BEWILDER-Palooza!!! Day 2: THE FABRIKATOR

"It looks like we'll be traveling together. How divine." ~ The Fabrikator

Introducing, the Fabrikator.

Readers, meet the Fabrikator, Fabrikator meet the readers. Fabrikator, they're coming with us on this adventure.

"Well hello, darlings. This is wonderful, just lovely. While we're on the subject of travel, do remember to hold on to your hair, because this is going to be a ride to remember."

We first meet the Fabrikator when she squeezes through the train cabin's door and into our hearts. She's sweet, she's patient, and she's impossible to rattle. Whether barreling through the Nothingness on a rocket-quick train, or trying to deflate Prudence's bad-attitude, she does it with a graceful smile. Her instincts border on telepathic and her charm makes everyone, even Mr. Bunnypunter, the abrasive steward aboard the Destiny Express, a grateful friend. She's someone you can't help but to love, and you know she'll love you right back.

Her two, energetic monkey-friends, Knit and Purl, are with her where ever she goes--just one, big, happy family. The Fabrikator travels under, around, and between worlds--our world, Bewilderness, and who-knows-where-else--doing what?

"Why, fabricating things, of course!"

As a matter of fact, she fabricates something very important to this Bewilderness Tale, something we would never have wanted to do without, something you'll find out more about tomorrow! I'll give you a hint...her name is February.

Check out the full Cover Reveal from Friday's post, and in case you missed it, meet Prudence, too! But don't forget to come back tomorrow to learn about another character in Bewildered's "Good Guys" cast: 

February!

BEWILDERED

A Bewilderness Tale, Book One

Release Date: February 2014.

PRICE: 3.99

SPECIAL NEWS!

For a limited time only, you can PRE-ORDER the eBook version of "Bewildered" for $0.99 at the following retailers:

Barnes and Noble

Enter to win an ebook copy! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

BEWILDER-Palooza!! DAY 1: PRUDENCE

"I'm a lady and a scientist..." ~Prudence Parks

Now that you've seen the fantastic cover reveal, we should become more acquainted with the characters who make Bewildered happen...

Meet Prudence.

This is our unlikely hero. She's smug. She's self-centered. She's twelve. But nonetheless, she must save the day--whether she likes it or not! And trust me, she doesn't want to have anything to do with it.

Prudence Parks has her life perfectly planned. Academics are her first concern. She's only related to her father, a writer of fiction (ewww!), by blood--nothing more. But on the first day of our story, she receives the terrible news that her father is dead. 

Wham! Bam! Things are happening fast around Prudence, and In no time at all, she's at the train station getting shipped off to an orphanage, her life of luxury and predictability far behind her. 

From the moment she boards the Destiny Express, her main objective is to GET. BACK. HOME. There's just one problem. The train is headed to Wonderville and there's no stopping it. For Prudence, it's one thing after the next as she struggles to finally figure out a way back to her own world.

I love Prudence. She's bright, tenacious, and has a will that is strong as steel. Unfortunately, these same qualities get her in lots of trouble. For starters, she has an issue with authority. Who can blame her? No one likes being bossed around all the time. But Prudence tends to take it too far, doing things that make her everyone she meets detest her.

Obstinate? Facetious? Yes, by the bucketful. She's so self-assured and over-confident that her huge personality can barely be contained in her scrawny body. Offer her advice? She won't take it. Give her a hand? She'll slap it away.  It makes it hard to like her at times, but I promise, there's a little heart of gold somewhere deep inside... waaaay deep inside.

Prudence has a hero's journey to make, and we'll be there with her every step of the way, cringing when she does something wrong and cheering when she does something right. All in all, she's the ideal person to take us on this roller-coaster adventure and I'm so glad to have her lead the way!

Check out the full Cover Reveal from yesterday's post, and come back tomorrow to learn about another character in Bewildered "Good Guys" cast: The Fabrikator!

BEWILDERED

A Bewilderness Tale, Book One

Release Date: February 2014.

PRICE: 3.99

SPECIAL NEWS!

For a limited time only, you can PRE-ORDER the eBook version of "Bewildered" for $0.99 at the following retailers:

Barnes and Noble

Enter to win an ebook copy! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

BEWILDERED: COVER REVEAL and more...!

Today is THE DAY!!! 

A day to fulfill promises and offer surprises. Are you ready?

Perhaps you've been waiting as long as I have, or perhaps you have heard of A. B. Harms (me) or BEWILDERED for the very first time. No matter--you have arrived at just the right moment. Because this is a pivotal time, the crossing of a threshold, a time of transformation, because this is the exact moment when...

SURPRISE!!
BEWILDERED'S COVER IS REVEALED!

Oh, you thought I'd just post it right here? I will, I will. But first, let me tell you, there's...

A SECOND SURPRISE!

I know, I know. And if that wasn't tantalizing enough, there's....

A THIRD SURPRISE!!!

That's how much I love you all...and Bewildered! So, let's get on with the show. 

Lights. Camera. ACTION!

BEWILDERED is a middle-grade fantasy novel, the first to be set in the wild world of Bewilderness. It's packed with action, adventure, odd-ball characters, and of course, MAGIC! Here--read the blurb!

Prudence Parks is perfect. At twelve years old, she has the world in her pocket. No messy friends. No silly games. Everything is just right—until her father leaves her an orphan. 

When she tumbles into a bizarre realm, known as Bewilderness, nothing is as it should be. Insects talk, pirate ships sail on sand, and plants are just plain evil. After she’s banished for claiming to be human, she thinks the worst is behind her. She’s wrong. The Match King, posing as an ally, promises to send her home if she can find the Paper Heart, an ancient treasure. Battling her sense of logic all the while, she meets a living ragdoll and her father’s doppelganger, who melts her icy heart and—to her regret—gives the Match King perfect collateral to ensure she follows through. 

Prudence realizes the Match King’s plan to erase Bewilderness from existence, but now she must choose: save the world she has come to love, or find her way home.

Sounds pretty fun, amiright!

After over a year of writing and some serious editing, I teamed up with Angie Kwon, who, by the way, is not only a kick-butt artist, but a total sweetheart, and FINALLY saw my dear Bewildered in living color. Now so can you...!

I present....

[drumroll........]

THE COVER...

OF THE MUCH ANTICIPATED...

BEWILDERED!!

A BEWILDERNESS TALE, BOOK ONE

TA-DA!

Ohmygosh! Isn't it wonderful!! There's Prudence right there in the front, and then her entourage: The Fabrikator, RePeter, and of course, dear little February (you'll meet them, don't worry). They're all just PERFECT! 

Ahhhhhh...I never get tired of staring at this, can ya' tell?

Angie did such an amazing job stuffing as much imagery and meaning into one little rectangle, it just boggles my mind...

See those clockwork bugs? Yeah- they have meaning.

See that raven? Yep- you'll meet him too.

The locket around Prudence's neck? The color of the sky? Yes, yes, all in the story. And if you have super-fantastic-CSI sight, check out the ring on the Fabrikator's finger...I'll give you a second...

It's a pin cushion, with teensy-tiny pins! Yessir, it's in the story. I'm telling you, Angie Kwon is superawesomesauce. Let it be known to all.

Ah, now we can get on to...

BIG SURPRISE NUMBER TWO!

You've read the blurb, you've seen the cover, and now you wonder:

WHEN CAN I GET MY PAWS ON IT???

In honor of our FEBURARY, the adorable living-ragdoll, BEWILDERED will be released in all it's many formats (ebook, paperback, and hardcover) from all major (and lots of not-as-major) online retailers (Amazon, Smashwords, iTunes, Sony, Barnes and Noble, KOBO, Flipkart, and more!) during the month of...

FEBRUARY 2014

*that's next month, yo!*

NOOK OWNERS:

SPECIAL NEWS!

For a limited time only, you can PRE-ORDER the eBook version of "Bewildered" for $0.99 at the following retailers:

Barnes and Noble

OK...I know, I know. I said there was a third surprise, and what kind of "cover reveal hostess" would I be if I didn't offer....DOOR PRIZES!

BIG SURPRISE NUMBER THREE!

BEWILDERED EBOOK GIVEAWAY!!

Because it is better to give than receive, I am running a giveaway all this week in celebration of Bewildered!

Though Rafflecopter, you can win an ebook copy of Bewildered!

Entering is easy, just use the Rafflecopter thingamajig below and boom! you could win this amazing book!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

this party lasts all week long...

Now that you've seen the beauty of the outside, I want to share some of the inside! Every day for the next SEVEN DAYS, I'll post a about a different character--and as a grand finale, on day seven, I'll post the first chapter!
*Follow these links to meet the characters, and even read the first chapter!
The good guys: Prudence, the Fabrikator, February, RePeter
The bad guys: Captain Bleak, the Mayor, and the notorious Match King! 

Wow. 

I need a nap.

Thank you to my daughter, Beatrix, for helping me with this important announcement. <3

Stay Tuned! This Friday is the BIG DAY!

Hello Future Bewildered Fans!

This is going to be a fabulous week--why? Because it's the start of...

BEWILDER-PALOOZA!

You heard me right! The week has finally come when I will reveal the cover of "Bewildered!" And what kind of reveal would it be if it only lasted one day?? LAME! So...

BEWILDER-PALOOZA will last for 8 days! Starting on Friday, January 17, 2014, when the BIG COVER REVEAL will take place! Then you will get 7 days of more BEWILDERing surpises, more BEWILDERing facts, and last but not least, MOAR BEWILDERing awesomeness!

Join me in just 4 more days for all the Bewilderness you can handle!

It's going to BEWILDER your socks off!

The Raven's Last Supper

Source

Upon a thick gnarled branch sat a raven. He was a handsome bird, and not without his faults. His two main vices were: eating berries and thinking too much of himself. The berries he loved the most were inside the landscaped gardens of the large white house on the hill. The people who lived there disliked him very much, and had laid many traps for him to stop his berry eating. But the raven was as smart as he was handsome and no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't stop him from stealing the delicious, juicy fruit.

On one occasion, the people had placed a bowl of the sweet berries inside a large birdcage. The raven found the test irresistible. With one strong wing, the raven kept the door lifted as he slurped the berries into his gullet, then sat hidden in the branches of the tall oak bemused as he saw the people examine the empty cage and bowl, scratching their heads in disbelief.

Another time, they installed a fine mesh net over the bushes. After his sharp talons shredded the net, he ate more than his fill out of pure spite. He barely managed to lift his haughty frame into the air as a shovel came whizzing past his head, swung by the lady of the house, who had been gardening nearby. It had been close, to be certain. But as he slowly digested his meal and shined his black feathers with his stout beak, he smiled. The people would never outwit him.

On a particularly fine day, while gazing at his reflection in the still waters of the pond, that aching feeling came over him. Hunger. And when the raven was hungry, there was only one thing to eat- the sweet, red, juicy, delicious berries in the yard.  Over the tops of the trees the raven flew, silhouetted against an azure sky, his mouth watered in anticipation.

From the air, he spotted the bush. It was extra full, nearly folded over with its tasty crop. He dropped lower to the ground, looking for what he was sure would be there- a trap, a puzzle, a new-fangled contraption- something which the people would foolishly believe could stop him, and which he would undoubtedly overcome. But, there was nothing.

The raven drew closer to the ground, still circling. There was no cage, no net, no trip wires, no tape, no sticks, not a single thing standing between him and his supper.

“They’ve given up.” He cawed with glee. “They’ve learned that there’s no stopping a genius raven like me.” A moment later, he was tail-feathers deep in the bush, munching on the berries without a care in the world.

So busy was he, that he didn’t notice the sleek, black fur parting the grass.

So busy was he, that he didn’t see the large, round pupils or long, black whiskers below.

So full of conceit was he, that he didn’t ponder for a moment why the songbirds had all gone quiet.

With a pounce and a momentary rustle of leaves, the berries were safe, and someone other than the raven, was contentedly full from lunch.

AND THE DEFIANCE BOOK GIVEAWAY WINNER IS...

WINNER!

Through the magic and assistance of random.org, I am happy to say...

Congratulations, ED*, you WON! a kindle copy of The Defiance by A.G. Henley.

and a BIG thank you!! to everyone else who entered the contest, and fear not- I will have more opportunities for free stuff in the future.

*ED, please send your name and email to abharmsbooks@gmail.com for prize delivery. :)

~A. B.

The Defiance by A.G. Henley: Book Blitz GIVEAWAY!!

As you may already know, A. G. Henley is one of my favorite authors. On July 29, 2013, Book 2 of her Brilliant Darkness series released, The Defiance.

In celebration, I am giving away one Kindle copy of A.G.'s newest arrival to one lucky reader!!! Wahoo!! This is the first time I've done a giveaway and I'm super excited!

Also, as a sweet cherry-on-top of this literary sundae, The Scourge, Book 1 in the Brilliant Darkness series will be a piddly $0.99 on Amazon from August 5-10 so you can get all caught up.

I have posted about this before- just a couple of weeks ago actually- when The Defiance released, but to save you the hassle of scrolling down through my posts, here it is again...

BOOK 1

The Scourge by A.G. Henley
(Brilliant Darkness #1)
Publication date: January 31st 2012
Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Groundling, Fennel, is Sightless. She's never been able to see her lush forest home, but she knows its secrets. She knows how the shadows shift when she passes under a canopy of trees. She knows how to hide in the cool, damp caves when the Scourge comes. She knows how devious and arrogant the Groundlings' tree-dwelling neighbors, the Lofties, can be.

And she's always known this day would come—the day she faces the Scourge alone.

The Sightless, like Fenn, are mysteriously protected from the Scourge, the gruesome creatures roaming the forests, reeking of festering flesh and consuming anything—and anyone—living. A Sightless Groundling must brave the Scourge and bring fresh water to the people of the forest. Today, that task becomes Fenn's.

Fenn will have a Lofty Keeper, Peree, as her companion. Everyone knows the Lofties wouldn’t hesitate to shoot an arrow through the back of an unsuspecting Groundling like Fenn, but Peree seems different. A boy with warm, rough hands who smells like summer, he is surprisingly kind and thoughtful. Although Fenn knows his people are treacherous, she finds herself wanting to trust him.

As their forest community teeters on the brink of war, Fenn and Peree must learn to work together to survive the Scourge and ensure their people’s survival. But when Fenn uncovers a secret that shatters her truths, she’s forced to decide who and what to protect—her people, her growing love for Peree, or the elusive dream of lasting peace in the forest.

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13450088-the-scourge

Purchase:

-Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Scourge-Brilliant-Darkness-1/dp/1490368078/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1375320378&sr=1-1

-B&N; http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-scourge-ag-henley/1109482650?ean=9781490368078

Praise for The Scourge:

“Lovable and relatable heroine? Check.  Swoon-worthy, kick-butt hero?  Check.  Compelling romance that makes your heart melt and toes curl?  Check.  Captivating story and fascinating world? Check.  Eagerly anticipating the next book?  Check, check, check.”-- Refracted Light Reviews, blog review

BOOK 2

The Defiance by A.G. Henley
(Brilliant Darkness #2)
Publication date: July 29th 2013
Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Read The Defiance (Brilliant Darkness, #2), the highly anticipated sequel to The Scourge (Brilliant Darkness, #1), a 2013 Next Generation Indie Book Award Finalist!

Suspicion Trust. Fear Compassion. Hate Love.
It hasn’t been long since Fennel, a Sightless Groundling, and Peree, her Lofty Keeper, fell in love and learned the truth: the Scourge, and their world, are not what they seem.

Fenn and Peree are determined to guide their people to the protected village of Koolkuna, but first they must convince them that everything they believe is a lie. An impossible task, especially when someone seems hell-bent on trying anything—even animal sacrifice and arson—to destroy the couple’s new bond and crush the frail truce between the Groundlings and the Lofties. Not everyone wants to uproot their lives in the forest, and those who stay behind will be left terribly vulnerable.

Fenn and Peree’s resolve to be together, and the constant threat of the Scourge’s return, push both groups to the breaking point. Unable to tell friend from foe, Fenn must again decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice to ensure the future of the people of the forest.

Only this time, the price of peace may be too high to bear.

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18132908-the-defiance?ac=1

Purchase:

-Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Defiance-Brilliant-Darkness-ebook/dp/B00E3DQ572/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1375320378&sr=1-2

Praise for The Defiance:
"Fans of The Scourge, you will not be disappointed with this sequel. The Defiance was thrilling, romantic, and full of surprises. Loved this book!"
-- Imagine a World, blog review

"I had very high hopes for this follow-up novel, and Henley DEFINITELY delivers in her sophomore release!"
-- Booking It With Hayley G, blog review

"I absolutely LOVED The Defiance! No, I
more than loved it! It was breathtaking, intense, romantic,
suspenseful . . . the list could go on and on!"
-- ARC review

Excerpt from The Defiance, by A.G. Henley:

The morning passes quickly. There was more wood to move into the storeroom in the caves this morning, new stores of salt meat and dried beans to deliver, and our herbalist, Marjoram, told me she has some poultices and teas she wants me to bring in. Marj was underprepared for the accidents and illnesses resulting from such a long confinement last time. She won’t make the same mistake again.

There’s plenty of space in the storeroom—it was almost empty by the time we left the caves after the Reckoning. It’s an easy job to stow the supplies neatly along the natural stone shelves. My stomach rumbles, anticipating a midday meal, as I cross the cavern to the storeroom carrying the second-to-last load of wood. Even the lingering stench of crampberries doesn’t deter my appetite.

 “Fennel.” The word whispers across the cave.

 I freeze. “Who’s there?”

 “Stay away from the Lofty. Groundlings and Lofties aren’t meant to be together. You’ve been warned.”

 I can’t tell anything about the speaker—man, woman, their age. But quiet as the person’s words are, it’s hard to miss the implied threat. I drop most of the wood, keeping one thick log as a potential weapon. The person is between the passage out and me.

 I hold the log firmly in front of me, trying to tame my wild breathing so I can hear. Fear strangles my thoughts. An indefinable amount of time passes. Finally wrestling the courage to move, I step forward, keeping the log at the ready.

 And I cough.

 The air is wrong, and not simply human-waste wrong. Something else. There’s light where there shouldn’t be, and . . . smoke. That’s what I’m tasting and smelling.

 There’s a fire in the passageway, and it’s blocking my way out. Terror doesn’t steal through me. It rips my head off.

----

AUTHOR BIO:

A.G. Henley is the author of the BRILLIANT DARKNESS series. The first novel in the series, THE SCOURGE, was a finalist for the 2013 Next Generation Indie Book Award.

A.G. is also a clinical psychologist, which means people either tell her their life stories on airplanes, or avoid her at parties when they’ve had too much to drink. Neither of which she minds. When she’s not writing fiction or shrinking heads, she can be found herding her children and their scruffy dog, Guapo, to various activities while trying to remember whatever she’s inevitably forgotten to tell her husband. She lives in Denver, Colorado.

Author links:

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

OK! Now that you have all the information and are dying to read it- you need to know...

...HOW TO WIN YOUR COPY!

It's so easy. All you have to do is comment below, and list your favorite book of all time. That's it. On August 10, I will choose one participant at random to receive their Kindle copy of The Defiance, Book 2.

So, what are you waiting for?!