 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. West Palm Beach Author 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.” 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: Coral and the Treasure Hunters has arrived  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 first book in the series--The Golden Alligator--was chosen as a finalist in both the National Indie Excellence Awards and the Florida Authors and Publishers Association President's Book Awards. 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. 5/29/2021 FAPA names Kingdom of Florida: The Golden Alligator President’s Book Awards finalistRead Now 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 still 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 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. |
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