Taylor, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
It has been a journey to find, but the foundation of my purpose is my deep, personal faith in God. When I was younger, the conversation was always: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I think as kids we answer that question with whatever seems fun and cool to us at the time, like being an astronaut or a firefighter (or for me, a farmer or a cowboy). But as I grew a clearer sense of my identity—of who I wanted to be when I grew up and who I was made to be—a clarity in my purpose followed. I’ve always known that I had a bent toward creativity and art, but I always just saw that as a sort of side hobby... Hi Taylor, We are so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Hi there! My name is Taylor Thomas Smythe and I am a multi-disciplinary creative. My primary creative outlets are novel writing, graphic design, and songwriting. My journey began when I was just a young boy, with the threads of all three of those endeavors already weaving together from a young age. For any creative work, I believe that discipline and consistency are instrumental. I simply wouldn’t have ever finished writing my first novel if I didn’t show up in front of my keyboard regularly, even to write just a few sentences. Because over time, those little bits add up to a whole, so eventually you’ll able to step back and look at something that you’re (hopefully) very proud of. And at the very least, you should be proud that you made it this far. I think another habit that was helpful to my creative success was...
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, September 5, 2023 - Award-winning Florida fiction author Taylor Thomas Smythe’s latest book, The Dream Team: A Magic City Wonders Novel, is officially available now. The novel is the second installment in the young adult science fiction series, following 2022’s award-winning series debut Goldie.
In The Dream Team, protagonist Donna Locke has one goal: to locate her longtime beau Marcus Myles. As the summer of 1981 arrives, nearly a year has passed since Marcus disappeared. In the wake of tragedy and inexplicable events, Donna is determined to find answers. When an encounter with a dashing philanthropist finds her joining a ragtag team of rogues who stage heists to steal people’s dreams, Donna must decide if the rising stakes are worth the cost. Goldie, the inaugural installment in the Magic City Wonders series, is set in 1980s Miami and follows the story of a young diner waitress named Donna Locke, whose life is turned upside-down when she develops an unusual and mysterious power to turn objects to gold. This spring, the Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY Awards) announced that Goldie was named winner of the gold medal in the Southeast - Best Regional Fiction category. This recent honor marks the fourth formal awards recognition for Smythe’s written work. In March, Goldie received a silver medal in the Florida Book Awards. In 2021, the first installment in his seven-book Kingdom of Florida middle-grade fantasy series--The Golden Alligator—was chosen as the winner of a silver medal in the Florida Authors & Publishers Association President's Book Awards and as a finalist in the National Indie Excellence Awards. To order The Dream Team: A Magic City Wonders Novel or Goldie, visit www.magiccitywonders.com. More information on Smythe’s award-winning Kingdom of Florida series can be found at www.kingdomofflorida.com. WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, July 24, 2023 - On Monday, Florida fiction author Taylor Thomas Smythe’s latest book, The Dream Team: A Magic City Wonders Novel, was officially made available for preorder. The novel, which follows award-winning series debut Goldie, releases September 5, 2023.
In The Dream Team, protagonist Donna Locke has one goal: to find Marcus Myles. As the summer of 1981 arrives, nearly a year has passed since Marcus disappeared. In the wake of tragedy and inexplicable events, Donna is determined to find answers. When an encounter with a dashing philanthropist finds her joining a ragtag team of rogues who stage heists to steal people’s dreams, Donna must decide if the rising stakes are worth the cost. Goldie, the inaugural installment in the Magic City Wonders series, is set in 1980s Miami and follows the story of a young diner waitress named Donna Locke, whose life is turned upside-down when she develops an unusual and mysterious power to turn objects to gold. This spring, the Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY Awards) announced that Goldie was named winner of the gold medal in the Southeast - Best Regional Fiction category. This recent honor marks the fourth formal awards recognition for Smythe’s written work. In March, Goldie received a silver medal in the Florida Book Awards. In 2021, the first installment in his seven-book Kingdom of Florida middle-grade fantasy series--The Golden Alligator—was chosen as the winner of a silver medal in the Florida Authors and Publishers Association President's Book Awards and as a finalist in the National Indie Excellence Awards. To preorder The Dream Team: A Magic City Wonders Novel or to order Goldie, visit www.magiccitywonders.com. More information on Smythe’s award-winning Kingdom of Florida series can be found at www.kingdomofflorida.com. TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN, May 12, 2023 - On Thursday, the Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY Awards) announced that Taylor Thomas Smythe’s latest book, Goldie: A Magic City Wonders Novel, was named winner of the gold medal in the Southeast - Best Regional Fiction category.
Started in 1997, the IPPY Awards exist to “honor the year's best independently published titles from around the world. The awards are intended to bring increased recognition to the thousands of exemplary independent, university, and self-published books released each year.” The awards are open to authors and publishers worldwide. Goldie was released in November 2022. The inaugural installment in the Magic City Wonders series is set in 1980s Miami and follows the story of a young diner waitress named Donna Locke, whose life is turned upside-down when she develops an unusual and mysterious power to turn objects to gold. The second book in the young adult science-fiction series, The Dream Team, will open for preorders in late summer 2023. This latest honor marks the fourth formal awards recognition for Smythe’s written work. This March, Goldie was announced as the recipient of a silver medal in the Florida Book Awards. In 2021, the first installment in his seven-book Kingdom of Florida middle-grade fantasy series--The Golden Alligator—was chosen as the winner of a silver medal in the Florida Authors and Publishers Association President's Book Awards and as a finalist in the National Indie Excellence Awards. The Kingdom of Florida series, which draws inspiration from such classics as The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, and L. Frank Baum’s Oz books, follows the journey of a group of South Florida children as they discover a magical parallel world ruled by an evil prince. To order Goldie: A Magic City Wonders Novel, visit www.magiccitywonders.com. More information on Smythe’s award-winning Kingdom of Florida series can be found at www.kingdomofflorida.com. WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, May 9, 2023 - Author Taylor Thomas Smythe revealed the title for the second installment in his award-winning Miami-based, 1980s-set Magic City Wonders book series. Along with the announcement about the book’s title, Smythe indicated that preorders for the novel will open in late summer 2023.
The officially cryptic synopsis for The Dream Team reads as follows: “A woman determined to find her lost love joins a daring team of misfits on a series of dangerous heists. Their target: Dreams.” The first installment in the series, entitled Goldie: A Magic City Wonders Novel, follows the story of a young diner waitress and aspiring singer named Donna Locke, whose life is turned upside-down when she develops an unusual and mysterious power to turn objects to gold. Earlier this year, the Florida Book Awards announced that Goldie was named winner of the silver medal in the Young Adult Literature category. The series is published under the Lamplight Universe imprint. To order Goldie: A Magic City Wonders Novel or to stay informed of news on The Dream Team, visit www.magiccitywonders.com. More information on Smythe’s award-winning Kingdom of Florida series can be found at www.kingdomofflorida.com. WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, March 13, 2023 - On Monday, award-winning author Taylor Thomas Smythe released Images from Films That Never Existed: Words & Pictures Inspired by the Award-Winning Kingdom of Florida Novels, a coffee table companion book to his seven-book Kingdom of Florida fantasy series. The hardcover volume is available now from a variety of online retailers.
Utilizing state-of-the-art artificial intelligence technology and modern graphic design software, the innovative new volume imagines what Smythe’s novels might look like if they had been adapted as Hollywood films in the 1980s. “The lifelike images have an eerie, almost nostalgic quality that makes the reader wonder if, in fact, they may have seen these films before,” said Smythe. The images are accompanied by descriptive blurbs that summarize the events of the first four Kingdom of Florida novels, plus a fictional frame narrative that details the imaginary filmmaking process. Kingdom of Florida is a middle-grade fantasy saga that draws inspiration from such classics as The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, and L. Frank Baum’s Oz books, and follows the journey of a group of South Florida children as they discover a magical parallel world ruled by an evil prince. The first book in the series--The Golden Alligator—was chosen as the winner of the silver medal for the Children: Sci-Fi/Fantasy category in the 2021 Florida Authors and Publishers Association President's Book Awards and was a finalist in the 2021 National Indie Excellence Awards. Images from Films That Never Existed: Words & Pictures Inspired by the Award-Winning Kingdom of Florida Novels is published by Lamplight Universe and is available now via online booksellers or at www.kingdomofflorida.com. TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA, March 11, 2023 - On Friday, the Florida Book Awards announced that Taylor Thomas Smythe’s latest book, Goldie: A Magic City Wonders Novel, was named winner of the silver medal in the Young Adult Literature category.
The Florida Book Awards, established in 2006, exists to recognize, honor, and celebrate the best literature by Florida authors or about Florida published each year. Smythe and other honorees will be recognized at an awards banquet in Tallahassee, Florida, later this spring. Goldie was released in November 2022. The inaugural installment in the Magic City Wonders series is set in 1980s Miami and follows the story of a young diner waitress named Donna Locke, whose life is turned upside-down when she develops an unusual and mysterious power to turn objects to gold. The next book in the young adult science-fiction series is slated to be released later in 2023. This latest honor marks the third formal awards recognition for Smythe’s written work. In 2021, the first installment in his seven-book Kingdom of Florida middle-grade fantasy series--The Golden Alligator—was chosen as the winner of a silver medal in the Florida Authors and Publishers Association President's Book Awards and as a finalist in the National Indie Excellence Awards. The Kingdom of Florida series, which draws inspiration from such classics as The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, and L. Frank Baum’s Oz books, follows the journey of a group of South Florida children as they discover a magical parallel world ruled by an evil prince. To order Goldie: A Magic City Wonders Novel, visit www.magiccitywonders.com. More information on Smythe’s award-winning Kingdom of Florida series can be found at www.kingdomofflorida.com. WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, November 1, 2022 - Today, award-winning author Taylor Thomas Smythe officially released the first novel in his new Miami-based, 1980s-set Magic City Wonders book series. The inaugural installment, entitled Goldie: A Magic City Wonders Novel, follows the story of a young diner waitress and aspiring singer named Donna Locke, whose life is turned upside-down when she develops an unusual and mysterious power.
“It’s finally here!” Smythe said. “This series has been years in the making, and I’m incredibly proud to finally launch Magic City Wonders into the world. It’s sort of a genre mashup—you’ll find bits of science fiction, fantasy, adventure, comedy, and even a little romance. All of those pieces combine to evoke many favorite films from the 1980s, and I think this first book really hit the bullseye in terms of the tone and feel that I was aiming for. I also feel very attached to these characters after sitting with them for nearly three years, and I hope readers feel the same.” Smythe released a brief synopsis of the series last fall: “In 1980s Miami—a colorful and dangerous place known as the Magic City—a group of individuals discover supernatural powers. With crime on the rise, brave heroes begin to uncover a growing mystery.” “I’ve been explaining it as X-Men meets Miami Vice,” said Smythe in last year’s series announcement. “You have all of the mystery and grit of mutant-superhero stories mixed with the glamor and danger and color of the early ’80s melting pot that we associate with Miami.” “I’ve spent countless hours researching and gathering inspiration,” Smythe continued. While the stories are completely fictional, he hinted that they will be anchored in reality. “The story takes place in a very specific time in history, starting in 1980, which allows us to explore historical events and themes that mirror many of the things we’re wrestling with in the present. While many of these events take place at the periphery of my stories, I’m excited to see how they weave through and inform my fictionalized version of real-world Miami.” Goldie, the first novel in the Magic City Wonders series, is now available in a variety of formats. Installments in the series are published under the Lamplight Universe imprint. Taylor Thomas Smythe is the author of the award-winning, seven-book Kingdom of Florida middle-grade fantasy series. The series, which draws inspiration from such classics as The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, and L. Frank Baum’s Oz books, follows the journey of a group of South Florida children as they discover a magical parallel world ruled by an evil prince. The first book in the series--The Golden Alligator—was chosen as the winner of a silver medal in the Florida Authors and Publishers Association President's Book Awards and as a finalist in the National Indie Excellence Awards. To order Goldie: A Magic City Wonders Novel, visit www.magiccitywonders.com. More information on Smythe’s award-winning Kingdom of Florida series can be found at www.kingdomofflorida.com. |
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