Tag: steampunk

Two weeks to my first 2026 book festivals

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Two upcoming book festivals in March: the Williamsburg Book Festival on March 7 and the Suffolk Authors Festival on March 14.

“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold.” — Charles Dickens

March is roaring in for Indie Authors in the state of Virginia with two book festivals to kick off springtime. I’ll be heading down to Hampton Roads for these two events with all my award-winning fantasy and steampunk books in tow, available for new readers. From the shores of Forever Avalon to the halls of Camelot Cove with Gwen Iver, into the magical dystopia of The Last Magus, and flying through the skies with Corsair and the Sky Pirates, you’ll find your next adventure within the pages of my books.

Williamsburg is where history and literature intersect. The town’s charming colonial ambiance provides the perfect backdrop for the Festival. Experience an energizing event in a place that inspires creativity and honors tradition. At the Williamsburg Book Festival, our mission is to celebrate and support the art of literary composition while connecting authors with the reading public. Join us on March 7th for our annual family-friendly event that brings together a dynamic mix of authors, poets, speakers, illustrators, and publishers from Virginia and beyond. The 2026 festival will be held from 10 am to 4 pm at the William & Mary School of Education, offering a full day of literary discovery and connection. Visit www.williamsburgbookfestival.org for more information.

The 12th Annual Suffolk Virginia Authors Festival will take place at the Suffolk Conference Center at the Hilton Garden Inn Suffolk Riverfront (100 E Constance Road, Suffolk, Virginia) ​on ​Saturday, March 14, from 1-4pm! Whether you are an avid or casual reader, aspiring writer, or published author, you will find something entertaining and intriguing at the Suffolk Authors Festival. This one-day FREE festival showcases best-selling authors from all featured genres. Highlights of the event include author meet-and-greets, book signings, panel discussions, and sales. Visit suffolkvaauthorsfestival.com for a list of featured authors, festival headerliner, activities, and more.

This is just the start of my 2026 event season. Visit my Events page to check out all my upcoming events, including the new steampunk festivals I’ll be attending this year. It’s going to be a great year with some new books heading your way. Stay tuned!

Being an independent author in 2026 compared to 2009 is no walk in the park

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You wouldn’t know it by looking at me, but my first book was published in 2009, and it looks nothing like it does today. Forever Avalon was published by James A. Rock Publishing in 2009. They were a vanity press (I didn’t know better at the time, so sue me) that actually went out of business a few years later. At the time, I was just excited to be a published author. My first book signing was at a Borders Books (yes, and they’re another company that went out of business, no coincidence there), and most of the books I sold that day went to family and friends. It was surreal at the time, and as I look at that picture, I have to wonder if I knew what the future held for me.

It’s been fifteen years, and in that time I’ve published 1o books, five self-published, five with Curious Corvid Publishing, with more to come. It’s been a roller coaster of money spent, money earned (more spent than earned), and running from event to festival to convention to try to make a name for myself. It’s one thing when you’re 48 years old (like I was in this picture), but I’m 63 this year. That’s a big difference.

I honestly don’t think you are ever prepared for magnitude of everything involved, from hiring editors, artists, beta readers and marketing experts along the way. Then there’s all the supplies needed, from bookmarks, signs, table runners, canopies (for outdoor events) as well as ensuring you have enough books from one event to the next. Finding those events year to year is another task that has grown in volume. I have to admit, the growth of the internet has made my life easier. I mean, in 2009, social media was still at its infancy. I didn’t start this website until around 2014. Everything has exploded for independent authors since then.

If I were already retired and able to do my “indie author” gig full-time, but that’s not the case. I’m still a few years away from that. If one of my books takes off, that might change things, but for now, I just keep plugging away. I have cut back on some of my events, focusing more on book festivals and steampunk/fantasy conventions instead of the larger comic/anime conventions that are too broad for indie authors like me. Additionally, thanks to my involvement with the Northern Virginia Writers Club, I’ve been able to get into bookstores in the DMV through the organization’s contacts. It makes it easier for an indie author trying to get a foot in the door at major book stores like Barnes & Noble. Check out my Events page for a complete listing of my 2026 book signings, festivals, and conventions.

Honestly, there is no big learning curve. I think every indie author needs to go through this to get their feet wet and understand the system so they know what to expect. It’s not easy being an independent author. There is no multi-million dollar contract, signing bonus, or living off your royalties like Stephen King. When you look at the history of authors and how they started, we’re in good company (in the long run). Let’s just see how it goes.

Things are Starting to Look Up for 2026!

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Happy New Year! 2026 is already filling up with a slew of book festivals and steampunk conventions!

2026 is approaching, and I am slowly scheduling my book signing events for the year. You can find me and my steampunk and fantasy books from Curious Corvid Publishing, plus some new releases!

Here’s a quick calendar of events for the new year! First up is Daydrift Books & Cafe in Crystal City, Arlington, VA, on January 3, 2026, from 12-3pm. Grab some great coffee and a new book for your TBR for the New Year.

In March, I have two book festivals scheduled. The Williamsburg Book Festival is moving to the College of William & Mary School of Education on Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Williamsburg, VA, from 10am to 4pm. That’s followed by the 12th Annual Suffolk VA Authors Festival at the Hilton Garden Inn, March 14, 2026, in Suffolk, VA.

I have two Steampunk Conventions on the books for 2026, starting off with a trip down the rabbit hole and my return to the Tell-Tale Steampunk Festival at the Wyndham Garden York in York, PA, April 17-19, 2026. The 4th annual Tell-Tale Steampunk Festival, where clockwork alchemy meets magical curiosity in a world inspired by Alice in Wonderland, join us for a weekend of fantastical frippery and marvelous mayhem!

 If that’s not enough steampunk mayhem for you, come back to the Keystone State in August for the Key City Steampunk Convention at the Wyndham Gettysburg in historic Gettysburg, VA, August 7-9, 2026. Key City Steampunk has evolved into one of the most prominent steampunk conventions on the East Coast.

Click the Event link in the menu to stay up to date on all my 2026 events as I add more book-signing dates to the calendar in the year ahead.

Happy Holidays from the imagination of award-winning indie author Mark Piggott

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Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy Holidays to all my readers, fellow indie authors, and any steampunk and fantasy fans out there. I wanted to extend to you all the best this holiday season, wishing you and yours the warmest wishes for a bright and Happy New Year.

I’m going to take a break from posting here so I can focus on finishing my latest WIP. I’m working on the final book in my steampunk fantasy series, The Last Magus. I’m 81,000 words in and nearly finished, so I hope to have my first draft done by the end of the month.

In the meantime, I do have my first book signing lined up for 2026. I’ll be at the Daydrift Books and Cafe in Crystal City, Arlington, VA, on Saturday, January 3, 2026, from 12-3pm. Stop by for some great coffee and award-winning books, including Forever Avalon, The Last Magus: A Clockwork Heart, and Corsair and the Sky Pirates.

In the meantime, enjoy your holidays with family and friends. Maybe sit back and read a good book to pass the time, or even Buy a Book and give one as a gift. Check out all my steampunk and fantasy books and give the gift of adventure this holiday! You won’t disappoint when someone opens a book under the tree this year!

Kirkus Book Review of Corsair says “a diverting SF romp with touchpoints of Victorian/Edwardian history!”

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I got a couple of early Christmas gifts this week. First, the government shutdown ended so I am back to work in my regular full time job (yeah!) although I did take that time to really focus on my writing (more to come on that later). Second, Kirkus Reviews provided a top level book review of my steampunk historical fiction Corsair and the Sky Pirates. Kirkus Reviews is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus. The magazine’s publisher, Kirkus Media, is headquartered in New York City. Kirkus Reviews confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fiction, nonfiction, and young readers’ literature.

I appreciate honest reviews that focuses on the story, not every little technical aspect that some reviewers nitpick at. It means they really took the time to read my book and understand what I was trying to convey in my story.

“The author envisions an epochal meeting in the late 19th century between visionary author Jules Verne and young inventor Nikola Tesla to pool their ideas and create mechanistic miracles made possible by an alien element (“Uriel”) found in fragments shed by a passing comet that provides a seemingly inexhaustible power source. Now, in 1907, a transformed Earth’s skies are crisscrossed by airships, and there are steam-power-armored warriors, cybernetic limbs, punch-card “Thinking Machines,” and other steam- and battery-based technological wonders. The ruthless and amoral Thomas Edison leads a cabal of industrial elites who want to rule the world absolutely—and possibly incite a global Great War between Germany, Britain, and France to bring this about. Opposing them are Tesla’s “Vernians,” among them a flying fleet of rogues tagged as “pirates” (though a Robin Hood comparison is more apt).”

Kirkus Review of Corsair and the Sky Pirates, Published November 17, 2026

You can read the entire book review online at Kirkus Reviews. Corsair and the Sky Pirates is available online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and at Curious Corvid Publishing online shop. Remember, give the gift of steampunk this holiday season!

Come out to my last events of 2025, and get ready for steampunk excitement in 2026

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Come out for my last two book signing events of 2025 to get some great gifts for the holidays!

November kicks off the holiday season, and with it, my last book signing events for 2025! This is an excellent opportunity to find some unique steampunk and fantasy holiday gifts for the book lover in your life. On Saturday, November 8, I will be at Barnes & Noble in the Shops at Stonewall in Gainesville, VA, from 12:00-3:00 p.m. I will be signing The Last Magus: A Clockwork Heart and Corsair and the Sky Pirates. Stop by, say hello, and pick up a book if you’re so inclined. On Sunday, November 9, I will be attending my last 2nd Sundays Williamsburg from 11am to 4pm on the streets of historic Williamsburg, VA. You will find a variety of artisans, crafters, musicians, and food vendors filling the streets with holiday fare. I will have all my steampunk and fantasy books available for sale, so please stop by my tent, located on the corner of N Boundary and Prince George Street.

Come out for some steampunk excitement in 2026!

Now, for some good news! Looking ahead to 2026, I have already been accepted to two steampunk festivals that I am excited to attend. First up is the Tell-Tale Steampunk Festival, taking on the theme of the wonderfully mad Lewis Carroll, April 17-19, 2026, at the Wyndam Garden York in York, PA.

Welcome to the 4h annual Tell-Tale Steampunk Festival, where clockwork alchemy meets magical curiosity in a world inspired by Alice in Wonderland! This year, we’re trading ravens for rabbits and madness for marvels as we debut our brand-new location in York, Pennsylvania. Join us for a weekend of fantastical frippery and marvelous mayhem!

Next up is my first visit to the Key City Steampunk Convention, taking place August 7-9, 2026, in Gettysburg, PA, at the Wyndham Gettysburg. I am so excited to be a part of a new convention for the very first time, and I will be debuting a new book

The Key City Steampunk Convention is the yearly gathering of Steampunk enthusiasts. Beginning in 2016 in Frederick, Maryland, the convention has continued to grow and evolve into one of the most prominent events on the East Coast, with attendees traveling from far and wide to join in the festivities. Currently hosted at the Wyndham Gettysburg, in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the event continues to feature award-winning makers and panels, vetted and unique vendors, workshops, and most importantly, the opportunity for those in the community to interact and share their love of all things Steampunk.

I have a few more events I’ve applied for that I’m still waiting for confirmation on in 2026, so more dates are to come. However, these two are a significant start for me. I will have more news coming down the road, but in the meantime, I hope you can join me at my last two book signing events for 2025. I would love to see you, talk shop, or just say hello.

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

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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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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