New novel Goldie, from award-winning Kingdom of Florida author Taylor Thomas Smythe, available for preorder

WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, October 10, 2022 - Award-winning author Taylor Thomas Smythe announced the title and launch of preorders for the first novel in his new Miami-based, 1980s-set Magic City Wonders book series. The first 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 was incredibly entertaining and fun to write,” said Smythe. “I hope readers find it just as enjoyable and thrilling. I’ve been working on this series for nearly three years and have grown to love these new characters, so I can’t wait to share them—and this colorful world—with readers very soon.”

The Magic City Wonders series blends elements of the science-fiction and fantasy genres and is slated to span multiple mediums, including traditional books and audio dramas. 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 really wanted it to evoke the feeling of action-adventure movies from that era, and I’ve spent countless hours researching and gathering inspiration. There was one rule that I had at the top of my documents as I wrote: ‘Must be fun!’ I truly let that become the guiding principle with these stories. It’s been one of the most enjoyable things to write—the world, the characters—I think readers are going to love it all.” 

While the stories are completely fictional, Smythe 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 for preorder in a variety of formats and will officially release on November 1, 2022. Installments in the series will be 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 in 2021 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 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.