 2,731 ratings — published 2010 — 9 editions	My rating:
	The Schwa Was Here 3.94 avg rating — 2,757 ratings — 12 editions	My rating:
	Full Tilt 3.94 avg rating — 1,902 ratings — published 2003 — 7 editions	My rating:
	Everfound (Skinjacker, #3) 4.34 avg rating — 1,531 ratings — published 2011 — 14 editions	My rating:
	Downsiders 3.73 avg rating — 1,358 ratings — published 1999 — 9 editions	My rating:
	Antsy Does Time 3.96 avg rating — 762 ratings — published 2008 — 8 editions	My rating:
	Dread Locks (Dark Fusion, #1) 3.58 avg rating — 622 ratings — published 2005 — 7 editions	My rating:

More books by Neal Shusterman…

Series by Neal Shusterman

Unwind Trilogy (3 books)
by Neal Shusterman (Goodreads Author)

4.24 avg rating — 27,092 ratings

Skinjacker (3 books)
by Neal Shusterman (Goodreads Author)

4.06 avg rating — 11,819 ratings

Antsy Bonano (3 books)
by Neal Shusterman (Goodreads Author)

3.95 avg rating — 3,517 ratings

Dark Fusion (3 books)
by Neal Shusterman (Goodreads Author)

3.62 avg rating — 1,262 ratings

Star Shards Chronicles (3 books)
by Neal Shusterman (Goodreads Author)

4.08 avg rating — 329 ratings

More series by Neal Shusterman…

Upcoming Events

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Interviews

October 2009, Neal Shusterman
" Quick Start SS: How would you describe your life in only 8 words? NS: Poignant thinking out of the box, on rye. SS: What is your motto or maxim? NS: Try to see things differently -- It's the only way to get a clearer perspective on the world and on you..." ...More

more interviews »

Neal is Currently Reading

Neal Shusterman is currently reading:

Epic (Epic #1)

by Conor Kostick

bookshelves: currently-reading

My rating:

Nov 08, 2011 02:26pm

Neal Shusterman is currently reading:

A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)

by George R.R. Martin

bookshelves: currently-reading

My rating:

Nov 08, 2011 02:26pm

Neal Shusterman is currently reading:

The Pox Party (The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, #1)

by M.T. Anderson

bookshelves: currently-reading

My rating:

Nov 08, 2011 02:26pm

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Neal's Recent Updates

Neal Shusterman added a status update: Hey Everyone! I'm giving away 2 AUTOGRAPHED ARC'S of Unwholly (Unwind #2)! Enter the giveaway to get a chance to read it before you buy it!
May 21, 2012 02:34pm · like 45 likes · see status
Neal Shusterman is currently reading: Epic (Epic #1) by Conor Kostick	My rating:
Nov 08, 2011 02:26pm
Neal Shusterman is currently reading: A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1) by George R.R. Martin	My rating:
Nov 08, 2011 02:26pm
Neal Shusterman is currently reading: The Pox Party (The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, #1) by M.T. Anderson	My rating:
Nov 08, 2011 02:26pm
Neal Shusterman is currently reading: The Monstrumologist (The Monstrumologist, #1) by Rick Yancey	My rating:
Nov 08, 2011 02:25pm
Neal Shusterman joined the Everlost Discussions/Roleplay group.
Oct 25, 2011 02:17pm · see group
Neal Shusterman added: Bruiser by Neal Shusterman (Goodreads Author) read in October, 2011	My rating:
Again – not a book review, but a review of my writing process for BRUISER. The idea of telling a story about an empath who can take on people’s pain had been with me for a while – but it wasn’t until I started toying with the idea of a character who...more
Oct 18, 2011 09:26pm · see review
Neal Shusterman added: Everfound (Skinjacker, #3) by Neal Shusterman (Goodreads Author) read in September, 2011	My rating:
This isn’t actually a review, because it would be weird to review my own book – but I thought people might be interested in knowing some of the things that went on in the writing process -- sort of a deconstruction of how the book was put together. I...more
Oct 03, 2011 06:03pm · see review
Neal Shusterman is now following Neil's reviews
Sep 29, 2011 05:40pm
Neal Shusterman gave to: Life of Pi by Yann Martel	My rating:
Okay what is the big deal about everyone loving this book? Jeez! Both times I tried to read it I got so bored and disinterested, I felt like flushing it -- which would have been acceptable for my daughters, because they thought it said "Life of Pee."
Sep 28, 2011 03:28pm · see review

More of Neal's books…

Quotes by Neal Shusterman

“Stupid dreams. Even the good ones are bad, because they remind you how poorly reality measures up.”
― Neal Shusterman, Unwind

350 people liked it

“...One thing you learn when you've lived as long as I have-people aren't all good, and people aren't all bad. We move in and out of darkness and light all of our lives. Right now, I'm pleased to be in the light.”
― Neal Shusterman, Unwind

tags: human-nature

227 people liked it

“In a perfect world everything would be either black or white, right or wrong, and everyone would know the difference. But this isn't a perfect world. The problem is people who think it is.”
― Neal Shusterman, Unwind

tags: oversimplification

220 people liked it

See all Neal Shusterman's quotes »

Polls

Time to pick our August Non-Series read. Here are the onces to choose from. The poll will be up through 7/23, I'll post the winners in our bookshelf the next day.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

7 votes, 50.0%

I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak

2 votes, 14.3%

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

2 votes, 14.3%

The King of Mulberry Street by Donna Jo Napoli

1 vote, 7.1%

Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli

1 vote, 7.1%

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

1 vote, 7.1%

The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

0 votes, 0.0%

Babyface by Norma Fox Mazer

0 votes, 0.0%

Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers

0 votes, 0.0%

If I Should Die Before I Wake by Han Nolan

0 votes, 0.0%

14 total votes

2 comments

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