Hope you’ll all welcome Lynn Kelley and her debut Middle Grade novel, Curse of the Double Digits. Here’s what it’s about.
Becky turns 10 on the 10th day of the 10th month!
She expects it to be magical. The whole class is invited to her party, including Chad, the cutest boy in the fifth grade. So is Darlenie-the-Meanie.
Becky wants to look cute for her big day, but all her plans go wrong. Really wrong. The magic of turning ten disappears before she even has a chance to blow out her birthday candles.
Things get so bad, she refuses to go to her own party. Becky wonders if the Curse of the Double Digits will jinx her forever.
* * *
Hello, Lee. Thanks so much for inviting me to guest post today. I thought it might be fun to talk about the real life incident that sparked the idea for Curse of the Double Digits.
My niece was about six and her bangs were way too long to look presentable for a family event. My sister-in-law tried to trim them, but the scissors were too dull, so my brother had a light bulb moment and grabbed his electric razor. . .
To avoid a spoiler here, let’s just say the event made me wonder how a ten-year-old would react. And of course I left the parents out of the scene and had Becky, the main character, ask her best friend Jenna to do the trimming with the electric razor.
Remember when the saying, “I’m having a bad hair day” was popular? I used to paint these little folk art dolls back then.
- Bangs cut to only an inch long the day before First Holy Communion
- A pin curl permanent on the wedding day
- Bouffants of the ‘60s and rumors that spiders made nests in some of them
All those scenarios supplied me with endless possibilities for scenes in Curse of the Double Digits. Hair problems are just one issue Becky has to deal with during a string of bad luck that begins on her magical birthday.
My own children also inspired many scenes. During the years my middle daughter attended kindergarten through 2nd grade, she insisted on wearing a tight ponytail everyday. A couple times it was too loose and we were running late, so I had to send her off to school in tears, and then I felt guilty all day.
My youngest was Little Miss Tender Scalp, whose tangles were a daily battle. I think she was born with a megaphone built into her voice box, so every time I combed through her hair, her shrieks rattled my nerves.
Hair disasters don’t apply to girls only. When my son was about ten years old, his hair looked wet several days in a row. I wondered why he kept dunking his hair under the faucet. Finally, I took a long look and realized something was up. I felt his hair. It wasn’t wet. It was stiff, sticky, and gross. “What the heck is in your hair?”
“I used mustache wax, and it won’t come out.”
Now, I’m not saying these incidents are in Curse of the Double Digits, but these are a few of the many situations I had to pick and choose from.
How about you? Have you ever had a bad hair day, one that you’ll never forget? Then you know how Becky feels and why she doesn’t want to go to her own birthday party!
Don’t miss out on your own free copy.
Lynn’s giving you a copy of Curse of the Double Digits if you leave a comment on this blog. You might also check out her BLOG , too. She’ll announce winners Friday, Nov. 2
Anyone who leaves a comment is entered. You just have to say whether you prefer a paperback or eBook. (Sorry, but paperbacks are for the U.S. only.)
Here’s a bit about the author:
Children’s author Lynn Kelley worked as a court reporter for 25 years while she and her husband, George, raised their four children. Her first chapter book, Curse of the Double Digits, for ages 7 to 10, debuted on October 10, 2012. She also coauthors the spooky, fun Monster Moon mystery series for ages 8 to 12 under the pen name BBH McChiller. The highlight of her life are days spent with her grandchildren. Most of her time involves books: either writing books, reading books, or making altered art books. She tries her best to keep her overactive imagination in check.
To buy your copy of Curse of the Double Digits:
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Hope you’ll visit Lynn’s WEBSITE and follow her delightfully funny BLOG if you don’t already. And thanks for the visit. Here’s to the success of your book, Lynn.