Questions and answers: Neal Shusterman, author of “Break To You”

We talk to author Neal Shusterman about Break up with yourselfwhich tells the intense yet tender story of two teenagers trapped in impossible circumstances and unjust systems who are willing to risk everything for love – regardless of the consequences.

Hi, Neal! Welcome back! How have the last 18 months been since we last spoke?

Great – I’ve been traveling a lot. Between touring for COURAGE TO DREAM (my first graphic novel) and book 2 of my middle school NOAH Files, SHOCK THE MONKEY (with Eric Elfman), I’ve been all over the US. I managed to visit 43 US schools in one month on tour. Talking to all of these students and their teachers was truly inspiring and made me want to start writing again right away. I was also grateful to be able to attend some international events – Brazil, Switzerland, Poland, Spain, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan, to name a few. I couldn’t be more grateful that visiting with my readers allows me to learn about and experience so many of their cultures and countries. It’s definitely been a lot to do, though – a good thing to do, as long as I meet my deadlines. I just finished my first draft of ALL BETTER NOW, my novel due out in February, and I’m working on a prequel to SCYTHE.

Your latest novel, Break to You, is out July 2nd and was co-written with Debra Young and Michelle Knowlden! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Five words, eh? Okay – how about: Romeo and Juliet in youth prison.

What can readers expect?

Although BREAK TO YOU could be considered a romance novel, I always try to write stories that cross genre boundaries. And although romance novels are primarily marketed to girls, my personal challenge was to write a romance novel that would appeal equally to boys. With a strong female character in Adriana and a strong male character in Jon, it strikes a middle ground and will hopefully reach a wide audience.

Where did the inspiration for “Break to You” come from?

Michelle Knowlden, Debra Young, and I wrote a large portion of BREAK TO YOU in the midst of COVID lockdown. This gave us a completely new and intimate perspective on how isolation affects a person’s mental health, their connection to others, their hope, and their humanity. We began to develop the perspective of a teenager and how the isolation of incarceration can affect a developing person on a much larger and more lasting scale. Having previously visited incarcerated children and the educators who advocated on their behalf, I immediately thought of those lives and the story I have wanted to write for them for so long. This book is our declaration that they are seen, they are not forgotten, and that they can still create the future for themselves! After connecting these dots, we felt a responsibility to bring light and humanity to young people facing one of the most brutal forms of systematic isolation in our country—the juvenile justice system.

“Break to You” was co-written with Debra Young and Michelle Knowlden. Can you tell us a bit about the collaboration process?

From the moment BREAK TO YOU was bought in the concept phase, I knew I wanted to work with Michelle and our mutual friend Debra. (Michelle and I have worked together on stories for UnBound and Gleanings.) The best part was that we were able to bring our independent strengths to the table narratively, each of us writing our own part and weaving it all together like a braid. We all did a lot of research together and supported each other as we delved into the depths of what these characters were going through emotionally. Sadly, our co-writer Debra passed away before BREAK TO YOU was published, but I am honored to speak about her final work with the same admiration and respect I always felt for her. I met Debra over 25 years ago in the Fictionaires, a critics group in Orange County, California. As a writer, she was brilliant, her work spanning multiple genres, styles, and themes. It was always a joy when she shared her writing with us. Although I wish she could have seen the finished book, I know she is present on every page.

Were there any moments or characters that you particularly enjoyed writing or exploring?

It’s hard for me to have favorites among the characters I’ve created, so I’ll try to give you three spoiler-free moments from three POVs in BREAK TO YOU. There’s a turning point where one of the main characters, Jon, confesses why he’s there, a moment where the other main character, Adriana, speaks through song lyrics, and there’s a moment where a supporting character, Silas, rebels against the system and really finds himself.

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What do you want readers to take away from “Break to You”?

We hope our readers realize how broken the juvenile justice system is and that the kids in those systems are still kids full of hopes and dreams. And we want everyone to keep in mind that because we did so much research, we can confirm that many of the things we depicted in BREAK TO YOU really do happen in juvenile detention centers. There was a point where our editor had to do her own research because she couldn’t believe that what we wrote could happen in real life – like kids in foster care being incarcerated because there are no foster homes for them. It was important to me to reach kids in detention centers, so each stop on the tour includes a visit to a juvenile detention center.

What’s next for you?

After the BREAK TO YOU tour – which will take me to Southern California, New York, Connecticut, Miami, Northern Florida, Chicago, Dallas, and Houston – I’m finally taking a little break to host an informal writers’ get-together for some colleagues and close friends. (Well, I guess it’s not really a break, because we’ll all be writing!) I’ve got a bit more time to catch up on various projects, including developing SCYTHE as a TV series – and then I’ll be back on the road in the fall! My first stops are Tokyo, Beijing, and Shanghai!

And finally: Which books have you enjoyed so far this year and are there any that you really want to get your hands on?

I recently checked out an ARC of Lamar Giles’ RUIN ROAD and can’t wait for it to hit the shelves. It’s gripping and exciting. At the moment I’m reading a non-fiction book about mutiny at sea called The Wager by David Grann. I’m also going to try and read…for the third time…INFINITE JEST by David Foster Wallace. Let’s see if I can do it this time!

Will you pick up Break up with yourself? Tell us in the comments below!