RHS Book Club Meets Celebrated Author Neal Shusterman

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Members of the Rockville High School book club recently took a trip to Hartford for a Q and A session with the ever-popular young adult novelist Neal Shusterman.

It was a rare chance to pick apart the brain of one today’s most popular authors, and the students had plenty of questions.

With six books, 15 independent novels, and various TV credits under his belt, Shusterman certainly brings a lot to the table. Questions were varied, but the students were especially interested in the origin of Shusterman’s book ideas.

As he told the accompanying tale for each novel, it became apparent that he is a very imaginative author. Many of his ideas struck him at seemingly random times in his day-to-day life. For instance, the concept of Full Tilt, a novel about a supernatural amusement park that traps the souls of careless victims, was born out of an innocent day at the waterpark with his family.

Even more impressive, Shusterman successfully blends entertaining storytelling with contemporary, real-world social issues. All in all, the author came across as a very intelligent, insightful man who truly loves what he does. For the disinterested, his talk was still engaging, and for those who came with high expectations, they were easily met.

- Jesse Cohen