{"id":7078,"date":"2011-03-14T21:53:59","date_gmt":"2011-03-15T02:53:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/\/?p=7078"},"modified":"2011-03-14T21:53:59","modified_gmt":"2011-03-15T02:53:59","slug":"the-key-to-the-kingdom-by-jeff-dixon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/?p=7078","title":{"rendered":"The Key to the Kingdom by Jeff Dixon"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>\"\"<\/a>It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour<\/a><\/strong><\/span> <\/strong> book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Today’s Wild Card author is: <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Jeff Dixon<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

and the book:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Key to the Kingdom: Unlocking Walt Disney\u2019s Magic Kingdom<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Deep River Books (December 1, 2010))<\/p>\n

***Special thanks to Arielle Roper of Bring It On! Communications for sending me a review copy.***<\/p>\n

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Jeff Dixon was raised in Florida and has always been fascinated with the man Walt Disney and the theme park he created. Dixon feels that any guest who would take the time to look would discover a story that will never be completed. It is against this canvas that Dixon paints this mystery, adventure, and thriller.<\/p>\n

Visit the author’s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

Grayson Hawkes learns how imaginative and elaborate Walt Disney World is when he accepts an invitation from a trusted friend landing him in a world he never knew existed. Suddenly unraveling a perplexing puzzle and trying to solve a mysterious disappearance, Hawkes navigates through the kingdom where knowledge of seemingly unimportant Disney facts and some divine help are the only way he can discover the answers and get out. In this world Disney trivia is no game\u2026And the ancient key is the only way out.<\/p>\n

Soon the lines between right and wrong begin to blur, and telling the difference between real and unreal become nearly impossible. Loyalty to faith, family and friends are stretched to the extreme in the pulse quickening adventure through a magical place where dreams really do come true.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Key to the Kingdom: A Real Treasure Hunt at Walt Disney World<\/a> from Marc Percy<\/a> on Vimeo<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Key To The Kingdom Trailer<\/a> from Marc Percy<\/a> on Vimeo<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Product Details:<\/p>\n

List Price: $15.99
\nPaperback: 272 pages
\nPublisher: Deep River Books (December 1, 2010)
\nLanguage: English
\nISBN-10: 1935265245
\nISBN-13: 978-1935265245<\/p>\n

AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:<\/span> <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

Day One<\/p>\n

Night<\/p>\n

Halogen headlamps pierced the darkness of the cool central Florida night. The GPS guided the Mustang surging toward the coastal community of Port Orange. Racing along Taylor Road, Dr. Grayson Hawkes approached an unknown destination. Questions swirled in the tornado of curiosity whipping through the preacher\u2019s mind. The glow of the dashboard light illuminated the business card propped against the gearshift; \u201c1819 Taylor Road, Port Orange\u201d had been neatly printed in blue ink. Flipping the card he read the name on the other side.<\/p>\n

Farren Rales<\/p>\n

Imagineering Ambassador<\/p>\n

Walt Disney Company<\/p>\n

Reading the name of his dear friend brought a slight smile to his face. Rales had been hired by the late Walt Disney himself as an animator at the Walt Disney Studios on Rales\u2019s thirtieth birthday. In the years that followed he had worked on animated features, been involved in projects at Disneyland, and eventually became a part of that exclusive group of creative Walt Disney Company designers known as Imagineers. Rales was part Disney historian, part Disney philosopher, and a modern day keeper of the dream that Walt himself had begun.<\/p>\n

Farren Rales had given him the business card with an invitation to meet the old Imagineer at ten o\u2019clock this evening. The GPS announced a turn seconds before an inconspicuous dirt road veered to the right. Hawk responded sluggishly and shot past it. He instantly banked his ride into a U-turn that corrected his course. Slowly navigating the heavily wooded, chassis-jarring dirt road, he watched for signage. The headlights threw a glow on a sign that read Gamble Place Parking with an arrow that pointed right. He turned the wheel. A gate immediately came into view, blocking forward progress. Hawk looked over the steering wheel trying to decide whether he had managed to bungle the directions and gotten hopelessly lost. With the car idling, he got out and walked to the gate. Grasping the chain that held the gate closed, he saw the lock had been secured to the chain, but the chain was not fastened. When he dropped the chain, the gate lazily swung open. Hawk slid back behind the wheel of the car and it crawled forward as the dirt became softer below the tires. The Mustang eased up to a parking barrier, above which the headlights shone on a yellow house trimmed in green.<\/p>\n

Exiting the automobile, Hawk left the parking area and made his way toward the house. There was a display in front of the walkway to the house that probably explained where he was. The automatic timer for the headlamps clicked off, leaving him standing in darkness. Sensing his eyes would never adjust in the moonless night to read the display, he remembered a flashlight that was hopefully still in the trunk of the car. He retraced his steps. In addition to the soft sound of his shoe steps in the sand, Hawk thought he heard something else moving near him. He came to an abrupt halt. Rales? Listening closely, he now only heard the sounds of the outdoor evening. The trunk popped open, producing a blast of light that momentarily blinded him. He fumbled for the flashlight and flicked the switch. The beam shone strongly as he slammed the trunk shut. He again moved toward the house. Sweeping the beam around him, he saw a large historical marker looming in the dark, over his left shoulder. He refocused the attention of the light on this newly discovered sign.<\/p>\n

Gamble Place<\/p>\n

In 1898, James N. Gamble, of the Proctor and Gamble Company and a longtime winter resident of Daytona Beach, bought this land on Spruce Creek for use as a rural retreat. In 1907 he built a small cracker cottage with an open front porch and a breezeway connecting a separate kitchen and dining room . . . In 1938, Gamble\u2019s son-in-law, Alfred K. Nippert, completed the \u201cSnow White House,\u201d a Black Forest style cottage inspired by the Disney animated film classic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The house is surrounded by a Witch\u2019s Hut, the Dwarfs\u2019 Mine Shaft, and an elaborate network of rock gardens. Collectively these buildings and grounds form a historic landscape now known as Gamble Place. This property was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.<\/p>\n

Obviously Rales had asked Hawk here because of the Disney connection. It had been a Disney connection that had started the friendship between the two men. Hawk had been introduced to Rales and asked the Imagineer if he would meet with him and his church staff to teach them the art of storytelling. The first meeting had gone so well it turned into a standing appointment each month. However this evening the invitation was for Hawk alone. Sighing deeply in an attempt to relax, Hawk listened closely and his ears tuned in to the sound of water gently playing along an unseen shoreline. The unexpected snap of a branch unleashed a wave of adrenaline spinning him in the direction of the noise. He peered into the blackness of the trees, searching for the maker of the sound, but heard nothing.<\/p>\n

\u201cFarren, is that you?\u201d Hawk spoke with a bit more edge than he anticipated.<\/p>\n

Silence confirmed Rales was not the source of the sound. \u201cSo when did you get so scared of the dark?\u201d he muttered to himself. \u201cAnd when did you start talking to yourself?\u201d<\/p>\n

Out of the corner of his vision he noticed a glimmer of light across the wooded darkness. With a bit of reservation he moved toward it. His shoes cracked sticks and crushed leaves, creating a symphony of sound that shattered the haunting noises of nature that had moments ago surrounded him. His flashlight began to dim. Shaking it violently he resurrected the brilliance of the beam, only to watch it fade into a momentary glow, and then disappear completely.<\/p>\n

\u201cTremendous,\u201d he said in frustration at the malfunctioning light. \u201cStill talking to . . . and answering yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

The point of light he had been moving toward disappeared as well. Pressing onward, he drew nearer to where it had been. Once again it appeared and this time looked brighter and stronger. Hawk\u2019s trudging through the undergrowth yielded to softer ground as he heard a familiar voice cut quietly through the night.<\/p>\n

\u201cI began to think you weren\u2019t going to make it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was starting to think you were playing a practical joke on me,\u201d Hawk whispered back.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, would I do that to you?\u201d Rales laughed softly.<\/p>\n

Hawk could now see much better as he approached the place where Rales stood. Farren had brought a lantern that illuminated the place he was standing and cast long shadows in multiple directions. Hawk descended the steps to join Rales on what appeared to be a recently created platform. The sound of the creek was closer and Hawk assumed they were now on the edge of the river. Rales was dressed in a pair of black slacks with a lightweight black windbreaker. Hawk did not miss the stealth attire and was getting ready to comment on it when Rales again spoke in a hushed tone.<\/p>\n

\u201cAny trouble finding the place?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose not, since it\u2019s out in the middle of nowhere!\u201d Hawk decided to satisfy his curiosity. \u201cAnd could you tell me why we\u2019re whispering?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDidn\u2019t you read the sign? We\u2019re in a state park. It closed at dusk. We could get arrested for being here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why didn\u2019t we come here in the daylight?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, that wouldn\u2019t be as much fun, would it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFarren, we should clarify our definitions of fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBreaking into a state park is a story you\u2019ll be able to tell for years!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t break in, the gate was unlocked.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you opened it and drove on in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou invited me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShhh,\u201d Rales interrupted.<\/p>\n

Hawk grew quiet and strained to hear sounds coming out of the darkness. He studied Rales\u2019s tense features, trying to decide whether the old man was toying with him or was actually concerned that they might be caught after hours in the park. Rales\u2019s face softened and he turned away from Hawk, letting his lantern shine toward a nearby wooden cottage that looked as if it had been plucked off of an animation cell from an antique piece of film. Hawk\u2019s mouth opened slightly. Rales moved forward and panned the light across the front of this cottage that did not belong in this time or any other. It was recognizable as the cottage in the Black Forest of the classic cartoon Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Hawk\u2019s eyes followed the movement of the lantern to the carved lintel and a stone trough. Rales moved toward the front door, fumbled with the handle, and then opened it. Looking back to Hawk, he motioned for him to follow him inside. Hawk entered, feeling like he was stepping into a fairy tale as Rales silently closed the door behind them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Key to the Kingdom: Unlocking Walt Disney\u2019s Magic Kingdom<\/p>\n

\u00a9 2010 Jeff Dixon<\/p>\n

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.<\/p>\n

MY REVIEW:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Key to the Kingdom<\/a> is a uniquely different story that takes place primarily within the\u00a0 confines of Disney World. The author uses his intimate knowledge of the park and its history to concoct a page-turning mystery filled with fun facts, many in the form of clues leading Grayson Hawkes on a quest to solve the puzzle left by his missing friend. As his time grows short, Hawkes finds it more and more difficult to separate friends from foes.<\/p>\n

I found The Key to the Kingdom<\/a> to be an entertaining and interesting read and even began to interpret some of the clues before the book ended. The story is suitable for most ages and contains no graphic violence or objectionable language.\u00a0 Other than the fact that the primary character is a pastor with the expected morals, there is little spiritual content. If you are looking for a bit of a change in your usual reading fare, this might be the book for you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[37,8,67],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7078","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adventure","category-books","category-mystery"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7078"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7078"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7078\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7105,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7078\/revisions\/7105"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7078"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7078"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7078"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}