Thomas LeBrun book earns NYC Big Book Award recognition, Times Square spotlight

Thomas LeBrun’s Aurora Rift: A Man Out of Time was named a 2026 NYC Big Book Award Distinguished Favorite in Action/Adventure and will be featured on a Times Square billboard on Oct. 10. The recognition expands visibility for the author, whose work draws on decades in close protection and martial arts.

Why it matters: - Aurora Rift: A Man Out of Time is getting national visibility through the NYC Big Book Award and a Times Square billboard placement. - The recognition adds to Thomas LeBrun’s profile as an author whose fiction is rooted in real-world security and combat experience. - The award spotlights independent and mainstream publishing in a high-traffic public venue.

What happened: - Thomas LeBrun’s Aurora Rift: A Man Out of Time was named a 2026 NYC Big Book Award Distinguished Favorite in the Action/Adventure category. - Printed Word Reviews will feature the book on a billboard in Times Square on Oct. 10. - The billboard is part of PWR’s NYC billboard program created by publisher Ted Olczak. - LeBrun said the recognition is an honor and that the Times Square placement is deeply humbling.

The details: - The NYC Big Book Award honors excellence in independent and mainstream publishing worldwide. - The 2026 competition drew entries from authors, publishers and illustrators around the globe. - Entries came from the United States, Australia, Canada, China, Dubai, England, Estonia, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, New Zealand, Scotland, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. - Cities represented included Auckland, Baltimore, Dallas, Frankfurt, Hollywood, Johannesburg, Manhattan Beach, New Orleans, New York City, Philadelphia, Sydney and West Palm Beach. - Participating publishers included Beacon Press, Berrett-Koehler, Casemate, Edinburgh University Press, Forbes Books, Kiplinger Books, NYU Press, Palgrave Macmillan, Penguin Random House, Rizzoli, Routledge, The White House Historical Association, University of California Press, University of Nebraska Press, Weaving Influence Press and Wiley. - LeBrun said he draws on decades of close protection and martial arts experience to write authentic action stories. - Aurora Rift spans settings from Stone Age Norway to the Persian Empire of Xerxes, Viking seas and the Mongol world. - The novel blends historical adventure, science, survival and human drama. - LeBrun has worked for more than 40 years as a close protection specialist. - His clientele has included executives, high-net-worth individuals and celebrities. - LeBrun has trained in martial arts for more than five decades and holds advanced ranks in Judo, Tae Kwon Do, Okinawan Kenpo and Yoshitsune Jujutsu. - His training also includes Muay Thai and Arnis.

Between the lines: - The award and billboard push extend a niche literary honor into a broader marketing moment. - LeBrun’s biography is central to his brand, and the release uses that background to frame the book as grounded in lived experience. - The Times Square placement suggests Printed Word Reviews is using public-facing promotion to amplify select titles beyond standard award notice.

What's next: - LeBrun is scheduled to be featured in Times Square on Oct. 10. - The NYC Big Book Award dinner is set for April 10, 2027, during BookCAMP on April 9-10, 2027. - LeBrun is also working on the sixth installment in the Cameron Stone series. - His science fiction thriller Aurora Rift is reaching new readers as the recognition circulates.

The bottom line: - Aurora Rift: A Man Out of Time has turned an award win into a broader visibility campaign, with Times Square serving as the next stage for LeBrun’s growing profile.