Award-Winning Thomas LeBrun Earns International NYC Big Book Award® Recognition, Featured in PWR's Times Square Display

LeBrun's "Aurora Rift: A Man Out of Time" is awarded Distinguished Favorite Status in the 2026 NYC Big Book Award, and is Set to be Featured in Times Square

GREATER HANOVER AREA, NH, UNITED STATES, October 5, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Best-selling author, martial artist, and celebrity close-protection specialist Thomas LeBrun has once again officially earned international recognition at the prestigious NYC Big Book Award^®. To celebrate this milestone, LeBrun’s work will be featured on a billboard spotlight in iconic Times Square, New York City on October 10th.

As part of the literary magazine Printed Word Reviews' curation, LeBrun's "Aurora Rift: A Man Out of Time" will be prominently featured on a massive billboard in the heart of New York City’s Times Square, along with the announcement of his 2026 NYC Big Book Award Distinguished Favorite status. This elevated recognition is part of PWR's NYC billboard program, which was created by publisher Ted Olczak of the Printed Word Reviews (PWR) magazine, providing unparalleled visibility for a select group of key titles.

"Having my work recognized by the NYC Big Book Award^® is an absolute honor," said LeBrun. "To see that recognition taken to the heart of New York City in Times Square through Printed Word Reviews is deeply humbling. I draw directly from my decades of real-world experience in close protection and martial arts to give readers authentic, heart-pounding stories, and I’m grateful to see those efforts resonating on an international stage."

The distinct and prestigious NYC Big Book Award recognized Aurora Rift: A Man Out of Time by Thomas LeBrun this past month in the Action/Adventure category as a Distinguished Favorite.

The NYC Big Book Award^® recognizes excellence in independent and mainstream publishing worldwide, drawing entries from authors, publishers, and illustrators across the globe. Once again, LeBrun—widely acclaimed for his gripping memoir "Hiding in Plain Sight: My Life and Adventures Protecting Celebrities" and his high-octane Cameron Stone action-thriller series—adds another distinguished favorite honor to an expanding list of international literary accolades.

"Aurora Rift: A Man Out of Time" is an epic blend of historical adventure, science, survival, and emotional human drama. Spanning thousands of years of civilization from Stone Age Norway to the Persian Empire of Xerxes, from Viking seas to the vast Mongol world the novel asks a haunting question:
If time itself opened before you… Would you ever truly find your way home again?

LeBrun’s work is not imagined from a distance it is forged from experience. For over 40 years, LeBrun has worked professionally as a Close Protection Specialist (bodyguard). His high-profile clientele has included executives, high-net-worth individuals, and premier celebrities in the entertainment world.

LeBrun has spent more than five decades training in martial arts, holding advanced ranks in Judo, Tae Kwon Do, Okinawan Kenpo, and Yoshitsune Jujutsu, alongside studying Muay Thai and Arnis. He weaves this authentic knowledge of hand-to-hand combat, weapon handling, and survival direct into his writing.

In 2026, the NYC Big Book Award received book submissions worldwide. Attorneys, Doctors, Entrepreneurs, Film & Television writers, Historians, and Journalists, from well established authors to first time indie authors as well as small and large presses participated.

Entries this year were received from the United States as well as countries such as Australia, Canada, China, Dubai, England, Estonia, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, New Zealand, Scotland, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. Cities represented among the entries were Auckland, Baltimore, Dallas, Frankfurt, Hollywood, Johannesburg, Manhattan Beach, New Orleans, NYC, Philadelphia, Sydney, and West Palm Beach.

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.

We have an amazing list of authors from around the globe participating this year, said awards sponsor Gabby Olczak. I’m so excited to share these books with a worldwide readership!

NYC Big Book Award, https://www.nycbigbookaward.com/, is announced every fall. NYC Big Book Award is open to all authors, publishers, and illustrators, and includes submissions from the big five publishers. Join us for the Awards Dinner on April 10th, https://www.nycbigbookaward.com/awardsdinner, held at the BookCAMP event, April 9-10, 2027, https://www.ipabookcamp.com, where recipients walk on stage to receive their awards.

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About Thomas LeBrun
Thomas LeBrun is an author, martial arts instructor, and close protection professional whose writing draws on decades of experience protecting people worldwide. His memoir, Hiding in Plain Sight: My Life and Adventures Protecting Celebrities, earned multiple awards and offers an inside look at a career built on preparation, discretion, and trust. He also created the Cameron Stone action thriller series, which includes the #1 international bestseller Sticks and Stones, along with Stone Cold and No Stone Left Behind.

LeBrun’s interest in martial arts began in the early 1970s, inspired by Bruce Lee and Joe Frazier's boxing skills. He began formal training in 1974, studying Judo, Tae Kwon Do, and Okinawan Kenpo, including instruction under Porter Sensei and Sensei Brett Mayfield. He later studied Yoshitsune Ju-Jitsu under Sensei Michael DePasquale Sr. and Jr., expanding his training to include Aikido, Arnis, pressure point applications, and continued boxing studies. Over the years, he earned rank in several disciplines.

That foundation led him to a vocation in close protection, where his training evolved into a focused study of defensive tactics, nontraditional weapons, and personal security. His career has included protecting prominent figures such as Bill Gates, Elton John, and Whitney Houston, with assignments spanning 45 countries. These experiences continue to inform the authenticity, tension, and human relationships in his fiction.

In 2009, he established LeBrun’s American Combatives, a living system of martial concepts connecting traditional training with practical application. Grandmaster Ron Van Clief and Shidoshi Glen Perry authenticated the system in 2017. In 2022, LeBrun was awarded his 10th Dan in Hogoshin-Do, “The Way of the Protector,” within the Chinese Goju system under Grandmaster Van Clief. His honors also include induction into the Ultimate Warrior Class of 2022 and recognition as F.I.M.A.’s Security Expert of the Year for 2021.

LeBrun serves as an expert witness in legal cases involving use of force. His professional qualifications include a degree in advanced studies in the close protection industry, Level 3 certification in maritime security for anti-piracy operatives, and certification as a Master Anti-Terrorism Specialist through A.T.A.B. He continues to research his tradecraft and refine the knowledge that supports both his professional work and his storytelling.

Mr. LeBrun is now working on the sixth installment in the Cameron Stone series, continuing to explore the personal costs of danger, loyalty, and betrayal. Away from the action, his award-winning poetry collection, Poems from the Heart, has introduced his writing to a whole new audience through its reflections on love and human connection. His science fiction thriller, Aurora Rift: A Man Out of Time, is also reaching new readers, expanding his storytelling into the mysteries of time, adventure, and the enduring bonds of family.

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About Printed Word Reviews
Printed Word Reviews, https://printedwordreviews.com/, is a trusted international print and digital publication dedicated to insightful, comprehensive, and honest literary criticism. Cultivating a community of avid readers, authors, and industry professionals, the outlet covers a diverse array of genres, ranging from contemporary fiction and memoirs to historical non-fiction and poetry. With a steadfast commitment to elevating exceptional storytelling, Printed Word Reviews highlights both best-selling masterpieces and hidden indie gems, serving as a vital bridge between brilliant authors and passionate readers. Printed Word Reviews is published monthly and registered with the U.S. ISSN Center at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. with the ISSN 3067-011X.

Gabby Olczak
Independent Press Award / NYC Big Book Award
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Printed Word Reviews' Exclusive NYC's Times Square Billboard Event