Bestselling Author Kaylie Smith Brings Her Fantasy Phenomenon to San Diego

By: Hannah Elizabeth Williams

San Diego Magazine Article Link: https://sandiegomagazine.com/everything-sd/kaylie-smith-phantasma-author/ 

Kaylie Smith, the bestselling author behind the fantasy series Wicked Games, is a newly minted San Diego local set to release the second book in the series, Enchantra, on April 8. Her debut novel, Phantasma, became a viral sensation late last year.

Published in September 2024, Phantasma currently boasts over 140,000 ratings and 22,886 reviews on Goodreads. The book has garnered over 10,000 tags on TikTok and 17,700 on Instagram, and it remains a top 100 bestseller in the Kindle store.

Smith grew up in a small Louisiana town, where books provided an escape and allowed her to thrive as an introvert. Phantasma is set in New Orleans, heavily influenced by the city's atmosphere. “There’s a big community with a very specific Southern hospitality culture to it,” Smith shares. “I think there’s just some sort of magic there. It still feels like home to me, even though I moved to the West Coast.” Now a San Diego resident, she will celebrate the release of Enchantra in her new hometown.

Her writing career began with The Heartless Fates Trilogy, published by Disney Hyperion in 2023. However, it was the Wicked Games series, launched in September 2024, that catapulted her to literary stardom. Phantasma has earned multiple accolades, including the 2024 Goodreads Choice Award and “Best of the Year” titles from Audible and Barnes & Noble.

Smith’s rapid rise to fame was overwhelming. “It felt like an overnight shift that I wasn’t entirely prepared for,” she admits. “It’s such a positive thing in my life, and I never want to seem ungrateful, but it was definitely an adjustment.”

Her popularity became evident at a Barnes & Noble signing in October 2024, where the event space overflowed, and books sold out before the signing even began. “I remember walking in, and the manager ran up to me in a panic saying, ‘You’re really popular. Next time, we’ll do a ticketed event.’ I was in shock—I had no clue either,” she recalls.

With fame comes both admiration and criticism. “I keep telling my family not to Google me,” Smith says. “They might get upset reading hundreds of Reddit threads from people who dislike me or my books.” In the age of social media, criticism often blurs the line between art and artist. “It has been an interesting experience to adjust to.”

Smith’s creative process evolved after Phantasma. “That book poured out of me. It was the easiest thing I’ve ever written, and I’ve written a YA trilogy that 10 people have read,” she jokes. Writing Enchantra, however, came with pressure. “There’s a burden of anticipation. Some fans told me they’re taking PTO just to read it—it’s their most anticipated book of the year.”

Phantasma follows Ophelia Grimm, a necromancer who seeks help from a dangerous phantom to win a deadly competition—only to risk breaking the game’s most vital rule: don’t fall in love. Throughout the story, Ophelia hears a shadowy voice warning her to perform obsessive rituals, a manifestation of her OCD. Smith, who has lived with OCD since childhood, wanted to ensure the representation felt authentic. “Phantasma has a psychological horror element that serves as a metaphor for what it’s like to live with OCD,” she explains.

In Enchantra, Ophelia’s sister, Genevieve Grimm, stumbles upon a cursed palace invitation filled with temptations and illusions. Inside, Rowin Silver is trapped in an eternal game with his family. He strikes a deal with Genevieve: he will help her survive if they pretend to be desperately in love. Genevieve is a plus-sized protagonist—an aspect Smith felt was missing from romantic leads. “Growing up, I rarely saw plus-size main characters in love stories,” she says. “I love incorporating representation in my books.”

Beyond romance, Genevieve’s journey explores familial trauma and self-discovery. “She’s a lost girl who has to work through her family’s history,” Smith teases.

Smith’s passion for her work resonates with readers. “A fan got a gorgeous Phantasma tattoo, and I lost my mind,” she exclaims. “The best part of this job is meeting people who love my books.”

Currently, Smith is finishing the third book in the Wicked Games series. “It’s actually my favorite so far, which is really exciting for me,” she shares. “I just hope people keep coming back. I love this, and I hope I get to keep telling stories.”

Kaylie Smith will celebrate the release of Enchantra on April 8 at 7 P.M. with a special event featuring fellow San Diego-based author Adalyn Grace, known for the Belladonna series. Tickets for the seated conversation and signing sold out in under an hour, but Meet Cute Bookshop recently opened a ticketed signing line at 8:30 PM for fans to meet both authors and get their books signed.

With Enchantra poised to captivate readers once again, Smith’s journey is just beginning—and if the past is any indication, San Diego’s newest literary star is only getting started.