Before I get into my post, I wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year! I am about to embark on a Christmas vacation, my first in years, as my wife and I are off to Quebec, Canada, for a long overdue holiday. I will be absent from my social media and other online postings during my vacation, save for the occasional holiday selfie with Santa Claus. Now, on to other things . . .

I had an idea that came to a beautiful fruition. In high school, I was an art student. I wanted to be a graphic artist, maybe the next Jack Kirby, but I could never get it perfect. I pursue other avenues, hence being a writer instead of an artist. However, I wanted to give back to my alma mater and the future artists currently studying there. That’s when it struck me like a lightning bolt.

I have a new book coming out in 2024, my first Young Adult (YA) fantasy, Gwen Iver and Pendragon’s Puzzle. I wrote this book because I have great nieces and nephews who are becoming avid readers, and I want to write something they can read without question of parental content (hence, no spicy content). So, after writing the book, I thought what better way to kick off my first YA series is by having more young adults create the art for the book.

During my visit to my alma mater, Phillipsburg High School in Phillipsburg, NJ, for their annual comic-con, I saw some exceptional talent on display. After speaking with the teachers, we devised a plan to have the students draw the interior chapter art for my new book. I recently visited the school, got to speak to the book club and English classes, and saw firsthand the fruits of their labors.

You can see a selection of some of the finished art above. These young men and women are incredibly talented, and I am proud to support them by publishing them. They will spend the next few months finishing up the rest of the art in preparation for an early summer release for Gwen Iver and Pendragon’s Puzzle. Once I get parental permission, I will update this post with more images, photos, and all the students’ names.

Gwen Iver and Pendragon’s Puzzle takes you to the town of Camelot Cove, a quiet village on the shores of Lake Superior in Upper Michigan. Most people know Camelot Cove as a fishing town, but this sleepy little community has a secret. Camelot Cove is the home of the Fae—magical beings from myth and legend. They were brought together in this out-of-the-way place by Merlin and the Lady of the Lake under the protection of the Pendragon. The power of the Pendragon has passed from generation to generation as the guardian of the Fae for centuries. That power now waits to be passed to the next descendant of King Arthur. She is Gwen Iver, a fifteen-year-old girl starting her first day of high school. Surrounded by friends and facing off against her rivals, Gwen was about to begin a journey into a magical world of infinite possibilities.

I wanted to give back to my hometown, my high school, and the students whose imagination and talent will carry on into the future. You should return the blessings to the community that raised you and molded you into who you are today. This is my way of passing the torch to the next generation of artists and dreamers.

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 and the steampunk historical fiction, Corsair and the Sky Pirates from Curious Corvid Publishing. The Last Magus: Dragonfire and Steel and The Prometheus Engine: Book Four of the Forever Avalon Series, are coming soon from Curious Corvid, along with his first YA fantasy, Gwen Iver and Pendragon’s Puzzle. Stay tuned for new fantastic stories from the imagination of Mark Piggott.