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. 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. Taylor Thomas Smythe, Award-winning Kingdom of Florida author, featured in Palm Beach Illustrated2/1/2022
Article by Skye Sherman
The fecund verdancy of South Florida is ripe for tall tales, and that’s exactly what inspired West Palm Beach author Taylor Thomas Smythe to pen fantasy reads for the whole family. His Kingdom of Florida series is akin to The Chronicles of Narnia but with decidedly Floridian leanings . It follows the adventures of a group of South Florida youngsters who discover a parallel land of magic, strange creatures, and an evil prince. “It starts out as a fairly lighthearted tale, but there’s a deeper mystery bubbling up below the surface, which plays out over the course of the series,” Smythe says. WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, October 26, 2021 - Today, author Taylor Thomas Smythe released the seventh and final installment in his award-winning Kingdom of Florida fantasy series, which is titled Kingdom of Florida: Guardians of the Willow. The book is available on paperback, hardcover, and Kindle ebook from multiple online retailers.
Guardians of the Willow concludes the story of Oliver and his friends—a group of young neighbors who find their way into an enchanted land known as the Kingdom. The seventh book is the final novel in the middle-grade fantasy saga, which 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. Guardians features black-and-white illustrations by Smythe in his first stint as illustrator for the series. Earlier books in the series featured illustrations by artists Alice Waller (Books 1-5) and Samantha Pollack (Book 6)—both former residents of Florida. In addition, Smythe plans to release Kingdom of Florida, Volume II—a collection of Books 5-7 in the series—before Christmas 2021, teasing “more surprises” to come in 2022. All seven Kingdom of Florida books are independently published and available now via online booksellers and www.kingdomofflorida.com in a variety of formats including paperback, hardcover, Kindle ebook, and audiobook (Books 1 and 2). WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, October 5, 2021 - Author Taylor Thomas Smythe announced today that the seventh and final installment in his award-winning Kingdom of Florida fantasy series will be titled Guardians of the Willow. As was announced last month, the novel will be released in 2021, with an official release date to be announced in the coming days.
Guardians of the Willow will conclude the story of Oliver and his friends—a group of young neighbors who find their way into a magical land known as the Kingdom. The seventh book will be the final novel in the middle-grade fantasy saga, which 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 recently chosen as the winner of the silver medal for the Children: Sci-Fi/Fantasy category in the Florida Authors and Publishers Association President's Book Awards and as a finalist in the National Indie Excellence Awards. In addition, Smythe will release Kingdom of Florida, Volume II—a collection of books five, six, and seven in the series—before Christmas 2021, with “more surprises” to come in 2022. The first six Kingdom of Florida books are independently published and available now via online booksellers and www.kingdomofflorida.com in a variety of formats including paperback, hardcover, and Kindle ebook. WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, September 17, 2021 - Award-winning author Taylor Thomas Smythe revealed the title and details for his upcoming book series. Entitled Magic City Wonders, the new series blends elements of the science-fiction and fantasy genres and will span multiple mediums, including traditional books and scripted podcasts.
Smythe released a brief synopsis: “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. “You have all of the mystery and grit of the mutant-superhero tropes 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.” The first book in the Magic City Wonders series will arrive in 2022, and installments will be published under the recently-announced Lamplight Universe moniker. Taylor Thomas Smythe is the author of the award-winning Kingdom of Florida middle-grade fantasy series, which includes six published novels and a seventh releasing late 2021. 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 recently chosen as the winner of the silver medal in the Children: Sci-Fi/Fantasy category in the Florida Authors and Publishers Association President's Book Awards and as a finalist in the National Indie Excellence Awards. For updates on this exciting new series, 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, September 16, 2021 - With six novels under his belt and another on the way this year, award-winning author Taylor Thomas Smythe announced Tuesday the launch of Lamplight Universe, the new publishing moniker under which forthcoming fantasy, science fiction, and adventure titles will be published, beginning in 2022.
“I’m thrilled to announce this project that I’ve been working on over the past year or so,” said Smythe. “With the Kingdom of Florida series coming to a close later this year, it felt like the perfect time to start this new chapter. Lamplight Universe will be the official publisher of all of my stories going forward in the new year. This will allow continued creative control of my stories while adding another layer of excellence to complement the level I strive for in my writing.” The name of the publishing house, says Smythe, is a nod to the Lamplight Society (the label of a secretive group in the Kingdom of Florida series and the source of its second installment’s title). “It felt appropriate that my future writings have this anchor in my earliest notes for the novel that started me on this journey in the first place. The idea of the word ‘lamplight’ has always evoked and represented the hopeful, wholesome, and mystery-filled approach that I take to storytelling, so it’s fitting that this now becomes the overarching banner for these types of stories.” Smythe added: “In the immediate future, Lamplight Universe will exclusively publish stories of which I am the author. However, there’s potential to expand that to include the works of others whose works fit within the same genres, styles, and sensibilities.” Lamplight Universe will primarily focus on the publication of books, but Smythe has plans to introduce other mediums of storytelling, including fiction podcasts and related audio formats. Plans for the first release from Lamplight Universe are yet to be announced, but future updates will be shared via the official website (www.lamplightuniverse.com) and social media channels (@lamplightuniverse). WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, September 15, 2021 - Author Taylor Thomas Smythe announced today that the untitled seventh and final installment in his award-winning Kingdom of Florida fantasy series will be released late 2021. In addition, Smythe made two more announcements for the series: Kingdom of Florida, Volume II—a collection of books five, six, and seven in the series—is slated to arrive before Christmas 2021, and the author teased “more surprises” to come in 2022.
The seventh installment will be the final novel in the middle-grade fantasy series, which 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 recently chosen as the winner of the silver medal for the Children: Sci-Fi/Fantasy category in the Florida Authors and Publishers Association President's Book Awards and as a finalist in the National Indie Excellence Awards. Earlier in 2021, Smythe released a special hardcover collection, Kingdom of Florida, Volume I, which features the first four books in the series in a single volume. A paperback version was made available subsequently. Volume II will include the remaining three books in the series. The first six Kingdom of Florida books are independently published and available now via online booksellers and www.kingdomofflorida.com in a variety of formats including paperback, hardcover, and Kindle ebook. LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA, August 3, 2021 - The Florida Authors and Publishers Association President’s Book Awards recognized Kingdom of Florida: The Golden Alligator by Taylor Thomas Smythe as the silver medal winner in the Children: Sci-Fi/Fantasy category at the organization’s annual awards banquet in Orlando on July 31.
Hosted by the Florida Authors and Publishers Association (FAPA), this prestigious national award is open to books published between 2019 and 2021. The judges for this national competition are librarians, educators, and publishing professionals. “The FAPA President’s Book Award exists to promote excellence in the publishing industry by recognizing talented contemporary authors who put both heart and soul into their work. FAPA is proud to be a champion of authors and publishers going the extra mile to produce books of excellence in every aspect,” said Pat Stanford, past president of FAPA. The Golden Alligator is the first novel in the Kingdom of Florida middle-grade fantasy series, which 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 sixth installment--Coral and the Treasure Hunters—was released earlier this summer, while the seventh and final book has yet to be given an official release date. “We are proud to announce this year’s winners who truly embody the excellence this award was created to celebrate,” said FAPA President Renee Garrison. “Their works are representative of creative storytelling, bold concepts, and innovative ideas which make the President’s Book Awards so well respected by librarians and those in the publishing industry. We salute all of our winners for their fine work.” The Florida Authors and Publishers Association is an organization for authors, publishers, illustrators, editors, printers, and other professionals involved in the publishing industry. It focuses on providing the highest quality of information, resources, and professional development to members and others interested in the writing and publishing profession. The first six individual Kingdom of Florida books are independently published and available via online booksellers and www.kingdomofflorida.com in a variety of formats. The Golden Alligator was also selected as a finalist in the National Indie Excellence Awards earlier this summer. WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, June 3, 2021 - Kingdom of Florida: Coral and the Treasure Hunters, the sixth novel in author Taylor Thomas Smythe’s middle-grade fantasy saga, is available now on paperback and Kindle ebook.
Coral and the Treasure Hunters takes readers on three intertwined adventures set in two different eras in the Kingdom. While readers jump back into the continuing story of protagonist Oliver and his friends, they’ll also find plenty of surprises in the thrilling, swashbuckling quest that runs parallel to it. This secondary storyline is set several decades in the past, and follows the early days of Princess Coral on her mission to reclaim a treasure that was taken from her family. “There are countless easter eggs sprinkled throughout the new book, and they connect to hints that I dropped in the earlier books,” Smythe noted. “As an author, it’s incredibly satisfying to see so many of those moments come full circle, and I think my avid fans are going to love it. Plus, we’ll get to experience a few familiar moments from a new perspective.” While the first five books were illustrated by artist Alice Waller, the sixth installment adds newcomer Samantha Pollack to the family. Pollack, a Florida native now based in Pittsburgh, provided several black-and-white drawings to accompany the new story—set several years ahead in the series’ timeline. “I’m super grateful to Ali for her incredible work,” said Smythe. “And I’m thrilled for readers to see the equally-brilliant work that Sam brings to the table. The two of them have captured my literary vision so well and in unique ways.” Coral and the Treasure Hunters is the penultimate novel in the series, which 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 seventh and final book is slated to arrive within the next year. The first six individual Kingdom of Florida books are independently published and available via online booksellers and www.kingdomofflorida.com in a variety of formats. |
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