Interview with Taylor Smythe
This is your newest book in a series, can you introduce the series to our readers and explain how this book fits into it? And give us an overview of this book?
Absolutely. Nightmare Array is the third book in the Magic City Wonders series, and it completes a trilogy that began with my novel Goldie and continued in The Dream Team. The series is set in Miami in the early 1980s and follows a group of individuals who discover and develop supernatural powers—sort of like if the X-Men series were set in the world of Miami Vice.
These three books follow the journey of a woman named Donna Locke, who develops the ability to turn anything she touches into gold, which starts out fun but quickly twists into a bit of a King Midas situation that causes some significant problems that she and her friends have to solve.
Without spoiling too much, Nightmare Array begins with Donna and a couple of her close friends in the middle of a daring rescue mission to save someone they love. However, that person has undergone a significant change since Donna last saw him, which causes Donna to spiral a bit. Meanwhile, a group of Miami cops investigate a string of strange and spooky happenings throughout the city. I’m proud of how this book really leans into a horror-thriller vibe more than previous installments, while still maintaining the fun and heartfelt tone of the rest of the series.
What made you want to write this book/series? What drew you to this topic?
This series evolved out of a few distinct story ideas that I initially thought would be very separate from each other. But as I marinated on the concept of Magic City Wonders, I realized all of these stories could work well together if set in the same world. On top of that, I think I’ve always had a soft spot for 1980s nostalgia, so I was excited to research and dream up stories in that era.
What I enjoy most about this series (and what was most important to me as I wrote it) is the characters. I spent about four years or so with these characters, so they really grew on me. When I was doing the final edits on Nightmare Array earlier this year, I started to cry a little bit, thinking about how satisfied I was with the ending, but also because this was the end of the road for this particular set of characters. (I do intend to tell more stories in the world of Magic City Wonders, but future volumes will shift focus to other characters.) For me, that was a sign that I’d been successful in fleshing out the characters in a meaningful way. I hope readers feel the same sense of satisfaction as they make their way to the end of Donna’s story.
Florida plays a big role in your work and, I think, in all of your books. How would you describe the way that Florida shapes your work?
Florida is a crucial element of my work—it’s almost a character itself. What’s interesting is that my love and dedication to creating around Florida came during a time in which I lived outside of the state. I think that season helped me appreciate how unique, beautiful, and inspiring the Sunshine State is.
At this stage in my journey, I refer to myself as a “Florida fiction writer,” and I set all of my stories in Florida in some way, or at least Florida-adjacent. That may seem limiting to some, but I find that this self-imposed limit has spawned an abundance of fresh ideas that I don’t think would’ve arisen if I hadn’t given myself those guardrails. I’ve only scratched the surface with Magic City Wonders and Kingdom of Florida—my middle-grade fantasy series in which a group of children discover a magical alternate version of Florida. I’ve got ideas for a story involving robots, a series set in space, some standalone thrillers, and many more that I hope will see the light of day eventually—all rooted in Florida.
I realized years back that I tend to get the most inspired to create around the things, places, and people that I love. Writing about Florida allows me to help shape a culture and narrative around a place that I care about, and that feels very sweet and gratifying.
What is it that you think makes Florida special?
Something that makes Florida special is the diversity and beauty of its tropical location and its people. There have also been such interesting and weird historical events here, making great fodder for story ideas. Ultimately, I think Florida is special to me because it’s my home; there’s an affinity that I’ll always have simply because I grew up here and have spent more than three decades of my life here.
What was the most fun thing about writing this book?
The most fun thing about writing Nightmare Array was that I knew these characters so well and I knew this would be my last time writing about most of them, so I wanted to just enjoy the ride. I also enjoyed (maybe sort of sadistically) putting each character into situations that would create the most interesting conflict for each of them. The empathetic part of me felt a little guilty for intentionally keeping characters separated from each other throughout the book, but the author part of me knew that this tension would lead to the most satisfying stories and character arcs.
I had a mandate for myself when writing Nightmare Array—and I put it at the top of my document so I’d see it every time I sat down to write: “Keep it FUN and thrilling!” So I think whenever I got stumped in where the story was headed, I’d let that principle guide me into whatever story thread felt most exciting and fun. And I think that readers will enjoy this final chapter in Donna’s story because it is a genuinely thrilling and fun ride at every turn.
Who do you hope will read this book?
I hope all sorts of folks will read the Magic City Wonders series. It’s geared toward a young adult audience, but I think older audiences will appreciate the nostalgia and throwback pop culture references sprinkled throughout. It’s a very wholesome series (as most of my work is), so it’s accessible to readers of all ages (though, as this particular installment leans into the horror-thriller space, it might be a little scary for younger readers).
Do you have a favorite Florida place or food?
I love spending time outdoors in Florida (preferably in the cooler months), and its many parks and natural areas served as inspiration for the world of Kingdom of Florida—my first book series. My favorite restaurant in my hometown of West Palm Beach is a local taco spot called Cholo Soy Cocina, and you can find me sipping coffee at Pumphouse Coffee Roasters a few times a week.
Taylor Thomas Smythe is a graphic designer, songwriter, and Florida fiction author based in West Palm Beach, Florida. His Kingdom of Florida and Magic City Wonders book series have received numerous local and national awards.
