Representation matters, as artist and authour Sherwyn Williams knew when he created the character of Jada, the heroine of the series The Adventures of Jada. He said representation was something he had become very aware of in the social climate of recent years, and he wanted to create material his readers could relate to.
Williams said The Adventures of Jada tackles life from the imagination of a young Trinbagonian protagonist named Jada along with her best friend Ravi, friends and family. “Together with the cast, Jada embarks on great imaginative adventures where she uses her creative thinking to overcome every obstacle with great enthusiasm and confidence. A boring day can easily be turned into a side-splitting tale of mishaps, wonder and miracles. Jada is sharp, spunky, absolutely loves grand adventures and definitely represents a reflection of our nation’s children!”
He said the first two books of the series, The Adventures of Jada – Attack of Lady Gluten, and The Adventures of Jada – Attack of the Common Cold, have received positive reviews since their release. “I’m extremely happy that kids are enjoying the books so much and finding it really funny. The material definitely doesn’t take itself too seriously and it shows. I was interviewed on a morning programme and the presenter wore her hair in the style of the main character. Children see themselves within these characters and that’s been the most rewarding feeling.”
Williams said he became intrigued by the world of animation and art as a child, and imagined creating his own visual or animated content. To this end, he squeezed his way into every visual art and graphic design lesson or gathering he could. “I created these characters and at that point in my life I felt it was my mission to create content that mattered. I wanted readers to see themselves within these characters and have it spark confidence, imagination and creative problem solving within themselves. These stories are crafted to be fun to read, see and be a part of. I really wanted to evoke and portray that adventure seeking, wide eyed, curiosity that our children personify. I especially want to endorse that feeling of invincibility and possibility! I spent a lot of my younger years lost in my imagination and that’s exactly the basis that this series thrives on. It’s all about overcoming obstacles with a bit of creativity.”
The first book in the series, The Adventures of Jada – Attack of Lady Gluten, was co-written by author Anastasia Tomkin. Williams said he felt the need for a co-writer for the first book after drafting many stories for the series. “Anastasia Tomkin has always been a genius at her craft and being that I was already familiar with her magical word play, it all quickly fell into place. While we worked swiftly to bring the narration to life on the first publication, Tomkin really opened my eyes to many aspects of writing that I may not have considered prior. I took that experience into creating Jada’s latest adventure, and I think she’d appreciate the second book a lot also. I’ll also credit her for giving me great insight to the industry and where my focus should be.”
Apart from his collaboration with Tomkin on the first book, Williams worked solo on all aspects of the book, including illustration, layout, writing and even publishing through Amazon’s publishing service. “I had a very specific idea of what I wanted these books to look like and how the stories would flow. My experience as a graphic designer really lent itself to the creation and structure of the entire experience. I’ve Invested time into practising the necessary art style, watched a lot of television and proceeded to draft illustrations. I tested my early pages by sharing them with kids and noting their very honest reactions. My second release has been totally solo and I applied every lesson and idea I gained from the first publication.”
He said even though writing books is a new venture for him, creating narratives and story-telling have been a part of his life for as long as he can remember. “I’ve worked creatively as a photographer, creative director, graphic designer and also within the realm of marketing, so writing has just been an extension of everything I’ve been involved in. I’ve taken all my knowledge and applied it to this new industry. My career as a graphic designer has opened many creative paths and ideas that I’m excited about.”
Williams said he’s continuing to work on the book series as well as complementary offshoots. “I’ve already begun creating more content within the Adventures of Jada series. This means more grand adventures, colouring books and even collaborations that are meant to shed light on our youth and their social development. I’m really focused on contributing positively with this series, which I hope will encourage others to create content that we can all appreciate and enjoy.”
The books are currently available on Amazon, RIK Bookstores nationwide, bookthingstt (online bookstore) and Scribbles & Quills bookstore! I can be contacted via instagram and email @AdventuresOfJada, @terrancetheartist and jadaadventures@gmail.com.
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