Christian Hurst Wins IPPY Gold Medal for Lily Starling and the Voyage of the Salamander

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Christian Hurst Wins IPPY Gold Medal for Lily Starling and the Voyage of the Salamander
Outpost Books title takes home top honor at the Independent Publisher Book Awards
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - July 15, 2026 - Outpost Books is proud to announce that author Christian Hurst has received the Gold Medal for Best First Book - Juvenile/Young Adult in the 2026 Independent Publisher Book Awards for his debut novel, Lily Starling and the Voyage of the Salamander.
Presented by the Jenkins Group, the Independent Publisher Book Awards-widely known as the IPPY Awards-recognize excellence in independent publishing. The annual program honors books released by independent authors, university presses, and small publishers from around the world. The awards are celebrating their 30th anniversary this year.
In his acceptance message, Hurst reflected on the themes at the heart of the novel.
"I often speak about how the message of the book, and of Lily, is about connection. That connection happens when you are true to yourself and your identity," Hurst said. "This is one of those moments of connection for me. I'm honored to be welcomed into this amazing community of writers."
Lily Starling and the Voyage of the Salamander follows a teenager whose understanding of herself is upended when she is taken from Earth and drawn into a sprawling interstellar conflict. Blending cinematic space opera with emotional realism, the novel explores identity, memory, and the families people choose for themselves.
The award will be formally celebrated during the 2026 Independent Publisher Book Awards ceremony on July 16.
"Christian's Gold Medal is an exciting recognition of both the novel and the creative vision behind the Lily Starling series," said Jean-Paul Aubert, publisher of Outpost Books. "We are honored to see his debut acknowledged among this year's outstanding independently published books."
Lily Starling and the Voyage of the Salamander is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats through major retailers.
For more information, visit outpostscifibooks.com.

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Pittsburgh, PA 15102

Outpost Books is a Pittsburgh-based independent science fiction press publishing character-driven, inclusive stories with a strong sense of hope and humanity. The press focuses on thoughtful speculative fiction that centers diverse voices, emotional depth, and bold worldbuilding.

This release was published on openPR.