Nana's Red Hat: A Kenna Michaels Magical Adventure, Book 1

By Patricia Rice

Kenna Michaels and her family live a very normal life - but while helping her grandmother with chores one day, Kenna learns a family secret that her grandmother has been keeping for years. When Kenna starts developing strange new magical powers, her brother thinks she's a drama queen, her dad thinks she's crazy, her mom simply refuses to discuss it, and her classmates don't know what to make of her strange new behavior.

Only Nana seems to understand, but all she'll say is "I promise you - it will all become clear to you in its own time." However, Nana is forced to reveal things earlier than planned, when the family is drawn into a classic battle of good vs. evil.

Everyone is in for a big surprise when they learn who is helping to lead the evil beings they'll be fighting!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Patricia Rice
• Release date: Feb 20, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370246892

Patricia Rice

Trish Rice is a new indie author who enjoys writing young adult, magical realism fiction. It was an odd and twisty journey from administrative assistant to graphic artist and eventually blog writing - but it gave her the unique set of skills and perspective that led to publishing her first book, "Nana's Red Hat" in the Kenna Michaels Magical Adventure series.Living with her husband on the Texas Gulf Coast allows her to spend time on the water - where she can unwind and draw inspiration for her books from her surroundings, children, grandchildren, and friends. Her truest inspirational muse and constant companion, is her magical dog, Baxter von Schnauzer.

Book preview

Nana’s Red Hat

A Kenna Michaels Magical Adventure

Book One

By

Trish Rice

Copyright © 2016 by Patricia L. Rice

All rights reserved.

Distributed by Smashwords

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.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Cover Illustration and chapter opening illustrations © 2016 Patricia Rice

Cover design, book design, and production by Gulf Breeze Designs.

This book is available in print.

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to my beautiful daughters and granddaughters.

There’s a piece of each one of you in Kenna Michaels.

I hope you will all continue believing in the magic mice in the bumps in the road,

listening to angels bowling, catching goldens,

and seeing the magic that is all around you, every single day.

Table of Contents

TITLE PAGE

COPYRIGHT

DEDICATION

PROLOGUE

Chapter 1 - BAUBLES, BITS, AND BOXES

Chapter 2 - A LITTLE HISTORY LESSON

Chapter 3 - A LATE NIGHT ADVENTURE

Chapter 4 - DISCOVERING THE MAGIC

Chapter 5 - THE SECRET IS REVEALED

Chapter 6 - KEEPING THE SECRET

Chapter 7 - THE STRUGGLE IS REAL

Chapter 8 - HIGH COUNCIL

Chapter 9 - A SURPRISING ENEMY

Chapter 10 - BUILDING A STRATEGY

Chapter 11 - DEMONS, GOBLINS, AND THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT

Chapter 12 - REINFORCEMENTS

Chapter 13 - EVIL INTENTIONS

Chapter 14 - A CHANGE OF PLANS

Chapter 15 - BEWARE THE IDES OF MARCH

Chapter 16 - UNEXPECTED HEROES

Chapter 17 - A SPARK OF LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS

Chapter 18 - THE WINDS OF CHANGE

Chapter 19 - BATTLING DEMONS 101

EPILOGUE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

PROLOGUE

Kenna Michaels was perfectly content being an ordinary girl, with an ordinary family and an ordinary life. Or was she? While there was some comfort to be found in the predictable nature of her day-to-day life, there was a tiny part of Kenna that longed to do something extraordinary with her life. Yes, fate had plans for Kenna - and she would have never guessed that her ordinary life was about to change that sunny Friday afternoon, as she was on her way to her Nana and Papa’s house.

Well, so much for that silly Christmas song! thought Kenna. Over the river and through the woods? Really? It’s more like, over the freeway and through the city to Grandmother’s house we go. This traffic is ridiculous!

Kenna pulled out her phone as she pulled into the driveway. Once the car was in park, she started dialing her best friend and was in mid-conversation before she had her seatbelt off.

That’s it, Zoey. The next time I go to my Nana’s house, you’re coming with me. At least you would have had me laughing at all of the terrible drivers out there. Or we would have been singing. How can anyone stay angry when they’re singing?

You don’t need me to sing. Why didn’t you sing all by yourself? Heaven knows, we usually can’t shut you up! You’re always singing – even in class. Remember how angry Ms. Schultz was in kindergarten when you kept singing during story time? Zoey asked just as she began one of her famous giggle fits.

Well, the teachers at the high school are a lot worse than Ms. Schultz. I seriously thought steam was going to come out of Mr. Danbury's ears during our chemistry lab yesterday. He is clearly not a fan of show tunes. Or maybe it was because I belted out 'Don't Rain on My Parade' just as the steam caused by Sean's poor measuring skills soaked my lab notes. I swear Zoey, from now on I'm doing the measuring, or I'm getting a new lab partner!

You know you can’t get a new lab partner. It would break poor Sean’s heart! Oh well, no measuring today, Kenna. Rumor has it you'll be organizing closets, not experimenting or baking.

Wait...I didn’t tell you about that, did I? How did you know? asked Kenna.

You know the routine. Your mom told my mom, who mentioned it to my dad when he came by to pick me up last weekend. You know my dad is always excited when he knows something that I don’t – even if it is just about cleaning out closets.

Yep, that’s me and my exciting life. Kenna Michaels - Girl Superhero. I’m off to save the world, one closet at a time. I should have just come here straight after school since it’s so close, but I wanted to check in on Brian. I know my little brother is old enough to stay home by himself for an hour until my mom gets home - but popping in unexpectedly keeps him on his best behavior. So I got stuck in rush hour traffic because I’m a good sister! Hey Zoey, I have to go. I just noticed that Papa is standing on the porch with his arms crossed. I think he's been waiting for me. With Papa, crossed arms are never a good thing.

Well, you have fun with that! Zoey said with a touch of sarcasm. See you later Kenna!

Later, Zoey! Kenna said, as she grabbed her backpack and went to see what had put that scowl on her grandfather’s face.

....*...*.***.*...*....

Hey Papa, what’s up? asked Kenna, as she walked up to the front porch steps.

I sure am glad to see you! I could use some backup here. To answer your question – your grandmother, that’s what’s up. Stubborn old woman! Papa said as he held the front door open for Kenna.

As she was walking into her grandparent’s home, Kenna finally understood what her mom and Aunt Callyn had been talking about over coffee yesterday. Her grandparents were growing old. Why hadn’t she noticed it before?

It wasn’t that their house smelled musty, or that they sat at home watching TV and knitting all day - although Nana does crochet. They’re still busy with little Do-It-Yourself home improvement projects, but each project does seem to take a lot longer than the last. They put in a ramp for Nana’s scooter, but it wasn’t unusual to see Papa skateboarding on the ramp. And leave it to Nana to paint her mobility scooter pink and put sparkles on it! Loud rock music often still blasts from the windows, especially if Papa is helping Nana fold laundry, and the exotic smell of Curry Chicken was more likely to greet Kenna, than the smell of home baked cookies. Nana and Papa even continued to ride a motorcycle, but they recently added a carrier on the back for Nana’s walker. No, these clues were different.

What caught Kenna’s attention on this visit were the little day-to-day things, such as the once perfect hedge - now slightly crooked and often terribly overgrown before being trimmed. Then there was the table next to Nana’s chair, with its little pile of stuff that seemed to grow a bit larger with every visit. It was plain to see that it was getting more painful for Nana to get up to put her things away. The most obvious signs were the increasing number of doctor's appointments on the calendar on the fridge, and the basket of medicine on the counter which seemed to hold more bottles with each visit. Kenna's mom was right. Her young-at-heart grandparents were starting to show visible signs of aging.

Then and there Kenna decided she needed to visit more often. She had no idea that day, what kind of adventures were waiting for her just inside that familiar front door.

Chapter 1

BAUBLES, BITS, AND BOXES

Kenna and Papa headed back to the guest room. It seems there's a particular part of the guest room closet, where I am not allowed, said Papa. It's not like your Nana is hiding a present for me in there. It's February! My birthday and Christmas were both in December, and our anniversary was just last month. Valentine's Day was last week! What could she possibly have in there that she doesn't want me to see? The closet isn't that big. I've seen the closet. You've seen the closet. We've all seen that closet! There isn't room to hide much of anything in there. It's just a bunch of fancy hats and costume jewelry. Of course, in typical Nana fashion, she couldn’t wait until you got here to help. She had to start on her own. She seems to think...

Just then, Papa was interrupted by a loud bang and the sound of boxes crashing down. As Papa and Kenna hurried toward the guest room, they could hear Nana talking to her dog.

Well, good heavens Baxter! Nana said. You would think I would know better than to try to reach that top shelf by myself! Where is that granddaughter of mine?

She’s right here, Papa said, with a very frustrated look on his face. Before you say anything else, you should give her credit for being early. You were just too dang impatient to wait for her.

Kenna was famous for either rushing in at the very last second or, more often, she was a few minutes late. Kenna’s mother always said Kenna was born late. She popped out a full three weeks past her due date, and she’s been running late ever since. She’ll probably be late for her own funeral. But today, she was not only on time; Kenna was a few minutes early!

I’m sorry. I know I should have waited, Nana admitted. There's just so much to do...I wanted to get started!

Kenna checked to see if Nana was alright. Nana hadn’t been falling nearly as much since she started using a walker, but there she was on the floor, with her walker laying upside-down on the other end of the room. Papa helped Nana to her feet, while Kenna retrieved the walker.

How in the world did you manage this? asked Papa.

Nana sighed, then slowly stammered a bit, I – I – well...you see...oh, I just thought maybe I could reach that shelf if I stood on the very bottom step of that short little step stool there.

"SERIOUSLY? You scared us half to death! Well, I'm glad you're okay. Now that you've created this additional mess it will take even longer to straighten up. It’s a good thing for you that Kenna