Curse of the Double Digits

By Lynn Kelley

"Woo hoo, it's my birthday!"

Becky is sure turning ten on the 10th day of the tenth month will 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 party, 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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lynn Kelley
• Release date: Sep 28, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301512072

Lynn Kelley

Lynn Kelley worked as a court reporter for 25 years while she and her husband, George, raised their four little monsters. She lives in Southern California. Most of her time involves books – either writing books, reading books, or making altered art books. Her first chapter book, Curse of the Double Digits, debuted in October 2012. Under the pseudonym BBH McChiller she’s co-author of Monster Moon, a fun, spooky mystery series for ages 8 – 12 (Stargazer Publishing). Curse at Zala Manor is the first book in the series, and Secret of Haunted Bog is the second title. Her story, “The Jobo Tree” won her Highlights for Children’s Author of the Month Award. She authored a picture book, Merry as a Cricket (WhipperSnapper Books) and is currently working on a young adult novel. She tries her best to keep her overactive imagination in check. For more info, go to lynnkelleyauthor.com.

Book preview

Curse of the Double Digits

Lynn Kelley

Illustrated by Alanna Heck

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2012 Lynn Kelley

All rights reserved.

Cover Design Copyright © 2012

by (http://DigitalDonna.Com)

ISBN: 1478306890

ISBN-13: 978-1478306894

Praise for Curse of the Double Digits

Poor Becky. All she wants is for her 10th birthday to be the perfect blend of special, awesome and amazing. What she gets is vastly different in so many ways. Why is the luck of the entire universe against her?

Curse of the Double Digits is that rare story that so perfectly captures the emotional roller-coaster ride of those in-between years. It lifts the reader on soaring high hopes, then dashes them to the ground in heart-squeezing panic and embarrassment. Becky’s tragi-comic journey is by turns poignant, laugh-out-loud-funny and tearful. Her stuttered growth through the turmoil is surprising and satisfying.

Lynn Kelley has a gift for capturing the heart and mind of a 10-year-old. The simple logic behind decisions that turn disastrous rings true, and the dialog is natural and real.

Curse of the Double Digits is at once sweet, funny, and heartfelt.

—Melissa Bowersock, author of

The Blue Crystal and Queen’s Gold

Dedication

To my grandson, Logan.

Thank you for helping me see our world

through a child’s eyes again.

Each day is a new adventure.

CHAPTER 1

Five, four, three, two, one. Woo-hoo! It’s my birthday! The numbers on the clock flashed 4:15, the exact time I was born on October 10th, ten years ago.

I cartwheeled across my bedroom floor because I knew turning ten on the 10th day of the 10th month would be magical.

Yay, Becky, you’re double digits. My best friend, Jenna, slapped my hands with two high-fives.

The party starts in 44 hours and 15 minutes, I said. That seems like such a long time, doesn’t it?

Jenna cheered and shuffle-stomped a happy dance. I can hardly wait.

I bounced on my toes doing my own happy dance. My whole class was invited, including Chad, the cutest boy in fifth grade. The problem was, Mom insisted no one be left out. So, Darlenie-the-Meanie was invited, too.

I tried on my new dress, so pretty with its pink and violet rosebud design. Being a tomboy, I didn’t wear frou-frou stuff, but since this was a special occasion, I wanted something fancy for the party.

Swirling colors of rosebuds fluttered like butterflies as I twirled around. Do I look stupid? Do you think Chad will like it?

Wow, you look like a model. Wait till he sees you.

Really?

Jenna smiled and giggled. Then she grabbed my pillow and smothered it with kisses.

Oh, Chad, mwa, mwa, she said.

We busted up, snorting and hooting with laughter. I grabbed my other pillow and bopped her on the head.

She yanked it from me and swung back. I dodged and saw my reflection in the mirror hanging on the back of my door. I scratched my nose, which itches when I get nervous.

Uh-oh. Jenna, you’ve got to trim my bangs. Mom wants to trim them, but she always cuts them too short.

I can’t do that, Jenna said. I’ve never cut hair. Are you crazy?

Come on, you can do anything. French braids, pigtails, buns. You fix Kelly’s and Maggie’s hair all the time. Her little sisters always looked super cute.

Yeah, but I don’t cut it.

It’s just my bangs. Please.

No way. She folded her arms and shook her head. Too risky.

"Pretty please