Traveling to Scotland for some much needed vacation and inspiration

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Castle Dunnottar in Scotland at sunset.

So, just a note to say I’ll be out of touch for the next two weeks while I’m traveling across the pond to visit the home of Robert Burns, J.K. Rowling, Sir Walter Scott, Braveheart, Outlander, and Princess Merida. My wife and I are celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary with a trip to Scotland. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime adventure for both of us. I’ve been to England before, during my Navy career, but never to Scotland. We’re visiting Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Inverness, and Glasgow. It’s going to be a great adventure.

The Kelpies sculptures in Helix Park outside Edinburgh.

Besides the castles, Loch Ness, book stores (a must), the Writer’s Museum (another must), and a whiskey distillery (a major must), I am looking forward to simply walking through the history in the streets and castle walls and experiencing the mythology of this ancient land. The faeries, the kelpies, and other mythical creatures always enchanted me, and walking in the glens (forests), the lochs (lakes), the munros (mountains), and among the stones of these myths and legends that I’ve written about all these years.

On that note, I’ll be taking a break and not posting anything for the next two weeks, except for vacation photos on my social media. I encourage those interested in being ARC Readers for my upcoming fantasy book release, A Dance of Darklings and Demons, to sign up! You can also check out my books at the links above and order copies through the ‘Buy My Books’ link.

My next event is 2nd Sundays Williamsburg on Sunday, October 12, in historic Williamsburg, VA. This will be one of my last Events of the year, so I hope to see you in Williamsburg to end a great 2025.

“Falling into Fair Oaks” brings indie authors and their books to the Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax, VA

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Come out to the Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax, VA, for “Falling into Fair Oaks,” sponsored by Kojam Productions and the Northern Virginia Writers Club on Sunday, September 14, from 12-5pm!

Fall into Fun at the Fair Oaks Mall’s signature Autumn celebration on Sunday, September 14, from 12-5pm! “Falling for Fair Oaks” is your perfect family-friendly afternoon filled with seasonal food, interactive games, crafters, and live music that captures the spirit of the season.

As part of the special event, the Northern Virginia Writers Club will be on hand with a variety of indie authors and their novels to pick up to add to your Fall TBR list or maybe get an early start on your holiday shopping (it’s never too early). Keep an eye out for me and my steampunk attire to find your way into one of my many otherworldly adventures. From the skies over Europe in a steampunk airship to the shores of eternal Avalon and the wild antics inside the Moonlit Black Cat Tavern, you’ll find your next fantasy read among my books.

Whether you’re here to make memories with the kids or kick off the Fall season with friends, this is the ultimate way to welcome Autumn in Northern Virginia.

Come out to Sojourn Fermentory for an “Authors and Artisans” Special Event in Suffolk, VA

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Get ready for a one-of-a-kind special event! Sojourn Fermentory is a community-focused brewery located in Bridgeport, Suffolk, Virginia, built around intentional brewing, spontaneous connection, and wild fermentation. They also host regular events to bring the community together to showcase local artists and artisans. I am fortunate to have been invited as one of the authors for their first “Authors & Artisans – Book Fest” event on Saturday, August 23, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. You can see the complete list of Authors and Artisans at the Facebook Event Post Online.

Join us for an unforgettable day of community connection, literary magic, and handcrafted goodness. We’re bringing together 15+ incredible local authors and SEVERAL talented vendors offering the most bookishly delightful goods you’ve ever seen-from literary candles to handmade journals, bookmarks, prints, tumblers, and more. Authors will also have their books for sale and available to sign, 757 is full of wonderful stories!

Of course, you will find me there with my complete collection of award-winning steampunk and fantasy books for you, from the Arthurian legends in the Forever Avalon series, the steampunk fantasy series The Last Magus: A Clockwork Heart, the steampunk historical fiction Corsair and the Sky Pirates, and my first ya fantasy Gwen Iver and Pendragon’s Puzzle.

If you live in the Hampton Roads area or are looking for something to do in Virginia before the end of Summer, this is a great chance to spend a night with good books, fine beer and food, plus an assortment of handmade artisan crafts at the first Authors & Artisans – Book Fest. Visit sojournfermentory.com to learn more about the upcoming event.

Sign up to be an ARC Reader for my next epic fantasy book

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Are you into epic, high fantasy? Are you looking for something new and exciting to read? Then, I’ve got an offer for you!

I have a new book coming out this Fall from Curious Corvid Publishing, A Dance of Darklings and Demons. It’s a story of a war veteran fighting to protect his family, friends, and home from the Darkling threat while fighting religious persecution in a world that considers him a demon. Canaan Treyhawke is an Alchemage, a shadow hunter and follower of Atua. His kind are necessary tools against the Darkling horde, but are considered heretics to the pantheon of Ard. As Canaan uncovers a plot that threatens all of Ard, he must fight to save the very people who despise his very existence.

If this and stories of steampunk and magic intrigue you, sign up in the JOIN MY EMAIL LIST link in the right-hand column ►►►►►! You will receive updates on my upcoming releases and other exclusive content! I promise, NO SPAM and NO SOLICITATIONS, only great news about my upcoming book events and releases!

Stay tuned for my cover reveal and release date for my next epic fantasy, A Dance of Darklings and Demons, coming this Fall from Curious Corvid Publishing.

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.

Evil Beats at the Heart of The Prometheus Engine

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A veil of darkness settles across Avalon during the reign of Mordred as he rules with an iron fist.

The Prometheus Engine: Book Four of the Forever Avalon Series picks up five years after the end of The Outlander War. Mordred now reigns over the broken remains of Avalon. He tries to cement his rule by constructing a powerful ancient machine known as the Prometheus Engine beneath Castle Pendragon. The Gil-Gamesh and his siblings work with the resistance to discover the secret of the engine and restore the true king, Bowen Pendragon, to the throne of Avalon.

Five years have passed since Mordred, the immortal bastard child of Morgana le Fay, usurped the throne from King Bowen Pendragon. With an army of undead wraith knights at his command and the children of the Lords of Avalon by his side, it was child’s play for Mordred to take the Granite Throne and become King. The only thing standing in his way of total domination of Avalon are the the Gil-Gamesh, Hunter MoonDrake, and his sisters, Rose and Ashley. Since their father’s death during Avalon’s Reclamation, these three have resisted Mordred’s reign at every turn from their home in the ruined Elven City of Alfheimer. Along with the Holy Order of Shield Maidens and the Hîldrägo Boquè, an elite corps of Elven warriors, they fight to reclaim King Bowen’s throne and restore Avalon to the people. But even now, Mordred schemes to bring down the resistance by constructing an ancient magical artifact… The Prometheus Engine. Only the immortal King knows its secrets and the power it will bring him, no matter the cost. Even now, the Gil-Gamesh races across the ruined archipelago of Avalon to uncover the engine’s secrets and discover the truth behind the island’s devastation.

Check out my new video above to step into the world of Forever Avalon and the latest book in my fantasy series from Curious Corvid Publishing.

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. The Moonlit Black Cat Tavern is a new collection of short stories available on Amazon.

Cross over The River of Souls in a fantasy novella, take flight in the steampunk historical fiction, Corsair and the Sky Pirates, the saga continues in The Last Magus: Dragonfire and Steel, his first YA fantasy, Gwen Iver and Pendragon’s Puzzle, and the epic fantasy The Prometheus Engine: Book Four of the Forever Avalon Series from Curious Corvid Publishing. A Dance of Darklings and Demons is coming in 2025 from Curious Corvid. Stay tuned for new fantastic stories from the imagination of Mark Piggott.

Take a Glimpse into the world of Ard and my next book, “A Dance of Darlings and Demons”

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Darklings by artist Dennis Saputra

I wanted to give you a glimpse into my next book, which will be released this fall by Curious Corvid Publishing. It’s called A Dance of Darklings and Demons, an original epic fantasy set on the mythical world of Ard.

“While the Titans reigned in the heavens above Ard, Lilith ruled from Kehena below, thirsting for the blood of the innocent to satiate her desires. Lilith sent her darklings from the Tower of Ibris to devour the people in her name until the god Atua sent his warriors, his alchemages…” – From the Book of Ard

When the Olympians subjugated the Titans, the old gods escaped across the stars. A new world called out for help. Ard beckoned the Titans from across the stars to save their world from darkness. They gave magic to aid the people of Ard—Humans, Elves, Animalian, and Nephilim—against the evil of the darklings. These creatures of shadow and death descended from the Obsidian Mountains, seeking to claim magic for themselves. Their world teetered on the edge of annihilation until the Titans begged the god above all, Atua, to intervene and send his acolyte to save Ard—the Alchemage.

These fabled warriors utilized the ultimate power of alchemy and magic. They became shadow hunters, specialists in seeking out and destroying the darklings, but victory came at a cost. The people of Ard shunned the alchemages as heretic demons who had forsaken the Titans for Atua. This went on for over a thousand years as the war continued.

Canaan Treyhawke was among the next generation in a long line of alchemages. He fought at the front lines beneath the Obsidian Mountains, losing his leg to the scourge of the endless war. He continues his fight as a shadow hunter to protect his sister, the woman he loves, and the people of his home in Perdition’s Point. Canaan finds himself embroiled in a mystery that could shake the very foundations of Ard.

A shadow tamer—a human aligned with the Tower of Ibris—is searching for a being born of all the races of Ard known as the Progenitor. This person could be the key to restore Lilith to her former glory. As chaos swirls around Canaan, he travels from the Golden City of Signus Prime to the capital city of Adolphus to discover the identity of the shadow tamer and stop the darkling threat.

You can catch a glimpse of the darlings above thanks to the incredible talents of artist Dennis Saputra. His art will adorn the chapter pages, portraying different creatures within the darling race. Stay tuned for excerpts and a chance to join my ARC readers for this new epic fantasy.

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. The Moonlit Black Cat Tavern is a new collection of short stories available on Amazon.

Cross over The River of Souls in a fantasy novella, take flight in the steampunk historical fiction, Corsair and the Sky Pirates, the saga continues in The Last Magus: Dragonfire and Steel, his first YA fantasy, Gwen Iver and Pendragon’s Puzzle, and the epic fantasy The Prometheus Engine: Book Four of the Forever Avalon Series from Curious Corvid Publishing. A Dance of Darklings and Demons is coming in 2025 from Curious Corvid. Stay tuned for new fantastic stories from the imagination of Mark Piggott.

Listen to a thrilling excerpt from Corsair and the Sky Pirates by aidiobook narrator Heather Daniel

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I am so excited about this! I met Heather Daniel on TikTok, and she offered to help Indie Authors like me with a marketing push by reading a section of a book. Heather is a professional voice artist narrating audiobooks. She has a fantastic voice and can bring any story to life. Please check out her website at heatherdanielvo.com and look for her audiobooks on Audible. She gave voice to this intense scene between the Scarlet Fox and Mata Hari.

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 that 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.

While Tesla made his inventions to ease everyday people’s burdens, the Edison/Röntgen/Parsons Corporation, or ERP, used their power and influence to ensure people paid for their modern miracles. World governments bent over backward to appease Thomas Edison and ERP to ensure they got their hands on the best technology and the most potent weapons.

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. Corsair uncovers a startling secret on one such assignment. ERP was developing a way to break down Uriel’s fragments at the atomic level, creating an “atomic bomb” that could devastate cities in a single blast. With that kind of power, a world war would be imminent, giving ERP a chance to rake in the profits from the devastation.

The race is on for Corsair and his crew to uncover Uriel’s secret while preventing ERP from getting their hands on meteorites from the comet to make their weapons of mass destruction. It may be their only hope of preventing Edison from achieving his goal of a world utopia where the rich and powerful decide the fate of the human race.

Check out the first audio of my thrilling steampunk adventure, which hopefully will lead to my next audiobook. Check out my Buy My Books link to get your hands on Corsair and the Sky Pirates, or come out to one of my future Events to get a signed copy!

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. The Moonlit Black Cat Tavern is a new collection of short stories available on Amazon.

Cross over The River of Souls in a fantasy novella, take flight in the steampunk historical fiction, Corsair and the Sky Pirates, the saga continues in The Last Magus: Dragonfire and Steel, his first YA fantasy, Gwen Iver and Pendragon’s Puzzle, and the epic fantasy The Prometheus Engine: Book Four of the Forever Avalon Series from Curious Corvid Publishing. A Dance of Darklings and Demons is coming in 2025 from Curious Corvid. Stay tuned for new fantastic stories from the imagination of Mark Piggott.

Step into the Moonlit Black Cat Tavern for food, drink, and fun in a magical pub

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It started as a short story. A simple idea for a contest. A tavern situated between two countries that are constantly at war. On a rainy night, the Bradbury Witch wanders into this mysterious watering hole and discovers its secret, which was just the beginning. The short story expanded into several, and now it’s a collection. I put all the stories together into this novella. It was a “passion project” because I loved bringing these stories to life as someone who got his start in fantasy playing Dungeons and Dragons.

Welcome to The Moonlit Black Cat Tavern, where humans, demi-humans, and monsters come together to laugh, drink, eat, sing, and find ways to get along. There’s no fighting, fussing, or killing. Only laughter, love, and companionship between the many races of Kralthorn and Ghelpher. On a stormy night, the Bradbury Witch pays an unexpected visit to the strange tavern and finds more than she bargained for. Follow her adventures within this unique lodging off the beaten path as she discovers more about this strange place.

Take an adventure into a magical place where wizards play chess, goblins make side bets to scrounge drinks, and you’re served by a delightful succubus. It’s a fun romp into the wildest pup you’ll ever walk into. You can pre-order the ebook at Amazon before its release on May 16.

By the way, thanks to Emy Joliaa (@Emyd_Rawz on Instagram) for the Book Trailer video!

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. The Moonlit Black Cat Tavern is a new collection of short stories available on Amazon.

Cross over The River of Souls in a fantasy novella, take flight in the steampunk historical fiction, Corsair and the Sky Pirates, the saga continues in The Last Magus: Dragonfire and Steel, his first YA fantasy, Gwen Iver and Pendragon’s Puzzle, and the epic fantasy The Prometheus Engine: Book Four of the Forever Avalon Series from Curious Corvid Publishing. A Dance of Darklings and Demons is coming in 2025 from Curious Corvid. Stay tuned for new fantastic stories from the imagination of Mark Piggott.

Listen to The Dark Tides on Audible to Uncover the threat to Avalon from Morgana le Fay

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“The Dark Tides? Now that is something I haven’t heard in over a millennium,” the Goblin King surmised. “What exactly do you want with me and my goblins?”

“And will come a day, some fifty score seven;
“When an Outlander will return to fated Avalon;
“And the seas will run black and the moon will fall;
“Heralding the Dark Tides and with it, death to
us all.”

— Excerpt from The Dark Tides: Book Two of the Forever Avalon Series

You can now listen to the resurrection of Morgana le Fey and experience the war for Avalon in The Dark Tides: Book Two of the Forever Avalon Series, available on Audible, narrated by Daryl Gannon. The terror, death, and destruction are brought to life in this new audiobook. Daryl does a brilliant job of bringing the story to life through his unique vocal presentation.

The first 10 people to leave a comment in this post will get a code to download a FREE copy of the audiobook. Be the first to listen to the terror of The Dark Tides!

Lord Bryan MoonDrake, the Gil-Gamesh and Eternal Champion of Avalon, helps his wife and children build new lives on the magical island of Avalon. His daughter, Ashley, has returned to Avalon with her husband to experience the magic of this forgotten land. Bryan sees an opportunity to bring his family together, so they plan a grand Avalonian wedding for Ashley and Andrew. But all is not well in the kingdom. Dark forces arise to fulfill a prophecy to resurrect Morgana le Fay, the most powerful sorceress in the history of Avalon. If successful, she will unleash the Dark Tides to destroy the line of Pendragon once and for all. To save his family, his new home, and his king, the Gil-Gamesh fights to overcome incredible odds and powers beyond his comprehension to rid Avalon of Morgana’s evil forever.

Experience the magic of Avalon in a fantasy book called “a mixture of magic, fantasy and lots of imagination” on Amazon. Experience the war to reclaim Avalon in The Dark Tides: Book Two of the Forever Avalon Series on Audible!

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, the saga continues in The Last Magus: Dragonfire and Steel, his first YA fantasy, Gwen Iver and Pendragon’s Puzzle, and the epic fantasy The Prometheus Engine: Book Four of the Forever Avalon Series from Curious Corvid Publishing. A Dance of Darklings and Demons is coming in 2025 from Curious Corvid. Stay tuned for new fantastic stories from the imagination of Mark Piggott.