My name is Ryan Wakefield and thank you for visiting this site. I've worked primarily as a graphic designer the last 20 years, but I always dreamt about writing a fantasy novel for young readers. Since I was in grade school, I was fascinated with animal hybrids. I loved the idea of blending two or three animals together to create a magnificent new species. This fascination and my love for fantasy inspired me to fulfill my lifelong dream to breathe life into a new world young readers can explore - Jumbalot.

Jumbalot is home to froguars, wolvaraptors, pandowls, falcoyotes, and so much more. If you enjoy stories about talking animals, daring deeds, and enchanted worlds, then you will love Journey to Jumbalot!

This award-winning book is dedicated to the memory of my cat, Albert. He was my best friend for almost 13 years until he succumbed to poor health. The only thing larger than his appetite was his heart, and I miss him dearly. The main protagonist, Alby, is based on Albert and losing my friend gave me the push I needed to start writing this book.

Pets are an important part of my life and they'll always be remembered after they're gone. A major theme of this book is the importance of animal adoption; my wife and I encourage everyone to visit their local animal shelter and give them a loving home.

Ryan Wakefield