Governor Scott Announces 2013 Class of Great Floridians, April 2013 

A Literary Classic - an article in Florida Today, October 2012

Florida Today article by guest columnist, Dale Brill - Passionate About Florida (September 2012)

Here's a recent story from the Tampa Bay Times on Patrick Smith

Patrick D. Smith is the winner of the 2012 Florida Lifetime Achievement Award for Writing.

A panel of five judges (including Timesbook editor Colette Bancroft) selected Smith for this year's award. One judge, Joe Wisdom, professor of English at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, said copies of A Land Remembered "should be handed out with the orange juice at welcome stations to anyone who crosses the state line."

The award was presented March 21, 2012 at a luncheon at the Governor's Mansion in Tallahassee. Smith said he will be unable to attend because of the effects of injuries he suffered in a fall in 2009, but representatives of Pineapple Press will accept the award.

The Florida Lifetime Achievement Award for Writing was instituted in 2010; previous winners are University of Florida historian Michael Gannon and novelist and journalist Carl Hiaasen.

For more information, click here.

A Land Remembered Voted BEST Florida Book - for the 10th year!
The September 2011 issue of Florida Monthly announced the winners of their readers poll and A Land Remembered won BEST Florida book...again. Dad beat out his favorite author, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and Florida's favorite, Carl Hiaasen. Let's try for an 11 next year!

Patrick Smith: The Man Who Helped Define Florida Reflects
A few months ago reporter Albero Rivera contacted me and I arranged for him to visit my dad and interview him for a piece in the Brevard County Beachside Resident magazine. The piece was published in March 2011. The article is a well written homage to Patrick Smith. Within the article, Dad answered several questions about himself and about A Land Remembered.

A Land Remembered Voted BEST Florida Book 9th year in a row!
The September 2010 issue of Florida Monthly, just announced the winners of their readers poll and A Land Remembered won BEST Florida book...again. Dad beat out his favorite author, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and Florida's favorite, Carl Hiaasen. Can we make it an even 10 next year?

Wolf dogs, leopard dogs, marshtackies, Carolina parakeets, and more!
Hear what they have to do with Patrick Smith by listening to Rick's Smith's audio mp3 from the February 20, 2010 "Animal Tales" show on Tampa's WTAN1340. This is one hour long. Click here.

Articles About Patrick Smith and A Land Remembered
Click here to read recent articles posted about Patrick Smith and A Land Remembered.

Patrick Smith Receives Literary Heritage Award
Patrick Smith was presented with a Literary Heritage Award at the first Florida Heritage Book Festival, held in St. Augustine on August 16, 2008. They were honoring three Florida writers including Stetson Kennedy, Jack Hunter and Patrick Smith. Secretary of State Kurt Browning was on hand to present the awards.
Patrick couldn't make it so I had the honor of accepting the award on his behalf. On the left is a photo of me accepting the award from Secretary of State Browning. On the right is a photo of Dad holding the award

Patrick Smith Causeway Dedicated in August, 2006



On August 1st, 2006, the causeway between Merritt Island, going toward Cocoa Beach as far as the Canaveral Hospital, was dedicated the Patrick D. Smith Causeway. Here are some photos, courtesy of Warren Resen and Susan Smith. Causeway Photos.   Causeway Photos.

Ole Miss Alumni Magazine Features Patrick Smith



The Fall, 2007 issue of the Ole Miss Alumni Review featured Patrick Smith on the cover, along with a very nice article. We don't have reprint rights, but perhaps you can request a copy? Smith is an alum of the University of Mississippi, and was inducted into the university's Alumni Hall of Fame. In 1990 he received the University of Mississippi's Distinguished Alumni Award.

Patrick Smith Day
Every November, Florida Eco-Safaris At Forever Florida holds an annual "Patrick Smith Day" celebration. They have done this for the past 9 years in honor of Smith and the Florida his book, A Land Remembered, has preserved in print. Florida Eco-Safaris is located at Forever Florida and the Crescent J Ranch, 4,700 acres of pristine Florida wilderness and a working cattle ranch. It's 100% real (not plastic) and there's a lot to see and do for all ages.

Due to health problems Patrick could not attend the 2009 event, held on November 21.

The 2008 event was held on November 22, 2008. We had lots of books and DVDs available and Patrick Smith was there to autograph them.

At the 2006 celebration, Senator Bill Posey presented Patrick Smith with a proclamation from then-governor Jeb Bush, officially proclaiming it Patrick Smith Day.