Month: July 2021

Experience the journey to Forever Avalon through my first audiobook as a fantasy author

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This has been an amazing new adventure for me and I am so excited to share it with you. Thanks to ACX.com and the brilliant narration of voice artist Traci Odom, Forever Avalon can be experienced in a whole new light. You can listen to the adventures of Lord Bryan MoonDrake, Gil-Gamesh and Knight Eternal of Avalon, and his family on the enchanted, magical island. And to those first few who comment on my blog, I send you a promo code to download a FREE copy of this audiobook.

I never knew what to expect from my experience in turning my first fantasy novel into an audiobook. I searched around through various companies, and ACX was rather easy to work with and navigate through the process. All I did was fill out the form, submit a few pages for a sample script, and soon I had over 30 narrators vying to read and produce my audiobook. I got to pick and chose my narrator, set deadline, etc. It was easier than I thought and, as I listened to my story being read to me for first time, totally worth it!

Traci Odom is a wonderfully talented voice artist. She has more than 220 audiobooks under her belt and it shows in the quality of her work. She carried on conversations in different voices, accents, and characters flawlessly. I was amazed at hearing the variety she was able to conjure up in her performance. I would suspect it was a little magic from the story itself leaking into her production. In any care, I was so happy to be able to work with her. Being a first time audiophile, she walked me through the process and communicated every step of the way, answering all my questions, no matter how insignificant. I would highly recommend her for anyone looking to take their novel from print to audio.

So, to claim your FREE copy of the Forever Avalon audiobook, just leave a comment in this blog post. I will reply back with a URL and code for you to download a copy of the audiobook. Sorry to say, but this is only available in the U.S. and the U.K. So please, take advantage of this limited offer and get yours today!

For more than 3,000 years, the island of Avalon remained hidden from the outside world; a place of eternal magic, where the descendants of King Arthur ruled over a land filled with magical creatures, Elves, Dwarves and dragons. The island was only accessible through a rift in the Bermuda Triangle, where mariners and aviators disappeared throughout history. No one believed Avalon was anything but a myth.

Stephanie Drake and her three children were glad to be alive after a sudden storm slammed their boat onto an uncharted island, but it’s not where they think. They found themselves in another world, frozen in time. However, Stephanie and her children found themselves being hunted by bounty hunters, thieves and brigands…caught in a power struggle between Lord Kraven Darkholm, a wizard descended from the sorceress Morgana le Fay, and Lord Bryan MoonDrake, the Gil-Gamesh and Knight Eternal of Avalon.

Now, it’s a race against time as the Gil-Gamesh must protect these Outlanders—as they are called—and get them home to the outside world. All the while, Kraven Darkholm continued his schemes against the people of Avalon, vying to achieve his ultimate goal of becoming ruler of this enchanted island. Take your first step into the world after King Arthur, Merlin, and the Arthurian legends. Step into Forever Avalon!

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Mark Piggott is an independent author of the Forever Avalon fantasy book series and other fantasy novels and short stories. Forever Avalon is available for purchase as a paperback/ebook at Amazon and as an audiobook from Audible and iTunes. The Dark Tides: Book 2 of the Forever Avalon Series is available for purchase as a paperback/ebook from iUniverse Publishing and at Amazon, and other booksellers. The Outlander War, Book Three of the Forever Avalon series is available for purchase as a paperback/ebook from Austin Macauley Publishing, and at Amazon and other booksellers. His latest fantasy novel, The Last Magus: A Clockwork Heart is available through Lulu and other booksellers. Get ready for The Prometheus Engine: Book 4 of the Forever Avalon Series, coming soon, and the steampunk historical fiction, Corsair and the Sky Pirates.

A dog fills a big hole in your family, and leaves a bigger one when they die

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Sully (2008-2021)

“The dog is the most faithful of animals and would be much esteemed were it not so common. Our Lord God has made His greatest gifts the commonest.”

Martin Luther

I want to start by saying this has been one of the worst weekends I’ve ever experienced. My dog Sully, a West Highland Terrier, died on Friday. He was 13 years old. He died here, in my home, quite suddenly. We found out the day before from the vet that he had an undiagnosed heart murmur. We were supposed to take him back the next week for an echocardiogram, but his little heart couldn’t wait. He died so fast we never had time to react. My wife and I just had to watch him die. I could stop crying, begging for him to stay with us, but he was gone.

Sully was born on December 8, 2008, with a Westie breeder in Missouri. I found her online and, when I saw this adorable face, I fell in love. I bought Sully for $450 and he was meant to be a surprise gift for my wife, but like most wives, she found out I spent the money before I could pick him up. So, we drove to the airport with our kids and we picked him up. He was sent to us on a plane. When we went to claim him, we found this adorable little puppy trembling in his crate. My wife pulled him out and just held him the whole way home. We all loved him.

“The world would be a nicer place if everyone had the ability to love as unconditionally as a dog.”

M.K. Clinton

Sully was, in my opinion, the best dog. He was obedient, took to training well, was not destructive, and did nothing but love us as much as we loved him. He gave kisses all the time, always waited by the door for you to come home, and kept the squirrels in check year round. He always knew which shopping bags his treats were in and loved to play soccer with his wibble-wobble ball.

He loved long walks, belly rubs, and playing in the snow. When we lived in Newport News, VA, Sully loved to run out in the yard. During our time here in Alexandria, VA, we lived in an apartment high-rise, but that didn’t phase Sully. He loved going in our walks outside, meeting dogs from the other buildings, and playing in the dog park. He was a playful, loving dog who never barked or bit at anyone. He only gave love to everyone he met.

My apartment seems so empty now. I look around and he’s not there. His bed is gone, his toys packed away. We kept his collar and his two favorite toys as keepsakes. We gave some of his other toys to my children as remembrances of Sully for them. The hardest part is our daily schedule. It usually revolved around Sully… feeding, walking, and bedtime. That is a hard adjustment to make.

I woke up the other morning from a dream where Sully was walking between my wife and me. As I woke up, I thought I heard the jingle of his collar. That’s when it hit me. He will always be with us, our little guardian angel.

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Mark Piggott is an independent author of the Forever Avalon fantasy book series and other fantasy novels and short stories. Forever Avalon is available for purchase as a paperback/ebook at Amazon. The Dark Tides: Book 2 of the Forever Avalon Series is available for purchase as a paperback/ebook from iUniverse Publishing and at Amazon, and other booksellers. The Outlander War, Book Three of the Forever Avalon series is available for purchase as a paperback/ebook from Austin Macauley Publishing, and at Amazon and other booksellers. His latest fantasy novel, The Last Magus: A Clockwork Heart is available through Lulu and other booksellers. Get ready for The Prometheus Engine: Book 4 of the Forever Avalon Series, coming soon, and the steampunk historical fiction, Corsair and the Sky Pirates.

Vote for THE LAST MAGUS in allauthor.com July Cover of the Month contest and help an Indie Author

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Cover art by Anna-Lena Spies, Eerilyfair Design

They say not to judge a book by its cover but I need you to do just that. If you liked the cover of my book, The Last Magus: A Clockwork Heart, please vote for it for the Cover of the Month contest on AllAuthor.com!

I’m getting closer to clinch the “Cover of the Month” contest on AllAuthor! I’d need as much support from you guys. Please take a short moment to vote for my book cover, beautifully designed by Anna-Lena Spies!

CLICK HERE TO VOTE!

And after you vote, pick up a copy of The Last Magus: A Clockwork Heart at Lulu.com and through other online booksellers. Thanks for your continued support of this independent author.

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Mark Piggott is an independent author of the Forever Avalon fantasy book series and other fantasy novels and short stories. Forever Avalon is available for purchase as a paperback/ebook at Amazon. The Dark Tides: Book 2 of the Forever Avalon Series is available for purchase as a paperback/ebook from iUniverse Publishing and at Amazon, and other booksellers. The Outlander War, Book Three of the Forever Avalon series is available for purchase as a paperback/ebook from Austin Macauley Publishing, and at Amazon and other booksellers. His latest fantasy novel, The Last Magus: A Clockwork Heart is available through Lulu and other booksellers. Get ready for The Prometheus Engine: Book 4 of the Forever Avalon Series, coming soon, and the steampunk historical fiction, Corsair and the Sky Pirates.