Month: September 2024

Help Corsair and the Sky Pirates go Hollywood

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Corsair and the Sky Pirates steampunk adventure, available from Curious Corvid Publishing.

Who would like to see Corsair and the Sky Pirates on the big (or little) screen? I know I would. That’s why I teamed up with Option Avenue to get my book out there for just such an opportunity. Option Avenue connects Producers and Authors to bring captivating stories to life on the big screen. I recently did an interview with David Levine Bramante, CEO and co-founder of Option Avenue, about Corsair and the story behind it. Check it out on my steampunk novel’s Option Avenue page or watch the video below.

A brilliant inventor . . . A prolific writer . . . A chance meeting between Nikola Tesla and Jules Verne created a world you could never imagine. A world powered by steam generated not from coal or fuel but from a meteor fragment. Tesla discovered a comet named Uriel was raining pieces of these powerful meteorites across the globe whenever it passed near the Earth. That led to an Industrial Revolution years ahead of its time—a steampunk revolution—but even progress had a price. While the rich and powerful lived in luxury in this industrial new world, the everyday people groveled beneath the boot of their corporate masters.

One man brought hope to the people as he pursued Tesla’s dream. His exploits were legendary, his crew infamous, and his airship a vision of the future. Corsair and his Sky Pirates flew across the globe, carrying out deeds that spurred the imagination. Known as modern-day Robin Hood bandits, they stole from the robber barons and returned the spoils to the oppressed. The swashbuckling Corsair was as handsome as he was cool, calm, and calculating. His crew was a diverse assortment of renegades many authorities considered lowlifes and criminals. Still, they were all dedicated to Corsair’s mission, working with Tesla to end the corporate rule strangling the planet.

Pick up your copy of Corsair and the Sky Pirates at  Amazon or the Curious Corvid Shop or get a signed copy at one of my future Events. In the meantime, help get the word out about Corsair and Option Avenue.

Check out Buy My Books to pick out your next binge read!

Mark Piggott is an award-winning independent author of several fantasy/steampunk novels and short stories. A 23-year U.S. Navy veteran, his stories will take you from the shores of eternal Avalon to a dystopian steampunk future and other fantastic worlds as he weaves through a myriad of flights of fancy in his tales.

The Forever Avalon fantasy book series—including Forever Avalon, The Dark Tides, and The Outlander War—are available online at Amazon and other booksellers. His fantasy steampunk novel, The Last Magus: A Clockwork Heart, is available through Lulu and other booksellers.

Cross over The River of Souls in a fantasy novella, take flight in the steampunk historical fiction, Corsair and the Sky Pirates, and the saga continues in The Last Magus: Dragonfire and Steel, and his first YA fantasy, Gwen Iver and Pendragon’s Puzzle from Curious Corvid Publishing. The Prometheus Engine: Book Four of the Forever Avalon Series and A Dance of Darklings and Demons are coming soon from Curious Corvid. Stay tuned for new fantastic stories from the imagination of Mark Piggott.

Oh Canada! Congratulations to Gwen Iver on being a Canadian Book Club Award finalist

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Congratulations to Gwen Iver and Pendragon’s Puzzle on being a finalist in the Canadian Book Club Awards.

I realize now that Ice Hockey, Ryan Reynolds, Celine Dion, Bret “The Hitman” Hart, Sortilege Maple Whiskey, Quebec in Winter, and Alpha Flight are not the only good things to come out of Canada. The Canadian Book Club Awards, Canada’s largest reader’s choice award has announced the list of finalists for the 2024 awards. Gwen Iver and Pendragon’s Puzzle was one of the top three finalists in Young Adult (YA) books.

This year, the awards received the highest number of submissions, with a notable mix of traditional and self-published works, further cementing the diversity and richness of the Canadian literary landscape. After evaluating the diverse lineup of book submissions, CBCA’s Avid Readers selected their list of finalists in each of the 13 literary categories. Over the next three months, Canadian Verified Readers will read each finalist’s work in their respective categories and submit their votes for this year’s winners.

“This year’s finalists reflect exactly why the Canadian Book Club Awards were created,” says Kristain Oliveira-Barnes, Program Director for the CBCA. “We’re here to celebrate diversity and great storytelling, no matter how a book is published. Readers want captivating stories, and that’s exactly what we received this year—an incredible range of voices and narratives that truly stand out.”

This is another feather (or maybe a maple leaf instead) in my cap and one for Curious Corvid Publishing too. For a small print press and an independent author to be recognized outside the United States is a big deal. I am truly honored to be one of the three finalists, but it’s not just my storytelling. Besides my wonderful publisher, I want to thank Emily’s World of Design for my beautiful book cover, the art students of my alma mater Phillipsburg High School for my interior art, and Anna Corbeaux for her diligence in editing my book. This was a wonderful collaboration in the truest sense.

Gwen Iver is a fifteen-year-old girl starting her first day of high school. Surrounded by friends and facing off against her rivals, including Morgan Moor and her infamous Dreadmoor Gang, Gwen’s idyllic life is about to be turned upside-down. She begins a journey into a magical world of infinite possibilities when she attempts to unlock PENDRAGON’S PUZZLE.

Discover the secret of Camelot Cove in Gwen Iver and Pendragon’s Puzzle, from Curious Corvid Publishing, 2024 Golden Wizard Children’s Book Prize winner and now a finalist for the Canadian Book Club Awards! Order a book or ebook at Amazon or the Curious Corvid Shop.

Check out Buy My Books to pick out your next binge read!

Mark Piggott is an award-winning independent author of several fantasy/steampunk novels and short stories. A 23-year U.S. Navy veteran, his stories will take you from the shores of eternal Avalon to a dystopian steampunk future and other fantastic worlds as he weaves through a myriad of flights of fancy in his tales.

The Forever Avalon fantasy book series—including Forever Avalon, The Dark Tides, and The Outlander War—are available online at Amazon and other booksellers. His fantasy steampunk novel, The Last Magus: A Clockwork Heart, is available through Lulu and other booksellers.

Cross over The River of Souls in a fantasy novella, take flight in the steampunk historical fiction, Corsair and the Sky Pirates, and the saga continues in The Last Magus: Dragonfire and Steel, and his first YA fantasy, Gwen Iver and Pendragon’s Puzzle from Curious Corvid Publishing. The Prometheus Engine: Book Four of the Forever Avalon Series and A Dance of Darklings and Demons are coming soon from Curious Corvid. Stay tuned for new fantastic stories from the imagination of Mark Piggott.

Destiny is in the cards for The Last Magus of Attlain

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Thanks to @GfxChristine00 on “X” for the playing card art for The Last Magus: Dragonfire & Steel.

Poker is a game of chance, strategy, and sheer luck. Rick Warren said, “Life is like a game of poker; you have to play the hand you’re dealt. A wise player can play a weak hand and win the game.” That was the inspiration behind this new art for The Last Magus: Dragonfire & Steel. Thanks to Christine Forster (GfxChristine00 on “X”) for the incredible artwork depicting the heroes and villains of my award-winning steampunk and fantasy novel.

The Ace of Spades – Wilguens Jean-Pierre is both a necromancer and a Hogun, using dark magic in combination with his religious practices in mysterious ways. He is the defending champion of the Helios Arcanum Magical Arts Tournament and has his sights set on repeating as the top magic caster in Attlain. However, Marcus Gideon, the Last Magus of Attlain, is entered in the tournament and steadily moves up through the competition. His staff contains the stolen souls of his victims. Wilguens has a bad habit of gambling his winnings away before he even earned the coin.

The King of Hearts – Marcus Gideon is the Last Magus of Attlain, able to cast spells like any sorcerer and summon magical weapons from a cache known as the Armory of Attlain, wielding them like a seasoned warrior. The Magus were once the guardians of magic, now considered outcasts and traitors across the land. Gideon hopes to redeem the name of the Magus by winning the Helios Arcanum Magical Arts Tournament, but Gideon’s goal is two-fold. He also wants to win to prove his worth to the king in order to win the hand of his one true love, Princess Wren.

The Queen of Hearts – Princess Winifred “Wren” Levian, the First Princess of Attlain, also known as the “Inferno Princess” because of her incredible fire magic. She met and fell in love with Marcus Gideon while attending the Basilon Magical Academy. Now that she has returned home to Celestrium by the Sea, the capital of Attlain, Wren waits for Gideon. Her life at the palace is dull and boring. She wants more than the standard royal affairs. Wren wants to be with Gideon and will do anything to be with him, even if it means defying her parents.

The Jack of Clubs – Prince Rolf Csadar of Ishtar is an enigma to Attlain. He comes from an ancient enemy of Attlain, proclaiming the opportunity to build better relations between the two countries. Secretly, Csadar is the Ulbrecht Domo, the Shadow Lord of Ishtar. His secret police, the Blackguard, keep the people of Ishtar in line. They also infiltrate and gather intelligence on Attlain. His identity is unknown to the masses, lurking in the shadows to plot his schemes. Marcus Gideon has gotten in the way of his plans and needs to be eliminated in order for the Shadow Lord to succeed.

The Ten of Diamonds – Hoshi is a Mourne Wolf and the familiar of Marcus Gideon. Mourne Wolves are known as the “Travelers of the Stars,” always running as they follow the sun and stars around the world. They can change their size in order to break through any obstacle that lie in their path. Gideon saved the Mourne Wolf’s life on the precipice beneath the Castle of the Storm Giants, abandoned by his pack after a landslide. Hoshi owes his life to Gideon and now acts as his familiar, fighting side-by-side with the Magus.

The saga of Marcus Gideon, The Last Magus, continues on his journey, destined to restore the dignity of the Magus. After graduating from the Basilon Magical Academy, Gideon sets off for his master’s homeland. Plodoro is an isolated city in the far north of the Skjem-Tur mountains. Surrounded by giants and blanketed in an endless winter, Gideon travels to the far-flung region to fulfill a final request of his master and return a sacred weapon to his people. He must finish this task to return to his true love, Wren.

The First Princess of Attlain fell in love with Gideon during their time at Basilon. Now, to win her parents’ approval, Gideon must win the Helios Arcanum Magical Arts Festival. This celebration showcases the best magic casters in Attlain, and Gideon is the first Magus to compete in over a hundred years. As he fights for his life and reputation, a dark shadow looms over him as the Ulbrecht Domo―the Shadow Lord of Ishtar―has other plans for The Last Magus.

The Last Magus: Dragonfire & Steel, the stunning sequel to the award-winning The Last Magus: A Clockwork Heart is now available from Curious Corvid Publishing on Amazon and the Curious Corvid Shop.

Check out Buy My Books to pick out your next binge read!

Mark Piggott is an award-winning independent author of several fantasy/steampunk novels and short stories. A 23-year U.S. Navy veteran, his stories will take you from the shores of eternal Avalon to a dystopian steampunk future and other fantastic worlds as he weaves through a myriad of flights of fancy in his tales.

The Forever Avalon fantasy book series—including Forever Avalon, The Dark Tides, and The Outlander War—are available online at Amazon and other booksellers. His fantasy steampunk novel, The Last Magus: A Clockwork Heart, is available through Lulu and other booksellers.

Cross over The River of Souls in a fantasy novella, take flight in the steampunk historical fiction, Corsair and the Sky Pirates, and the saga continues in The Last Magus: Dragonfire and Steel, and his first YA fantasy, Gwen Iver and Pendragon’s Puzzle from Curious Corvid Publishing. The Prometheus Engine: Book Four of the Forever Avalon Series and A Dance of Darklings and Demons are coming soon from Curious Corvid. Stay tuned for new fantastic stories from the imagination of Mark Piggott.

Here’s my bi-annual call for authors not to get political in their social media

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So, I’ll make this short and sweet. It is Election Season, although I honestly hate that term. I remember when elections were just a DAY but now we have an entire season. If you watch the news, you’d think all we have in our every day lives is politics, but I digress. I want to offer a bit of advice out to the other independent authors out there. DO NOT VOICE YOUR POLITICAL OPINIONS ON YOUR AUTHOR SOCIAL MEDIA.

I realize that, for some of you, your political leanings is a part of your identity as an author, and that is all well ‘and good for you personally. However, I believe that readers come from the left and the right, especially fans of science fiction and fantasy novels. In this polarizing political environment we ae in today, saying something politically tinged, liking or commenting on a post using your author social media can lead to negative comments and criticism that have nothing to do with your books. It’s sad that we must silence ourselves, but we don’t make the money of a Stephen King or J.K. Rowling where we can afford to voice our opinion on such matters.

I try to avoid any conflict on social media. I only use it to promote my books, any events I’m attending, and “bookish” things to share with other authors, including book reviews, ARC readers, etc. My advice to you is to let the politicians fight it out and stick to storytelling. It’s in your best interest.

Check out Buy My Books to pick out your next binge read!

Mark Piggott is an award-winning independent author of several fantasy/steampunk novels and short stories. A 23-year U.S. Navy veteran, his stories will take you from the shores of eternal Avalon to a dystopian steampunk future and other fantastic worlds as he weaves through a myriad of flights of fancy in his tales.

The Forever Avalon fantasy book series—including Forever Avalon, The Dark Tides, and The Outlander War—are available online at Amazon and other booksellers. His fantasy steampunk novel, The Last Magus: A Clockwork Heart, is available through Lulu and other booksellers.

Cross over The River of Souls in a fantasy novella, take flight in the steampunk historical fiction, Corsair and the Sky Pirates, and the saga continues in The Last Magus: Dragonfire and Steel from Curious Corvid Publishing. His first YA fantasy, Gwen Iver and Pendragon’s Puzzle, and The Prometheus Engine: Book Four of the Forever Avalon Series are coming soon from Curious Corvid. Stay tuned for new fantastic stories from the imagination of Mark Piggott.