JollyBooks

First timers.... Episode 4 " The check book "

2011-03-16T18:31:00.000-07:00

Long ago, there lived a man name Sherman Willaford. He was of Welch or Swedish decent, maybe a little of both. Sherman lived in a quaint little flat just above an antique shop in the middle of downtown Jupiter Hollow. He owned and operated the antique shop and was quite successful at it. It was Sherman's life long dream to be a keeper and trader of such wondrous and unique objects and his work made him happy. Collectors and peddlers alike would travel the countryside and even the world to frequent his shop.

One sunny afternoon Sherman, as always, was tending the shop when a young lady entered his establishment. She was tall, pretty, elegant, almost regal. He could tell by her walk that she meant business. After circling the shop once, she stepped up to the counter and spoke.

"Good Day, Shop Keepa. I'm Miss Carolina Crow and I'm in love with this gold time piece." She continued with her southern yella draw. "It's just like the one my Daddy gave me before he went off to the war. I simply must have it.", she declared.

"Of course, my lady", answered Sherman. "That is a beauty of a pocket watch. Solid gold, you know. It is quite expensive."

"Name your price, My good man. Whatever you ask."

Well, being an honest man, Sherman only wanted what the watch was worth. " That watch will cost you 200 gold pieces", answered the shop keeper,with a straight face not expecting her to be able to make such a large purchase.

She looked him straight in the eye."Done" She said and began to fiddle inside her pocket book. Sherman now excited with such a grand sale , began thinking of closing up shop early when he noticed the woman pull out a tiny book, something like a diary, and write on it. Puzzled, Sherman just stood at attention and waited for the woman to conclude.

She handed Sherman a small sheet of paper with her name and address on it and the cost of the watch.
"What's this.", he asked.
Miss Carolina Crow answered," I don't have any money, Sir, but if you will contact these people, I'm certain they will pay you for me."

Dumbfounded, Sherman clarifies, " So, just so I'm clear. I need to give you the watch, Take this document somewhere else and then they will render my merchandise paid?"

"Yes, Sir"

Sherman answered, " I don't think Ill be able to accommodate you with this Miss Crow but I'll check."

Sherman Willaford and Carolina Crow... First Timers.

First Timers.... Episode 3 " The dinner table "

2011-03-08T19:37:00.000-08:00

It was a quiet time, a simpler time. Long before man began recording his history, many families would gather and reside in communities much like our cities of today.
Much friendlier and welcoming then, people would gather in the streets just to greet each other hello on a cool spring morn. There were always public festivities to enjoy from storytellers and street performers to athletic amusement and musical jubilees. What a grand time to be alive.

"Good Morrow, Theodore" shouted a man from behind his flower cart. "How DO you do?"

" I'm spot on fancy this day, Reginald." Theodore replied. "How does the day find you?"

"Well, Theodore." said Reginald. "Well." "Are you and the Mrs. looking forward to partaking in tonight's town feast? I hear it's to be of some significance."
"We are, Reginald. Counting the hours. We will see you there.", Theodore cheered as he went on his way in preparation for the night's banquet.

That night at the feast, Theodore, while sitting on a pillow on the cold stone town courtyard floor, conceived a marvelous idea. With little to no conversation with anyone, he finished his meal and hurried home to get to work.

The next morning on his daily travels, he sees Reginald as usual behind the flower cart and invites he and his wife to join them for supper that evening. Reginald agrees and as evening draws near, he and his wife enter the home of his good friend, Theodore Able.

As the two friends exchanged greetings, Reginald noticed Mrs. Able bring in the food and serve it on some sort of large elevated platform. Surrounding the platform were several other smaller platforms about half the height of the larger.
"Have a settle." Theodore proudly announced as he perched himself on a small platform. Reginald and his wife looked each other in dismay. The did not speak of it, but Theodore's, now uncomfortable guests, were not much company as they were distracted and somewhat annoyed with their host's choice of location for food service. Awkwardly finishing the meal, Reginald and his wife, left the Able's feeling insulted and small.

The next morning , with Theodore on his daily routine, He noticed his long time friend, Reginald, glance at him and quickly look away, whispering to other people standing in his company. Odd, Theodore thought, but as he looked around, he noticed a lot of the townspeople looking and whispering. In fact, he had everyone's attention.

He couldn't help but feel embarrassed. The townspeople began harassing the Ables mercilessly about thinking they were better than everyone else and too good to live among the common folk. The taunting had gotten so bad, that eventually, the Ables had to move. Theodore's "platform" was later found with his name carved in it reading..."T. Able". It caught on and spread quickly throughout towns everywhere and in some places, still used today.

Theodore Able... First Timer.

First Timers.... Episode 2 " The privacy fence"

2011-02-28T18:16:00.000-08:00

Hans Getling was an upstanding citizen. He loved life, loved his job and loved his family, but his most prize possession was his home. A lovely little cottage, on hill after hill of land, with nothing around but the smell of the fields, the sweet song of the birds and the soothing whisper of a small creek on the back of his land. Hans loved to go out into his yard and sit and watch the many lawn decorations he had made. He had an array of fine pinwheel style yard ornaments that he had strategically placed with his own two hands. He had everything from flamingoes to ducks, woodland creatures and gnomes, a six foot lighthouse and even a windmill that spun with a cool summers breeze. It was his serene paradise.

One day after coming home from another rewarding day at work, he noticed what seemed to be another small cottage right next to his. Intrigued, Hans drew closer to the new erection and saw a man building a home. "Hello there, good fellow", Hans greeted the stranger as he wiped the sweat of his brow. "How goes it?"

"Just finishing up the roof on my new home", replied the man. "The name's Dell. Looks like we'll be neighbors." Hans, after a second thought, welcomed the new comer with a hearty handshake and a smile that would make a statue feel welcome. The two new neighbors spent the evening talking and laughing, sharing dinner together and becoming what seemed to be life long friends.

The next morning, with Dell in his yard tending the garden, Hans tipped his hat to his new pal and bid him good day as he set out for work.
When returning that evening, Hans, eager to pick up where they left off, came home to find a mighty barrier between his house and Dell's. An obstruction so demanding of attention, that nothing could be seen through or over this new construction.

Although just wood and rope, the formation managed to divide not only the two houses, but the two friends as well. Hans and Dell never spoke of the wall again, and lived out their days borrowing things from each other not to be returned and arguing how far over each of their grass needed to be cut.

Two things were born that day. A fence and Offense. Hans and Dell. First timers.

First timers.. episode 1 " The jalapeno pepper"

2011-02-24T17:40:00.000-08:00

Here is the first of many. "First timers". Things that happened for the first time in history....and so..it begins.

Izo. A bright young man. Knowledgeable of nature. In tune with the planet. He would have to be, living off the land the way many villagers did long ago. There were many jobs in his tribe but Izo, was a gatherer. Too scrawny to be a hunter. That position was reserved for the more burly men.

One day, i believe it was a monday, Izo went about his daily routine of gathering fruit and nuts for the village's afternoon meal when he stumbled upon a plant that he had never seen before. The plant bore a fruit like object resembling a cucumber yet smaller, pointier. Izo was overcome with a feeling of accomplishment, quite a find for a gatherer, a new delicacy for the tribe and he would be the one that brought it about. "Good Job" he may hear, along with "3 cheers to Izo" or whatever they may have toasted back then.
Izo plucks his new treasure off the bush, eager to make his daydream become reality, and bites into the strange fruit. Instantly, his eyes begin to water, his lips burn like flame from the top of Mount Kicola and his tongue numbed by the pain of the unwanted guest in his belly.
With his heart racing and time against him, he rushes back to the village shouting. The tribe of forest dwellers gather in the village courtyard and witness Izo in all his torment screaming about an indescribable pain worse than death.
With the medicine man exhausting all of his holistic remedies, Izo was without hope. He curled up in his hut, friends and family gathered around, discussing last will and testament as no one had ever seen a poison such as this. At peace with the world, Izo was ready to travel into the next and gave up his spirit.

Unfortunately, there was no one to give the spirit to. Izo didn't die and in the morning, became the laughing stock of the entire tribal community. Izo, the first timer of the jalapeno pepper.

Jollybooks. Adventures in Digital Publishing.

2011-01-24T17:52:00.000-08:00

After several years of trying to break into the heavily guarded Children's Book publishing kingdom, we found a window cracked. We saw that open window as some one finally being home. After several attempts at the doorbell and a few loud wraps, We decided to just to walk right in.
In August of 2010, We stumbled across a new path to get our fun and exciting stories to the public so that they can be enjoyed by children worldwide. That path was digital publishing.

After many trying moments and setbacks, this path, would be the one to get Jollybooks on the map.
It was a God moment. A push into destiny, some may say, with connections being built that enabled us to begin Jollybooks adventures in digital publishing.

We employed a company, One now dear to Jollybooks' heart, that agreed to turn our two dimensional stories into 3D tales. With music and sound effects, narrations and voices, animations and movement. These "applications" were how God destined our stories to be told. A paper book simply doesn't do them justice. After much studying and frustration, trial and error, and a few "you've got to be kiddings" we developed a system to use our paper drawings to create living, moving characters with their own personalities.

January 2011. Only 5 short months on that path, " Elephant in My Pocket " stood up and took a bow after approval to be sold as our first children's book application on the Ipad. There are many to follow with titles such as " Pet Shop Boy", "House Made of Everything" and many others in the Jollybooks' arsenal of children's stories waiting to be told.

So follow the butterfly in flight on Jollybooks' adventures in digital publishing.

See all our trailers, purchase apps, read reviews and find out what's next at Jollybooks.com