5. Marcus and Kyja assume that Olden, the leader of the Weather Guardians, is one of the three largest trees in the Westland Woods. They are shocked to see that Olden is actually a scraggly little tree, barely larger than a bush. Why is it wrong to judge someone by what they look like? Have you ever assumed someone would look or talk a certain way, only to be surprised by the truth? Has anyone ever misjudged you because of how you look?
6. When Kyja and Marcus travel to each other’s worlds, they are filled with conflicting emotions—excitement, fear, confusion, wonder, nervousness. They each make mistakes because of things they are unfamiliar with, but ultimately, with help from each other, they come to love the new place. Have you ever been to a new place? Had did you feel? If you were scared, how did you get over it? How could you help someone new to your town or school get over their fear?
7. In Water Keep, Cascade is confused about why humans would help each other without expecting something in return. Sometimes when we help others, we do get something in return; sometimes we don’t. How many times can you remember where Kyja helped others? Why do you think she helped out each of them? What did she get back in each case?
8. Early in the book, Master Therapass tells Kyja and Marcus that their weaknesses may become their greatest strengths. Was he right? How did Marcus and Kyja benefit from their weaknesses? How can you turn one of your weaknesses into a strength?
Acknowledgments
On your first day of kindergarten, when you head out to face the real world, there is usually someone making sure you’re presentable to go out in public. The scrambled egg is washed off your chin. You’re not wearing the shirt with the big jelly stain on the front. Your shoes are on the right feet. Your underwear isn’t on backwards. That kind of thing. It might have seemed a little annoying to have your entire wardrobe checked before you walked out the door, but it saved you the embarrassment of having all the kids laugh at your brown and tan striped, bell bottom, corduroy pants that made you look like you were a clown. (Of course I’m not speaking from experience here.)
The person who gave you the final okay might have been your mom or dad. It might have been your dear Aunt Wilma or your grouchy Grandpa Wilbur. If you’re really rich, it might have been Jeeves, the butler. For some of us, this continues until we’re out of the house and married. It continues on with our wife or husband. “Honey, do you really want to wear that tie with that shirt?” For authors it continues pretty much as long as we are publishing novels. “Scott, do you really want to use seven –ly adverbs in one paragraph?”
So, if you don’t mind, I’d like to take a minute to thank some of the people who kept me from going out into public with egg on my face. If there are any jelly stains, you can blame me completely.
Because this novel never would have happened without their belief, support, and incredible talent, I’d like to thank Lisa Mangum and Chris Schoebinger. An author could not ask for a more professional and knowledgeable pair of people into whose hands to place his work. They not only helped me make it what I wanted it to be, they made it much better. Thanks! Also to the other people at Shadow Mountain who turned this from a bunch of words into the book you are holding: Richard Erickson, Rachael Ward, Sheryl Dickert Smith, and Molly McGuire.
If you picked this book up because of the amazing cover, you have the incredibly talented Brandon Dorman to thank. He also did the wonderful inside illustrations. Brandon, thanks for giving image to the thoughts in my head.
Because I would never have written this novel at all if it hadn’t been for their encouragement and the occasional kick in the pants, thanks to my family. Jen, who is my first and only true love as well as my first and last editor. Thanks for more than twenty great years. Erica, Scott, Jake, and Nick, who read all my books, make every day enjoyable, and regularly beat me at Wii Bowling. My Mom and Dad, Vicki and Dick—who embarrass me all the time by bragging about their son, the author. To Deanne, Kathy, Craig, and of course, Mark.
A special thanks to James Dashner, author extraordinaire of The 13th Reality series, for his insights, encouragement, and support over lunches too numerous to count. James is a man who truly loves interacting with kids, and if you are lucky enough to read his books or hear his school presentations, you are fortunate indeed. James, you are a great cheerleader, and I appreciate your support. Just one thing: the pom-poms are okay, but you really don’t have the legs for the
outfit. Then again, you don’t have the arms, either, or the neck, or the face. Okay, just stop the whole cheering thing and get back to writing.
To the Women of Wednesday night: Annette Lyon, Heather Moore, Lu Ann Staheli, Michele Holmes, Lynda Keith, and Stephanni Myers. For more than six years you have been keeping my writing on track. I can never repay you. I mean that—really. Do you have any idea how much all of that editing would run on an hourly basis?
Thanks to all the people who read my manuscript in its early form and gave me such helpful feedback—Kathy Clement, Tyler Clement, Deanne Blackhurst, Julie Wright, Shirley Bahlmann, Kerry Blair, Alyssa Holmes, and my own little Jake.
As promised, a special shout-out to all my nieces and nephews who encouraged me so much: Abby-Kate, Abner, Amy, Anese, Anna, Antonio, Ashley, Benjamin, Caden, Caleb and Caleb, Cameron, Dallin, Daniel, Emma, Ethan, Jared, Jennie, Jeremy, Joshua, Madison, Matthew, Micah, Richard, Spencer, Steven, Tanner, Tiffany, Trenton, Trevor, Tyler and Tyler, and Victoria. (Yes, there really are that many. Whew!)
To Mr. Sheehy, the greatest creative writing teacher of all time. Thanks for lighting the torch.
And last of all, thanks to you, the readers. Ninety percent of what makes a story great is what you, the reader, create inside your head. All the author does is point you in the right direction.
And by the way, thanks for the school help, Mom. I’m sure I’ll forgive you for the whole corduroy incident by the time I’m seventy or so.
Table of Contents
Part 1: Escape
1. Bonesplinter
2. The Freak
3. Now You See Him
4. Crime and Punishment
5. Secrets
6. Getting Down from a Tree
7. Master Therapass
8. Magic Lessons
9. Lost and Found
10. The All-Seeing Eye
11. Rhymes and Revelations
12. The Boy in the Window
13. Problem Solver
14. Taking a Chance
15. The Golden Rope
16. An Elastic Escape
Part 2: Discovery
17. Poison Polly
18. Magic and Machines
19. The Visitor
20. The Mimicker
21. The Blame Game
22. Signs
23. Balanced Scales
24. Questions and Answers
25. Thrathkin S’Bae
26. The Weather Guardians
27. Olden
28. The Dark Circle
29. A Dark Fate
30. Nowhere
31. The Best of Intentions
Part 3: Journey
32. Y’sdine’s Feint
33. Galespinner
34. Sticks and Air
35. Back from the Dead
36. Home
37. Spies Everywhere
38. The House
39. On the Road
40. Fries and a Shake
41. Wheeling and Dealing
42. The Magic Box
43. Discovered
44. The Windlash Mountains
45. Caverns and Cages
46. The Unmakers
47. Rhaidnan’s Hope
48. The Cave Maze
49. The Frost Pinnois
50. City Walls
Part 4: Negotiation
51. Something Fishy
52. Basselball
53. The Good and the Bad
54. Water Keep
55. Caught
56. Trial and Error
57. The Verdict
&
nbsp; 58. Outside the Walls
59. Rescue
60. The Plan
61. Strange Weather
62. Flight of the Broken Bird
63. Dawn Chimes
Discussion Questions
Acknowledgments
Water Keep Page 34