Today we are very excited to share an interview with author Neal Shusterman!
Read on to learn more about the author, the book, and a giveaway!
Meet the Author: Neal Shusterman
Neal Shusterman is the New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty award-winning books for children, teens, and adults, including the Unwind dystology, the Skinjacker trilogy, Downsiders, and Challenger Deep, which won the National Book Award. Scythe, the first book in his series Arc of a Scythe is a Michael L. Printz Honor Book. He also writes screenplays for motion pictures and television shows. Neal is the father of four, all of whom are talented writers and artists themselves. Visit Neal at StoryMan.com and Facebook.com/NealShusterman.
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About the Book: All Better Now
From New York Times bestselling author Neal Shusterman comes a young adult thriller about a world where happiness is contagious but the risks of catching it may be just as dangerous as the cure.
A deadly and unprecedented virus is spreading. But those who survive it experience long-term effects no one has ever seen before: utter contentment. Soon after infection, people find the stress, depression, greed, and other negative feelings that used to weigh them down are gone.
More and more people begin to revel in the mass unburdening. But not everyone. People in power—who depend on malcontents and prey on the insecure to sell their products, and convince others they need more, new, faster, better everything—know this new state of being is bad for business. Surely, without anger or jealousy as motivators, productivity will grind to a halt and the world will be thrown into chaos. Campaigns start up to convince people that being eternally happy is dangerous. The race to find a vaccine begins. Meanwhile, a growing movement of Recoverees plan ways to spread the virus as fast as they can, in the name of saving the world.
It’s nearly impossible to determine the truth when everyone with a platform is pushing their agenda. Three teens from very different backgrounds who’ve had their lives upended in very different ways find themselves at the center of a power play that could change humanity forever.
~Author Chat~
What gave you the inspiration to write All Better Now?
At a speaking event, someone commented that my darker books are often prophetic – and then they said, “Can’t you predict something happy?” Everyone laughed, but I took the challenge to heart. But, of course, not even an exploration of happiness can be all peaches-and-cream. Our society isn’t designed to function if everyone is happy. So, what are the consequences of a virus that threatens to bring about universal happiness? Developing this idea involved exploring how absolute contentment could disrupt power dynamics and challenge fundamental human desires and motivations.
Who is your favorite character in All Better Now?
I would have to say it’s the character of Morgan Willmon-Wu. She’s the antagonist, but she has such an interesting personality that you almost want to root for her–she’s ruthless and relentless in a fun kind of way. My favorite character to write was Dame Havilland, the crusty British aristocrat who finds her joy in making others miserable. That is, until she changes her entire outlook. But saying anything more would be a spoiler!
Which came first, the concept, landscape, characters, or something else?
The concept came first. It’s almost always the concept that comes first. With SCYTHE, it was “What are the consequences of achieving everything we want as a society?” (Basically, the polar opposite of a dystopian story.) With ROXY, it was “What if addictive drugs were actual individuals with personalities?” so we could portray drug addiction as a toxic relationship And, with ALL BETTER NOW, it was “Would the world accept a path to true contentment, or would we reject it, and cling to fear, anger and misery?”
What scene in All Better Now are you most proud of, and why?
I particularly like the “elsewhere” sections which are little vignettes that show how the virus, Crown Royale, is affecting the world. My favorite of those vignettes takes place within the main story, where Ron goes to O’Hare Airport in Chicago to spread viral joy.
What’s up next for you?
I’m very excited to say that I’m working on a prequel for SCYTHE which takes place in the year humans become immortal. This also happens to be the year that the Thunderhead gains consciousness and changes life on Earth forever. The novel focuses on the original 12 Scythes (or 13 if you believe certain sources), how they met, and how they came up with the idea for the Scythedom. The book doesn’t have a title yet, but I’m very excited to be working on it. I’m also working on ALL OVER NOW, the second book in the Crown Royale Duology.
If you could only write one genre for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
I would take up arms against the very concept of genre; I’ve always seen it as one of my goals to disrupt the conventions of any genre I approach. If there are tropes, I want to slash them. If there are rules, I want to kick them to the curb. I want to leave readers reeling and realizing that maybe the limitations that ‘genre expectations’ impose on literature need to be broken.
Which was the most difficult or emotional scene to write in All Better Now?
The big scene that takes place in the world’s largest “Buc-ee’s”. It’s full of betrayal, danger, consequences and beaver-themed merchandise– but saying anything more would give too much away! Emotionally it would be the scene where Mariel must say good-bye to her mother.
What word do you have trouble overusing?
“Profoundly.” But since I know it now, I try not to use it much anymore. I also seem to have “Schrödinger’s Cat” show up in way too many books. But sometimes, it’s just the perfect metaphor.
What do you do when you procrastinate?
I get on social media. I make lists. I plan exhaustive travel. (I answer interview questions!) I complain to my friends about how much I procrastinate, only to realize it’s just another way of procrastinating.
Title: All Better Now
Author: Neal Shusterman
ISBN-13: 9781534432758
ISBN-10: 1534432752
On-sale date: February 4, 2025
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Imprint: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Ages: 12 and up
Grades: 7 and up
~ Giveaway Details ~
Three (3) winners will receive a copy of All Better Now (Neal Shusterman) ~US Only (No P.O. Boxes)!
*Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway*
