CHICAGO, June 17, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Sometimes destiny calls people to the strangest of places. In his new book, The Gingerbread Kingdom (now available through AuthorHouse), Gary McKenzie tells the tale of a timid orphan who follows his destiny to a colorful land filled with new friends and dangerous enemies.
The story begins in the gloomy Holman Orphanage, where the only thing worse than being beaten by the headmaster is being sent to the dark basement. When Jay faces the punishment of basement chores, he decides to run away.
His narrow escape leads him to a candy store basement, the perfect place to hide from the headmaster. There he encounters Patty, the sugarplum fairy. Patty convinces him to help save King Otto, ruler of The Gingerbread Kingdom, who has been kidnapped and the adventure begins.
Jay arrives at The Gingerbread Kingdom, a land made entirely of candy, where he meets Prince Hans, the gingerbread prince and Stretch, the man of taffy. Together they set out to rescue the king despite enemies who will do anything to stop them. Jay and his heroic companions must face the evil Queen Beatrice and her henchmen, an Ant Army that cracks ferocious licorice whips, and the carnivorous Lord Vermin and his Rat Pack. They also find allies along the way, such as Arach-Ned, a kind and gentle spider.
McKenzie's vivid storytelling combines with detailed illustrations to breathe imaginative life into The Gingerbread Kingdom, a magical tale that will have readers of all ages on the edge of their seats all the way to a surprise ending.
Born in Chicago, McKenzie began writing short stories in the third grade. He originally wrote this story a few years ago and decided to move forward with it after the Harry Potter series inspired so many to read. He graduated from De La Salle Institute in 1987 and works for La Petite Academy in Chicago. The Gingerbread Kingdom is his first book, and he is working on the sequel. His hope is that this story will be considered for a Disney animated feature.
AuthorHouse is the world leader in publishing and print-on-demand services. Founded in 1997, AuthorHouse has helped more than 18,500 people worldwide become published authors. For more information, visit www.authorhouse.com.