NATE JENSEN
Hopes and Dreams
for "Zeke's Adventures in Alphabetland"
These are some of the things working within my mind as possibilities or this project's expansion.
Coloring Book
As a step of creating the final artwork, I will ink each of the pictures. These inks will be printed onto watercolor paper for painting providing an easy transfer of image and definition to watercolor work. Residue of the process will be a complete coloring book.
Workbooks
I've created the story on two tracks. Overall, it is a timeline of the history of the alphabet. Each individual letter's story is centered around a scene or situation that would give opportunity for the most words/objects/animals beginning with that letter. And then each letter has within a potential lesson/activity starting point; ie. F-counting, M- measuring, R-reading recipes, U-empathy, etc.. I see drawing out and developing these concepts into worksheets and lesson plans.
Merchandise
I'm amazed in finding the number of sites where you can upload an image and have it printed onto... just about ANYTHING! Glasses, mugs, pillows, blankets, shirts, keychains, really anything. I can see establishing an online store with a selective set of choices.
School Visits
In Texas I performed statewide sharing the process of illustrating a children's book. I see using this book as a platform for a new program empowering children to write, illustrate and produce their own books.
Animated Feature Film
In my mind as I've worked this story over the years, I see it in motion. It's animated. I see the adventure of the ride on the Myceneanesque ship with the Letter Fs in a blur of nets capturing the flying fish, Zeke's long walk into the cavernous castle, the great storm sinking the ship turned submarine, the ride with Letter T on tugboat, tram, train and taxi across lush volcanic island terrain to Alphabet City. There is so much here! Rich content needing a studio of incredible artists and musical accompaniment of the likes of John Williams or Randy Newman.
Alphabet App
Features:
Game play for each letter
Narration
Clickable items for animation
Opportunity to record own narration/telling of the story.
Toys!!!
I see creating clay models of each of the characters, having these 3D scanned, and posting the files for download intended for 3D printing.
This way, children (and adults) can acquire figurines to play with or display without overseas labor for product.
Lucid Dreaming Book
I've approached the writing of this story from a variety of narrator perspectives. The last was that of a grown-up Zeke who begins to have successive nightly dreams that are this story. He remembers that he had this same dream as a child and through these dreams as adult, he experiences it again as first spectator, then participant and then guide. As readers, we witness grown-up Zeke's transformation as he adapts his life habits and thoughts to better the dreamtime.
More Children's Books
I see the success of this book allowing for the confidence, financial security and time to complete other children's books in various stages of thought and production. One day Raoul Hernandez and I will complete the history of rock and roll adventure. That one will be spectacular!! I've toyed with one following Charles Eisenstein's 'new story' concepts. I've another cautionary tale about genetic modification featuring a future farmer carrot. Another with a little girl getting her first bubble of protection device.