The Tales of Purfunple

By CJ Blandford and Ray Shingler

Gnat, a funny little purple fly, is having problems at school with a couple of bullies. He meets a big bad bug and asks the large dragonfly to help him get even and settle the score with the bullies. This Dragonfly, Slade, has changed his ways and has pocketed some valuable wisdom along his way. He shares his pearls of wisdom with Gnat and takes him on a magical journey to Purfunple.

The purple predicament of Purfunple has one purple pig prince plotting to rid the world of all nonpurple color, every speck, every drop, with his new robot machine, the OP3 Operation Purple Pulverizer Pixel Geminater. He will rule the world! His new all purple world! Everything is proceeding as planned until Penelope, an unassuming flower heroine armed only with her pearls of wisdom, brings down the purple brick walls.

Gnat finds a true blue friend and gathers a pocket full of shiny new pearls as he watches the story unfold, the same pearls of wisdom your child will pocket along the way. Pearls of wisdom will arm your child with encouraging words that boost their confidence and decision making skills if they are ever picked on.

The Tales of Purfunple is packed full of DIY paper crafts and comes with access to a Web site with more ideas and fun. This story will give you opportunities to start conversations and teach character building skills that will help a backbone grow straight and strong. BE A MENTOR: share a pearl today.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Dec 13, 2013
• ISBN: 9781491838488

CJ Blandford

Anneitta Sheppard Carpenter Hellquist was an awesome Grandma. I was her personal mixer. She would set me up on the kitchen counter, I would sit cross legged and she placed the bowl in my lap and I mixed. She thought outside of the cake box and her measuring cup over flowed with pearls of wisdom, she had my total attention. If I close my eyes I can still hear her voice "Were you good at school? Did you wash your hands?, Please hang up your coat. OH NO don't bring that frog in here". As a parent of four small children, I tried to teach the same things my parents and my grandparents taught me. This book is a direct result of my mothers cautious calm nature, my fathers creativity, my grandmas patience, constant love for me, and my grandpas love of the woods which led us on countless nature hikes and adventures! I grew up to be an artist and designer. My little girls grew up into beautiful strong young women with careers of their own. I still live near that same woods. My folks are gone, but the lessons I learned will be with me always, some I am still mastering. Some pearls got stuck to my soul. Pearls of wisdom are for ever. They never go out of style. Pearls jingle jangle in my head. I hear them, I know when I have done or said something wrong I hear a klink tink then I hear my grandma's soft voice, "Say you are sorry, do it fast, it will be alright, you can do it!"

Book preview

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AuthorHouse™

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© 2013 . All rights reserved.

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Published by AuthorHouse 12/02/2013

ISBN: 978-1-4918-3847-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-3848-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013921875

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Contents

A Purple Predicament

The Purple Pig Prince

Pigston’s Kingdom

Perfectly Purple

Positive Penelope

The End Of All Nonpurple

The Perfect Plan

P-Day

The Pleasant End

Parade Of Fools

Adios! Sayonara! Hasta La Vista, Piggy!

The End?

What Goes Around Comes Around

Tink! Tink! Klink!

Treasure At The Dragons’ Lair

Purple Pixel Plans

Unexpected Passengers And Stowaways

Too Sweet Tea

Duke To The Rescue

Turtles Always Finish

Recycling Pays Off

Sos! On A Mission To Rescue The Royals

Turning Over Purple Leaves

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CJ Blandford

Author, Creative Storyline, Art

To my daughters, Anneitta, Jennievee, Jessicca, and Allissa, I dedicate this story most especially. I also want to extend my thanks to my close family and friends, who supported this book and encouraged me.

Live your life wisely, pocket some pearls, and share some wisdom!

Ray Shingler

Creative Storyline, Art

To my wife, Susan, who was always there with her support and enthusiasm. To my three children, Hannah, Austin, and Ian, who kept the child alive in me all these years to finish the book.

Erin Fagan

Editor, Proofreader

Chapter One

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A Purple Predicament

PEARLS of WISDOM

BE SAFE 11145.jpg Report problems to adults right away. Do this always. You can tell an adult in confidence if you need to be safe. Have a talk with your friend and make a plan ahead for how to be safe. Report danger, bullies, or problems that are big to an adult every time.

BE PREPARED 11147.jpg Make a plan with a trusted adult ahead of time. You can have a plan and be prepared to handle some of life’s problems.

Once upon a time there was a little fly named Gnat. He was purple from his fuzzy fly head to his itty bitty fly toes.

Gnat was a happy bug, but this year at beetle bug school, Gnat was having some problems with two green flies. The green flies were rough necks, always horsing around, and their comments were making Gnat feel bad.

It was a sunny day, and Gnat’s troubles were about to get worse. Double trouble flew overhead. Gnat was buzzing along in the big blue sky, bobbing to the beat on his bugjam player and soaking in the warm sunshine. He didn’t hear the two green flies buzzing high above him.

The green flies flew fast and were good at loop-t-loops. They dropped back and snuck up behind Gnat. They popped him on the back of his head. Gnat lost control and spun out.

OOOOOHHhhh NNOOOoooo screamed Gnat, falling leg over leg, I’m gonna get even with you twoooooooooo!

Watch where you’re going next time, Gnat——you PURPLE LOSER! hollered one green fly. Laughing, they soared off, but Gnat could hear them now, poking fun at him in the distance as he plummeted toward the ground.

You can’t treat me liiiiiike… SSSPLATT! YOUCH! he squealed. UGH! What was that? he thought. Something broke Gnat’s fall. Luckily he wasn’t too banged up. Without thinking, he jumped up swinging.

You good fer nutt’n green flies! yelled Gnat, shaking three little fly fists in the air. Come back here you big palookas. You want a piece of purple Gnat? HUH? DO YA?

Gnat’s bugjam player skipped… Zip… boom, boom. Zip… boom, boom. His headphones were spun sideways. Them green flies probably just broke my vintage bugjam player, he sighed.

What IS this? Gnat mumbled as he reached down to turn off his player. Rubbing his eyes, he struggled to read the old printed words.

‘Purple Peppermints… Purple Fun…’ It’s sticky sweet candy! he cried. The candy box had broken his fall. Gnat stood up and brushed himself off. He licked his teeny hands. Things were looking up!

Gnat looked back at the sky in the direction of the two green flies and yelled at the top of his little fly voice, I meant to fall here! I have a big box of Purple Peppermint candy, and it’s all purple fun for me!

He wasted no time trying to open the box, but he couldn’t, and the little bug was so busy trying, he did not notice a big dragonfly coming closer and closer until it was too late—the giant bug hovered in the sky above him! Gnat jumped off the side of the box and ducked, hiding himself with his little fly wings.

Cowering, Gnat felt the air stirring around him and heard a loud THUD. Slowly he peeked up… HOLY MAGGOTS! gasped the little fly.

Gnat had seen this bug before. This dragonfly was none other than Switchblade Slade, the most feared bugster from the west side of the swamps, and the big dragonfly had scars to prove it. Slade’s switchblade leg had a very sharp point and flashed blindingly as he moved about in the sunlight. Gnat had seen this guy’s pictures in the monthly issues of News Bug Magazine.

The shadow of the dragonfly’s broad wingspan covered the box. Switchblade Slade took a deep breath, stretched his muscles, and popped his knuckles. The big bug soaked in the view. The meadow was calm and beautiful; the sun shone brightly.

The big bug spoke up, Hello? Hello, I say. Where did you go? I thought I heard some problems over here.

Gnat slowly came out from his hiding spot. Shaking with fear, he managed to spit out some words. You’re… you’re… you’re that guy! stuttered Gnat. He offered his little hand to Slade.

Wow! Just look at us two handsome bugs. Nice to meet you. Name’s Gnat… you ain’t gonna eat me now, are you? Gnat rambled on as his fears slipped away. But if you are hungry, I got candy. LOTTSA CANDY! See! I got some right here. I’d split it with you buddy! Right down the middle, my new friend! How’s about 40% for you, Mr. Switchblade, and 60% for me? asked Gnat.

Slade rubbed his chin and smiled. This little guy was funny, he thought to himself.

Gnat tried again. No? Not a fan of mint? How’s ‘bout this? I gots an idea, a perfect purple plan! said Gnat. I noticed you have purpleish wings, way better than stinky green wings, and that gives me an idea. Wanna hear it?

Without hesitation, without even pausing to take a breath, Gnat explained how the wise-cracking green flies had been picking on him. He told Slade how they relished pointing out anything different about him at beetle bug school. He told