Sunday, August 25, 2013

Overhaul of Bubblegum Princess

Get Bubblegum Princess
Ok, it's time to shake things up. Over the next few weeks, I will be adding new chapters to Bubblegum Princess (the new Pinkberry Patch adventure), starting today. Chapter 4 has been submitted to Amazon, and you should see it by this evening or early tomorrow morning.

Now for the part where I shake things up: I'm unhappy with the original Bubblegum Princess. I never intended for it to just be a dedication between parent and daughter, but that's what came out.

Let's change that, shall we?

Consider the picture book in its current form as an extended dedication. The real adventure is being added now and will be available to anyone who purchased it in the past. I will not sell it separately. You get both the current picture book and the new adventure for the same price, no strings attached.

Once I figure out my schedule (I'm planning on writing a chapter or more each week), I'll post it. Until then, enjoy chapters 1-4 of Pinkberry Patch. Beyond that, more adventures are in store for Alyssa Alexander (another Alyssa?) and her bubblegum-induced powers. It may even become a serial along with Aveline, and the two at one point will definitely cross paths.

It's an exciting time to be both an author and a reader, and you are in for quite an adventure.

Update: Chapter 5 has also been added. Enjoy!

Scott Gordon

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Bubblegum Princess: Pinkberry Patch - Chapter 3: No Problem At All


The strange shade of her bubblegum hair made Alyssa increasingly uncomfortable. Typically, she chewed on something when she felt nervous: gum, fingernails, even the ends of her hair. Without thinking, she grabbed another piece of bubblegum and threw it in her mouth. “What am I doing?” She started to spit it out, but the pink pearl was cool and sweet and seemed to calm her nerves.

“I can’t keep doing this. I should throw away the rest of the pack right now,” she told herself, but it all seemed a tad ridiculous. Besides, who had ever heard of a piece of bubblegum changing one’s hair? “Absurd.” She shook her head at the ridiculous notion. There had to be another explanation for this.

She opened her locker door, grabbed her coat, and jumped back. Inside, a gray mouse nibbled on half of her peanut butter and jelly sandwich. “Good morning, your highness.” The rodent bowed. “I didn’t realize this was yours. Forgive me, my queen.”

“Ahh!” Alyssa slammed the door shut.

Edna Ginny, the school counselor, heard her screams and walked briskly around the corner. “Is everything all right? What seems to be the problem?”

Suddenly a pair of pink, translucent wings sprung out of Alyssa’s back. “No problem. No problem at all.” She threw on her coat.

“Wow, you look like a fairy princess.” Mrs. Ginny adjusted her glasses. “Is what you’re wearing for Halloween? It’s only September, you know.”

“Huh?” As Alyssa zipped up her coat, she noticed her sparkling dress. It was pink and glittery and just a bit short. It felt as if she were walking around in her nighty. Involuntarily, she swallowed her gum.

“Oh no, not another piece!” Alyssa gasped. At this rate, she wouldn’t need lunch or dinner. She tucked her wings in her coat and finished zipping it up. “Well, look at the time. I think mom’s waiting for me outside.” Alyssa hurried out of the locker room.

“I’m here if you want to talk,” Mrs. Ginny shouted as Alyssa exited.

Suddenly the little girl’s wings popped out of her coat and began beating rapidly. In the blink of an eye, Alyssa was out the door and down the hallway in a trail of sparkling dust. Before she knew it, she was at the school entrance.

Everything was a blur. “Where’s my coat?” She looked around. Fortunately, she still had her backpack, but again felt like she were standing around in her underwear. Then there was the minor inconvenience of those wings. She reached for another piece of bubblegum and stopped herself. “Not a stick more!” She shook her head defiantly.

Abruptly, something came thundering down the hall. A thousand squeaks filled the corridor, followed by the rumble of tiny feet. An army of mice came from every corner of the school to greet her. “Hail, my beloved queen!” they shouted.

“Eek!” Alyssa was out the door in a flash. She gazed down as the dark horde of mice poured out of the building. The air smelled different now: crisp and clean, allowing her thoughts to be more precise. It took a few moments before she realized that she was gliding high above the school on her new wings.

“If I can fly by the aid of a stick of gum, anything’s possible.” She surged forward on a whim. “Anything’s possible!”

Monday, August 19, 2013

Bubblegum Princess: Pinkberry Patch - Chapter 2: Peculiar


“What seems to be the problem, Miss Alexander?” Nurse Betty Larkin greeted her with a warm smile.

“I’m not sure.” Alyssa looked at the gray tile floor. “My hair suddenly turned pink.”

“Yes, I see.” She investigated a lock of the girl’s hair. “Well, that’s a new one. I’ve never had anyone visit me because their hair changed colors. It’s quite beautiful, actually. So bright and sparkly, it looks like it came right out of a spray can. Are you sure that you didn’t color it yourself?”

 “No, Mrs. Larkin.”

“Do you have any allergies?” The nurse clicked on a penlight and examined Alyssa’s eyes.

“Not that I’m aware of.”

“How peculiar. Let me check your scalp.” Nurse Larkin searched through her strawberry patches, but the scalp was clean and healthy. “Whoever did this did a marvelous job. The color goes right down to the roots. When did this happen?”

“Today, during class.”

“Really? Just now?”

“Yes, ma’am.” The little girl avoided eye contact. Sooner or later, Alyssa knew that Betty would find out about the bubblegum. She chose her next words carefully. “Ms. Blunt was about to give us a test when I suddenly felt this strange tingle and my hair turned pink.”

“Ms. Blunt saw this?”

“The entire class did, ma’am.”

“Unbelievable.” The nurse checked Alyssa’s heart rate and blood pressure, but everything came back normal. “Well, at least your hair didn’t turn white like mine,” she cracked another smile. “You seem normal enough, but you probably should go see a doctor. Do you need to submit any homework before leaving for the day?”

Alyssa knew that the moment her classmates saw her, she’d be accused of staging the whole thing. “No, Mrs. Larkin. I’d like to check out as soon as possible if that’s ok. Can I call my mother myself?” she asked.

“Certainly, dear. Just have a seat and I’ll get my cell phone. Oh drat, where did I put it?” The nurse stepped away.

Although Alyssa knew that her mommy was right in the middle of delivering an important design project, this could not wait. She needed a shower. Perhaps a little water was all she needed to strip away the funny shade. And if it needed more coaxing, her mother could buy one of those hair products she’d seen on TV to dye her hair a different color.

“Here you are, dear.” Nurse Larkin handed her a cell phone.

Alyssa paused for a few moments and then keyed in her mother’s number. Typically, all she had to do was select her mother’s profile and click Ok, but this wasn’t her cell phone and she could barely remember the ten-digit number. When she finally got through, it wasn’t her mother at all. Abruptly the strange tingle coursed through her body. “Hey mom, can you come pick me up? Thanks, bye.” She quickly ended the call.

“Thank you, Mrs. Larkin.” She handed the phone back. “Would it be all right if I waited at the front of the school?”

“Usually when a student gets sick, we keep them here in the infirmary just to be safe. But I highly doubt that you’re contagious. Have a nice day, Miss Alexander. Come back and see me tomorrow and let me know what happened.” She showed Alyssa to the door.

“You bet.” The cool tingle raced up Alyssa’s spine again.

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Bubblegum Princess: Pinkberry Patch - Chapter 1: Tingle

Alyssa Alexander knew something was amiss the moment she slipped a piece of bubblegum in her mouth. Although the package said Pinkberry Patch, BubbleBop Girls' brand new flavor, it had a minty aftertaste that sent tingles down her spine. As she rubbed her arms to keep from freezing, her pearl skin began to glow.

"What's happening to me?" She noticed her unblemished skin. Years ago, when she was just a wee thing, she cut her hand on a glass, leaving behind a one inch scar that she would carry for the rest of her days. But as she passed her fingers over it, the mortal mark rubbed off--as if all she needed was a fine polishing. "No way." She gawked at her perfect skin.

"Miss Alexander, are you chewing gum in class?" said Beatris Blunt, a middle-aged woman with thick brown hair pulled back in a bun.

"Uh...no, ma'am," she replied.

The entire class turned and stared at her, a pair of girls snickering in the far corner.

"Really? Then what's that in your mouth?" The teacher tapped her foot.

"Oh, that. I was just chewing my nails." Alyssa tried her best to hide the gum.

"Those must be some really big nails."

"Yes, ma'am." Although mommy and daddy frowned whenever she talked with food in her mouth--even gum--Alyssa could carry on entire conversations without exposing the contents of her mouth.

"You really have a thing for eating fingernails. Is this part of some bizarre new health craze?" The old maid raised an eyebrow, evoking a fresh round of giggles.

"No, I just chew them whenever I get nervous."

"And what on earth could you possibly be nervous about?" Beatris stepped closer and crossed her arms.

Alyssa shrugged, but no words came out.

"Great heavens, child. What have you done to your hair?" said Ms. Blunt.

"What's wrong with my hair?" Alyssa grabbed a handful and gasped. No longer was it golden brown like her mother's; instead, it was strawberry pink, the very shade of bubblegum that she was trying to hide. As she caught her breath, she accidentally gulped down the minty morsel. "I think I'd better see the nurse."

"Yes...perhaps you should..." The teacher eyed her suspiciously.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Baby Blue is Now Available at Amazon!

Now Available for Amazon Kindle!
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Simple, delightful and utterly cute, this picture book celebrates the tender years of childhood. Feel the love resonate from the pages!

Over 30 pages in all. Intended for parents and children 2 to 6 years old.

Descriptions of my other books follow the main feature (approximately 5 pages).

Friday, August 2, 2013

The Italian Version of If I Were A Robot Has Just Been Published!

Now Available at Kobo, Amazon and Teachers Pay Teachers
The Italian version of If I Were A Robot has just been submitted to Amazon and Kobo. You should see it pop up in the next 24 hours.

Update: Se Fossi Un Robot is now live!

Italian Product Description

Hai mai sognato di diventare un robot? Cosa faresti? E come lo faresti? E piu' importante, cosa creeresti con i tuoi nuovi poteri? Scopri cosa trova un ragazzino quando visita la terra dei sogni e crea la sua visione del futuro. Dall'autore de Il Mio Piccolo Dragone, La Mia Rana Tutta Matta e Il Mio Riparatore E' Un Robot Ninja! Piu' di 40 pagine.

Descrizioni dei miei altri libri per bambini sono incluse alla fine della storia principale (un ulteriore 5 pagine).