Smith\u2019s other book, \u201cTaylor Swift Chronicles,\u201d hits bookshelves on Oct. 21 from publisher Insight Editions.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an oversized coffee table book,\u201d said Smith, a Swiftie since 2006. \u201cI know these are two different publishers and two different products, but being able to do both simultaneously really elevated both of them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Smith\u2019s \u201cTaylor Swift Chronicles\u201d not only covers Swift\u2019s life as a musician, but also as a businesswoman and philanthropist. The book is a color-filled tome, splashed with a whimsical layout, drifting from pull quotes in pastels to sky-blue sidebars dotting a consistent narrative of kindness running through the pop star\u2019s career.<\/p>\n
Despite the shimmering cover, marbled rainbow edges and simply being fun to look at, the 256-page volume is research-based. For the book, Smith dug deep into the archives of Taylor Swift history, paging through newspaper records, image collections and Internet archives, going back as far as MySpace and the singer\u2019s early fan forum, Taylor Connect (which was shuttered in 2017).<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Lancaster city author Lindsey Smith has penned two books about Taylor Swift.<\/p>\n
SUBMITTED<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been a fan for a really long time, so there are things I just remember,\u201d Smith said. \u201cI asked other fans, too, what they remembered.\u201d<\/p>\n
The book cites articles from magazines around the world, podcasts and newspaper articles. \u201cTaylor Swift Chronicles\u201d includes a complete and detailed discography, creative timelines (like Swift\u2019s footwear through the decades) and images compiled from a myriad of sources, including fan collections.<\/p>\n
\u201cInsight (Editions) was really great about allowing me full reign on the content,\u201d Smith said. \u201cWhen I met with them, they had a vision \u2026 but let me (approach the project) like a fan.\u201d<\/p>\n
The creative department allowed Smith to provide unique, fan-oriented insight, especially when it came to Easter eggs.<\/p>\n
Easter in October<\/p>\n
For Swifties, few things are more exciting than searching for \u201cEaster eggs,\u201d hints about new projects appearing in music videos, tucked into song lyrics, or hidden in social media posts. Even album artwork and merch are fair game, with fonts, numbers and imagery often studied for deeper meaning.<\/p>\n
For example, the announcement for Swift\u2019s twelfth studio album, \u201cThe Life of a Showgirl,\u201d came at 12:12 a.m. on Aug. 12. The album comes out Oct. 3.<\/p>\n
Swift admits she enjoys weaving these puzzles into her art, turning the process of discovery into a game she shares with her fans. Over time, decoding Easter eggs has become a hallmark of the Swiftie experience, and \u201cTaylor Swift Chronicles\u201d follows suit.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a lot of Easter eggs (in both books),\u201d Smith said. \u201cWe really tried to make (them) something special.\u201d<\/p>\n
READ:\u00a0Early rocker Jimmy Clanton shares memories with cast of Buddy Holly musical [Unscripted column]<\/a><\/p>\n One of a \u2018kind\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cWe used the lens of kindness throughout (\u201cTaylor Swift Chronicles\u201d),\u201d said Smith. \u201cI wanted people to see (Swift) has been this way since the beginning. She\u2019s been a really kind person and has been giving back before she even had things to give back.\u201d<\/p>\n Every chapter title in \u201cTaylor Swift Chronicles\u201d uses the word kind. Kindness appears 21 times throughout the text, including: \u201c\u2026 glimmers of unprompted kindness and connection have kept Taylor\u2019s fandom growing.\u201d<\/p>\n The pop star\u2019s generosity is well-documented. During her most recent tour, Swift gave over $55 million in bonuses to her touring staff; semi-truck drivers reportedly received $100,000 each. In 2019, a Toronto fan received monetary help from Swift to pay tuition and student debt.<\/p>\n \u201cHer way of kindness has always been really inspiring to me,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n Lindsey Smith has been a Taylor Swift fan for nearly two decades. Here, Smith is pictured at the July 6, 2013, Pittsburgh stop of the Red Tour.<\/p>\n SUBMITTED<\/p>\n READ: How ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ won me over [Unscripted column]<\/a><\/p>\n The author as fan<\/p>\n While Swift may be a master of melody, it\u2019s her lyrics that hooked Smith.<\/p>\n \u201cI am a lyrics person, and I just dove straight into her albums,\u201d Smith said. \u201cShe calls things out. Having that unapologetic voice in her art and creativity was inspiring to me.\u201d<\/p>\n Smith grew up in Pittsburgh and got to see Taylor play Acrisure Stadium in May 2023 with 146,233 other fans. She has seen Swift live more than half a dozen times, including three shows during the most recent Eras Tour. Smith moved to Lancaster in 2021, not because it was closer to Swift\u2019s childhood home, but simply because she loved visiting Lancaster County.<\/p>\n \u201cI love music. I love the lyrics. I love writing,\u201d Smith said. \u201cI\u2019m slightly older than her, but I feel like we grew up together. We are Pennsylvania girlies, and we both have creative careers.\u201d<\/p>\n Smith\u2019s career began in the health and wellness space when she published \u201cEat Your Feelings.\u201d When not writing she is working as a literary agent; speaking about publishing, marketing, and mental health; or reading old American Girl magazines.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been wanting to write Taylor Swift books forever,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n