Yuma native produces interactive 'Violet' mischief

In a small, peaceful neighborhood, a wonderfully curious and clever girl is about to get herself into a bit of mischief. Her name is Violet and she has a very secret “SECRET.”

When Violet ties on her black satin mask she becomes Phantom Girl, the world's most daring experimenter! Violet is the main character starring in a series of interactive children's books for iPhones, iPads and digital devices created by Yuma native Jeff Keeme and his wife, Allison.

“She's curious as a cat. She goes out there and does things. She moves all the clocks an hour earlier and messes up everyone's day,” Jeff said.

MyBlackDog Books, the Tucson-based studio of Jeff, 27, and Allison, 26, creates and publishes high-quality interactive digital books for “a new generation.”

“We were one of the first to get the idea,” Jeff said, noting that they got the idea as soon as Allison got an iPad. But he always figured it would be a “side thing,” not a growing, thriving business.

The Keemes started MyBlackDog Books in 2010, naming the company after their black dog, Hershey, whom Allison adopted at age 10.

Jeff describes Violet and the rest of the series as “modern pop-up books.”

“We love traditional-style books where you flip pages, but we're the pop-up books of iPad and digital devices. They can't pop up literally, but they're interactive and educational.”

One “cool” feature is the “Read Me” button. “Press the button and it reads to the children. It allows them to learn to read on their own,” Jeff noted.

According to the app description, “boys and girls alike will have a blast playing with and searching for the many exciting animated interactions contained within this amusing tale of a little girl with a BIG imagination.”

Other features include hidden pop-up and movable animations, page curl navigation and audio on/off option for original musical score.

After reading the book, children can head on over to www.myblackdogbooks.com to enjoy coloring book pages and an interactive sketchpad for creating their own artwork.

While visiting the website, kids can learn more about Violet, her family and that curious little dog that seems to be following her.

That dog is at the center of the second book in the series, “Violet and the Mysterious Black Dog.” The book, available exclusively for the iPad, has been the best seller so far.

“The entire Violet series has seen much success, but ‘Violet and the Mysterious Black Dog' was chosen by Apple as a Top 15 interactive book for the entire year of 2010,” Jeff said.

The book has received good reviews from some of the largest news outlets reporting on technology, such as CNET and AOL Tech, as well as awards.

Apple chose the book as the No. 1 “New & Noteworthy” app and as a “What's Hot” title in the App Store. The book ranked in the Top 4 in the iPad Books category and as the “Latest and Greatest App 2011” by CNET Reviews.

“Violet” and the four other books in the series are available from Apple's App Store for the iPad or by visiting: www.myblackdogbooks.com.

Jeff has always been an entrepreneur. Born in 1983 to Charlie Keeme and Maricela Kussey, Jeff and his cousin, Joseph Jaramillo, started up a web development company when they were in high school.

They closed up shop when they graduated from high school — Jeff from Cibola in 2001. He headed to Tucson to study business at the University of Arizona with the intention of starting a business.

In Tucson, Jeff started another company, Clearwaves Solutions, setting up Wi-Fi networks for apartments and hotels. He started the business in 2006 and continues to run it.

He also worked as a programmer, which he finds is a useful skill nowadays.

“MyBlackDog allows Allison and me to combine our skills set. We are creating something special and a lot of fans agree. And we're having fun doing it.

“We're putting out good quality material made from scratch, not as an afterthought.”

They test their products with actual kids, sitting them down and listening to their input. “Sometimes they say, ‘I wish this made a sound here' or ‘I didn't understand this.' But the best part is just seeing them having fun.”

But their biggest success so far has been 5-week-old Adam. Jeff and Allison are enjoying their firstborn.

“He's an awesome little dude. We're learning a whole lot of new things,” the proud dad said. “When he grows up, he will have lots of children's books to read.”

Other future plans include taking on new authors and illustrators. They recently added two new authors, one of which penned “The Body Language of Veronica Sue,” whose “body talks and yours does too!” The storybook is written and illustrated by Kristen Applebee.

Among the Keemes' plans is developing more books, including the Violet series.

Mara Knaub can be reached at mknaub@yumasun.com or 539-6856.

FIND MORE ONLINE: Visit the website at www.myblackdogbooks.com, or see the official trailer at www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWKqWFDa8pA.