Ryan Wakefield has worked primarily as a graphic artist for the last 20 years, but he always dreamt about creating a fantasy world young readers can escape to. Since grade school, he was fascinated with animal hybrids. He loved the idea of blending two or three animals together to create a magnificent new species. This fascination and his love for fantasy inspired him to fulfill his lifelong dream to breathe life into a new world middle grade readers can explore - Jumbalot. He's also the proud co-parent of a silly pug named Lily, and a sometimes difficult feline named Rocky. The book's protagonist, Alby, is based on Ryan's first pet: an oversized black and white housecat named Albert. The only thing larger than Albert's appetite was his heart and he is sorely missed. Also, the character of Queen Lola was based on his wife's first pug named Lola. Sadly, Lola recently succumbed to poor health and will also be deeply missed. Ryan and his wife encourage everyone to open their hearts and their homes to adoptable pets.