Tag: independent author

Only a week away until the release of The Prometheus Engine from Curious Corvid

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The Prometheus Engine: Book Four of the Forever Avalon Series releases December 1 from Curious Corvid Publishing.

“Fear helps keep the people in line, submissive and compliant,” Blackstone argued.
“It also takes away the one thing people yearn for—freedom! The desire for freedom creates longing, which leads to dissent and chaos. We should tread lightly here, brother, so support and loyalty to the crown do not waiver.” — Excerpt from The Prometheus Engine: Book Four of the Forever Avalon Series

Five years have passed since the reclamation of Avalon, restoring the barrier protecting the island from the outside world, but at a terrible cost. The spell of first magic split the island of eternal magic into an archipelago, a land separated by the sea and evil. Mordred the Immortal, the bastard son of King Arthur Pendragon, took control of Avalon. His coup was swift and brutal, taking advantage of the chaos after the reclamation by murdering the Lords of Avalon. With the heirs of the nobles under his thrall, Mordred reigns over the shattered land, but not without consequences.

His reign is opposed by the “three dragons” — the children of Lord Bryan MoonDrake, the Gil-Gamesh and Knight Eternal of Avalon. After their father died during Mordred’s coup, the three started a rebellion to end the immortal king’s reign. They support the true king of Avalon, Bowen Pendragon, the boy king. With the help of the Holy Order of Shield Maidens and the Hîldrägo Boquè, an elite corps of Elven fighters, the resistance slowly picks away at Mordred’s reign, one island at a time.

However, deep beneath the streets of New Camelot, Mordred utilizes the genius of gnome mechanics to build an unimaginable threat — The Prometheus Engine. This ancient machine once destroyed the great city of Atlantis and now Mordred is attempting to bring this monstrosity to life once more. The exact nature of the engine is unknown, forcing the resistance to do the impossible. They must commune with the one person who knows the sordid history of the Prometheus Engine — the spirit of King Arthur Pendragon.

This book has been more than five years in the making. I have endeavored to bridge the original trilogy into the next chapter to bring the story to a close. This book has a darker tone from the previous as we delve into a new Avalon under the reign of Mordred the Immortal. If you thought Morgana le Fay was evil, she cannot hold a candle to her wayward son. His ambition and decadence was fueled over the centuries his soul was trapped with Dusk, the soul reaper of the Gil-Gamesh. I hoped to convey that aspect within this story.

I also wanted to bring a spot of redemption for characters like Eileanora, the Dubh Bhean, Assassin of the Elves, and Keane Foley, the master thief. In a land threatened by Mordred’s evil, even those who tread in the darkness find a way to step into the light. I wanted to show that even in the dark, you can find your way out through the light of hope and love.

If you are invested in my first trilogy, I hope you will join me at the saga continues in The Prometheus Engine: Book Four of the Forever Avalon Series, coming December 1 from Curious Corvid Publishing. Pre-order NOW at the Curious Corvid Shop.

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

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

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

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

The Reign of Mordred the Immortal continues in The Prometheus Engine

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The Forever Avalon Series continues as the Reign of Mordred the Immortal brings darkness and despair while seeking to unlock the power of The Prometheus Engine.

It’s time. The saga of the MoonDrake family on Avalon continues with the upcoming release of The Prometheus Engine: Book Four of the Forever Avalon Series. It’s been several years since I finished the original trilogy, and it’s time for the story to continue. I put it off for some time as my mind traveled into other realms and new stories, but now is the time to bring the story to a close.

For those who don’t know me, Forever Avalon was my first book to be published. I began writing during my last deployment in 2001 aboard USS Enterprise (CVN 65). After several years of rejections and waiting, it was finally published in 2009. It has been the rock of storytelling for me as an independent author. When people ask me which book is my favorite, I usually flinch at answering that question, but I can honestly say it will always be Forever Avalon. It was my first, and you always remember your first.

The Prometheus Engine continues the story of the resistance against Mordred the Immortal after he usurped the throne of Avalon. With the death of their father, the children of the Gil-Gamesh have risen up to take arms and lead an open rebellion against Mordred’s reign.

Five years have passed since Avalon suddenly returned to the real world and faced the loss of magic and an invasion by the modern, technological might of the United States and Russia. Only through the efforts of the Gil-Gamesh, Lord Bryan MoonDrake, along with great sacrifice by the Elves of Alfheimer, did Avalon disappear from the world once again. However, that victory came at a high cost.

Avalon tore asunder, an island shattered into an archipelago. Mordred, the immortal bastard child of Morgana le Fay, usurped the throne from the boy King, Bowen Pendragon, at this moment of weakness. With an army of undead wraith knights at his command and the new 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 are the children of the Gil-Gamesh:  Hunter, Rose, and Ashley. Since their father’s death during Avalon’s Reclamation, these three have resisted Mordred’s reign at every turn from their new home in the ruined 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, Hunter and his sisters race across the archipelago to uncover the engine’s secrets and discover the truth behind Avalon’s devastation.

The cover reveal (and it’s a fantastic book cover by Emily’s World of Design) will happen on October 15th when the pre-orders open! Get ready for The Prometheus Engine, coming December 1 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.

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

Help Corsair and the Sky Pirates go Hollywood

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Destiny is in the cards for The Last Magus of Attlain

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read the story of an independent author

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Read all about my career, from sailor to author, and the challenges of being an Indie Author, thanks to Another Zero!

“The journey of an independent author is fraught with challenges, especially in a world where traditional publishing houses dominate the market. Piggott’s success story sheds light on the potential of independent authors to bring fresh, innovative stores to readers.”

As an independent author, you are always doing your own PR, marketing, social media, etc. Sometimes you need a little help to lift you up! Thanks to Another Zero for their help. I highly recommend their services!

Fantasy/Steampunk Author Mark Piggott Rises from Navy Veteran to Award-Winning Independent Author

I took a 23-year career in the U.S. Navy to become an award-winning Fantasy/Steampunk author. I can honestly say books are my life. You can find mine at Curious Corvid Publishing or link to Buy My Books!

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.

Read new fantasy stories from inside the Moonlit Black Cat tavern on Kindle Vella

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I originally wrote the Moonlit Black Cat Tavern for a short story contest. It didn’t win or go anywhere, but I really liked the story. I found out how Kindle Vella lets you expand these stories into episodes that you can build on, weekly or monthly. So, I decided to add more stories to the world of Kralthorn and Ghelpher and the mysterious tavern caught between these two different kingdoms.

If you read on Kindle Vella, check out my newly published The Moonlit Black Cat Tavern, now with two episodes published and more on the way. I have about five total coming out once a week to keep you enthralled and entertained, and more on the way. These are fun stories to continue the tale of the unusual and diverse characters found roaming this tavern. You never know who might show up or why they’re stopping by.

Welcome to the Moonlit Black Cat Tavern, a place where humans, demi-humans, and monsters come together to laugh, drink, eat, sing, and find ways to get along. On a stormy night, the Bradbury Witch pays an unexpected visit to the strange tavern and finds more than she bargained for.

I always loved the idea of neutral territory, a tavern, where all manners of creatures could come together to eat, drink, and be merry without having to kill each other. A place where an understanding between good and evil could be broached without all the fighting. That’s the basis behind The Moonlit Black Cat Tavern.

And for those wondering about the name, yes it does come from an anime. I am a fan of Sword Art Online, and the story of the Moonlit Black Cats guild was tragic and a big part of why I watched this series (in case you missed it, watch Season 1, Episode 3 “Red Nosed Reindeer”). I guess it’s my way of paying tribute to the series and the characters.

I hope you take the time to read The Moonlit Black Cat Tavern on Kindle Vella. It’s a fun little adventure. And VOTE for my story in The Velleys, the Kindle Vella Awards.

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.

Social media and the Independent Author

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Follow me on all my social media accounts to get up-to-date information on my books and events!

Social media is the buzzword that will make or break an independent author. I know that sounds like a stretch but follow me here. I don’t have a marketing department. I don’t have a social media intern. I can’t afford them or a PR manager. I do all of it myself. I create the content, post or schedule it, and respond to replies or comments. It adds daily hours to my already busy work schedule of juggling my regular job with my writing.

Social media is not a guarantee of sales or new readers, but for an independent author, its the most manageable. It’s free (mostly) and it is accessible worldwide. You can connect with other authors, publishers, literary agents, and most importantly, readers. You’re creating a brand for yourself in both your books and the way you advertise everything from the books themselves to events you will be attending.

I designed this on Book Brush!

There are a few tricks to this juggling act to help minimize the time spent on social media. First is creating content. I use Book Brush as my content creator. It makes it easy to either auto-generate an image or video or use my own creativity. They have different plans, depending on your price range, but it is easy to use and quite supportive of independent authors.

As for scheduling, I have used a few different FREE services before but they changed from a free service to a PAID service and was way too expensive. I currently use Constant Contact to schedule my social media posts. It allows me to vary my content, depending on the social media site, and stores my artwork in case I want to reuse it. It’s the cheapest of the social media scheduling services I have found.

DON’T try to spread yourself out over every social media site imaginable. You don’t want to overtax your brand and spread yourself thin. Stick to ones you might already have a personal account on and spread out from there, but keep your author account as BUSINESS, and your personal social media separate. You don’t want to let anyone outside your family and friends into that world.

Lastly, a word of advice. DON’T TALK POLITICS, RELIGION OR SPORTS ON YOUR AUTHOR SOCIAL MEDIA. These areas are too divisive in today’s frenzied climate. Readers come from all walks of life, the right and the left, or from many different faiths. You will alienate readers by putting yourself out there like that. I know, you might think that Donald Trump is Hitler or PETA stands for People Eating Tasty Animals or Football is no different from Soccer, but it will get you in trouble. Stop, just stop, and worry about the politics of Mordor above anything else.

This is the hardest part of being an independent author. Self-marketing is putting yourself out there, and you have to put aside the fear. Unless you have access to a top-notch marketing firm, you need to do it yourself, but avoid the email and social scams trying to lure you into promises of sales and followers. Nothing is guaranteed.

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.

This is the end of a two-year writing journey

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This marks the end of two long years of writing, starting and stopping due to “Writer’s Block” and the occasional “what am I doing” through the whole process. Still, 93,000 words later, it is finally finished. This is my twelfth book written . . . 12! I’ve published eight, one waiting to be published this year and two in the hard drive still under going editing. This is number 12 and it was a hard fought twelve, that’s for sure.

This book will be the third in The Last Magus fantasy/steampunk book series. It’s called Demon Song. I know that title is a bit macabre, a little outside my avenue, and to be honest, this book is my darkest one yet. I always try to balance good and evil, the dark and the light, within my stories. I find that where there is absolute evil, so too must the light shine through. I had to really dive into darkness and find my way out while writing this novel.

This is the continuing adventures of Marcus Gideon, the Last Magus of Attlain. It picks up five years after the events of Dragonfire and Steel. Gideon and Wren are married and traveling around Attlain, tracking down the stolen magic weapons of the Magus along with the help of his own adventurers guild, the Silver Moon Guild. Gideon has finally begin to forge his own destiny, but he uncovers a plot that could destroy not only Attlain but the world. The demon sorceress of Nyx, Vasileesa Morozov, is planning to escape the island nation and spread her demon army across the land.

There is so much more to this story, but I can’t give away here, now can I. Plus, with the beta readers and editing still to come, it may alter things. So for now, I will leave it at that, happy to have reached his monumental moment. Stay tuned for more as things progress and be sure to catch up on the entire The Last Magus series before the next book is published.

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.