Local Author's Indie Space Opera Finds National Success

Lily Starling Series Earns Readers' Favorite Award, National Distribution, and a BookBub Featured Deal
PITTSBURGH, PA - November 1, 2025 - Pennsylvania-based author Christian Hurst is redefining what's possible for independent publishing. His debut novel, Lily Starling and the Voyage of the Salamander, has charted an extraordinary rise over the past year-culminating in national retail distribution, a Readers' Favorite Award, and selection for a BookBub Featured Deal, one of digital publishing's most sought-after promotional opportunities.
Launched independently in early 2025, the Lily Starling series has grown from a local project into a nationally distributed, critically recognized young-adult space opera.
Highlights of the Series' Growth
Partnership with Outpost Books: Hurst joined Pittsburgh's Outpost Books, a small science-fiction imprint providing professional editorial support and national distribution.
Nationwide Availability: Distributed through major retail and online bookselling platforms-including Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and Amazon-as well as on shelves in select major retailers and local bookstores throughout the country.
Literary Recognition: Winner of a Readers' Favorite Award for excellence in young-adult fiction.
National Visibility: Selection for a BookBub Featured Deal, introducing the series to thousands of new readers across the U.S. and Canada.
A Successful Sequel: The follow-up, Lily Starling and the Storm Riders, has been praised by early reviewers as a "breakout sequel" with emotional depth and cinematic scope.
Growing Audience Engagement: Hurst has appeared at regional signings, podcasts, and book events, building a strong connection with the science-fiction community.
The Lily Starling series blends themes of identity, memory, and found family within a fast-paced galactic adventure.
"The journey since January has been incredible," said Hurst. "It's proof that independent stories can reach readers everywhere when the right creative and publishing partnerships come together. I'm excited to see how this next phase connects Lily's story with even more readers."
For more on Hurst's work and the series' success, see the recent feature in The New York Review: https://nyreview.com/lily-starling-christian-hursts-uplifting-space-opera-thats-winning-hearts-across-the-galaxy/
About the Lily Starling Series
Lily Starling and the Voyage of the Salamander follows a young woman who awakens with no memory and is thrust into a galactic conflict alongside a crew that insists she belongs with them. The series is celebrated for its inclusive world-building and emotionally resonant storytelling.

Jean-Paul Aubert
Outpost Books SE
4607 Library Rd
Suite 220
Pittsburgh, PA 15102

Outpost Books is an independent publishing co-op based in Pittsburgh, PA, dedicated to bringing high-quality speculative fiction to new audiences.

This release was published on openPR.