Presentation at Belmont Elementary

February 10, 2025

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I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Belmont Elementary for inviting me to speak about my preteen fantasy novel, Journey to Jumbalot, on January 30! It was a joy to meet so many enthusiastic elementary students who were eager to learn about my book and my writing process. We had a great time discussing how I used to draw animal hybrids with crayons and markers when I was their age, and how some of those early creations inspired characters in my novel.


Additionally, I shared insights about my role as a multimedia designer at the USF College of Engineering. The students were particularly excited about two projects I showcased: the COE Sizzle Reel video and the Rocky mascot augmented reality Poster!


COE Sizzle Reel: https://youtu.be/SLgICHgGa3I



Rocky AR Poster: https://youtube.com/shorts/KMProROL7hQ?si=AdhQsaxyRNZCvOoY



The Latest Jumbalot News!

Build a Hybrid Game

By Ryan Wakefield • October 21, 2026
I've always wanted to create an interactive online game where kids can mix and match animals to invent their own unique hybrid creatures. Now it's here! Try the Jumbalot Hybrid Animal Creator and let your imagination run wild. Save your creation into your very own Zoo collection and then download them to your phone or computer! Click below to start creating your own hybrid animals: https://www.jumbalot.info/.../hybrid-animal-creator-1.html

Distinguished Author Award

By Ryan Wakefield • October 11, 2026
Last summer, I was surprised to learn that there was another book awards competition that would accept novels written as far back as 2020 called the International Impact Book Awards. A few months after entering, I received notice that I was selected as a Distinguished Author in the fantasy category for my book, Journey to Jumbalot. It's an excellent feeling knowing my first novel won its seventh award, and I hope there will be more to come after the book's sequel, The Knights of Jumbalot, is released. I was also invited to an upcoming Impact Book Awards Gala that will be held in Phoenix, Arizona next January. My wife and I are considering going since attending author award events is always a prime opportunity for networking. As an added bonus, neither of us has ever visited Phoenix, making the trip even more appealing.

Latest Reviews

By Ryan Wakefield • September 30, 2026
Receiving five‑star reviews is always a thrill, and Journey to Jumbalot has been fortunate to earn several more over the past few months - thank you to every reader who took the time to share their thoughts. One comment made my day, describing Jumbalot as “Zootopia on steroids,” which feels like the perfect way to capture the wild, creature‑rich chaos of Alby’s adventure. https://tinyurl.com/52c6kp2r https://tinyurl.com/2e5mm9c r https://tinyurl.com/bd6rud9r https://tinyurl.com/4bad8jmp Reviews Page
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