Kilpack's Order of Light Follows Strong at Outstanding Creator Awards

In another remarkable showing at the 2026 Outstanding Creator Awards (OCA), W.D. Kilpack III's Order of Light: Book Two of New Blood emerged as one of the most celebrated titles, securing major wins across genre, craft, and character categories. The epic‐fantasy novel earned top placements in Best Fantasy, Best Action/Adventure, Best Writing (Fiction), and Best World‐Building, along with an extraordinary collection of Special Awards recognizing standout characters and relationships.

OCA Founder Steven Seril said that Kilpack's arrival in the contest last year was explosive and this year continues the trend: "A newcomer to our contest, W.D. Kilpack III, really broke out [in 2025], topping the charts in many categories and Crown Prince being named the 2025 Fiction Book of the Year. That's a tough act to follow! How did Order of Light fill those shoes? Admirably."

The Special Awards panel highlighted the depth and emotional resonance of Kilpack's characters, honoring Natharr, Nathan, Darshelle, Bu, Ellis, Iesha, Martice, Tavish, and Vizier across categories such as Best Character, Coolest Character, Best Couple, and Best Villain.

Kilpack described the experience as both humbling and energizing: "The results were really pretty mind‐blowing. The review I received was outstanding."

The OCA is widely respected for its rigorous, human‐centered judging process and its diverse participant pool, which has included Emmy winners, governors, medical doctors, PhDs, and even a Guinness World‐Record holder.

Kilpack's broader body of work continues to gain momentum. His nine published titles - including six in the New Blood Saga, two in the Battle Calm Cycle, and the sci‐fi novella Pale Face - have now accumulated 68 international awards and honors. Pale Face is currently in movie development.

Clay Vermulm of the Sinister Soup podcast praised Kilpack's craftsmanship: "Kilpack delivers a stunning blow to the belief that Indie‐Fantasy is worth any less than its salt."

15 Honors in the 2026 Outstanding Creator Awards

• Best Fantasy, Outstanding Creator Awards

• Best Action/Adventure

• Runner Up, Best Writing (Fiction)

• Best World-Building

• Honorable Mention: Best Character (Natharr)

• Honorable Mention: Best Character (Nathan)

• Honorable Mention: Coolest Character (Natharr)

• Honorable Mention: Best Couple (Natharr & Darshelle)

• Honorable Mention: Best Supporting Character (Bu)

• Honorable Mention: Best Supporting Character (Darshelle)

• Honorable Mention: Best Supporting Character (Ellis)

• Honorable Mention: Best Supporting Character (Ellis)

• Honorable Mention: Best Supporting Character (Iesha)

• Honorable Mention: Best Supporting Character (Martice)

• Honorable Mention: Best Villain (Tavish)

• Honorable Mention: Best Villain (Vizier)

Excerpts from the OCA Review/Analysis

• "Crown Prince gave us the war, the hot romance, and the birth of Nathan. Order of Light gives us the consequences - the slow-burn resistance, the cosmic lore, and a coming-of-age arc that is way more dangerous than just "kid learns to swing a sword."
• "Everyone has grown and evolved at this point, showing progress, which is nice to see from a character perspective. You want to see character development, and you definitely get that here. At the same time it's natural and normal to get nostalgic for the way things used to be. Nathan, in particular, isn't a cute little guy anymore. He's grown now. And part of that hurts in a deeply human way. It's like the innocence is dead."
• "It immediately becomes apparent that this book is dense. It's one of those books - rich with lore and world-building."
• "Lieutenant Tavish is the Maarihkish hammer waiting to fall. He is ambitious, ruthless, and not nearly as dumb as most fantasy garrison commanders. He notices that the same "unemployed" veterans keep drinking at Martice's inn. He notices that some of them suddenly have money and muscle again. He notices that Martice is in the middle of everything."
• "A good fantasy book with superb, lovable characters."

About Kilpack
Kilpack is an award-winning author renowned for his emotionally intense storytelling and richly detailed mythic worlds. His acclaimed New Blood Saga, Native American sci-fi novella Pale Face, and Battle Calm Cycle trilogy have garnered 68 international awards, including Book of the Year and the International Impact Book Award. At Westminster University, Kilpack earned a bachelor's degree, where he double-majored in communication and philosophy while completing the Honors Program, and later earned a Master of Professional Communication. As a high-performing athlete, he qualified to represent the USA in Greco-Roman wrestling. For more www.Kilpack.net.

About the Outstanding Creator Awards
The Outstanding Creator Awards (OCA) is a literary and creative arts contest that recognizes talented, passionate, and imaginative people. The prestigious contest has included outstanding individuals including doctors, a two-time governor, a two-time Emmy Award winner, and even a Guinness World-Record holder. Some of the most respected names in the indie-author community have also participated in the contest. OCA provides opportunities to compete with multiple seasonal contests, many categories, and a bonus Best of the Year/End of the Year contest to recognize the best of the best. OCA is also known for its unique "Special Awards" which recognize niche or individual aspects of entries. OCA prides itself on being thorough and thoughtful in its reviewing/judging process, ensuring that each work has been seen and evaluated by an actual person who cares. For more information go to www.OutstandingCreator.com.

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W.D. Kilpack III, MPC, PSMC, is an award-winning author specializing in epic fantasy and military science fiction, renowned for his emotionally intense storytelling and richly detailed mythic worlds. His acclaimed New Blood Saga, Native American sci-fi novella Pale Face, and Battle Calm Cycle trilogy have garnered 69 international awards, including prestigious honors such as Book of the Year, the International Impact Book Award and Literary Titan Gold Book Award.

Kilpack's writing is characterized by vivid world-building, complex characters, and themes that explore duty, fate, and sacrifice. His work seamlessly blends mythic depth with gripping military sci-fi action, appealing to readers who crave both emotional resonance and thrilling narratives.

Beyond his literary achievements, Kilpack brings a diverse professional background that enriches his storytelling, including being a former college professor, writing coach, world-ranked athlete, and editor with a background in journalism, philosophy and communication. He has experience in screenwriting, film production, and professional media work. All of this contributes to the cinematic quality of his narratives.

Readers praise Kilpack for his ability to create unforgettable characters and immersive worlds that stay with them long after the last page. His stories have been endorsed by critics and fans alike, cementing his reputation as a leading voice in contemporary speculative fiction.

For those new to his work, the New Blood Saga offers a compelling entry point, weaving together epic battles, intricate politics, and profound emotional stakes.

Personal
Kilpack holds both a bachelor's and master's degree from Westminster University, where he double-majored in communication and philosophy and completed the Honors Program. He later earned a Master of Professional Communication with a writing emphasis. As a high-performing athlete, he qualified to represent the USA in Greco-Roman wrestling. He is happily married to his high-school sweetheart and helped raise five children and five step-children.

This release was published on openPR.