WAYNESBORO–The adventure continues for the character of Bixby Timmons and the family of local author Dwight Karkan.
Book two, “Bixby Timmons and the Secrets of Shadow Deep,” is now available at Wee Scot Book Shoppe on the square in Waynesboro, which carries only autographed copies, as well as all other major outlets where books are available.
In the first book, “Bixby Timmons and the Dragonthorpe Riddle,” Bixby and her family are asked to be caretakers of a manor belonging to tech billionaire, Cody Dragonthorp, who has gone missing. “She finds puzzles and realizes that Cody has left a trail of breadcrumbs to find him as four other students find their way in. He (Cody) leads them on a puzzle race as to why he’s gone and where he’s gone,” according to the author, who also is youth pastor at Otterbein Church of Waynesboro.
Now Bixby is on to level two, still looking to find Cody Dragonthorp and hopefully claim the $100 million prize. The game she’s in now leads her to a mysterious island castle where she must again enter a battle of wits with fierce competitors who not only want to win the prize for themselves, but who will do anything to do so–including making sure Bixby never leaves the island alive, he added.
“Book two is being blurbed by award-winning writer and executive producer Chris Waild of NCIS,” Karkan said.
“This is a four-book series. Book three will be out this summer,” he added. “At the end of each challenge, whoever solves it last is eliminated from competition, so there’s one loser in each book. In the last book, there will be one winner and one loser. There are parts of the book (geared to middle grades but for all ages) that teach about decisions, and readers use STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) to solve riddles and puzzles in the book.
The family is now on the lookout for a production company willing to provide a “torch video” to submit to Angel Studios, a streaming (family friendly) media service that produced “The Chosen,” to turn Bixby into movies and/or a TV show. “This is for the future of Bixby long-term,” he noted.
“Our family is so passionate about getting Bixby out in the world. She has a bigger story than what’s inside the pages.”
Karkan said he is continuing to talk to students at various schools about the family’s life and writing. His wife, Amber is a teacher, and they have three children, Selah, Delaney and Theo. “I tell them my inspiration to write the books was through God.
“I’ve been able to go to 27 different schools in the Tri-State area and also been on zoom calls with students in Ohio, California, Indiana, Florida and Chicago.
“The book has become for us, not only a good story in the context of the book, but how to give back … (we should) use our gifts and talents to help other people, whether it’s writing, music, sports. There’s a good moral context – not overly Christian – in the Bixby Timmons story,” Karkan said.
“And the books will help us continue to tell the story of Selah, who is now in the “watch phase” after completing treatment for B-ALL (B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
All proceeds from the sale of the books are donated to Penn State’s THON which raises money for Four Diamonds at Penn State’s Children’s Hospital in Hershey, where Selah has received treatment since she was diagnosed in May 2019.
“We also fill up the library on the third floor where children with life-threatening medical issues, not just cancer, stay. They can read them and keep them if they want.”
