About Ryan L. Smith

Ryan L. Smith writes fantasy, science fiction, and adventure stories for middle grade, young adult, and curious readers of all ages.

His stories blend quiet magic, layered mysteries, and just enough mischief to make you grin or catch you off guard a few pages later. Inspired by mythology, folklore, and the strange edges of everyday life, he builds immersive worlds shaped by wonder and possibility.

He runs on black coffee, dad jokes, and a lifelong love of science fiction and fantasy.

Ryan is the founder of Mythic Quill Studios and Mythic Quill Publishing, where he creates and supports stories that aim to leave something behind with the reader.

“My Voice. My Legacy. My Way.”

I built Mythic Quill Studios and Mythic Quill Publishing to carry this vision forward in my own voice and on my own path. I believe in family, in faith, and in the kind of stories that mean something. I am not here to follow trends. I am here to write stories with heart, with wonder, and with purpose. Stories that stay with you long after the final page.

As a father, this is deeply personal to me. I believe readers, especially kids, deserve stories that inspire imagination, curiosity, and a sense of possibility. Stories that feel like a place you can step into, not just something you scroll past. So I write with intention. I build worlds that are immersive, creative, and grounded in something real.

I hope my books give readers a sense of adventure and a reason to keep imagining. Stories shaped by meaning, carried by curiosity, and rooted in something lasting. Stories that light a spark and stay with them when the world gets loud.

This is why I write. Not just for the story, but for the spark it might leave behind.

Why I Write – Part Two

There is another reason I write, beyond the joy of building worlds and telling stories.

In the summer of 2024, I lost someone incredibly close to me. He was my first cousin, but to me, he was my big brother. Losing him without warning changed how I see time and the things we tell ourselves we will get to someday.

That loss pushed me to stop waiting. I went back to old notebooks filled with unfinished stories and started writing again. What began as a return quickly became something more. I launched Mythic Quill Studios, wrote my first novels, and built Mythic Quill Publishing. It all grew forward from that moment, even as I was still learning how to carry the loss.

Phineas Fitch and the Curious Chest was written for my children and for his. Whispers of the Fallen is a story I had carried with me for years. Both have grown into something I am committed to seeing through.

I do not know exactly where the path leads, but I know why I am walking it.

I write for the story, and for what it might leave behind.

Crafting Meaningful Stories

Storytelling is not just something I do. It is part of who I am. Every world I build and every character I shape carries something deeper. I am not here to follow trends or write what is expected. I want to create stories that matter, stories that stay with you, stories that help someone feel seen or offer a quiet escape when the world feels overwhelming.