Jeff Scott Savage

Jeffrey Scott Savage (born January 31, 1963) is an American author of fantasy, horror, mystery, and suspense. As of 2020, he has published 19 novels, including the FarWorld fantasy series, the Case File 13 series, the Mysteries of Cove series, and the Shandra Covington series, as well as several stand-alone titles. Savage was born and raised in northern California and studied computer science at Sierra College and West Valley College in California and Utah Valley University in Utah. He worked in the software industry before deciding to write full-time. He writes middle grade and young adult fiction under the pen name J. Scott Savage and works intended for adult readers as Jeffrey S. Savage. He won the 2013 Whitney Award for Best Speculative Novel for Dark Memories.

Early life Jeffrey Scott Savage was born in Oakland, California, on January 31, 1963. He grew up in northern California, Savage has said that he was "the kid who would cut school and go to the library." Savage would make up stories to tell to his cousins during his childhood years. In high school, Savage wrote a story for his final project in psychology class instead of completing the suggested assignment, but earned an A. He has said that he enjoys writing for middle grade readers because "between the ages of 8-13, everything around you is magic." comprising Water Keep (2008), Land Keep (2009), Air Keep (2013), and Fire Keep (2015). The series follows the fantastical adventures of Marcus, a boy in a wheelchair who dreams of a magical world that is actually a reality, and Kyja, a girl who can't perform magic like everyone else around her.

On December 26, 2012, Savage's first book in the Case File 13 series, titled Zombie Kid, was released. Kirkus later called Zombie Kid 's sequel, Making the Team (2013), "another thoroughly satisfying thrill ride." The Case File 13 series expanded to include Evil Twins (2014) and Curse of the Mummy's Uncle (2015).

His idea for Fires of Invention originated from the mechanical dragon that appears in the musical Wicked. It was a 2015 AML Award finalist in the middle grade novel category. Savage expanded Fires of Invention into his Mysteries of Cove series with Gears of Revolution (2016) and Embers of Destruction (2017). John Carlisle for the Deseret News called Gears of Revolution "an inspiring piece of literature for the middle-grade reader." Both Fires of Invention and Fire Keep (part of the Farworld series) were Whitney Award finalists in 2015. a book about two kids who discover Lewis Carroll's long-forgotten diaries documenting his trip to Wonderland.

Savage has visited multiple elementary schools, speaking to kids about the main themes of his books and story writing techniques.

Adult fiction Savage has also authored additional works under the name Jeffrey S. Savage, the majority of which are mystery or suspense novels for adults. They include Cutting Edge (2001), Into the Fire (2002), House of Secrets (2005), Dead on Arrival (2006), A Time to Die (2010), The Fourth Nephite (2010), and Dark Memories (2013). The "techno-thriller" Cutting Edge, Savage's debut novel, follows a Latter-day Saint (LDS) programmer from Utah whose new job in Silicon Valley turns out to be more dangerous than expected. House of Secrets, Dead on Arrival, and Time to Die are the three books that compose his Shandra Covington mystery series. In a review for Meridian Magazine, Jennie Hansen applauded Savage's ability to write from the perspective of a female main character in his Shandra Covington series. Savage's The Fourth Nephite is a Mormon fiction novel about a boy who finds himself in Palmyra, New York in 1827 and encounters Joseph Smith as he tries to protect the golden plates from robbers. In an article about The Fourth Nephite, the Deseret News reported that "Savage said combining fantasy elements and the LDS Church into a novel is a tricky process, but he is satisfied with the result of his efforts."

Savage first began drafting Dark Memories while he was working as a CEO during his many hours travelling. Dark Memories was the first novel in the horror genre to be published by an LDS publishing house. Dark Memories won the 2013 Whitney Award for Best Speculative Novel.

Personal life Savage and his wife, Jennifer, have four children Savage has held numerous job in his life, including CEO of an internet company, plumber, French chef, mall Santa and radio talk show host.

Mysteries of Cove series Fires of Invention (2015) Gears of Revolution (2016) Embers of Destruction (2017)

Stand-alone works The Lost Wonderland Diaries (2020)

As Jeffrey S. Savage Shandra Covington series House of Secrets (2005), Dead on Arrival (2006), A Time To Die (2010),

Stand-alone works Cutting Edge (2001), Into the Fire (2002), The Fourth Nephite (2010), Dark Memories (2013),

Awards and nominations

Nominated for the 2008 Cybils Award for middle grade Fantasy and Science Fiction – Water Keep Nominated for the 2009 Cybils Award for elementary/middle Fantasy and Science Fiction – Land Keep 2013 Whitney Award for Best Speculative Novel – Dark Memories Nominated for the 2018–2018 Young Hoosier Book Award for Middle Grades – Fires of Invention 2020 Foreword Reviews INDIE Bronze Winner for Juvenile Fiction – The Lost Wonderland Diaries''