When readers open Taj’s Sabbatical, they step into a universe pulsing with danger, political friction, and impossible choices. But behind the world-building and emotional depth of the story lies a creative partnership many don’t expect: the collaboration between Artell Smith and his son, Troy Smith.
Troy didn’t just help co-write a science-fiction novel; he helped build a universe. And in doing so, he brought a younger, more daring layer of imagination to the Sol System Enforcer Chronicles. Their dynamic feels like two storytellers creating something neither could have made alone.
A Fresh Voice
Troy’s influence on Taj’s Sabbatical is felt everywhere, from the narrative energy threaded through the action scenes to the emotional beats that give Taj his humanity. He brings a sharp sense of rhythm to the book, knowing exactly when to push the pace and when to let readers sit with Taj’s fear, loyalty, and love.
Where Artell brings decades of real-world insight into leadership, structure, and human behavior, Troy brings instinct—he speaks the language of modern sci-fi fans who crave tension, momentum, and characters who feel raw and real.
That contrast is the magic. Artell builds the architecture; Troy electrifies it.
The Next Generation of Storytelling
Co-authoring a book with a parent could easily become complicated, but their collaboration reads like a conversation. Troy isn’t a shadow in his father’s creative world. He’s the spark that often pushes the story to take risks.
You can feel Troy’s hand in the urgency, the cinematic pacing, and the sense that everything happening to Taj matters on more than one level.
A Story Built on Family
There’s something powerful about a father and son writing a story about loyalty, connection, and the lengths we go to protect the people we love. Taj’s mission, to rescue Taddy, his husband, isn’t just a sci-fi plot device. It’s an emotional core, one that beats stronger because the book was written by two people who understand the weight of family ties.
Readers don’t just get a hero running through galaxies. They get a man fighting for love, guided by principles that echo the authors’ own sense of integrity and humanity.
Troy’s Future in Fiction
Taj’s Sabbatical may be the first published collaboration between Troy and Artell, but it won’t be the last. Troy has the instincts of a natural storyteller—vision, momentum, and an eye for scenes that linger. As the Sol System Enforcer Chronicles expand, his role will only grow deeper, shaping the emotional and cinematic tone of the series.
And based on the early response to Taj and his world, readers are ready for more.
Troy Smith’s writing doesn’t chase tropes but follows character. And that’s why the father-son team works so well. Artell provides the spine; Troy provides the spark.
Together, they’ve created a universe that feels alive, not because of the technology or the politics, but because of the people inside it.
Inside the pages of Taj’s Sabbatical, you can feel the heartbeat of a collaboration that’s as meaningful as the story itself. And in Troy Smith, readers are witnessing the rise of a storyteller with a voice uniquely his own.
Learn more about Troy’s work here.