I first wanted to send a big THANK YOU shoutout to the Watch City Steampunk Festival! It was my first time both at a steampunk festival and with my books in Massachusetts. Steampunk fans are, without a doubt, brilliant, imaginative, and a lot of fun. The creative spark generated by everyone at this event kept back the rain and cold all day long. I met a wonderful, eclectic group of fellow authors and readers at this festival. It was so exciting to mix it up with people again. This festival had been postponed for two years, and it felt so good to be out surrounded by people with similar interests as your own. I made a few connections for future events that I will definitely be posting more about in the days to come. I can say, without a doubt, I will be back next year!

For now, I have another event coming up next weekend in Washington, D.C. The Imaginarium Fantasy Book Festival will be held at the National Press Club in our nation’s capital on Saturday, May 21, from 11am to 4pm. This event is FREE, and tickets are available at www.imaginariumbookfestival.com.

Founded in 2018, the Imaginarium Book Festival was the idea of two authors who sought to spotlight books and writers in the science fiction, fantasy, speculative fiction, and paranormal genres — all realms and genres of escapism. The Imaginarium Book Festival welcomes readers of all kinds to join in celebrating fantastical storytelling. Again, it has been a long two years, but we can finally have a LIVE event in such a prestigious place as the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. I am blown away by the fact that a self-published, independent author like me can be in such esteem company and talk about my fantasy books with fans of my genre. It will be a great day, right in my own backyard. I encourage any avid bookworm (or book dragon in this case) to come out for the festival.

I’ll also add here that I’ve added another book signing event for the summer. I will be returning to the historic Moravian Book Shop in Bethlehem, PA, on Sunday, July 17, from 1pm to 3pm. I love the opportunity to visit the Lehigh Valley, the area I consider part of my hometown growing up. The Moravian Book Shop is the oldest bookstore in America, the oldest continuously operating bookstore in the world and home to the Moravian University student bookstore. For nearly three centuries, booklovers near and far have looked to the Moravian Book Shop for its curated selection of books and iconic Moravian- and Bethlehem-themed gifts.

For any self-published, independent author, events like these help with recognition and reaching out to people who appreciate finding new reads. So please, whenever you find yourself at a convention, festival, or any event where authors have a table set up, support them. Think of us as small businesses looking to grow. Every book sale and review (especially the reviews) helps!

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Mark Piggott is an independent author of the Forever Avalon fantasy book series and other fantasy/steampunk 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 steampunk historical fiction, Corsair and the Sky Pirates, coming soon from Revolutionary Press; and The River of Souls fantasy novella, coming soon from Curious Corvid Publishing. The Prometheus Engine: Book 4 of the Forever Avalon Series and The Last Magus: Dragonfire and Steel are future installments of my current fantasy book series, coming soon.