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About the Author

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

Awards Reviews

Jumbalot Blog

By Ryan Wakefield 01 Dec, 2023
It was a wonderful experience accepting my book’s gold medal on stage at the annual Readers’ Favorite Book Awards. Journey to Jumbalot won a gold medal within the preteen fantasy category last year, but I was unable to attend since my wife and I were both sick with pneumonia. I’d like to thank the event organizers at Readers’ Favorite for allowing me to accept my award this year on stage - it meant a lot to us both! We also attended the massive Miami Book Fair and enjoyed chatting with several fellow authors.
By Ryan Wakefield 14 Oct, 2023
"A Colorful Fantasy with Wondrous Characters in a Strange Land." - Kirkus Reviews
By Ryan Wakefield 30 Apr, 2023
Download Your Audiobook Today!
By Ryan Wakefield 01 Jan, 2023
The BookFest Awards are held twice a year and I was recently notified that Journey to Jumbalot was the recipient of a 1st place award within their Fantasy and Magic category! It feels wonderful to learn that this is the fifth literary award my book has won, and it gives me the push I need to continue the story of Alby and his adventures in Jumbalot. Learn more about the Bookfest Awards and by visiting their website: Book Awards - Fall 2022 First Place - The BookFest
By Ryan Wakefield 01 Jan, 2023
I'm thrilled to announce that an audiobook version of Journey to Jumbalot is currently in production and will be released in early spring via Audible and other vendors! The audiobook will be brought to life by Bill Lord, a professional narrator and owner of Nothing Rhymes with Orange Studio. He's a recipient of an Audiofile Magazine Earphones Award and reads fiction and non-fiction for major and indie publishers. Learn more about Bill Lord's studio by visiting his website: https://www.nothingrhymeswithorange.us
By Ryan Wakefield 27 Nov, 2022
I'm happy to announce that my book, Journey to Jumbalot, received a Gold Medal from the 2022 Readers' Favorite International Book Awards. This award represents the children's preteen category and it felt wonderful to win first place. My wife and I were planning to attend their award ceremony held last weekend in Miami, but we were both feeling sick and I later found out that I developed pneumonia. Thankfully, we're both beginning to feel a little better each day. The reps at Readers' Favorite informed me that we can attend next year's event, and they'll still allow me to walk on stage to accept my award. In addition, they quickly mailed me my gold medal. If you recently published or self-published any books, I highly recommend Readers Favorite for professional book reviews and for a chance to win an award at their annual contest!
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