Tag: inspiration

Let’s put 2016 behind us and look forward to 2017

Leave a comment

21746965-standardI can’t begin to tell you how happy I am that 2016 has come to an end. This has been, without a doubt, one of the worst years of my life and, speaking for the rest of the world for just a moment, a “sucktastic” year.

From the many deaths of legends and icons of music, television, and movies to an election that brought out the worst in our nation, this has not been a banner year. There are a few highlights scattered here and there, some bright spots along the way, but overall just a nasty year.

635915675146029898-opusLet’s start out this year in review with the deaths of artists and actors. David Bowie, Glenn Fry, Prince and now George Michael gave us pause to reflect on the music of our youth. Our favorite TV mom, Florence Henderson passed, along with acting greats Gene Wilder, Alan Rickman, Alan Thicke and now Carrie Fisher a.k.a. Princess Leia. Muhammed Ali and John Glenn were American icons and Harper Lee, author of “To Kill a Mockingbird,” gave writers like me a moment to pause and reflect on the life of an amazing author. There are many more I could name, which demonstrates how bad this past year was.

There were some tragedies this year, mostly caused by ISIS-related terrorism. From the attacks in Paris to the Orlando murders, this was a year that brought the war on terrorism back to the forefront. We can only pray that the coming year will bring these evil attacks to an end.

Then there’s the election of 2016. Whether you’re a Democrat, Republican or Independent, this year’s political drama when into the dirt like driving down a back road in Alabama. The mud just kept getting deeper and deeper with every passing day. The only positive thing I can say is that maybe this change will do us some good, who knows. Some people are calling Trump the end of America, but then again they said the same thing about Obama and we’re still here. All I can say is let’s give it a chance before we condemn it outright.

CoF-W9rXgAEG-auOn the bright side, this was a banner year for great movies and TV, especially for a geek like me. Game of Thrones, The Shannara Chronicles, all the CW superhero TV shows were incredible. Captain America: Civil War, Suicide Squad, Doctor Strange, Deadpool, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story were just some of the blockbusters released this year. To quote President-elect Donald Trump, it was HUGE!

Lastly, I want to talk about my own personal experiences in 2016. The year started off bad for me as I lost my job with the Navy after more than 30 years of service, both active duty and as a civilian. I spent most of 2016 trying to find a new job, working as a substitute teacher to make ends meet. However, that did give me time to finish writing the third book in the Forever Avalon series, The Outlander War. I hope to get it published in 2017.

I can honest say this year ended with a glimmer of hope as I was offered a position as a writer-editor for the Department of Housing and Urban Development. I start in January and I am so looking forward to this new challenge. So let’s put 2016 in the rear view mirror and drive off into 2017, Here’s hoping for a great new year!

***

51nd6H6sATL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_SKU-000941753Mark Piggott is the author of the Forever Avalon book series. Forever Avalon is available for purchase at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. The Dark Tides is available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iUniverse. The Outlander War can be previewed at Inkitt.

 

Politics makes for inspiration, both good and bad, for writers

Leave a comment

6360551632829623031253354665_political-partiesElection Day has come and gone and many people are still scratching their heads over what we witnessed. As a rule, I normally don’t like to discuss politics because it’s too explosive of an issue. However, I’m not trying to take sides here but rather look at the benefits that elections like these have on writers like me.

Whether you voted for Donald Trump or Hilary Clinton, the next four years will be dominated by a Trump presidency. That’s a fact. That being said, it has already fueled protests, riots and comedy gold for the late night comics. In any case, we should all try to keep a level head and move forward as a nation. However, let’s consider what we can learn from this election and where do we go from here.

First and foremost, let’s put aside the “end of the world” scenarios being generated. People were saying the same thing eight years ago when President Obama was elected. President Trump does not mean the world is coming to an end, though I do imagine that many political thriller writers have already started on their first drafts. I think that it’s times like these that bring out the best in writers.

When I think about classics like “All the Presidents Men” and “The Manchurian Candidate” you really see what a changing political climate can do for a writer. I mean, Tom Clancy made a living at it. There are premonitions and scenarios that will play out from both sides of the aisle. How the writer adapts those concepts remains to be seen.

I think another big change to come out of this election is the role journalists have in our nation. I spent more than 30 years as a military journalist and public affairs officer for the U.S. Navy. During that time, I had a lot of one-on-one contact with the mainstream media. I think they were exposed by this election and many want to see them shift back to the traditional role of the media in U.S. politics. They should keep our politicians honest by reporting the facts, not cheerleading for one side or the other. I think many journalists lost their credibility with the American people. They need to build it back.

Lastly, I think an election like we experienced in 2016 can be a source of inspiration for writers. In my third book of the Forever Avalon series, The Outlander War, I bridged the gap between fantasy and reality by bringing the magical island of Avalon back into the real world. (You can read more about this in The Dark Tides: Book Two of the Forever Avalon series). I looked to politics and world leaders for inspiration for the characters I used to represent similar characters in my novel. It’s part of the ongoing research we, as writers,  have to do on a daily basis.

So don’t get discourage if your candidate didn’t win, embrace the change and let it influence you as a writer. You may be surprised by what benefits you can expect from this experience.

***

51nd6H6sATL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_SKU-000941753Mark Piggott is the author of the Forever Avalon book series. Forever Avalon is available for purchase at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. The Dark Tides is available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iUniverse. The Outlander War can be previewed at Inkitt.

Magic and mysticism make Marvel movie magic memorable

2 Comments

doctor_strange_ver5As a lifelong comic book geek who has put up with lots of bad movies and TV shows prior to CGI, I am in nirvana right now. We have had an annual dose of great comic book movies, some good and some bad, but they keep getting better and better. This weekend, I went to see the latest Marvel Studios movie, Doctor Strange, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Tilda Swinton, Benedict Wong and Mads Mikkelsen. I saw it in IMAX 3D, which I would recommend you seeing it in. The visual effects of this movie will amaze you in IMAX and it’s well worth a few dollars more. The creation of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko was actually made into a TV movie in the 70s (I remember watching it, it was terrible) but this is his first jaunt onto the big screen.

This is our first venture into magic and mysticism in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), although one could say the two Thor movies, and Thor: Ragnarok coming out next year, was like dipping your big toe in the pool of magic. Magic in the MCU, according to Thor, is what we call science in the real world. I did like how the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) explained it in Doctor Strange. Magic is energy and “spells are programs” to bend it to the will of the sorcerer.

In any case, this is a full-on origin story but it does take place over the span of previous Marvel movies. Stephen Strange’s name was mentioned in Captain America: The Winter Soldier as a target Hydra needed to eliminate; and in this movie, he was given the option of a surgical consult on an “Air Force Colonel who severed his spine in an armored mech suit” a la War Machine in Captain America: Civil War. You also see the Avengers Tower in the New York skyline during various scenes in the movie. As an origin movie, I like how they cut straight to the chase and didn’t draw out his entire life story in the first hour. It was quick and to the point, though a rumored scene showing how the death of his sister led him to medicine might have been a nice touch, Maybe we’ll see it in the Blu-Ray/DvD release.

The whole movie is not about Strange becoming a sorcerer, but rather it focuses on a former student of Ancient One (Mads Mikkelsen) who wants to “save” our world by ending death through eternal life in the Dark Dimension. Here we see the real villain behind the scenes, Dormammu. Whereas Thanos is the big bad cosmic being the rest of the MCU is worried about, Dormammu is the big bad of the magical world within the MCU. You really get to see all the evil that is Dormammu in the final boss fight (sorry but a video game reference is the only way to describe it).

This movie has a great cast, outstanding visual effects, and story that even the most novice comic book fan can follow. It takes Doctor Strange from being an egotistical surgeon to being a humble man taking on the awesome responsibilities as sorcerer supreme. It’s a great story with the perfect blend of action, humor, and serious drama. I wanted to see more backstory on some of the other characters, but I do realize it’s a movie about Doctor Strange so the others will have to wait for the sequel.

Like all Marvel movies, there were great mid-credits and post-credits scenes. The mid-credit scene set up Thor: Ragnarok beautifully while the end credits gave us a glimpse as to where they would take a sequel to Doctor Strange. In addition, there are dozens of “Easter Eggs” that many comic book fans will know and appreciate.

This is a great movie and worth the price of admission. It just leaves you wanting more from the MCU, but now we have to wait until 2017 for Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 (May 2017), Spiderman: Homecoming (July 2017) and Thor: Ragnarok (November 2017).

***

51nd6H6sATL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_SKU-000941753Mark Piggott is the author of the Forever Avalon book series. Forever Avalon is available for purchase at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. The Dark Tides is available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iUniverse. The Outlander War can be previewed at Inkitt.

Why is it so hard finding time to write? Is it cat videos, politics or Fall TV premieres?

Leave a comment

19614154_mIt is really hard to find the time to write. I mean, everything is right there for me … The plot is laid out, the character development is in place, and my computer is turned on. So how can’t I find the time to right when the new episode of “Great British Bake Off” is on?

That is the dilemma facing many writers. Your more experienced authors know the tricks to power through it and make themselves write a few more sentences, and then there’s the rest of us. We can’t help checking out Facebook, watching the next adorable cat video or even what mess Donald Trump or Hilary Clinton have stepped into.

I look at the pages I’ve written so far and just stare at the screen. My fingers graze the keyboard, putting a sentenced or two together and then, poof! I just stop in my tracks and click over to the internet. Why? Why does this always happen? Is it writer’s block or just plain laziness?

As an independent author, I don’t write for a living. I work a regular 9-to-5 job and write in my down time and at night, but that’s hard after working all day and you just want to unwind. I love to write, it’s my passion, but I find myself easily distracted.

That’s why I think a lot of this is really a form of writer’s block. Author and blogger  has a lot of great suggestions to get past writer’s block, but some of those suggestions are the same things distracting me.

I did like one thing he said. “Sometimes you just have to write something you want to write.” That is so true. I’ve been a military journalist and public affairs officer for more than 30 years. I’ve written everything from news stories, sports articles, feature stories and basic press releases. I’ve been writing fantasy fiction for a little more than 10 years. In that time, I have come to love writing. It is the zen to my day. When I get an idea and put it down on paper, the rush is exhilarating.

I know it seems like I’m doing a lot of complaining without offering any solutions and, that’s probably true. I guess this is my way of reaching out to my fellow writers and asking, “what do you do to make yourself write when so many things are screaming for your attention?”

This is my cry for help, and I hope someone is listening out there. I could sure use some good advice right now.

***

51nd6H6sATL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_SKU-000941753Mark Piggott is the author of the Forever Avalon book series. Forever Avalon is available for purchase at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. The Dark Tides is available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iUniverse. The Outlander War can be previewed at Inkitt.

Bad time for politics, great time for comic book fans

Leave a comment

I am a bit of a political junkie. I watch the news a lot, read all the online news sites and keep tabs on Facebook and Twitter about what’s being said in this year’s election. That being said, I have been ready to take a long walk off a steep cliff since June. If you don’t know who you’re voting for by now, you’re either too stupid, not paying attention or don’t care one way or the other.

I have to say that I don’t want to hear movie stars or other celebrities gloss over about who they think we should vote for. It turns me off, especially if my views are different from theirs. I think back to the whole Dixie Chicks debacle during the Bush Administration. I loved their music and when they decided to put their politics in the forefront, it made them unappealing to listen to. By the fact that they are no longer a group demonstrates my point exactly.

2015-12-03-arrow-headerSo where am I going with all this? I don’t want to see political correctness in my favorite comic book characters. I don’t want to see them changed or updated for the purpose of political correctness. I want to see the ’70s “Blaxploitation” version of Luke Cage, the X-Men that stand up the bigotry and bias of humanity, and the dark, brooding Batman that strikes fear into the hearts of criminals. Why can’t we have comic book characters be comic book characters?

We are losing our grip on what it means to be a comic book character. Everyone is trying to be edgier, darker, more shocking than the next one and it’s getting out of hand. We have a new generation being introduced to comic books through great series being put out on Netflix and the CW, and yet, they’re getting skewed. Luke Cage is being panned for being “too black” and people are criticizing the casting of a “white guy” as Iron Fist? These are people who clearly don’t know who these characters truly are.

At the same time, some of the producers are going “over dramatic” on some series. Arrow and The Flash have both gotten poor ratings for relying on too much drama and not enough action. Agents of Shield has also been guilty of this. Yes, we want to see character development but at the same time, the thing that brings them to life for fans like me is the action and adventure that goes with it.

Maybe it is this “politically correct” environment we live in that tries to make these shows something for more than just the average comic book fan. I understand that but if you change the essence of the character to fit a narrative that meets the criteria of PC, it dilutes the story into a mess.

This is something we, as writers, deal with all the time. Times change and, yes, people need to change with them. Captain America went from World War II hero to fighting the Cold War to fighting terrorism today, and through all that, he never changed who he was. The essence of Steve Rogers was always there, except when they made him a double agent for Hydra but we won’t open that can of worms.

I know that most of the people who write the storylines for TV are themselves fans, but even they have to change things to make them fit into an hour show. Stories yes, but not the characters themselves. Let’s be true to how they were originally written.

Why can’t my dreams write my book for me?

Leave a comment

e468bf21e67b6fef45a081e8d9986f2fI’ve read a lot about the psychology of dreams. Anais Nin said, “Dreams pass into the reality of action. From the actions stems the dream again and this interdependence produces the highest form of living.” I tend to believe that because, in my dreams, are the very pages of every story I’ve written and have yet to write.

Dreams are the grandest stage of all, where everything you can imagine plays out in a world that never ends. In my dreams, I can be as rich as Bruce Wayne, as smart as Tony Stark, and as powerful as the Hulk. I can live in the heart of New York City, on a magical, fantasy island or even on another planet. That’s the beauty of dreams. The possibilities are endless.

Many creative people got their start from something as simple as a dream. George Lucas said, “Dreams are extremely important. You can’t do it unless you imagine it.” This from the man that created an entire universe, you know there’s something to it.

My dreams are where I get my best work done. Earlier this year, I finished the third book in the Forever Avalon series, The Outlander War. I’m in the process of having it edited right now, so I’ve started working on the next novel in the series. I have days where I can’t sit in front of my computer and write, yet in my dreams, the story is so vivid and pronounced. Why is that?

I know what I want to say, I know what order I want to put the words on the paper, I know how the story should go and yet … NOTHING! It’s as if, from the moment I wake up, everything shuts down, as if the actors have finished the play for the evening and are going home. It’s so frustrating. I wonder if I should forgo sleep, stay up late and just try to force it out.

“Sigmund Freud said, “The interpretation of dreams is the royal road to a knowledge of the unconscious activities of the mind.” If you can look past all the psychological babble in that quote, the word you’re looking for is ROAD. You have to follow the road to get to the meanings behind those dreams and to be able to write them down.

It took me more than 20 years of having the same, recurring dream to finally write it down into what is the Forever Avalon series. I’m hoping it won’t take another 20 years to write this next chapter in the series, but I know that I have to be patient. If I follow the road, it will take me where I want to go.

***

51nd6H6sATL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_SKU-000941753Mark Piggott is the author of the Forever Avalon book series. Forever Avalon is available for purchase at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. The Dark Tides is available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iUniverse. The Outlander War can be previewed at Inkitt.

Sexy vampires, super zombies and nice demons? What has happened to the fantasy genre?

4 Comments

I know this blog post may get on some people’s nerves, so haters be warned before you read any further. I just feel a desperate need to address this topic. Countdown to troll hatred in 3, 2, 1 …

What the Hell has happened to the fantasy genre? I remember a time when vampires, demons, witches, and warlocks were evil creatures bent on the domination of mankind and must be destroyed or contained. Nowadays, it seems like these creatures of the night are sexy, desirable and something we all aspire too.

draculaI mean, I grew up when Hammer films were the mainstay of horror. Christopher Lee was the best Dracula ever, period, and made the prince of darkness something to be feared. New, according to movies like Dracula Untold, he was a father, husband, and a great leader, admired by his people who took on the curse of vampirism to save his people. It made him out to be sympathetic, not terrifying. That’s not the Dracula of legend, nor is it the one portrayed by Bela Lugosi or Christopher Lee.

It’s as if society, as a whole, wants to make evil desirable. I truly believe this shows the moral decay as a whole. Evil is no longer something to be destroyed outright. It’s something we want to change, to help through compromise not killing.

TV shows like Once Upon a Time and Lucifer want us to believe that it’s not the villain’s fault for being evil, it’s just that they had a bad day or a miscarriage of justice happen to them that caused them to turn evil. Really? Tell that to the victims of Ted Bundy, Adolph Hitler, or ISIS.

darth-vader-in-the-empire-strikes-back-jpgThis is why, in my opinion, that Star Wars gets it right. There is a true distinction between good and evil, the light and dark side of the force. Yes, they did make Darth Vader sympathetic and brought him back from the dark side, but he only turned through the machinations of a truly evil villain in the Emperor. Manipulation is one thing, but when you show truly evil characters (like the devil himself in Lucifer) to be good guys, that’s where I draw the line.

I mean, Vader himself shows no heart, no compassion until the very end, and it cost him his life. Kylo Ren is the exact opposite. He wanted to rid himself of any good inside of him and killing his father (spoiler alert, Han Solo) was how he accomplished that. He is now beyond redemption. That is the definition of a true villain.

Making evil sexy is the media’s way of tamping down the morals of society. We no longer aspire to be heavenly, angelic or good hearted people. Bad is the new good. Being bad is sexy, no matter who you step on or kill to get there. There are so many examples on TV and in the movies that make this point for me, they’re too numerous to mention.

Yes, there are also many examples that stick to the philosophy of good vs. evil in the classic sense. These are mostly those from the superhero genre, like The Flash, Arrow, Agents of Shield, and Supergirl. However, even Marvel steps into the dark side with their Netflix series Daredevil, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage, but again, their villains are not sympathetic nor appealing (i.e. Kingpin and Kilgrave).

This is why there are no good villains in the Forever Avalon series. I show a distinct division between good and evil. Good is good and bad is bad, no gray lines here. Evil is not something to be desired or wanted, it can only be destroyed. There is no distinction as necessary as this today. I’m not trying to get political here, but we would be better people, a better society if we purge that evil and hatred from our lives, starting with our media.

***

51nd6H6sATL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_SKU-000941753Mark Piggott is the author of the Forever Avalon book series. Forever Avalon is available for purchase at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. The Dark Tides is available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iUniverse. The Outlander War can be previewed at Inkitt.

You need to be a juggler, a priest and a wizard to be an independent author

Leave a comment

pr-professionals-jugglingI have been writing professionally for more than 33 years and, as an independent author, for seven. I have learned more about being a writer these past seven years than the previous 26. You learn so much more when it’s not just a simple essay or press release you’re writing. Writing a novel tends to reveal part of your soul, so it takes a lot more out of you.

In performing this juggling act, you need to have a quick mind, very thick skin, the keen intellect of a sage and the stamina of Atlas to keep up with all you must accomplish just ti get a book published. It’s something that every writer has experienced at some point in their career.

J.K. Rowling said, “Writing doesn’t always get easier. In fact, it can be more difficult for successful writers.” I have yet to achieve her level of success, so I can’t speak on that directly, but I can say it’s even tougher when you’re just starting out. You need the patience of Job as you wait to hear back from the publishers or literary agents you submitted your manuscript too. Add to that the financial stress from your dwindling bank account after paying for editing, publishing, and marketing as you wait patiently for royalties to come in.

American poet and playwright Edna St. Vincent Millay said, “A person who publishes a book willfully appears before the populace with his pants down. If it is a good book nothing can hurt him. If it is a bad book nothing can help him.”

That sentiment is true, especially for the independent author. When I self-published my first book, Forever Avalon, I sent out copies provided by the publisher to family and friends. In return, I got a two-page list of spelling and grammatical errors I missed from my mother. That was my pants down moment and it opened my eyes.

As most authors can attest, we bare our souls when we write. It doesn’t matter if it’s fiction or non-fiction, poetry or prose, writers care deeply how people react to reading their work. Author Elizabeth Clements said, “It can be depressing when no one takes interest, and a lack of response makes the writer question why they’re writing at all. To have one’s writing rejected is like you, yourself, are being rejected.”

If I’ve learned anything it’s that you can’t take it personally when someone gives you a bad review, rejects your manuscript submission or doesn’t like you work. That’s the one thing that’s great about the human race. We’re all different and we all have our own opinions and the right to express those opinions how we see fit. That is the mark of a free society. That’s also what makes writers so important.

There are millions of writers and millions of books being published every year, and though that makes it hard for independent authors to get recognized, we are doing our part to tell the story of humanity. Writers have recorded the good, the bad and the indifferent of the world since man put chisel to stone and pen to paper. That collective history will be around for countless generations to read and learn.

Just being a part of that makes me proud to be a writer and gives me the courage to continue, even when my sales are down and my bank account empty. I still want to write.

***

51nd6H6sATL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_SKU-000941753Mark Piggott is the author of the Forever Avalon book series. Forever Avalon is available for purchase at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. The Dark Tides is available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iUniverse. The Outlander War can be previewed at Inkitt.

Exploring the mind of a writer is a lot like spelunking

2 Comments

img_7945I saw a great quote from Victor Hugo on Facebook the other day. He said, “A writer is a world trapped in a person.” That’s so true, especially for those of us who write science fiction and fantasy. The world we create in our stories began inside us. You have to dive deep into that world to find all the different facets of what you create. Like spelunking, you never know what you’re going to find.

A writer puts everything he or she is into the story, put together bit by bit from the recesses of their mind. It may take years to develop a story, sometimes less and sometimes more. For me, it all began with a friendly game of Dungeons and Dragons combined with more than 10 years of sea duty in the U.S. Navy.

I’ve told you all before how, during my formative years as a young sailor in the U.S. Navy, I spent most of my off-duty hours with a small group of friends playing D&D to kill time on our long deployments at sea. This led to dreams of me and my family living on a magical island filled with everything from medieval fantasy. It was from those dreams that I created the world of Forever Avalon.

I found it quite easy to translate my skills as a D&D “Dungeonmaster” into creating my story. Actually, it’s a very similar trait, except for the grammar and spelling. My story even started out the same way as it began, with a dream.

***

The dream … It’s always the same.

Bryan, my husband, was dressed like a medieval knight. He’s in a fierce battle, fighting for his life. Monsters, goblins I think, swarmed around him like angry bees. He fought them off with a fury I’d never seen before. He wielded two swords—one blade was black as night, the other shined like
the sun.

The numbers were too great for him and one of the goblins got through. The creature jumped on his back and stabbed him through the heart with a dagger. He screamed in agony. I felt his pain. He fell to the ground as they continued to beat down on him until he disappeared in a sea of monsters.

I wake up screaming. It’s always the same.

***

It’s funny how something as simple as a dream can grow into a world all its own. This kind of creativity comes about in so many different ways. Ray Bradbury said, “You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.” I find this absolutely true. Whether it’s a blog post, a simple tweet or a few pages of my next novel, If I don’t write something every day, I start to get a little stir crazy.

Writing is that form of expression that helps us through the best and worst of times. Writing is an escape from the real world into that place we created within our mind. I go there every chance I get and, through writing, try to bring as many people as I can with me. Why don’t you come in and join in on the adventure? What have you got to lose?

***

51nd6H6sATL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_SKU-000941753Mark Piggott is the author of the Forever Avalon book series. Forever Avalon is available for purchase at Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. The Dark Tides is available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iUniverse. The Outlander War can be previewed atInkitt.

53-years-old and still a child at heart

Leave a comment

The late, great actor George Burns said, “You can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to get old.” That is so true.I turned 53-years-old yesterday yet, according to my wife on more than one occasion, I am still a child at heart. That is absolutely true.

maxresdefaultI still have that spark of imagination, that child-like demeanour that keeps you young at heart. I love to watch cartoons, read comic books, play video games and, in general, feel and act like a kid again. What’s wrong with that?

We’ve been trying to keep that spirit alive through every means possible. I mean, look at movies like Big and The Kid, for example. They try to teach how being that little kid again can help keep us grounded by keeping our hopes and dreams at the forefront.

One of my favorite TV shows is Doctor Who. I know it’s hard to fathom what a 2,000-year-old Timelord has to do with being young at heart, but give me a minute. The 11th Doctor, Mat Smith, was one of my absolute favorites. He could act like a child yet become a serious adult, switching back and forth all the time. I love that idea. That’s what we all need to be.

There are plenty of times when need to be serious adults, but every once-in-a-while, we need to let that inner child loose. It helps keep us young and alive. It’s that spark that helps me as a writer. That little kid in me is a dreamer, thinking about magical islands, flying on the back of a dragon, weaving magical spells.

That’s why I love playing Dungeons and Dragons. You need that child-like imagination to play the game. It’s hard to imagine crawling through a dungeon, fighting off hordes of goblins with nothing but a magic sword without tapping into your imagination. That same imagination works its way into things when I sit down and write. It’s the same feeling I get when I play a video game or watch a cartoon. It sparks that inner child and fills me up with wonder, hope, and dreams. I can’t escape it and I really don’t want to.

So, I may have 53 candles on my birthday cake, it’s not how old I truly am inside. There, I’m still a little boy playing with his Micronauts and watching Superfriends and Speed Racer on a Saturday morning. In my heart and soul, that’s where I’ll always be.

***

51nd6H6sATL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_SKU-000941753Mark Piggott is the author of the Forever Avalon book series. Forever Avalon is available for purchase at Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. The Dark Tides is available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iUniverse.The Outlander War can be previewed at Inkitt.