Corsair soars to new heights thanks to new readers and a Literary Titan

I regularly talk about soaring to the skies with my steampunk historical fiction, Corsair and the Sky Pirates, but it’s different when it happens on its own. I met so many people at events in 2025, and Corsair was one of my best sellers. People were enthralled by the swashbuckling adventures of Corsair and his crew of sky pirates as they fight for Nikola Tesla’s dream against the corporate tyranny of Thomas Edison’s ERP Corporation.

The most significant boost came from Literary Titan, which published a phenomenal review of Corsair online. They dove into the depths of my steampunk novel and brought incredible fanfare that I was not expecting. I can honestly tell you, this was one of the most humbling book reviews I have ever received.

From the first page, Corsair and the Sky Pirates drops you straight into a swirl of history, imagination, and high-flying adventure. It starts with Jules Verne and Nikola Tesla in a café in France, dreaming up impossible machines and strange new power sources. That meeting sparks a chain of events that explodes into a world of airships, sky pirates, secret plots, and the dangerous lure of comet fragments with world-changing energy. At the center of it all is Corsair, a rogue pirate who’s as much a freedom fighter as he is a thief, and his diverse crew of outcasts who take on empires, corporations, and tyrants in an age where science blurs into fantasy.

I found myself grinning at how much fun the writing is. The prose is quick, like a stage play mixed with pulp adventure, and it leans hard into spectacle. The characters are bold and colorful, each with their quirks, backstories, and weapons that are almost as wild as their personalities. There were moments where I rolled my eyes at how dramatic some scenes were, but I also loved it. It felt like the book knew it was larger than life and leaned all the way into that spirit. I kept turning pages because I wanted to see what trick or twist would come next.

At the same time, the ideas underneath the adventure stuck with me. There’s a real push and pull between invention for progress and invention for profit. The way the story frames Edison, Tesla, and ERP as forces shaping the world gave me something to chew on between the swashbuckling fights. I felt frustrated at the greed and cruelty shown by the corporate powers, and I rooted for Corsair even when his choices were brutal. The story isn’t subtle, but sometimes that’s the point. It makes its villains nasty, its heroes daring, and its stakes almost absurdly high, and that gave me the freedom to just sink into the ride.

When I closed the book, I thought about who would enjoy it most. If you like steampunk worlds, if you enjoy a good pirate tale with a twist of history and a lot of flair, or if you just want to escape into something that’s fun, fast, and fearless, this book will be right up your alley. I’d recommend it to anyone who wants adventure with heart and a lot of imagination.

Thanks to Literary Titan for recognizing the heart and soul of Corsair and the Sky Pirates. Suppose you’re interested in obtaining a signed copy of my award-winning steampunk historical fiction. In that case, I will be at Barnes & Noble, located at One Loudoun in Ashburn, VA, on Saturday, October 12, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. Additionally, don’t forget 2nd Sundays Williamsburg on Sunday, October 12, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on N. Boundary Street in historic Williamsburg, VA.

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

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 booksellersThe 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 PublishingA Dance of Darklings and Demons is coming in 2025 from Curious Corvid. Stay tuned for new fantastic stories from the imagination of Mark Piggott.

Congratulations to Corsair and the Sky Pirates on another 2023 accolade from book bloggers

Congratulations are in order for my steampunk historical fiction Corsair and the Sky Pirates from Curious Corvid Publishing, nominated for the Book Bloggers Novel of the Year Award (#BBNYA2023)! BBNYA is an annual Indie book award hosted and judged completely by book bloggers!

BBNYA is a competition for indie authors (both self-published and published by small indie presses). Their goal is to give underappreciated, lesser-known authors a chance to gain some recognition without being overshadowed by the big names, but also show the world the power of book bloggers from all over the world! Sponsored by the Folio Society, the maker of beautiful illustrated collectible editions of the world’s great works of fiction and non-fiction.

To be honest, this came out of the blue. It suddenly popped up on my Twitter feed that I had been nominated. This is a great honor for me, Curious Corvid, and the artists and editors that helped bring Corsair to publication. I am humbled by all the love and support I continue to receive in my journey as an independent author.

Visit BBNYA to learn more about their awards program in association with The Write Reads and the Folio Society.

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—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 PublishingThe 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.

Here’s a critics review of Corsair and the Sky Pirates from Publisher’s Weekly BookLife

BookLife taps the experience, integrity, and authority of Publishers Weekly to help indie authors achieve their goals. BookLife is a website from Publishers Weekly dedicated to indie authors. The site provides a free and easy way to submit self-published books to Publishers Weekly for review, and offers editorial content—success stories, interviews, author profiles, how-to pieces, news, and features—geared toward helping indie authors achieve their goals. Whether an author is focused on writing and editing, art and design, or marketing and distribution, BookLife has valuable resources that can help along the way.

This is my second book to be reviewed by BookLife and I appreciate the support they give to independent authors like me. To have a powerhouse like Publisher’s Weekly behind this effort gives credence to struggling authors desperate to get their books some peer recognition.

So, here is the critics report from BookLife on my steampunk historical fiction Corsair and the Sky Pirates:

Plot/Idea: 8 out of 10

Originality: 7 out of 10

Prose: 9 out of 10

Character/Execution: 7 out of 10

Overall: 7.75 out of 10

Assessment:

Plot/Idea: Filled with harrowing airborne fights and classic steampunk action scenes, the plot of Corsair and the Sky Pirates at times takes a back seat to the physical fights and descriptions of the machines.

Prose: Crisp and engaging, the prose strikes a great balance between descriptions of the creative inventions that fill the pages and more action-packed scenes that move the plot forward.

Originality: This novel includes many staples of the sci-fi and steampunk genres while remaining innovative. 

Character/Execution: The crew of the Galeru are a lovable, vibrant, rag-tag bunch that the reader will eagerly cheer for (and their notable diversity is an especially strong point). The novel may benefit from delving more deeply into their personal backstories and perspectives. More moments that allow readers to slip into the consciousness of characters would be appreciated.

Blurb: Piggott’s Corsair and the Sky Pirates is an action-packed, page-turning steampunk adventure that will appeal to fans of sci-fi and historical fiction. 

BookLife Critics Report

I appreciate the sincerity and the honest criticism of their report. An honest review, whether good or bad, helps an author grow as a writer. I know it has certainly helped me. I highly recommend any independent or self-published author to check out BookLife for an independent and peer-driven review.

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—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 PublishingThe 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.

Corsair and the Sky Pirates wins Two BookFest Book Awards for Spring 2023

The first awards for Corsair and the Sky Pirates have arrived! The BookFest Spring 2023 book awards recognized Corsair with two 2nd Place trophies—Fantasy – Gaslamp and Science Fiction – Steampunk. This is the first book awards for my steampunk historical fiction and its a great honor for me an Curious Corvid Publishing.

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 team of experts in the literary and entertainment world.

Awards are assigned based on first, second, third and honorable mention, according to their score. This means that sometimes not every category has a first place, second and/or third place winner. If no books in that category rated appropriately, then no award was granted in that place. Likewise, several books sometimes tie for first place, second and third place. Much like getting a letter grade in school, sometimes there are more “A”s in the class because there are outstanding students who warrant that grade. Books are similar. Sometimes there are several outstanding books deserving of their place in The BookFest Awards.

“The goal in the judging process is to highlight books in niche or often unrecognized genres as well as books that sometimes can dominate top-level genres. At The BookFest, we feel it is important to give niche or often unrecognized genres a chance to shine, too.”

 Black Chateau Enterprise and Books That Make You bring you The BookFest

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 the Sky Pirates flew across the globe, carrying out deeds that spurred the imagination. 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. They came from every corner of the globe . . . From the outback in Australia to the American Southwest and the rough streets of Harlem in New York City, across Europe, and to the Far East. The crew of the airship Galeru, so named for a mythical rainbow serpent, never faltered and never wavered.


You can pick up your copy of Corsair and the Sky Pirates at Amazon and other booksellers. You can get a signed copy at my upcoming book signing events, McKay New and Used Books in Manassas, VA, on Saturday, April 29, and Barnes and Noble Potomac Yards in Alexandria, VA, on Sunday, April 30. 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 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 PublishingThe 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.

Updated: Check out the dates for the 2023 “Corsair and the Sky Pirates” book tour

With the launch of Corsair and the Sky Pirates on January 31, the official book tour is underway. We kicked it off at the Williamsburg Book Festival, February 4, and now more dates have been added. Over the next few months, I will be taking my steampunk historical fiction to a variety of venues, from steampunk festivals to book stores and book festivals. There will be plenty of opportunities for you to pick up a signed copy. They include:

2nd Sundays Williamsburg Art & Music Festival on Sunday, March 12 and May 14, from 11am to 5pm on North Boundary Street in historic Williamsburg, Va. You can stroll the streets of Colonial Williamsburg and take in unique arts, handcrafts and live music in a fun, family friendly atmosphere. Visit 2ndSundayswilliamsburg.com for more information.

Tell-Tale Steampunk Festival on April 1-2 at the Delta Hotels Baltimore Hunt Valley, Baltimore, MD. Tell-Tale Steampunk is Baltimore’s first Steampunk Convention. It is a weekend long event and will feature workshops, vendors, entertainment, music, and educational panels. This years theme is based on the writings of Baltimore’s own Edgar Allan Poe’s. Tickets and information are available at telltalesteampunk.com.

Ocean Renaissance 2023 on April 14-16 at the Carousel Oceanfront Hotel in Ocean City, Md. Steampunk, pirates, and mermaids converge with 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. Tickets and information are available at Tides and Tempest Ocean Renaissance.

Founded in 1745, the Moravian Book Shop is the oldest bookstore in America and home to the Moravian University student bookstore. I’ll be doing a book signing on Saturday, June 3, from 1pm to 3pm with both Corsair and the Sky Pirates and The River of Souls from Curious Corvid Publishing.

Awesome-Con in Washington, D.C., is the big summer convention in the nation’s capital, June 16-18. Awesome-Con is a celebration of geek culture, bringing over 70,000 fans together with their favorite stars from across comics, movies, television, toys, games, and more! You can find me on Author’s Lane during the three day epic weekend.

I also want to add that I’ll be at Books-A-Million at Potomac Mills, Woodbridge, VA, on Saturday, March 4, from 12pm-3pm. This will be my first Northern Virginia event. I will have more dates to follow if any additional events come to light, including additional 2nd Sundays Williamsburg over the spring and summer. More to follow 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 PublishingThe 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.

Corsair and the Sky Pirates takes to the skies January 31 from Curious Corvid Publishing

Corsair and the Sky Pirates is available for preorder on Amazon before its January 31 release.

It’s official! Corsair and the Sky Pirates, a steampunk historical fiction from award-winning author Mark Piggott and Curious Corvid Publishing, launches January 31! You can preorder your copy NOW at Amazon and reserve your spot in this amazing adventure! Plus, check out the AMAZING book cover by Mark Alexander McClish! Talk about steampunk pirate airship, he nailed my vision! Not only is he a talented artist but an award-winning author too!

What if history took a detour and our industrial revolution had a few more gears and steam powered machines? A few more alternative contraptions? A few more . . . pirates?

A brilliant inventor . . . A prolific writer. . . A chance meeting between Nikola Tesla and Jules Verne created a world powered by steam generated, not from any fuel, but a meteor fragment. A comet named Uriel rained pieces of these powerful meteorites across the globe. That led to an industrial revolution years ahead of its time—a steampunk revolution. 

While Tesla made his inventions to ease people’s day-to-day burden, Thomas Edison’s ERP Corporation used their power and influence to ensure people paid for their modern miracles. 

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 the Sky Pirates!

If you enjoy a historical fantasy novel that addresses hard topics in a fresh and interesting way, this might just be the read for you. Award winning author Mark Piggott takes on corporate greed, racism, and climate change while highlighting lesser known African American historical figures like Bessie Coleman, a brilliant woman pilot who dominated the skies prior to Amelia Earhart!

Ravven White, Founder, Curious Corvid Publishing

And the reviews from early readers are already adding to the buzz surrounding Corsair and the Sky Pirates!

“What I found most interesting was the way a corporation had such major control over so many people and the aspects of their lives. It had a direct connection to what is currently happening in our world. Piggott’s minor characters are just as well developed and essential to the story as the main characters and make for an incredible 4-D environment for the reader. The blending of historical facts with modern ideas from the characters was seamless.”

Jennie Rosenblum, Jennie Reads

Mark your calendar to be the first to pick up a SIGNED copy of Corsair and the Sky Pirates at my first events of 2023 . . . The Williamsburg Book Festival in Williamsburg, VA, on February 4 and the Tell-Tale Steampunk Convention in Baltimore, MD, on April 1-2. I’m excited for this book release and I hope you’ll joining me on this steampunk adventure!

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 and the steampunk historical fiction, Corsair and the Sky Pirates, coming in January 2023. 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.

Update on Corsair and the Sky Pirates includes great interior art and events lined up for 2023

As December counts down to Christmas followed by the end of 2022, I am looking forward to kicking off 2023 with the launch of my next book from Curious Corvid Publishing, Corsair and the Sky Pirates. My steampunk historical fiction is the first of its kind, for me anyway, that’s taken me more than four years to see published.

This all began as a short story for a steampunk writing contest through Crystal Peake Publishing. I was one of the contest winners, but writing it got the “gears” turning that I could take my short story and turn it into a full blown novel. So, from that humble beginning, Corsair and this brave new steampunk world came to life.

It was one of the more intense writing experiences I’ve had, and a lot tougher than a fantasy story. In fantasy, you can make things up as you go along. There are no real boundaries when it comes to world building, characters, etc. That’s not the same for a historical fiction. In research alone, I had to delve into multiple different languages, cultures, locations and actual historical figures. Yes, I took some creative and historical license with them, but I still wanted a semblance of accuracy. I spoke with friends and fellow writers on topics from Native American culture, aboriginal slang words, and socially acceptable language between the 1900s and today.

You see, I wanted to use my book to talk about corporate greed, environmental responsibility, racism and inequality in the world today. Since it was set in the early 1900s, I could use that to my advantage as there was a hotbed of issues from that era, especially racism. So, I made the sky pirate crew quite diverse—a African-American engineer, a half-Asian first officer, an aboriginal pilot, and a Native American medic. That led to encounters with people who had a lower opinion of them. This of course, led me to demonstrate the strength of diversity in our own humanity, and I hope I did that. At the same time, I wanted to make sure I didn’t write anything that might offend someone.

For example, in that time period, people would use the “N” word frequently, but I am not comfortable with that. So, I tried to find other means of expressing their indifference. It’s not easy when your trying to show the ugliness of racism while at the same time showing how we can overcome it through strength, unity, and perseverance. I hope I did the various people and their race, culture, and creed justice in my writing.

While the cover is in progress (reveal coming soon) I did want to show off the great interior art by my friend Dennis Saputra (@elangkarosingo on Instagram). He is a talented artist from Indonesia. We were introduced through a mutual friend and I have used his work for many of my books. He did a great job in imagining the Galeru, Corsair’s airship, for my title page. He also did the chapter art as well. Dennis is a wonderful artist and I love his work as well as supporting him in his artistic pursuits.

I hope to have some early reviews for you as I have already sent out my steampunk novel to some ARC readers for a test read. I am waiting with baited breath to hear what they have to say, although I can disclose that the editor (Corbeaux Editorial Services if you’re looking for a great editor to work with) thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the story as whole. Hey, if you don’t impress your editor, then you need to pack it up for a rewrite. In the meantime, I will be announcing the cover reveal shortly, hopefully it’ll be an early Christmas gift for all of us.

And I’ll be kicking off 2023 to debut Corsair and the Sky Pirates at the Williamsburg Book Festival, February 4, at the Stryker Center in Williamsburg, VA, followed by my first steampunk event of 2023, the Telltale Steampunk Festival, April 1-2, in Baltimore, MD, with more steampunk festivals to be added to my calendar of events as they come in. Stay tuned for more “gears and goggles” in 2023!

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.

Something happened on the way to publishing…

So, got some bad news last week, something entirely unexpected. I was excited at the prospect of my first full-on steampunk historical fiction, Corsair and the Sky Pirates, being published this year by Revolutionary Press. Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen anymore. In an email I received, Revolutionary Press decided, “Our previous focus has been more oriented towards for-profit purposes, and this is a goal that we no longer find sustainable. Effectively, we are shuttering all for-profit operations. Unfortunately, we cannot continue work on your book concerning the previous contract.”

The original cover of Forever Avalon from 2009, published by James A. Rock Publishing.

So, what’s an independent author to do now? This is not the first time this has happened to me. In 2009, I signed with James A. Rock Publishing to publish my first book, Forever Avalon. It was a small publishing house, originally from Rockville, Md., until they moved to Florence, S.C. It was a “vanity publisher,” but I didn’t know any better as a new author. Things were fine until, unfortunately, the publisher passed away. His wife tried to continue with the business but to no avail. They closed down, and my book was no longer available for sale. So, I took my manuscript, reformatted it, got a new cover and interior art, and republished it via Amazon. It was easy to do and get it back on the market. It even allowed me to keep the ISBN and reviews from the first publication. I still have James A. Rock listed as the publisher on the inside page of the book to honor his memory and remind me of who gave me my first chance at being a published author. That’s something I learned from my time in the U.S. Navy . . . Remember where you came from!

So the question is, now what? What do I do? Do I try to get another publisher to pick up Corsair, or do I go it alone and self-publish? Fortunately, to quote the great John “Hannibal” King of the A-Team . . . “I love it when a plan comes together!” And by a plan, I mean a murder of crows circling overhead, picking at the carcass of my former publisher to feast on the bones and bring the dead back to life.

Sorry for that graphic description, but you’ll soon understand the reason for my over-the-top metaphor. My current publisher, Curious Corvid Publishing, is a gothic press based in Ohio. They took me under their wing (literally) after picking up a novella I wrote, The River of Souls, that will be published in August 2022. And, as our CEO and publisher Ravven White said at our first meeting, “I am your publisher now.” There was no doubt what I would do, and when I talked to them about it, Ravven never hesitated. She said they would gladly add it to their calendar for publication.

That’s what I love about finally being with a publisher. I still consider myself an independent author, and I always will be. The difference is that, even though Curious Corvid is a small publisher, they are still a publisher. My books will be available in everything from online bookstores to “brick-and-mortar” stores. They are just getting their footing and having tons of success to build on with many talented authors and poets. I am grateful to be a part of that future. I will build on it with novels like Corsair and the Sky Pirates, the next installment of The Last Magus series, Dragonfire and Steel, and the fourth book in the Forever Avalon series, The Prometheus Engine. These, along with any other crazy stories that pop into my head, will be coming your way through Curious Corvid Publishing.

# # #

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 River of Souls fantasy novella, coming soon from Curious Corvid Publishing along with the steampunk historical fiction, Corsair and the Sky PiratesThe 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.