Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Elites of Eden
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S): Graceffa, Joseph Michael
BIRTHDATE: 5/16/1991
WEBSITE: https://www.joeygraceffa.com/
CITY: Los Angeles
STATE: CA
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
https://www.youtube.com/user/JoeyGraceffa
RESEARCHER NOTES:
| LC control no.: | n 2015022964 |
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| LCCN Permalink: | https://lccn.loc.gov/n2015022964 |
| HEADING: | Graceffa, Joey, 1991- |
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| 005 | 20150413182206.0 |
| 008 | 150413n| azannaabn |a aaa |
| 010 | __ |a n 2015022964 |
| 040 | __ |a DLC |b eng |c DLC |e rda |
| 100 | 1_ |a Graceffa, Joey, |d 1991- |
| 400 | 1_ |a Graceffa, Joseph Michael, |d 1991- |
| 670 | __ |a His In real life, 2015: |b ECIP title page (Joey Graceffa) data view (YouTube personality) |
| 670 | __ |a Wikipedia, April 13, 2015 |b (Joseph Michael “Joey” Graceffa; born May 16, 1991; American actor, author, and YouTube personality from Marlborough, Massachusetts; he runs the YouTube channels JoeyGraceffa and JoeyGraceffaGames with approximately 4.5 million and 1.1 million subscribers respectively) |
| 953 | __ |a rf14 |
PERSONAL
Born May 16, 1991, in Marlborough, MA; son of Joe Graceffa and Debbie O’Connor.
EDUCATION:Attended Fitchburg State College.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Social media celebrity, actor, producer, and writer. YouTube (video-sharing website), San Bruno, CA, operator and host of the channels JoeyGraceffa and JoeyGraceffaGames, and co-operator of the channel AwesomenessTV. Former YouTube channels include WinterSpringPro. Also works as actor, singer, and writer. Television and streaming appearances include contestant on The Amazing Race 22, 2013; appeared as vampire temp, MyMusic, 2013-14, in BlackBox TV, 2013-14, as Hunter Crowley (also cocreator and executive producer), Storytellers, 2013-18, as Raef, The Fourth Door, 2015, and as the savant (also creator and producer), Escape the Night, 2016-18; appeared in the pilot, Fight of the Living Dead, 2015; also appeared in episodes of various other series. Appeared in the short films Eon and Ethereal, both 2014; appeared in the films Insidious: Chapter 3, 1015, Bob Thunder: Internet Assassin, 2015, The Axe Murders of Villisca, 2016, and The Space between Us, 2017. Creator of the jewelry line Crystal Wolf; other merchandise includes male nail polish, sunglasses, clothing accessories, and home decor.
WRITINGS
Songwriter for music videos, including Don’t Wait.
SIDELIGHTS
Joey Graceffa spent his childhood playing make-believe all day long, according to an interview by Elizabeth Entenman posted at Hello Giggles. Social media enabled him to share his energy and imagination with the world. He was sixteen years old when he made his first YouTube videos. By age eighteen he was on his way to becoming a YouTube sensation. One adventure led to another; one YouTube channel begat another: the entire range of visual media beckoned. Graceffa appeared as a contestant on the television reality series The Amazing Race and Fight of the Living Dead. He joined online series like MyMusic and Escape the Night. By the time he graduated from high school, Graceffa had already experienced a full life, on camera and off. At the age of twenty-four, he published his first memoir.
Real Life
Graceffa shares his childhood and adolescence in the memoir In Real Life: My Journey to a Pixelated World. His home life was less than ideal. His half-brother was diagnosed on the autism spectrum. His mother turned to alcohol and drug abuse when the author was twelve years old. School offered no refuge. Graceffa was subjected to bullying and rejection. The camera offered a chance to shape the life of his choice, a life that he embraced with enthusiasm and success.
In his memoir, Graceffa shares the intimacies of his early years: the youthful crushes and rejections, loneliness, embarrassments and happy surprises, laughter and disappointment, and finally the life lessons that inspired his coming-of-age. He offers advice on how to deal with sensitive issues, from coming out to making friends and maintaining a balanced approach to online fans and haters. Reviewer Mary Cosola observed at Common Sense Media that his “bubbly personality makes it an engaging read.” Graceffa appeals to a young, mostly female demographic–teen, young adult, new adult–and the fans of his media presence are the same people who enjoy his books.
Children of Eden
Children of Eden offers young readers a look at a world on the brink of extinction, except for the tiny protected enclave of Eden. Elsewhere, the natural environment was all but destroyed by a man-made disaster. All animals, most plants, and many humans have died. Strict government controls are in place to manage scarce food resources and minimize population growth by restricting each family to one child.
Rowan is a second child: a twin who can only survive in hiding. For sixteen years she lives in isolation in the family compound, until the compulsion to experience the outside world drives her into the open. Rowan is an outlaw facing certain death, unless she can find a new refuge to replace the one she left behind. She finds herself in a strange and violent world when she stumbles across a secret that could turn reality upside down.
Michael Berry reviewed the volume at Common Sense Media. He found a plethora of dystopian clichés and concluded that “the novel pushes the limits of believability.” Graceffa has told interviewers that he wanted young readers to think about the impact that the poor choices we make today could have upon future generations. Berry suggested that some readers will “be attracted by the story’s breathless earnestness.”
Elites of Eden
Elites of Eden takes place at an exclusive boarding school for children of the most powerful families of the enclave. Yarrow and Pearl rule the “mean girls” clique with a heavy hand until Lark arrives and jogs Yarrow’s memory. She recalls a past in which her mother died, her father abandoned the family, and her unpleasant brother became the official family child. She remembers that her name was Rowan, that she escaped her family compound and found refuge in a secret community of second-children until she was captured by the government of Eden, brainwashed, and reintroduced as Yarrow. Or was she?
Berry explained at Common Sense Media that Graceffa “explores the differences between illusion and reality” and touches on issues of bullying among children and intentional manipulation of the truth by authorized government propaganda. In School Library Journal, Kirsten Rademacher described Elites of Eden as “a melodramatic story about a society waiting out ecological disaster,” a story that will appeal most to the readers who appreciated the series debut. A Kirkus Reviews commentator described Elites of Eden more favorably as “a cunningly charted sequel that improves on its predecessor.” Berry maintained the tone of his earlier review of Children of Eden, but considered the possibility that “younger teens may enjoy the hyped-up storytelling, where almost anything can happen at any time.”
The trilogy ends with Rebels of Eden, in which many mysteries are solved. Rowan has uncovered the upside-down truth that Eden is no elite haven for the top echelons who survived the ecological disaster that nearly destroyed the world. It is a prison for a community of second-children, whose future is in great danger. Rowan escapes Eden for the wilderness commune of Harmonia, which is ruled by its own autocratic power class, and is forbidden even to think about its alter ego. Still, she cannot ignore the plight of the friends she made there as civil war looms on the horizon.
BIOCRIT
BOOKS
Graceffa, Joey and Joshua Lyon, In Real Life: My Journey to a Pixelated World, Keywords Press (New York, NY), 2015.
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, October 15, 2017, review of Elites of Eden.
School Library Journal, March, 2018, Kirsten Rademacher, review of Elites of Eden, p. 127.
ONLINE
Common Sense Media, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/ (June 26, 2018), Mary Cosola, review of In Real Life: My Journey to a Pixelated World; Michael Berry, review of Children of Eden; and Michael Berry, review of Elites of Eden.
Daily Dot, https://www.dailydot.com/ (June 5, 2015), Rae Votta, review of In Real Life.
Hello Giggles, https://hellogiggles.com/ (October 6, 2017), Elizabeth Entenman, author interview.
Joey Graceffa Website, https://www.joeygraceffa.com (June 26, 2018).
Pop Sugar, https://www.popsugar.com/ (September 17, 2017), review of Elites of Eden.
Variety, http://variety.com/ (June 6, 2018), Todd Spangler, author interview.
Joey Graceffa Bio
Check out all that you wanted to know about Joey Graceffa, the famous YouTuber, actor and author; his birthday, personal details, trivia facts and lots more.
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Quick Facts
Nick Name: Joey
Also Known As: Joseph Michael Graceffa
Famous as: YouTuber, Author, Actor
Nationality: American
Birthday: May 16, 1991
Age: 27 Years
Sun Sign: Taurus
Height: 1.8 m
Born in: Marlborough, Massachusetts
father: Joe Graceffa
siblings: Nicole (sister) and Jett
City, States, Provinces & Districts: Massachussets
More Facts
Joey Graceffa
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Joey Graceffa As PDF
Joseph Michael Graceffa, better known as Joey Graceffa, is an American YouTube personality, author, actor, singer and producer. This 25-year-old is recognized for his two YouTube channels, both of which are named after him. One channel is used for vlogging and the other one contains gaming content. Graceffa updates his channels almost daily and even create vlogs with other well-known YouTubers. Besides having numerous channel subscribers, this internet sensation is extremely popular on other social media platforms as well. As of March 2017, he has 3.54 million followers on his Twitter handle. Besides running his own YouTube channel, Joey Graceffa works with ‘AwesomenessTV’, another YouTube channel that he operates in collaboration with Lia Marie Johnson and JennXPenn. Well, this famous personality is also known as an actor, author and singer. Yes, you read that right! Graceffa has appeared in a handful of films and TV shows. He won the Streamy Award for ‘Best Male Actor in a Dramatic Web Series’ for ‘Storytellers’ in 2014. Joey Graceffa has even co-authored a novel titled ‘Children of Eden’ that was released in 2016.
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The Meteoric Rise to Stardom
At the age of 16, Joey Graceffa started making YouTube videos for his channel titled ‘WinterSpringPro’ (now defunct) in collaboration with his high school colleague and mate Brittany Joyal. Two years later, he started the channel ‘JoeyGraceffa’ and began creating videos for it. People found his videos interesting and started subscribing to his channel. Later on, Graceffa started doing tag videos and challenges with his fellow YouTubers. After some time, he started focusing on gaming and created a separate channel for it under the name ‘JoeyGraceffaGames’. As a result, he gained more subscribers for both his channels. Today, he has over 7.4 million subscribers for his first channel and more than 2 million subscribers for the gaming one. Joey uploads videos almost daily on his channels so that his fans are kept updated and they don’t lose interest in his channels. This YouTube sensation is also popular on Twitter and Instagram, with more than 3.54 million followers on Twitter followers and more than 5.3 million followers on Instagram.
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Other Works
In 2013, the YouTube star and his friend and Meghan Camarena appeared as contestants on the reality show ‘The Amazing Race 22’. The two later collaborated again for ‘The Amazing Race: All-Stars’. Graceffa started a web series ‘Storytellers’ in early 2014. The same year, he made two short films ‘Eon’ and ‘Ethereal’. Later on, he did a number of short films for BlackBoxTV. He also became a member of the online series ‘MyMusic’. In 2015, he appeared in an episode of the reality TV project ‘Fight of the Living Dead’. The same year, he released a song for a music video ‘Don't Wait’ and a memoir ‘In Real Life: My Journey to a Pixelated World’. In the latter, he discussed about his personal and professional life, covering topics such as his mother's alcoholism, brother's autism, his high school journey, the beginning of YouTube career, and so on. The following year, he opened a jewelry line ‘Crystal Wolf’. He also starred in Red mini-web series with other YouTubers titled ‘Escape the Night’. Graceffa along with his friend Laura L. Sullivan also released an adult novel ‘Children of Eden’ during that time. Graceffa also starred in the feature film ‘The Space Between Us’ that was released in February 2017.
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Behind The Curtains
Joey Graceffa was born on May 16, 1991 in Marlborough, Massachusetts, to parents Joe Graceffa and Debbie O'Connor. He has an older sister, Nicole and a half brother, Jett. When he was 12, his mother resorted to alcoholism and drug abuse. His brother was diagnosed with autism in childhood. Coming to his education, Graceffa studied at Marlborough High School and graduated from there in 2009. Then he enrolled at the Fitchburg State College to study films. However, he dropped out from there after one year. In 2015, he confirmed on YouTube that he is a gay; Graceffa is dating fellow YouTuber Daniel Preda since 2014.
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Last Updated : January 04, 2018
Joey Graceffa As PDF
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Biography
Showing all 12 items
Jump to: Overview (4) | Mini Bio (1) | Trade Mark (4) | Personal Quotes (3)
Overview (4)
Born May 16, 1991 in Marlborough, Massachusetts, USA
Birth Name Joseph Michael Graceffa
Nickname Joey
Height 5' 11" (1.8 m)
Mini Bio (1)
Joey Graceffa is a Streamy Award-winning actor, top Internet personality, and two-time Amazing Race contestant with over 6 million YouTube subscribers. Joey grew up in Boston, moving to Los Angeles at the age of 19 to pursue a career in entertainment. He has an upcoming book deal with Simon & Schuster.
- IMDb Mini Biography By: Petar Mandich
Trade Mark (4)
Bright white teeth and strong smile
"Ah good day everyone."
Perfectly styled hair
"Good damn bye."
Personal Quotes (3)
I just kept thinking about the good that it could do for the world and how much better it would be for me and how freeing it would be for me after.
Keep pushing and keep posting, and do it because you love to do it, not because you think it's going to get you views.
It's okay to be gay and that's who I am and I am not going to hide that anymore.
Filmography
Jump to: Actor | Writer | Producer | Director | Cinematographer | Editor | Thanks | Self
Hide Hide Actor (21 credits)
2016-2018 Escape the Night (TV Series)
The Savant
- Episode #3.1 (2018) ... The Savant
- The Sorceress (2017) ... The Savant
- The Dark Dimension (2017) ... The Savant
- Full Moon Slaughter (2017) ... The Savant
- Automaton Love Story (2017) ... The Savant
Show all 21 episodes
2013-2018 Storytellers (TV Mini-Series)
Hunter Crowley
- Episode #2.1 (2018) ... Hunter Crowley
- Celia (2014) ... Hunter Crowley
- Blazer (2014) ... Hunter Crowley
- Finn (2014) ... Hunter Crowley
- Skyler (2013) ... Hunter Crowley
Show all 7 episodes
2017 Haters Back Off! (TV Series)
Joey Graceffa
- my 1rst bae (2017) ... Joey Graceffa
2017 Me and My Grandma (TV Series)
Teen Boy
- Elderboo (2017) ... Teen Boy
2017/I The Space Between Us
High School Student (uncredited)
2016 Children of Eden (Video short)
Ash
2016 It Gets Worse (Short)
2016 The Axe Murders of Villisca
Most Haunted Host
2015 The Fourth Door (TV Series)
Raef
- Chapter 12: Departure (2015) ... Raef
- Chapter 11: Projection (2015) ... Raef
- Chapter 10: The Ring (2015) ... Raef
- Chapter 9: Ignite (2015) ... Raef
- Chapter 8: Boxed (2015) ... Raef
Show all 12 episodes
2015 Bob Thunder: Internet Assassin
Joey Graceffa
2015 Insidious: Chapter 3
Demon (uncredited)
2015 Fight of the Living Dead (TV Series)
- Pilot (2015)
2014 Haunting Ian (Short)
Ian
2012-2014 BlackBoxTV (TV Series)
Aaron / Adrian White / Hotel Employee #2
- The Fourth Door (2014) ... Aaron
- The Babysitter (2013)
- Zombie (2013) ... Adrian White
- Silverwood: The Perfect Night (2012) ... Hotel Employee #2
2014/II Ethereal (Short)
Zane
2014 Eon (Short)
Drifter
2014 Snow White and the Seven Thugs (Video short)
The Prince
2013-2014 MyMusic (TV Series)
Vampire Temp
- Wedding Plans! (2014) ... Vampire Temp
- Insane Wife! (2013) ... Vampire Temp
- Someone's Quitting! (2013) ... Vampire Temp
- Stand Up for Yourself! (2013) ... Vampire Temp
- Attention & Affection (2013) ... Vampire Temp
Show all 6 episodes
2013 Miley Cyrus: Wrecking Ball Parody (Video short)
Liam Hemsworth
2013 BlackBoxTV Presents: You Look Delicious (TV Movie)
2013 AwesomenessTV (TV Series)
- Swag Master J: Swagify for School (2013)
Hide Hide Writer (5 credits)
Escape the Night (TV Series) (creator - 16 episodes, 2016 - 2017) (created by - 4 episodes, 2017)
- The Sorceress (2017) ... (creator)
- The Dark Dimension (2017) ... (creator)
- Full Moon Slaughter (2017) ... (creator)
- Automaton Love Story (2017) ... (creator)
- Endless Winter Night (2017) ... (creator)
Show all 20 episodes
2016 Children of Eden (Video short) (story by)
2014 Haunting Ian (Short) (story by)
2013-2014 Storytellers (TV Mini-Series) (co-creator - 6 episodes)
- Celia (2014) ... (co-creator)
- Blazer (2014) ... (co-creator)
- Finn (2014) ... (co-creator)
- Skyler (2013) ... (co-creator)
- Mai (2013) ... (co-creator)
Show all 6 episodes
2010 Joey Graceffa (TV Series)
Hide Hide Producer (6 credits)
2017 Escape the Night (TV Series) (producer - 8 episodes)
- The Sorceress (2017) ... (producer)
- The Dark Dimension (2017) ... (producer)
- Full Moon Slaughter (2017) ... (producer)
- Endless Winter Night (2017) ... (producer)
- The Gingerbread Woman (2017) ... (producer)
Show all 8 episodes
2014 Haunting Ian (Short) (executive producer)
2014/II Ethereal (Short) (executive producer)
2014 Eon (Short) (producer)
2013 Storytellers (TV Mini-Series) (executive producer - 2013)
2010 Joey Graceffa (TV Series) (producer)
Hide Hide Director (1 credit)
2010 Joey Graceffa (TV Series)
Hide Hide Cinematographer (1 credit)
2010 Joey Graceffa (TV Series)
Hide Hide Editor (1 credit)
2010 Joey Graceffa (TV Series)
Hide Hide Thanks (1 credit)
2016 The Axe Murders of Villisca (special thanks)
Hide Hide Self (20 credits)
2016-2018 Nerdy Nummies (TV Series)
Himself
- Ready Player One Cereal Cookies (2018) ... Himself
- Geode Candy Cupcakes (2016) ... Himself
2017 Ro's Life (TV Series short)
Himself
- Candle Smelling Challenge (2017) ... Himself
2017 Live! with Kelly (TV Series)
Himself
- Guest Co-Hostess Sisanie/Billy Eichner/Goo Goo Dolls (2017) ... Himself
2016 Hollywood Today Live (TV Series)
Himself - Author, Children of Eden
- Episode dated 4 August 2016 (2016) ... Himself - Author, Children of Eden
2016 Teen Choice Awards 2016 (TV Movie)
Himself - Backstage Presenter
2016 Today (TV Series)
Himself
- Episode dated 1 July 2016 (2016) ... Himself
2016 Style Code Live (TV Series)
Himself
- Humidity Proof Hair - Gladiator Shoe Chic (2016) ... Himself
2013-2016 YouTubers React (TV Series)
Himself
- YouTubers React to WTF Boom Compilation (2016) ... Himself
- Youtubers React to Girl - Daoko (Anime Music Video) (2016) ... Himself
- YouTubers React to YouTube Rewind 2015 (2016) ... Himself
- YouTubers React to Look Up (2014) ... Himself
- YouTubers React to Shrek Is Love, Shrek Is Life (2014) ... Himself
Show all 8 episodes
2014-2016 Oli White (TV Series)
Himself
- Getting Wet with Joey Graceffa (2016) ... Himself
- Festive Food Pong Challenge with Joey Graceffa (2014) ... Himself
2016 Prank Academy (TV Series)
Himself
- Girl Caught On Fire Prank!!! (2016) ... Himself
2016 Orbyt Play (TV Special)
Himself - Guest
2015 Your Grammar Sucks (TV Series)
Himself
- Your Grammar Sucks 100 (2015) ... Himself
2015 5th Annual Streamy Awards (TV Movie)
Himself
2015 Teen Choice Awards 2015 (TV Special)
Himself - Nominee
2015 Influencer Journeys (TV Mini-Series)
Himself
2015 Huge on the Tube (TV Series)
Himself
- Joey Graceffa (2015) ... Himself
2013-2014 The Amazing Race (TV Series)
Himself - Contestant
- Do You Believe in Magic? (2014) ... Himself - Contestant (as Joey)
- Welcome to the Jungle (2014) ... Himself - Contestant (as Joey)
- Baby Bear's Soup (2014) ... Himself - Contestant (as Joey)
- Back in the Saddle (2014) ... Himself - Contestant (as Joey)
- Beacon of Hope (2013) ... Himself - Contestant (as Joey)
Show all 15 episodes
2013 Newsround (TV Series)
Himself - Interviewee (vlogger)
- 08/09/2013: 14:00 (2013) ... Himself - Interviewee (vlogger)
2012 Nivea: This Kiss (Video short)
Himself
2010 Joey Graceffa (TV Series)
Himself
Edit
Personal Details
Official Sites: Facebook | Instagram | See more »
Alternate Names: Joey
Height: 5' 11" (1.8 m)
Edit
Did You Know?
Personal Quote: I just kept thinking about the good that it could do for the world and how much better it would be for me and how freeing it would be for me after. See more »
Trademark: Perfectly styled hair See more »
Nickname: Joey
Star Sign: Taurus
Q&A With Joey Graceffa: YouTube Showman, Dystopian Novelist, Nail Polish Thought-Leader
By Todd Spangler
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Joey Graceffa
CREDIT: Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock
YouTube star Joey Graceffa, with his upswept mane, arched eyebrows — and just a glint of madness in his eyes — was a natural choice to play the enigmatic host of YouTube Red original series “Escape the Night,” a mega-collab in which a famous cast member gets killed off each week.
Now in the middle of the season 2 run, Graceffa said he had even more fun the second time around with “Escape the Night” (for which he also served as executive producer) while continuing to pump out daily comedy vlogs for the 8 million-plus subscribers on his YouTube channel.
Graceffa, whose audience skews three-fourths female and is largely between the ages of 13 and 25, has evolved his YouTube material to keep with the zeitgeist — while avoiding controversies that can stir up internet trolls and unwanted publicity. “I kind of like to stay out of the drama,” he says. “I feel like if you’re in the drama, yeah, it will get you attention now but that will fade.”
And the multihypenate recently added another title: young-adult novelist. “Elites of Eden,” the second book in his dystopian trilogy, will be released Oct. 3, 2017. The first book in the series, “Children of Eden,” debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times Best Sellers’ young-adult hardcover list in October 2016 and remained on the chart for 10 weeks.
Related
YouTube Red’s ‘Escape the Night’ With Joey Graceffa Season 2 Adds Tyler Oakley, Liza Koshy, Other Digital Stars to Cast
Graceffa, 26, sat down with Variety to talk about his life as a YouTuber, his dream of turning the “Eden” books into movies, how he manages social media, and his expanding line of merchandise (including nail polish). An edited transcript:
Where do you see yourself in your career right now?
I think the cool thing about being a YouTuber is that fact that you aren’t limited to anything. I mean, you can put your own limits on yourself — I’m one of the people that doesn’t. My channel is a variety of all sorts of things. It’s constantly evolved, and I think that’s how I’ve stayed relevant on the platform for so long, because I’m constantly changing what I’m doing. Currently, right now, I think it’s so cool I get to do fun, crazy stuff on my channel daily, but I can also do big projects like “Escape the Night” with YouTube Red. I think that’s where my true passion lies: being a creative, and creating big worlds and stories, and seeing them come to life.
How did you start the “Children of Eden” book series?
It’s something that I have had in my mind for a few years. It started as a short film idea. So I had it all in my head; it was just a matter of getting it down. It’s just been really cool to start with a small scene, and slowly build up this world, and I’ve just finished the second book [“Elites of Eden”]. It’s crazy to think I have one of these out in the world after being an avid reader of the genre in my teenage years. … YouTube’s allowed me to create this universe that I hope will be able to be turned into a movie like “Hunger Games” and “The Maze Runner” and “Divergent” — that’s the goal with that, and where I kind of where I want to see myself go.
What happens in the third book?
Well, I haven’t started that. [Laughs] I’m still working on it! As I’m creating this, it’s all as if it’s a movie. I see things very visually. When I sit down, I can just imagine a scene taking place and I trust my instinct.
Have you pitched the books to studios?
Not really. We’re kind of going the route of trying to attach a producer or a writer, someone I can take with me into these meetings. It’s kind of in the beginning phases.
Would you star in it?
I’d have a role in it, just because I have a love for acting. But it’s mostly just the creating. I don’t mind having other actors play the main characters, as long as I get to have a small little part.
What was your original career goal?
Obviously this has been evolving over the years. Before this was even a possibility to be a career, I wanted to go the traditional route of maybe being an actor or being in film somehow. Slowly, I just started to realize that what I’m doing is what I love. And why am I trying to go out and attain something that maybe was the mentality of a few years ago of what was the thing to want. After realizing that, I kind of homed in on my channel, and figuring out what I love to do — without having to go out and wish for things. And just make them happen myself.
Right after you came out [in 2015], you talked about your concern beforehand about revealing your sexual orientation publicly — you said, “The internet is full of trolls and haters.” Do you still think that’s the case?
Maybe they’re still there — but I just don’t see them. YouTube has some tools, you can block out certain comments. I never really see it on Twitter. Of course, when you’re a little controversial online, that’s when the strangers find you — and that’s when the hate comes. I think right now I’m in a place where I just really have the people who have found me are looking at me, and I’m not getting a lot of outside attention from strangers from me acting wild, or being a crazy YouTuber and causing controversy and being problematic. I kind of like to stay out of the drama. I feel like if you’re in the drama, yeah, it will get you attention now but that will fade.
How is season 2 of “Escape the Night” different from the first one?
Oh, my gosh. We learned so much from the first season, the second season we could make bigger and better. It was just a bigger production. We also have a great cast this season—there’s a lot more lighthearted moments, because we have such a comedic cast. We have Liza Koshy, the Gabbie Show, and Tyler Oakley who gave so many funny moments. We didn’t take ourselves so seriously. Season one was more like murder-mystery vibe; this is more like a group escape.
Who are some YouTubers you would love to get for season 3 of “Escape the Night”?
Well, I haven’t gotten the OK for season three. [Laughs] But there are a few people I really, really would love. I would love Jenna Marbles… I don’t know, I don’t want to put it out there! It’s tough, it’s a big ask for YouTubers to dedicate the time. It’s five days filming straight with night shoots… although, if you get killed off the show, you don’t have to stay all five days.
How has it done for your brand?
For me personally, it’s opened me up to a newer audience. Just because with all the marketing YouTube is throwing at it. The show is almost like a giant collaboration. With 10 YouTubers, they’re all bringing their audience to the show. Since it lives on my channel, they have to subscribe to get notified, so that was a benefit to me. … The first couple days [after “Escape the Night” season 2 premiered in June], I think I got 100,000 subscribers within the first two days of when it launched.
YouTube is your main platform. How do you think of other platforms in terms of reaching audience?
It’s day to day, I post daily. It’s almost like a routine. Throughout my day, I’ll post on Instagram Stories, and I’ll throw to my most recent video. I don’t use Snapchat—I’ll use the filters and put it on Instagram, but I don’t really use the platform. Facebook I’ll use just to promote videos. Twitter is really my main place to connect with my audience. They all have their own unique purpose.
Why aren’t you on Snapchat?
Just too much. I mean, Snapchat and Instagram stories are pretty much the same thing. Since I already use Instagram to post pictures, I don’t know—it’s all too much. [Laughs]
How do you manage having to be constantly online? Do you take breaks, like, “After 9 p.m., I’m not checking anything”?
The only time it’s turned off is when I’m sleeping. That’s my break. When I was on “The Amazing Race” [in 2013], I was forced to be disconnected. I had someone else working my social-media accounts for like a month, uploading my videos. I definitely had some moments when I really just wanted to check in. … But I don’t feel like I’m too consumed with my social media. I’m pretty good at keeping my phone down.
Would you want to do a network show like “Amazing Race” again?
Yeah, if it fit well and they were open to my world on YouTube, and making sure I can keep that going.
You were a big presence at this year’s VidCon. How has it changed over the years? What do you like about it, and what do not like about?
VidCon, the obvious thing is, it’s just gotten bigger and bigger. For me personally, it’s become more of a work thing as opposed to, “I’m going to go to this event to hang out with my friends,” which is what it was the first few years. It’s become so work-heavy, doing press, doing panels. It’s always amazing to meet your viewers, and I love that part, but it’s still a business thing. I love going, and this year especially with having my face all over the outside of VidCon, I felt like I was the King of VidCon. But yeah, it’s work.
For your YouTube channel, where do you draw your ideas?
It’s a lot of researching YouTube and seeing what’s going on, what are the trends, seeing someone else’s ideas will inspire an original idea of mine. It’s taking ideas from everywhere.
To what extent do you try to create trends?
There was one I brought back: men wearing nail polish. I was one of the first guys to bring that back, maybe a year and half ago. It developed into my own line of nail polish, which has been really fun — I never thought that would happen.
Any other merchandise?
Yeah, it started with [Crystal Wolf] jewelry. Then it’s slowly growing, I’m adding new things — I have sunglasses, T-shirts, and pins. I just love wolves, and I love crystals, so: Crystal Wolf.
But you don’t want to just push merch on people.
It’s definitely a delicate balance of not being too in their face. But you know, when I get excited about it, I just want to keep talking about it. So sometimes I feel I can be annoying but it’s coming from a genuine place because it’s my own excitement and love for my products.
Graceffa is repped by UTA and managed by Addition LLC.
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Escape the Night
Joey Graceffa
YouTube Red
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In Real Life
A confessional, uplifting memoir from the beloved YouTube personality.
It’s not where you begin that matters.
It's where you end up.
Twenty-three year old Joey Graceffa has captured the hearts of millions of teens and young adults through his playful, sweet, and inspirational YouTube presence (not to mention his sparkling eyes and perfect hair). Yet, Joey wasn’t always comfortable in his skin, and in this candid memoir, he thoughtfully looks back on his journey from pain to pride, self-doubt to self-acceptance.
To his fans, Joey is that best friend who always captures the brighter side of life but also isn’t afraid to get real. In the pages of his first book, he opens up about his years of struggling with family hardships and troubles at school, with cruel bullying and the sting of rejection. He tells of first loves and losses, embarrassing moments and surprising discoveries, loneliness, laughter, and life-changing forks in the road, showing us the incalculable value of finally finding and following your true passion in this world. Funny, warm-hearted, and inspiring, Joey Graceffa’s story is a welcome reminder that it’s not where you begin that matters, but where you end up.
bout the Author
Joey Graceffa is a leading digital creator, actor, and producer, best known for his scripted and vlog work with YouTube. He is the author of the instant New York Times bestselling memoir In Real Life: My Journey to a Pixelated World and the bestselling novel Children of Eden and its sequel Elites of Eden. Joey ranked third on Variety’s 2015 #Famechangers lists and has been featured in publications such as People, Forbes, Entertainment Weekly, and The Hollywood Reporter. In 2013 he produced and starred in his own Kickstarter–funded supernatural series, Storytellers, for which he won a Streamy Award. In 2016, he debuted Escape the Night, a “surreality” competition series for YouTube Red that returned for a third season in the summer of 2018. Joey’s other interests include a proprietary accessories/home décor line called Crystal Wolf and supporting various nonprofit organizations for literacy, children’s health and wellness, and animal welfare. For more information, please visit ChildrenofEdenBook.com.
=====
Children of Eden
The electrifying #1 New York Times bestselling debut novel from YouTube sensation Joey Graceffa dares to ask the question: What would you do in order to survive if your very existence were illegal?
Rowan is a second child in a world where population control measures make her an outlaw, marked for death. She can never go to school, make friends, or get the eye implants that will mark her as a true member of Eden.
Outside of Eden, Earth is poisoned and dead. All animals and most plants have been destroyed by a man-made catastrophe. Long ago, the brilliant scientist Aaron Al-Baz saved a pocket of civilization by designing the EcoPanopticon, a massive computer program that hijacked all global technology and put it to use preserving the last vestiges of mankind. Humans will wait for thousands of years in Eden until the EcoPan heals the world.
As an illegal second child, Rowan has been hidden away from the ruthless Center government in her family’s compound for sixteen years. Now, desperate to see the world, she recklessly escapes for what she swears will be only one night of adventure. Though she finds an exotic world, and even a friend, the night leads to tragedy. Soon Rowan becomes a renegade on the run.
An instant #1 New York Times bestseller, Children of Eden is a thrilling and completely absorbing work from one of social media’s brightest young storytellers. Taking the genre of dystopian fiction far beyond where it has traveled before, viral sensation Joey Graceffa’s first novel introduces us to an empowering and endearing young protagonist and a world that contains as many perils as it does illuminating surprises, perfect for fans of the Divergent and Maze Runner series
=====
Elitse of Eden
Two young girls hold the fate of the world in their hands in the highly anticipated sequel to the instant #1 New York Times bestseller Children of Eden.
Two girls, one destiny.
Yarrow is an elite: rich, regal, destined for greatness. She’s the daughter of one of the most powerful women in Eden. At the exclusive Oaks boarding school, she makes life miserable for anyone foolish enough to cross her. Her life is one wild party after another…until she meets a fascinating, lilac-haired girl named Lark.
Meanwhile, there is Rowan, who has been either hiding or running all her life. As an illegal second child in a strictly regulated world, her very existence is a threat to society, punishable by death…or worse. After her father betrayed his family, and after the government killed her mother, Rowan discovered a whole city of people like herself. Safe in an underground sanctuary that also protected the last living tree on Earth, Rowan found friendship, and maybe more, in a fearless hero named Lachlan. But when she was captured by the government, her fate was uncertain.
When these two girls discover the thread that binds them together, the collision of memories means that their lives may change drastically—and that Eden may never be the same.
=====
Rebels of Eden
Atria/Keywords Press (October 2, 2018)
The electrifying conclusion to the New York Times bestselling series Children of Eden that follows Rowan as she leaves behind the paradise she’s always dreamed of and infiltrates Eden to save her family and friends.
Rowan is finally in Harmonia, an Earth-friendly, sustainable commune in the wilderness she always thought was dead. Even in this idyllic world, she finds no peace. Harmonia has strict rules—and dire consequences. Thinking about Eden is forbidden, but she’s determined to rescue the loved ones she left behind. Though her friends are in terrible danger, her pleas for help are ignored.
After months of living as one with nature, a shocking reminder of her past pushes Rowan to act. With help from new friends she infiltrates Eden. What she discovers is even worse than the situation she left behind. In the chaos of civil war, Rowan and her friends join forces with the surviving Second Children trapped inside. They fight for their lives, and for the fate of humanity in this broken Earth.
Graceffa, Joey: ELITES OF EDEN
Kirkus Reviews.
(Oct. 15, 2017): From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Graceffa, Joey ELITES OF EDEN Atria/Key Words (Children's Fiction) $18.99 10, 3 ISBN: 978-1-5011-7453-7
A young member of the elite class in a dystopian future discovers her destiny in this sequel to Children of Eden (2016).
Bronze-skinned Yarrow is the teenage daughter of one of the most powerful women in Eden. At the exclusive Oaks boarding school, Yarrow rolls with the cool kids, submissive only to the queen bee, Pearl. When mysterious, lilac-haired Lark joins Yarrow's class, the two girls feel drawn to each other, and as Lark's secrets are revealed, Yarrow discovers her own true path. This discovery is the smartly conceived and perfectly executed twist that puts this sequel over the top. The standard teen-dystopian tropes remain, but the author uses readers' familiarity with overreaching governments and shady rebel bases to his advantage, structuring Yarrow's arc as a journey that examines heretofore unseen aspects of Eden's culture and dovetailing with the first book's narrative thrust. The love interests remain spottily developed, but the sexual fluidity baked into this love triangle makes for a refreshing change from the usual two hunks pining for one gal. The novel's climax points toward an intriguing path for Book 3 to take but still provides readers with a sense of closure. The early pages are a tad rough: Yarrow is deeply unpleasant and Pearl is a pill, but once readers get past the Mean Girls-esque surface there's plenty of reward.
<>. (Science fiction. 12-16)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Graceffa, Joey: ELITES OF EDEN." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Oct. 2017. Book Review Index Plus,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A509244083/GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS& xid=c7307247. Accessed 19 May 2018.
1 of 3 5/19/18, 3:32 PM
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MA...
Gale Document Number: GALE|A509244083
2 of 3 5/19/18, 3:32 PM
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MA...
GRACEFFA, Joey. Elites of Eden
Kirsten Rademacher
School Library Journal.
64.3 (Mar. 2018): p127+. From Book Review Index Plus.
COPYRIGHT 2018 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
GRACEFFA, Joey. Elites of Eden. 288p. Atria. Oct. 2017. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781501174537.
In this sequel to Children of Eden, Yarrow attends an elite boarding school meant only for top citizens. She and her best friend, Pearl, rule the school with a vicious, vapid hand. Drugs and all- night parties abound. However, a chain of events force Yarrow to remember she is actually Rowan, a second-born child who has people waiting for her to escape. Rowan does her best to assist those hiding from the evil governing forces of Eden, but it all ends in seeming disaster, setting up the third book. This predictable, cliched sequel will not thrill any but the most loyal fans of the first installment. The protagonist too often oscillates between weepiness, helplessness, and indecision and the competence and self-assuredness of a trained operative in a spy novel. The language is an off-putting blend of teen speak and invented swear words. There is even a cackling villainess who reveals the full menacing plot of those in charge right before she tries to kill off the main character. Overall, this is <> with a HAL-like machine in charge. VERDICT Purchase only where there are already fans of the series.--Kristen Rademacher, Marist High School, IL
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Rademacher, Kriesten. "GRACEFFA, Joey. Elites of Eden." School Library Journal, Mar. 2018,
p. 127+. Book Review Index Plus, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A529863660 /GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS&xid=85b1199a. Accessed 19 May 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A529863660
3 of 3 5/19/18, 3:32 PM
In Real Life: My Journey to a Pixelated World
Book review by Mary Cosola, Common Sense Media
In Real Life: My Journey to a Pixelated World Book Poster Image
Common Sense says
age 13+
YouTuber's heartfelt memoir recalls bullies, alcoholic mom.
Joey Graceffa Autobiography 2016
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Based on 4 reviews
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
Educational value
Positive messages
Positive role models & representations
Violence
Sex
Language
Consumerism
Drinking, drugs & smoking
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Joey Graceffa's memoir, In Real Life: My Journey to a Pixelated World, recounts the ups and downs of his childhood and recent success on YouTube and television. Each chapter ends with advice that runs the gamut from how to handle your first kiss to how to cope with an alcoholic parent. He also details personal issues such as bullying, coming out as gay, making and falling out with friends, and how to handle fame and online haters. Even though some of the subject matter is tough, Graceffa's<< bubbly personality makes it an engaging read.>> The only sexual content is some kissing, and there's little violence. Characters drink (some to excess, but not Graceffa) and swear a little, and his mom smokes, but Graceffa warns readers off it.
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What's the story?
Joey Graceffa details his journey from lead-paint-chip-eating tot (the contamination gave him a learning disability) to YouTube sensation. He opens up about dealing with his mother's alcoholism, the bullying he endured all through his school years, his childhood loneliness, and his eventual discovery of making short films, the latter of which led him to become a YouTube and reality TV star. At the end of each chapter, Graceffa offers advice to readers on how to handle problems or sticky situations. Graceffa's love for and connection to his viewers is clear, and the advice given in the book is useful for kids in similar situations with no one to turn to.
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Is it any good?
Effusive and positive, YouTube star Joey Graceffa tells his life story like he's talking to you over lunch. Many people might roll their eyes when they hear of a memoir written by a 24-year-old, but Graceffa does a good job of drawing on his own life to offer advice and life lessons to kids who might struggle with similar situations. He gets real about his mother's drinking problem, his learning disabilities, and coming to terms with his sexual orientation. The language is very casual, with lots of parenthetical asides and exclamation points, which makes it a fun, easy read. Some portions of the book are more engaging than others. The sections on his childhood are riveting, but when he tries to make his first forays into dating sound more dramatic than they are, the narrative falls flat. Fans of his will love the behind-the-scenes stories of his friendships and adventures with other online stars. In fact, this memoir will appeal to his fans, while others who don't know much about him might not find it that interesting. Many kids who feel that other people don't understand what they're going through will connect with this book and find it helpful.
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Families can talk about online fame. What do you see as the ups and downs of having a lot of your personal life up for public viewing, as many YouTube stars do?
Do you have something you like to do that gives you refuge from your regular life? For example, making movies, writing, drawing, or sports? What about the activity helps you?
Do you think you know media stars even though you've never met them? Do you idolize them without thinking of them as real people, or do you think they're fakes putting on a different face for the media?
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Book details
Author: Joey Graceffa
Genre: Autobiography
Topics: Friendship, Great Boy Role Models, Great Girl Role Models, High School
Book type: Non-Fiction
Publisher: Atria
Publication date: May 19, 2016
Number of pages: 272
Available on: Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), iBooks, Kindle
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How Joey Graceffa’s ‘In Real Life’ memoir took shape
Rae Votta—
June 5, 2015 at 4:00AM | Last updated Mar 8, 2017 at 5:09AM
Joey Graceffa book
The YouTube superstar opens up in print.
The line snaking through almost half of the top floor of the Union Square Barnes and Noble in New York City erupts into high-pitched cheers when Joey Graceffa, a lanky and cheerful 24-year-old YouTube star, finally makes his appearance. Fans have been waiting since 9am for a chance to meet him, snap a picture, and tell him how much he means to them.
“Whenever I’m feeling sad, his smile makes me feel happy,” explained 14-year-old Anthony, who stands excitedly in a clump with four other fans, ages 11 to 19, all of whom he just met today. “Honestly the experience is so perfect, because you get to meet the person you’ve been watching for so long, and you get to make new friends.”
Graceffa is here not as part of an event for YouTube, where he’s made his name with 4.7 million subscribers, but as an author of the recently published memoir In Real Life: My Journey to a Pixelated World, released by Keywords Press, Simon and Schuster’s imprint dedicated to digital stars.
Joey Graceffa book signing in New York City
Joey Graceffa book signing in New York City
Courtesy of Joey Graceffa
Graceffa joins the long line of YouTubers turned publishing stars, and he was in New York in part to participate in BookExpo America along with other digital stars who stock the shelves alongside traditional young adult writers. Graceffa’s book is a nonfiction tale of his life growing up and the obstacles he faced, from bullying to coming out.
“I came up with the idea when I got kicked off The Amazing Race and was sequestered in Thailand,” Graceffa, who competed on seasons 22 and 24 of the CBS show, told the Daily Dot. “I had a lot of time to myself, and even though I didn’t have a book deal, I started writing and figuring out what I wanted to write about.”
Graceffa had intended the book to be his coming-out story, but just days before release, he posted a music video that featured him kissing a boy, along with a follow-up video confirming his sexual identity. Graceffa says that the book allowed him more space to tell his full story, however.
“I talk about my first dating experiences, my first kiss,” he explained, noting that not everyone in his life knew he was gay until the book’s release. “I wasn’t out to a lot of my family, so they all found out through the book.”
Graceffa will continue on a book tour to meet more of his fans before returning to L.A. to work on his next project, a murder mystery series featuring fellow YouTubers, funded by Google. While there’s no follow up book in the works yet, Graceffa said he found writing both “hard and easy.”
“It was just looking back at my past,” he said. “It wasn’t me coming up with stories, or creating a character, I was looking at my past writing down actual experiences.”
Screengrab via JoeyGraceffa/YouTube
Rae Votta
Rae Votta
Rae Votta is obsessed with obsession. She holds an BA in journalism and a Masters in the linguistics with a focus on digital fan communities from the University of Georgia; she has applied that degree to her nine-year career in the digital and entertainment industries. In addition to Daily Dot, her work has appeared on AOL, Huffington Post, Out Magazine, Logo, VH1, Current TV, Billboard, and NYMag. Her reporting focused on digital entertainment culture, with a specific interest in YouTube, Vine, and other digital native stars, until she departed for a career with Netflix in 2016.
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Joey Graceffa
Youtube
Children of Eden
Book review by Michael Berry, Common Sense Media
Children of Eden Book Poster Image
Common Sense says
age 12+
Familiar dystopian tale pushes limits of believability.
Joey Graceffa Science Fiction 2016
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age 13+
Based on 2 reviews
Kids say
age 11+
Based on 5 reviews
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
Educational value
Positive messages
Positive role models & representations
Violence
Sex
Language
Consumerism
Drinking, drugs & smoking
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Children of Eden, written by social media and YouTube celebrity Joey Graceffa with Laura L. Sullivan, is a science-fiction thriller set in a dystopian environment where Earth's natural habitat is presumed destroyed. It contains some violence -- including torture similar to waterboarding and the semi-accidental slitting of a character's throat. There are a few passionate kisses; the only strong language is four or five uses of "hell." Although it's not explicitly branded as such, Children of Eden seems to be the first volume of a series.
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Kids say
Adult Written byJessie A February 19, 2018
age 16+
Girl on Girl kiss chapter 9
It looks like this is the only scene so far but since there are no viewer discretion’s about this... I wanted to let the parents out there know there is a scene... Continue reading
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Adult Written byConspiracy Theo... November 24, 2017
age 10+
AWESOME
I am ten years old not an adult.I love this book. Joey Graceffa is one of my favorite people ever. I was so glad I got to meet him in person. It was really quic... Continue reading
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What's the story?
CHILDREN OF EDEN is set a few hundred years from now, after Earth's natural resources have been destroyed and only a tiny fraction of humanity has been saved. Rowan is a second child, someone who should not be allowed to exist. After 16 years of being hidden away in her parents' home, she's suddenly thrust into the world outside, where nothing makes sense and every action is fraught with danger. As she struggles to figure out whom to trust, she moves ever closer to a startling secret that could change civilization forever.
Is it any good?
This perplexing novel uses every convention of dystopian YA science fiction: confused but tough female lead, authoritarian villains, romantic triangles, vast conspiracies. These elements are so familiar, it's hard to tell whether the use of obvious cliché is intentional or not. In any case, <
Beware that the book ends in a cliffhanger, even though there's no warning that this is the first volume in a series.
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Families can talk about how Children of Eden depicts life on Earth hundreds of years in the future. Why are books about dystopias so popular now?
How is violence used in Children of Eden? Is it ever an effective method of solving a problem?
Do the authorities always tell the truth to a nation's citizens? What reasons do they give for keeping secrets?
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Book details
Author: Joey Graceffa
Genre: Science Fiction
Topics: Adventures, Great Girl Role Models, Robots
Book type: Fiction
Publisher: Keywords Press
Publication date: October 4, 2016
Publisher's recommended age(s): 12 - 18
Number of pages: 278
Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
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We talked to Joey Graceffa about his new YA dystopian novel “Elites of Eden”
Joey Graceffa / www.instagram.com
Elizabeth Entenman
October 06, 2017 12:44 pm
Joey Graceffa is a busy man. He shoots, edits, and uploads videos to his YouTube channel every day. He hosts Escape the Night, a murder mystery sci-fi series on YouTube Red. He’s also a New York Times best-selling author and has a line of T-Shirts, nail polish, and other accessories. Not to mention the fact that he’s a proud dog dad to three adorable pups. (Should we keep going?)
This week Graceffa released his third book, Elites of Eden. The dystopian YA novel is the much-anticipated sequel to Children of Eden, which debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list for YA hardcover books this time last year. The books tell the story of Rowan, the girl with kaleidoscope eyes, a twin born into a futuristic society where families are only allowed to have one child apiece. The world within Elites of Eden is unlike anything we’ve read before, and Graceffa makes you seriously stop and think about our own world with every word.
We spoke with Joey about Elites of Eden, his seemingly endless creativity, and how he balances so many different projects at once. Oh, and how he manages to interact with his over 8.2 million YouTube subscribers, 5.5 million Instagram followers, and 3.9 million Twitter followers.
HelloGiggles: Elites of Eden takes such a unique approach to the dystopian genre. How did you come up with the idea?
Joey Graceffa: I think one of the biggest things that I wanted to touch on was taking a look at our own current status with the world — just imagining if you were in the future looking back at us now. What would they say? You know how we look at history and we’re like, Oh, they were so dumb. People in the future are going to look back on us now and be like, Wow, they were so dumb. So that’s kind of a recurring theme in this book.
HG: The book has a lot of layers.
JG: I focused on some of the things that we take for granted with our planet, and how we treat it, and what the potential outcome could be leading to this dystopian world. That led into the other themes that happen. Like, the government putting in strict laws where families can only have one child each — that was definitely inspired by the Chinese one-child policy. If that happened now, it could definitely happen in the future to preserve resources.
HG: The book is also very environmental.
JG: That’s another thing — there are so many things that we could change about how we create our food. We do so many things that we just aren’t changing fast enough. Meat farms are actually one of the biggest leading causes of climate change — how much it takes to feed animals, and their waste puts so much gas into the world.
HG: You’ve talked openly about wanting to turn this series into a movie. Where do you see the stories going from here?
JG: I’m definitely ready for it to be a movie for sure! I’m hoping that with the second book out, that will open some more doors and possibilities. I think it’s such an important story. It’s a fun way of planting seeds in people’s minds about a future reality. It’s not so farfetched to some other dystopian stories, where it’s like, Well, that could never happen. But this is a true possibility of humanity destroying itself and leading to this not-so-happy future of having these strict laws in place, and not having normal food — in this future, people just eat what they have left. And that kind of leads to the one-child policy.
HG: You work on so many different types of projects — the books, daily YouTube videos, your YouTube Red Series Escape the Night, your merchandise. How do you balance so many things at once?
JG: I think it’s just my personality. I like to do a little bit of everything. I don’t put myself in a box of just doing one thing. If I like something and I want to do it, I go out and make it happen. But it’s definitely not just me that gets these things to happen. I’m the idea man that wants all these things, and then I have a really great team that helps me realize them and bring them to life.
HG: You’ve had a very natural progression of a career. Is this what you always pictured yourself doing?
JG: Ever since I was a kid, I always had these stories and these ideas in my head. I was always so creative and imaginative. I loved boxes; I could do so many things with boxes. I would make spaceships, I would make houses, and I would just live in this world and play make believe all day. That carried on, and I don’t think I ever really grew up from that. I just love playing make believe and creating these fun stories in my head. It’s cool now that I get to actually bring them to life, through paper or through screen. It’s definitely a dream come true that I get these opportunities to share my stories, and they’re not just living in my head. Same with all the other projects that I have — things that I want to make happen, I just go for it.
HG: You’ve built such a wonderful community of open and accepting people. What is your relationship like with your fans?
JG: How I’ve grown on YouTube and my interactions with fans has never really been…I’m not one of those people that is too controversial. I’m not problematic with things. There are a lot of YouTubers who kind of do that to get their fame, and that’s never really been me. So I get genuine people who just love my content coming to my channel, and they find a connection with me on a deeper level. I think that’s why they’re so supportive, and I’ve been so lucky to have such a great audience. I connect with them through Twitter, Instagram — all the different platforms, responding and keeping in touch and just being genuine.
You can buy Elites of Eden wherever books are sold!
Elites of Eden: Children of Eden, Book 2
Book review by Michael Berry, Common Sense Media
Elites of Eden: Children of Eden, Book 2 Book Poster Image
Common Sense says
age 12+
Dystopian mind-control tale grows even more complicated.
Joey Graceffa Science Fiction 2017
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age 13+
Based on 1 review
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Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
Educational value
Positive messages
Positive role models & representations
Violence
Sex
Language
Consumerism
Drinking, drugs & smoking
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Elites of Eden is the second volume in a dystopian sci-fi series by YouTube sensation Joey Graceffa. Set in a future where only a handful of human survivors exist within a closed community, the novel addresses such issues as bullying, surveillance, and propaganda. Sexual content is minimal (a few chaste embraces), swearing is limited to a few uses of "hell," and teens at a party indulge in drugs and alcohol in one minor scene.
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What's the story?
At the start of ELITES OF EDEN, Yarrow enjoys the power she wields as one of the popular girls at the exclusive Oaks boarding school. But when she meets a mysterious lilac-haired stranger named Lark, she begins to remember another life: one in which her mother died, her father left, and her asthmatic brother took her place as the favored first child. As she discovers the extent to which her mind has been controlled by others, Yarrow vows to fight alongside old friends and new allies.
Is it any good?
The clichés of YA dystopian fiction are well known by now, but this middle volume of a breathless sci-fi trilogy employs most of them. In Elites of Eden, no thought goes unexpressed by Yarrow/Rowan as she attempts to understand how she has been brainwashed by her elders. The plot makes crazy leaps in logic, and most of the characters are defined in a single dimension. But <
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about how Elites of Eden addresses the topic of bullying. Why do some groups of teens feel it necessary to dominate their peers through gossip and innuendo?
The book <
The government in Eden lies to its citizens about their history. Do governments ever lie to their people in real life?
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Book details
Author: Joey Graceffa
Genre: Science Fiction
Topics: Adventures, Brothers and Sisters, Friendship, Misfits and Underdogs
Book type: Fiction
Publisher: Keywords Press
Publication date: October 3, 2017
Number of pages: 390
Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
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Elites of Eden: A Novel by Joey Graceffa
You'll be sure to consume every drama-laced sentence from this Children of Eden sequel. Yarrow, the popular and rich daughter of one of the most powerful women in Eden, is determined to stay on top at Oaks Board School (does Blair Waldorf's reign at Constance Billard come to mind?), while Rowan is forced to live in secrecy, as her very existence poses a threat to society. Neither girl imagined their paths crossing, but when they do, Eden will never be the same again.