Lamplight Universe indie publishing house announced

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 author Taylor Thomas Smythe wins National Award

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.”
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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.

Kingdom of Florida: The Golden Alligator named FAPA President’s Book Awards finalist

WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, May 29, 2021 - On the heels of its selection as a finalist in the National Indie Excellence Awards, Taylor Thomas Smythe’s debut novel Kingdom of Florida: The Golden Alligator was named a finalist in the 2021 Florida Authors & Publishers Association (FAPA) President’s Book Awards. This latest accolade means that the book is also eligible for additional awards and recognition when the final results are announced at a banquet in Orlando, Florida, near the end of July.

“I feel blessed to have received the news of not one but two incredible accolades for Kingdom of Florida in the same week,” said Smythe. “I’ve heard tons of great feedback on the book from family and friends over the past couple years since its release, but to have my work recognized for excellence on a statewide and national scale is truly incredible. It’s so affirming that the countless hours of solitary writing have blossomed into something that’s now getting national attention.”

Each year FAPA sponsors the President’s Book Awards, which recognizes book publishing excellence and creativity in design, content, and production for authors and publishers. This year, FAPA expanded the competition beyond North America to encompass the entire English-speaking world. Finalists are chosen by publishing professionals and librarians from both within and outside of Florida and are announced at the President’s Book Awards Banquet the last weekend of July.

Smythe added: “These awards are also a testament to the great work of illustrator Alice Waller, and also the influence of my friend, former teacher, and fellow author David Athey—to whom the first novel is dedicated. Thank you both for everything!”

The Golden Alligator is the first novel in 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, 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—is scheduled for release this June. 

FAPA is an organization for authors, publishers and other professionals involved in the Florida publishing industry. The Florida Authors & Publishers Association, Inc., was originally organized in 1983 (then known as the Florida Publishers Group) by Betty Wright (Rainbow Books, Inc.) to provide Florida’s growing group of book publishers with an opportunity for education and networking and to provide its members with a clearinghouse for publishing information. FPG became FPA (Florida Publishers Association) and began with only six members. In 2012 FPA expanded the name to FAPA (Florida Authors & Publishers Association) to include a steadily increasing number of authors within the organization.

The first five individual Kingdom of Florida books are independently published and available via online booksellers and www.kingdomofflorida.com in a variety of formats.

Kingdom of Florida: The Golden Alligator selected as finalist in National Indie Excellence Awards

WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, May 28, 2021 - Kingdom of Florida: The Golden Alligator, the first novel in author Taylor Thomas Smythe’s middle-grade fantasy saga, was selected as a finalist in the 15th Annual National Indie Excellence Awards. 

The National Indie Excellence Awards celebrate independent publishing as a strong and vital sector of the industry. Recognizing excellence in all aspects of the final presentation, NIEA champions self-publishers and the independent presses who produce the highest quality books across a spectrum of metrics. Established in 2005, NIEA’s entrants are meticulously judged by experts from various facets of the book industry profession including publishers, editors, authors and designers.

“I am thrilled by the news,” said Smythe. “It’s truly an honor to be chosen as a finalist out of a pool of so many talented writers across the United States. It feels satisfying and gratifying to see my debut novel recognized in this way, and I can’t wait for readers to continue this adventure with me.”

Smythe continued: “As this award covers all facets of the book, including the writing, design, and more, I want to pay special tribute to Alice Waller for her excellent work conveying an imaginative vision of the Kingdom through her illustrations. I am so grateful for her work on these books.”

The Golden Alligator is the first novel in 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, 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—is scheduled for release this June. 

The first five individual Kingdom of Florida books are independently published and available via online booksellers and www.kingdomofflorida.com in a variety of formats. The NIEA press release, including the fill list of winners and finalists in the National Indie Excellence Awards, can be viewed here.