Verb Wellington is thrilled to present bestselling American writer Neal Shusterman for a one-off event on Friday 16 May.

Shusterman is the bestselling author of more than fifty award-winning books for children, teens, and adults. His latest novel, All Better Now, is a thriller about a world where happiness is contagious but the risks of catching it may be just as dangerous as the cure. "The plot twists keep coming all the way to the enigmatic, jaw-dropping conclusion in this exquisitely rendered work" ― Publishers Weekly. All Better Now was an instant New York Times Bestseller.

Shusterman is a much loved, compelling author with legions of followers. He can ignite a passion for reading, storytelling and engaging with the challenges and triumphs of our world through imagined dystopias. Shusterman is particularly passionate about getting teenagers enthused about writing, reading and being entertained by books.

Enjoy a wide ranging conversation about writing thrillers for young adults, and why dystopian fiction is so gripping for younger and older readers alike. There will be book sales and signings afterwards, thanks to Unity Books.

Presented in partnership with Walker Books and National Library of New Zealand.

About the writer
Neal Shusterman is the New York Times bestselling author of more than fifty award-winning books for children, teens, and adults, including Challenger Deep, which won the National Book Award, Courage to Dream, a Sydney Taylor Honor Book, Scythe, a Michael L. Printz Honor Book, the Unwind Dystology, which won more than thirty domestic and international awards, and the highly acclaimed novels, Dry, and Roxy which he co-wrote with his son, Jarrod For his body of work, Neal won the 2024 Margaret A. Edwards Award, and the ALAN Lifetime Achievement Award. He also writes screenplays for motion pictures and television. Neal is the father of four, all of whom are talented writers and artists themselves. For his body of work, Neal won the 2024 Margaret A. Edwards Award, and the ALAN Lifetime Achievement Award. Neal is the father of four, all of whom are talented writers and artists themselves.