Farworld, Water Keep by J. Scott Savage
Back cover;
" Other people may see thirteen-year-old Marcus Kanenas as an outcast and a nobody, but he sees himself as a survivor and a dreamer. In fact, his favorite dream is of a world far away, a world where magic is as common as air, where animals tell jokes and trees beg people to pick their fruit. He even has a name for this place--Farworld.
"When Marcus magically travels to Farworld, he meets Kyja, a girl without magic in a world where spells, charms, and potions are everywhere, and Master Therapass, a master wizard who has kept a secret hidden for thirteen years, a secret that could change the fate of two worlds.
"But the Dark Circle has learned of Master Therapass's secret and their evil influence and power are growing. Farworld's only hope is for Marcus and Kyja to find the mythical Elementals--water, land, air, and fire--and convince them to open a drift between the worlds.
"As Kyja and Marcus travel to Water Keep, they must face the worst the evil Dark Circle can throw at them--Summoners, who can command the living and the dead; Unmakers, invisible creatures that can destroy both body and soul; and dark mages know as Thrathkin S'Bae.
"Along the way, Marcus and Kyja will discover the truth about their own heritage, the strength of the friendship, and the depths of their unique powers."
Welcome, Mr. Savage to Old Main Hill at Utah State University in Logan, Utah. Thanks for visiting my hometown.
Mr. Savage, do you go by Scott or Jeff?
At home I go by Jeff. But while promoting my Farworld series, it's easier to go by Scott. Honestly though, you can call me anything but late for dinner.
I'll try to remember that! Is it okay to address you by your first name?
I don't know. I kind of like people saying, "Hey Savage!" Actually though, that makes me think I am back playing football or in the army. I definitely like being called by my first name.
Scott, I am a big fan of your previous books and was wondering why you chose to write fantasy?
Thanks. I'm glad you like my other books. I really didn't "choose" to write fantasy, even though I love reading the genre. I'd have to say it chose me. I didn't think I could write it, because it was so different from what I have read in the past. But I had this idea stuck in my head that wouldn't let me sleep. I started writing this book at 2:00 AM to prove to myself I couldn't do it and get this crazy storyline out of my head. But five hours and five thousand words later, I realized I was writing a fantasy and I was having a ball doing it. The rest of the book seemed to flow almost as easily. Now that I've done it though, I'm really glad I did.
That is so unfair that writing comes so easily to you! How long did it take to write your initial draft of Farworld?
Three months from first sentence to last sentence. But much editing thereafter.
Have you always wanted to write fantasy? 
I've always loved reading fantasy. But it is such a different genre style, that I felt I couldn't pull it off.
Who is your favorite fantasy writer?
I love so many of them. Books, Donaldson, Gaiman, King, Straub (I believe horror is a subgenre of fantasy.) They all bring different strengths to the table.
How many genres have you written in?
Well, I've published High-Tech thriller, drama, mystery, and fantasy, but I have a supernatural thriller/horror that I hope will be published in the not too distant future.
Wow, you really are a well-rounded writer! I've read almost every book you've written, but I don't know about reading horror. I'll probably try it because you are the author. What is your favorite genre?
They are all fun but different. Fantasy probably has the most freedom.
When is your next book coming out?
Well, Farworld book 1 comes out in September, then my next Shandra book in the Spring, then the next Farworld in the fall of 08. Other than that, we'll have to see.
I will have a lot of reading to do to keep up with your writing! What is your favorite part of Farworld?
Depends on whether you mean the book or the world. I’ll combine the two a little bit and say that my favorite part is trying to understand how things work. What is the basis for magic and why does it operate the way that it does? We’ve peeled back the onion enough to see that there are elementals under the skin, but what are elementals really? Why do they exist? Where did they come from? And what does the Dark Circle hope to accomplish. It’s like scientists here learning about the atom.
Is there anything special that you would like to share with us about the book?
I just want to tell readers not to think they’ve seen everything yet. If Water Keeps level is all there was to the series, it would be a fun read. But I don’t know that it would be memorable. I hope that as things begin to expand, people will really be surprised that there is more to this than just a fun little romp through a magical world.
How many reviews have been written so far on your blog tour? 
Over a hundred for sure. I haven’t done a full count lately.
Do you feel that it has been successful thus far?
Definitely. I really wanted to get two things out of the tour. One was obviously to get the word out about the book. And I think that tour had done a good job of that. But the second was to get quality feedback from a large group of really intelligent readers. That is so helpful in seeing your strengths and weaknesses as a writer. This has been incredibly successful in that regard.
I'm sorry that I don't have more readership on my blog to help publicize your book.
I wish you luck in all your future endeavors.
Thank you! Great questions.
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