Category: fantasy

What a beautiful cover for my first YA fantasy

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Gwen Iver & Pendragon’s Puzzle, coming soon from Curious Corvid Publishing.

All I can say is WOW! This cover took my breath away. It is exactly as I imagined it. Special bug THANK YOU to Emily’s World of Design for creating an awesome book cover for my first YA fantasy, Gwen Iver & Pendragon’s Puzzle.

It captures the essence of the story, from the teenage heroine to the small Michigan town on the shores of Lake Superior to the magic of the Pendragon itself. It is enthralling to look at it and not wonder about the story within the pages.

Camelot Cove is a quiet village on the shores of Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Most people know it 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. From mermaids, dryads, and centaurs to ogres, elves, and dwarves, the community is a mixture of humans and Fae. They were brought together in this out-of-the-way place by the wizard Merlin and the mysterious Lady of the Lake under the protection of the Pendragon. The power of the Pendragon has passed from generation to generation through the descendants of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere. That power now waits to be passed to the next descendant to continue the legacy as the protector of the Fae.

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.

Check back here for more updates on the release of Gwen Iver & Pendragon’s Puzzle. And to my fellow authors, check out Emily’s World of Design if you’re looking for your next book cover design!

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.

Step into fantasy as we unlock Pendragon’s Puzzle

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I am a fantasy writer at heart. It will always be my first love when it comes to storytelling, as is the legend of King Arthur. The Arthurian legend is always the first fantasy story of magic in our world. My first novel, Forever Avalon, is based on that legend, as is my latest foray into fantasy, but this one is a YA fantasy.

Gwen Iver and Pendragon’s Puzzle takes you to the town of Camelot Cove, a quiet village on the shores of Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula of 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. From mermaids and centaurs to elves and dwarves, the community is a mixture of humans and Fae. 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 and Queen Guinevere. Gwen Iver is 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 when she unlocks Pendragon’s Puzzle.

AI generated images (clockwise) of Gwen Iver, Uncle Merle, Morgan Moor, and Triss Paul.

This is a story I wrote for my great nephews and nieces, the future readers of the next generation. I usually write more “adult” fare, not graphic but enough to keep my books out of the hands of young readers. I wanted to write something that would speak to their generation. So, I created a fictional town on the UP (as its called) of Michigan where the Fae reside in secret. It was fun to combine the Arthurian legend with the magical creatures of myth and legend and bring them into a modern setting. Yes, it does have a bit of a “storybook land” theme to it, but that’s what I love about it. It’s simple yet complex in its environment. I mean a witch running the candy shop, dwarves owning a tavern, and a dryad with a flower shop. It doesn’t get any better than that. Plus, it was a challenge to use names of the Knights of the Round Table for Gwen’s friends (G Wayne for Gawain, Maude Reddy for Mordred), but I wanted to try and give it that Arthurian kick. The first name that came to me was the main character, Gwen Iver for Guinevere. It just made perfect sense to me.

Right now, I am going through the edits provided by my editor, Anna Corbeaux, and collecting the chapter art from the art students at my alma mater, Phillipsburg High School (as previously mentioned on my page). This will be an amazing collaboration between an old writer and young artists in this book. The cover reveal will be soon, but for now, I’ll keep you guessing with weekly teases on my social media posts.

As always, I hope you will take the opportunity to dive into my fantastic imagination and read my carefully woven stories of fantasy and steampunk adventures. Head over to Buy My Books if you want to read more or visit my Events page to meet me at an upcoming festival or convention, , including April 6 at the Annapolis Comic-Con! I hope to see you there!

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. The Prometheus Engine: Book Four of the Forever Avalon Series along with his first YA fantasy, Gwen Iver and Pendragon’s Puzzle, are coming soon from Curious Corvid. Stay tuned for new fantastic stories from the imagination of Mark Piggott.

You can end 2023 and Win Signed Copies of The Last Magus books, just in time for the holidays

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The Last Magus: A Clockwork Heart and The Last Magus: Dragonfire and Steel book covers by Anna Lena Spies.

For the 2023 holiday season, in celebration of the launch of my latest steampunk and fantasy novel The Last Magus: Dragonfire and Steel, I am offering a special contest to everyone out there to WIN signed copies of both books for the awesome readers out there.

Starting tomorrow, November 15, through the launch day of December 15, you can sign up to WIN signed copes of both Last Magus books. This is my holiday gift to you, my loyal readers. It’s simple and easy to enter. Just click on THIS LINK and fill out the form. The more of my social media you follow/subscribe to, the more chances you have to win.

The winner will be notified by email and asked to provide a mailing address to receive the books. This a great chance for you to end 2023 with some new books for your TBR pile.

Follow the adventures of Marcus Gideon, The Last Magus of Attlain, as he journeys across this strange yet wonderful world of magic and machines. Left for dead at a crossroads, Gideon survived thanks to a clockwork heart powered by his own magic. He becomes an apprentice Magus, legendary warrior/wizards who once thrived as the guardians of magic but now live as outcasts. His journey takes him from the magical forest of Ponshu to the city of Le’Arun and the Basilon Magical Academy. Now, he travels to the frozen north to the forgotten city of Plodoro to fulfill his master’s last request before heading to the capital of Celestrium. Gideon plans to enter the prestigious Helios Arcanum Magical Arts Competition in hopes of winning the hand of his true love, Wren, first princess of Attlain. However, the Ulbrecht Domo, Shadow Lord of Ishtar, has dark plans for the Last Magus in hopes of conquering Attlain.

The Last Magus: A Clockwork Heart and The Last Magus: Dragonfire and Steel

This is my Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Christmas gift to all the wonderful readers out there who support me and my stories. CLICK HERE to sign up for your chance to win! You can also pre-order your copy TODAY at the Curious Corvid Shop! Thank you for your continued love and support of this indie author.

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.

Last days of summer for an indie author, plus a new short story contest from Ravens and Roses

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Check out my Events page for updates on festivals and conventions I’ll be attending!

As the last days of Summer ebb into the blustery Autumn, the Corsair and the Sky Pirates book tour will be coming to an end. It has been a great year for my first steampunk historical fiction adventure! Corsair has won with multiple awards from BookFest and Speak-Up Talk Radio, and recognized by my peers from BBYNA and Publishers Weekly BookLife for my novel. This marks a great end to 2023 with a few more Events lined up before the release of my next novel from Curious Corvid Publishing, The Last Magus: Dragonfire & Steel, coming this December.

First and foremost, you can find me in historic Williamsburg, VA, at 2nd Sundays – Arts and Music Festival through the end of 2023. These dates include August 13, September 10, and October 8. 2nd Sundays is a street fair of over 150 unique artisans, musicians, street performers and food vendors in six blocks of downtown Williamsburg along N Boundary Street from Richmond Rd to Lafayette Street, along Scotland from Armistead to N. Henry and in the 400 block of Prince George Street in Williamsburg, VA, on the 2nd Sunday of each Month (March- December)! Visit www.2ndsundayswilliamsburg.com for information about this monthly festival.

I also will be attending three comic-cons in the next two months, locally here in NORVA but also back in my hometown. The Fairfax Comic-Con is a two-day extravaganza, August 26-27, at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly VA. Besides exhibitors like yours truly, there will be an assortment of special guests including John Wesley Shipp (The Flash TV series), Susan Eisenberg (Wonder Woman in Justice League Animated Series) and more. Visit www.fairfaxcomiccon.com for tickets and information. The Phillipsburg Comic-Con is not a huge convention, but it is on my hometown of Phillipsburg, NJ, on Saturday, September 23. It supports my alma mater (Phillipsburg High School) arts programs through their Comic Club, Anime & Manga Club, and Club Unify. I am proud to be a part of this convention. Visit www.phillipsburgcomiccon.com for more information. Lastly, we round out September with the Southern Maryland Comic-Con on Saturday, September 30, at the Capital Clubhouse in Waldorf, MD. Southern Maryland Comic-Con is a celebration of comics, toys, TV, film, art, cosplay, games, and all things nerdy, which includes yours truly. Visit www.mdcomiccons.com for tickets and information.

Finally, I wanted to make my fellow independent authors aware of a short story contest from Ravens and Roses Publishing. Last year, I entered their contest and my story, The Emissary, was selected for their anthology Tales Untold: Mythos Around the World. This year, their anthology theme this year is Underdogs of Society. They are accepting submissions for the anthology from July 1, 2023 – September 30, 2023. Unleash your creativity and do your best, but be original and creative in the story you deliver!

The maximum allowed word count per story is 8,000 words with a sweet spot between 5000-6,000 words. The short story must have a minimum word count of 3000 words. Visit the Anthology Guidelines page to learn more about submission criteria.

So, quick recap, plenty of chances to get a signed copy of my steampunk and fantasy books at conventions and festivals over the next few months. Check out my Events page for details. Plus, for indie authors and aspiring writers, check out the submission call for Ravens and Roses Publishing new anthology. Not much time left, so get writing!

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 worlds as he weaves 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. Stay tuned for new fantastic stories from the imagination of Mark Piggott.

Golden Healer: The Curse of Time Book 2 Book Review

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Just a quick update, I am back home and recovering from my back surgery. Luckily, I had a fun fantasy book to pass the time with. I received a copy of author M.J. Mallon’s Golden Healer: The Curse of Time Book 2, and it was a great read. I didn’t read the first book in this series, but it didn’t matter as Book 2 kept me abreast of the story.

It was surprising to find that each chapter was titled as a “Puzzle” piece. As I got into the story, I understood why as everything fell into place with each chapter. Shadows, demons, and spirits fill this strange world as the main conflict between the forces of good and evil (something I always love to see in my fantasy stories) are met in a variety of situations. The author’s world-building is breathtaking, but that’s not always a good thing. Occasionally, I lost track of where I was in the story with the beautiful visuals. However, the steady pace of the story kept me on track. I also love the mixture of poetry, music, and story as it flowed together seamlessly.

From the disappearance of her Bloodstone to her first dream travel, Amenlina is a heroine you can get behind. Her story is told from her POV, as well as from her family and friends around her. There is humor mixed in with elements of danger throughout the story, making a good mix for the reader. There are plenty of twists and turns that keep you guessing and the ending is definitely not your normal “Happily Ever After” one comes to expect from a fantasy story. Still, reading Book Two of the series makes me want to go back to the first book, Bloodstone.

I also appreciate the author’s sensitivity to suicide and self-harm, even addressing it with self-help at the end of her book. That shows her dedication and responsibility as an author by addressing this delicate issue.

I give this book FIVE STARS and highly recommend M.J. Mallon to any young fantasy reader.

As a reminder, I’ll be at the Moravian Book Shop on Saturday, June 3, for my next book signing. Be sure to check out my Events page to see where I’ll be in the coming months. My schedule is changing and updating on a regular basis, so STAY TUNED!

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 worlds.

The Forever Avalon fantasy book series—including Forever Avalon, The Dark Tides, and The Outlander War—is 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. Stay tuned for more new fantastic stories from the imagination of Mark Piggott.

Ocean Renaissance 2023 brings the “Seafarer’s Carnival” to Ocean City, MD this weekend

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You’re in for a treat this weekend at the Seafarer’s Carnival! Head to the beach in Ocean City, MD, for pirates, mermaids, gears and goggles. Ocean Renaissance 2023 is the annual oceanfront festival bringing steampunk, sea life, and fantasy under one roof. This year’s festival is being held at The Carousel Oceanfront Hotel and Condos. Daily passes are available at the door or special weekend passes can be purchased online at www.oceanrenaissancefoundation.org.

The Circus of the Seas brings musicians, magicians, jugglers, stilt walkers, aerialists, fire artists and other performance artists to dazzle you both indoor and out!

The Circus Siren Pod is a group of professional water artists that offer far more than your average mermaid show. Based out of Mid-Atlantic region, Circus Siren Pod members have performed across the country and even internationally. From the beaches of Hawaii, to the Aquariums of New York, to the resorts of Jamaica, they bring a magical show to audiences of all ages.

Swashbucklers and Scallywags of East Coast Pirate Entertainment will be there to plunder and perform on stage and wandering throughout the event.

Over 70 artisans and makers collected from all over the country during our many travels will converge to provide some of the most beautiful and unique handmade goods, clothing, accessories, art, and much more! Of course, you’ll find me there with all my steampunk and fantasy books for sale. You can pick up a signed copy of any of during the long weekend.

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 worlds.

The Forever Avalon fantasy book series—including Forever Avalon, The Dark Tides, and The Outlander War—is 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. Stay tuned for more new fantastic stories from the imagination of Mark Piggott.

Happy New Year! Start your 2023 TBR with a novella

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Happy 2023 everyone! I’ll make this short and sweet as I know many are still recovering from their New Year’s Eve festivities and today is actually MONDAY for many people. To celebrate the upcoming release of my steampunk novel Corsair and the Sky Pirates, Curious Corvid Publishing is having a sale. Download an ebook for only .99 cents, through January 7!

Malcolm Seger, a human Magi-Gunner, and his wife Alyssa, a dragonkin of the Oracles of Delphis Kai, moved to the parish of Fairhaven to begin a new life together. But just when they settled in, Malcolm succumbs to deadly “dragon dust” and lies near death. Grief-stricken, Alyssa uses her magic to save her true love through the spell of restoration, powerful magic combining two souls into one.

Across the river of souls, the boundless cosmic lifestream that connects all worlds, a young man lay dying underneath a crumpled automobile. He hears a voice crying out for help, begging not to be left alone. Desperate to make something of his life, he offers himself to God to cross the river of souls to be there for her.

Now their new life together begins in a world filled with distrust, bigotry, and hatred between humans and the dragonkin races. Can two people from different worlds find love and peace to show what lies beyond The River of Souls? From award-winning author Mark Piggott with original poetry by Ashley Valitutto and Curious Corvid Publishing!

Visit the Curious Corvid Shop to get your copy of The River of Souls today! Be sure to check out all the great swag at CCP as well as flights of fancy into scifi, horror, the paranormal, and fantasy from all the great authors that are part of the “murder of crows” at Curious Corvid Publishing.

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 worlds.

The Forever Avalon fantasy book series—including Forever Avalon, The Dark Tides, and The Outlander War—is 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 my first fantasy novella from Curious Corvid Publishing. Coming in 2023 from Curious Corvid—the steampunk historical fiction, Corsair and the Sky Pirates, and The Last Magus: Dragonfire and Steel. Stay tuned for more new fantastic stories from the imagination of Mark Piggott.

Tales Untold: Mythos From Around The World now available from Ravens & Roses Publishing

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Tales Untold: Mythos From Around The World based on folklore and mythology from around the world is now available from Ravens and Roses Publishing.

This is a collection of fifteen stories based on mythology and folklore worldwide. If you love stories from Greek Mythology, ancient Indian folklore, English Legends, or Scandinavian mythology, this anthology is for you. It includes authors Janie Kang, D.B. Carter, Amorina Carlton, Sathya Achia, Jessica Hopson, Brenda Radchik, Rashmi P. Menon, Sean Doyle, M.N. Kee, Max Turner, Kimberlee Caruso, D.M. Monkson, Chaz Beebe, Joel C. Flanagan-Granemann, and (yours truly) Mark Piggott.

I was honored to be selected along with a great group of authors for this anthology, allowing me to write a unique short story, The Emissary. Imagine a war raging for centuries between angels, demons, and gods, with humanity caught in the middle. While the pandemic reigns worldwide, it brings out the worst nightmare from the depths of Hell . . . Legion. After tricking the Pantheon Council to free it from the ninth ring of Hell, the demon secretly wreaks havoc on New York City. Heaven doesn’t believe the conspiracy. It’s up to the only man left on Earth since the flood carried Noah to safety to stop the monster and convince the heavenly host to aid humanity. He has gone by many names over the millennia, but he is simply known as Gray—The Emissary.

The ebook is now available across multiple platforms, and the paper will follow shortly. CLICK HERE to get your copy today!

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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 worlds.

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

Get ready for The River of Souls fantasy novella from Curious Corvid Publishing. Coming in 2023 from Curious Corvid—the steampunk historical fiction, Corsair and the Sky Pirates, and The Last Magus: Dragonfire and Steel. Stay tuned for more new fantastic stories from the imagination of Mark Piggott.

Congratulations to THE RIVER OF SOULS and THE LAST MAGUS on their recent book awards

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The River of Souls from Curious Corvid Publishing, Speak-Up Talk Radio 2022 Firebird Book Award winner.

I love getting good news . . . and I love sharing it even more! My fantasy novella The River of Souls won two awards in the 3rd Quarter of 2022 from Speak-Up Talk Radio Firebird Book Awards: 1st Place for Novella and 2nd Place for Fiction Book Cover. I want to thank Ravven White and Curious Corvid Publishing for their support of me and my writing, Ashley Valitutto for contributing her beautiful poetry to my story, and Mark Alexander McLish for the cover. He took my ideas for the front cover and brought them to fruition. This novella was a great collaboration, so I accept these awards as a team effort.

The Firebird Book Awards are unique in two ways. They are judged year round to give authors a chance to submit their novels into more than a hundred different genre categories. Lastly the entire entry fee is a donation that supports the women and children’s shelter renovation and transformation project, in conjunction with Enchanted Makeovers 501(c)3. They send handmade one-of-a-kind fun and colorful pillowcases and children’s books to homeless shelters – naming the author as the donor.

The Last Magus: A Clockwork Heart from lulu.com, multiple award winning steampunk fantasy in 2022!

I received more good news just last night as my steampunk fantasy, The Last Magus: A Clockwork Heart, won 3rd place for Fantasy – Magic, Myths, and Legends from The BookFest book awards for Fall 2022. This is the third award for The Last Magus, and I can’t tell you how great it feels to be recognized by your peers.

The BookFest Awards honors authors who create outstanding works of fiction and nonfiction. Books are judged in categories based on genre, theme, and aesthetics.  Entries will be vetted by an initial team, then the final places will be determined by an elite group of experts in the literary and entertainment world. The awards can be viewed on The BookFest YouTube channel.

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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 worlds.

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

Get ready for The River of Souls fantasy novella from Curious Corvid Publishing. Coming in 2023 from Curious Corvid—the steampunk historical fiction, Corsair and the Sky Pirates, and The Last Magus: Dragonfire and Steel. Stay tuned for more new fantastic stories from the imagination of Mark Piggott.

One question I get a lot . . . What is Steampunk?

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One question I get at a lot at all the events I attend is “What is Steampunk?” It is a defined genre but to me, it’s much more than that. There are two definitions of steampunk. One states, “a genre of science fiction that has a historical setting and typically features steam-powered machinery rather than advanced technology” while the others says, “a style of design and fashion that combines historical elements with anachronistic technological features inspired by science fiction.”

I always consider Jules Verne and H.G. Wells the godfathers of the steampunk genre. The created a modern view of technology using 19th century views. We steampunk authors use their influence to create our wild and fantastic visions bringing the future into the past.

Steamboy (2004) Japanese animated film

To me, one of the best movies to understand steampunk is the 2004 anime classic Steamboy. “England of the 1860s receives a technological remake in this animated adventure. Ray Steam is a brilliant young inventor who follows in the footsteps of his father, Eddie, and his grandfather, Lloyd Steam. After his grandfather sends him a mysterious mechanical ball that contains revolutionary power, Ray finds his world turning upside down. It seems a lot of people want that power, and not all of them have good intentions.” It has an all star cast (Anna Paquin, Alfred Molina, and Sir Patrick Stewart) and a cast of historical characters including Robert Louis Stevenson, the inventor of the steam engine. This movie is quintessential steampunk in every aspect of the vision it presents. There is also anime like Arcane on Netflix and The Mortal Engines movie are great examples of steampunk.

Airships, trains, mechanical beings powered by steam are the vision of tomorrow to a steampunk enthusiast. Goggles, backpacks, Victorian-era corsets with top hats and long coats are all part of the unique style of steampunk. It can be seen at conventions and festivals around the world and in books, television, and movies. Gears, open mechanics, copper pipes, leather, and Edison bulbs all represent the idea of fashion when it comes to steampunk.

A Clockwork Heart by Dennis Saputra

Although most things considered steampunk revolves around steam power, I also like to include it in magic-powered machines. In my novel The Last Magus: A Clockwork Heart, I combined magic with machines in this futuristic dystopia. This includes trains running on Magius engines, automail armor, and a clockwork heart. I also did a little of this in my novella The River of Souls, where I created a land cycle powered by an engine that pulled in ether from the air for fuel. Magic and machines are a fun way to take the steampunk genre in a new direction. Technology has a way of migrating into fantasy stories of one caliber or another. I would also include a bit of alchemy mixed in to make it even more interesting to include it in fantasy story writing.

However, steampunk is primarily a historical fiction genre, and my next novel explores into just that realm. Corsair and the Sky Pirates is coming out in January 2023 from Curious Corvid Publishing. Imagine if Jules Verne and Nikola Tesla met and collaborated. What kind of world would come from it? That’s the premise of my new steampunk historical fiction as the war between Tesla and Thomas Edison takes to the skies. Corsair and his sky pirates believe in Tesla’s vision for the future—a world where the people are free to use technology without bowing to their corporate masters in ERP (Edison Röntgen Parsons). Edison has plans for world domination and its up to Corsair and his merry band to discover the secrets of the master inventor. Take to the skies on the airship Galeru, from the ancient ruins of Egypt to the English Channel, the New York City skyline and the American Southwest.

You can find steampunk at various junctures around the world. If you want to dine in steampunk style, try The Edison restaurant in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Or if your travelling internationally, The Abyss Pub in Italy was inspired by the Kraken, or visit the Les Machines de l’Île Nantes, which is in the city of Nantes, France is an amazing artistic and creative steampunk wonderful. Mechanical animals roam, which is in the city of Nantes, France, is an amazing artistic and creative steampunk wonder as mechanical animals roam the streets. Here in the USA, there are plenty of steampunk festivals to catch your interest. Maybe I’ll see you there.

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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 worlds.

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

Get ready for The River of Souls fantasy novella from Curious Corvid Publishing. Coming in 2023 from Curious Corvid—the steampunk historical fiction, Corsair and the Sky Pirates, and The Last Magus: Dragonfire and Steel. Stay tuned for more new fantastic stories from the imagination of Mark Piggott.