Thursday, April 19, 2012

Contest & Conversation with ENRAPTURED's Paranormal Romance Author Elisabeth Naughton

ENRAPTURED
with
Award-Winning
Paranormal Romance
Author
Elisabeth Naughton


Why do you write?
EN: Truly? So I can stop hearing voices. My characters never stop talking to me. It’s like having multiple personalities.

Do you have a favorite motto?
EN: Never give up, never surrender. (Yes, that’s the motto from the movie Galaxy Quest…but it totally works for me!)

Do you have a favorite fictional hero?
 
EN: Of my own? No, I love all of my heroes. However, I do have to admit that the hero in my latest release, Enraptured, holds a special place in my heart. I’m a sucker for the snarky anti-hero, and Orpheus is that and more.

Which fictional character would you hang out with? 
EN: Orpheus. For the above listed reason.
What is one of your favorite book covers, your own or someone else’s? 
EN: I LOVE the cover for Enraptured. I love the colors and the pose. I really like all of my covers for the Eternal Guardians series, but that one is really eye-catching.
What would readers be surprised to learn about you? 
EN: I don’t always know where things are going. I’m a write-into-the-mist author. When I start a book I know where I’ll end up, I just don’t know how I’ll get there, or what will happen along the way. My characters surprise me as much as they surprise my readers.

If you could go backward or forward in time which would you chose?  
EN: Back. I’d love to live during the ancient times. Of course, I’d want the modern conveniences like running water and bathrooms. (I’m only just a little picky.)

Elisabeth, please share with us more about Enraptured released by Sourcebooks. EN: Enraptured is the fourth book in my Eternal Guardians series. For those who are new to the Eternal Guardians series, the Eternal Guardians are seven warriors descended from the seven strongest heroes in all of ancient Greece. They defend both their world—Argolea—and the human realm from threats born of the Underworld—specifically, one evil goddess by the name of Atalanta who was herself once a hero but who made a deal with Hades for immortality and the chance to command an army of daemons for a shot at revenge.

Book four is Orpheus’s story. He’s not a guardian by birth, but he finds himself immersed with the guardians in an attempt to rescue his brother from the Underworld. And along the way he meets a Siren—one of Zeus’s elite female assassins—sent to destroy him. But she isn’t exactly what he expects and vice versa…

I noticed that Enraptured is a sexy sensual paranormal romance.  What is it about this genre that piqued your curiosity?
EN: I’ve always been a fan of Greek mythology, and I love playing with the myths in modern times. The paranormal genre gives me the chance to do that, to twist the myths around and turn the tragedies into happily ever afters.

Name one or two fascinating things you learned while researching and writing ENRAPTURED.
EN: Everything I research about Greek mythology fascinates me. Before writing Enraptured though, I didn’t know that Zeus and Persephone had a child together. I always knew Zeus got around, but that one surprise me. (And it was super fun to incorporate into the series!)

Okay, I want to give a warm welcome to, Skyla and Orpheus. (Waving frantically, trying to get the besotted couple’s attention). I know you two have gone through a lot to get to your happily ever after so I will try to be brief. (Blushes scarlet as she catches the intimate glance between the couple, clears her throat). Okay, so you two are still in the honeymoon stage, I see. I would like to know what each of you thought when you first laid eyes on the other.

Was it love at first sight?
Skyla: (snorts) “Not even. He morphed into a daemon right in front of my eyes. Talk about a major turn off.”
Orpheus: “C’mon, Siren. You know you liked that. Why else would you jump my bones only an hour later?”
Skyla: (Looks quickly away and blushes) “Next question, please.”

When you met, did you believe in true love? You can both answer. I’m quite curious to know both of your opinions.
Skyla: “Absolutely not. I thought love was a myth.”
Orpheus: “I’m still not sure I believe in it.”
Skyla: (Smacks him in the stomach)
Orpheus: (Coughing) “Okay, okay. I take that back. Don’t hit me again.”

Skyla, name the one thing about Orpheus that you believe won your heart.
Skyla: (Glancing Orpheus’s way with an assessing look.) “Hm…The love he has for his brother.”

Orpheus, name one thing about Skyla that you believe changed your outlook on love.
Orpheus: (Rolling his eyes.) “She mistakes guilt for a lot of things. The Siren’s the only one who gets the L word out of me.”
Skyla: (This time rolling her eyes.)  “Always the smartass. I have a feeling that will never change.”

Now back to Elisabeth.

Elisabeth, what is more difficult to write: an intense sexual scene or a heart-wrenching emotional scene? Why? 
EN: Hm…that’s a hard one. I would have to say the intense sexual scenes. I’m always working hard to make the love scenes different and unique. However, the heart-wrenching emotional scenes are the hardest for me to read in revisions. Every time I read the last few scenes in Tempted I get choked up (still!), and there’s one in particular in Enraptured that’s downright painful for me to look at, even now.

When you were writing Enraptured did you have music playing in the background?  If yes, what type?  Does music play an intricate part in your writing? 
EN: I love music. I make entire playlists for my books – music that inspires me, makes me think about my characters, their journeys etc. The playlist for Enraptured can be found here: http://c.itunes.apple.com/us/imix/enraptured/id499167620

When I’m writing, however, I can’t listen to anything that has words, because I find myself singing along and it kicks me out of the scene. So when actually writing, I listen to movie scores. My favorites are Lord of the Rings, Gladiator, Last of the Mohicans, and the score for the TV show Spartacus.

Which do you find is most important to you as a writer, voice or story? Why? 
EN: Probably voice. Story can fall flat without a really great voice. Anyone can come up with a cool idea for a plot. It’s how a storyteller tells that story that gets readers excited.

Elisabeth, please share with desperate readers where they can connect with you in cyber world. :)
EN: I love hearing from readers! You can find me in the following locations online:

Rock*It Reads website: www.rockitreads.com


I know this is a difficult question with there being so many amazing authors out there to choose from but who are some of the GOT-TO-HAVE authors in your TBR pile? 
EN: My auto-buy authors include Joan Swan, Elizabeth Lowell, Judith McNaught and Susan Elizabeth Phillips

What’s next in the works for you? When can readers expect to see it out on shelves in their local bookstores?
EN: Next up is book five in the Eternal Guardians series. Enslaved will hit store shelves November 6, 2012. I also have a new paranormal trilogy starting in May about three djinn warriors imprisoned by a wicked sorceress.  Readers can find more information about Bound to Seduction, the first book in the series, on my website.

Elisabeth thanks so much for stopping by and chatting with Over the Edge readers and myself; it has really been a blast getting to know more about you and your books.
Thanks so much for having me!


ENRAPTURED BY ELISABETH NAUGHTON – IN STORES APRIL 2012
Orpheus—To most he's an enigma, a devil-may-care rogue who does whatever he pleases whenever he wants. Now this loose cannon is part of the Eternal Guardians—elite warriors assigned to protect the human realm—whether he likes it or not.

Orpheus has just one goal: to rescue his brother from the Underworld. He's not expecting a woman to get in the way. Especially not a Siren as gorgeous as Skyla. He has no idea she's an assassin sent by Zeus to seduce, entrap, and ultimately destroy him.

Yet Skyla herself might have the most to lose. There's a reason Orpheus feels so familiar to her, a reason her body seems to crave him. Perhaps he's not the man everyone thinks... The truth could reveal a deadly secret as old as the Eternal Guardians themselves

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A former junior high science teacher, Elisabeth Naughton traded in her red pen and test-tube set for a laptop and research books. She now writes sexy romantic adventure and paranormal novels full-time from her home in western Oregon, where she lives with her husband and three children. Her work has been nominated for numerous awards, including the prestigious RITA Awards of Romance Writers of America, the Australian Romance Reader Awards, the Golden Leaf, and the Golden Heart. Her recent release, Enraptured, was recently named one of Publisher Weekly’s Top Ten Romances of Spring 2012. When not writing, Elisabeth can be found running, hanging out at the ballpark, or dreaming up new and exciting adventures. Visit her at www.elisabethnaughton.com to learn more about her and her books. Her next book in the Eternal Guardians series, Enslaved, will be in stores in November 2012. 

~ CONTEST~

Over the Edge, RCJR eZine along with Sourcebooks are proud to present the next enticing installment in paranormal romance author, Elisabeth Naughton's The Eternal Guardians series, ENRAPTURED which released earlier this month.  I'm sure after getting know more about Elisabeth and her work you will be come a devoted fan. 

THE PRIZE: Two (2)  eCopy of ENRAPTURED is up for grabs.

To enter:  Please leave a comment for Elisabeth Naughton, including your email address
(ALL entries must have an email address for contacting the winner)

*Connect with RCJR eZine at:

***
Contest is open to ALL
It will runs until April 30,2012
I will contact the winners directly on May 1, 2012
HAPPY READING! =)



Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Contest & Conversation with UNTOUCHED, Paranormal Romance author Sara Humphreys

UNTOUCHED
The Amoveo Legend #2
by
Paranormal Romance
Author
Sara Humphreys


Why do you write?
SH: To keep from going bonkers. J Several years ago, I realized that I had to have some kind of creative outlet or I felt stifled. Writing allows the freedom to create and explore the nooks and crannies of my imagination.

Name one eye-opening thing you learned from your book research.
SH: Cheetahs don’t roar—they make a chirping noise or a growl to communicate with each other.
Do you have a favorite motto?
SH: You can’t control how other people behave, all you can do is control how you respond to it.

Do you have a favorite fictional hero?
 
SH: In my own books? Dante and Steven. Dante, the hero in UNTOUCHED, is fiercely protective and all alpha. Steven is a jokester and never takes anything seriously. He’s that little boy who never wants to grow up.  From another author, it would be two men from Christine Feehan’s Ghostwalker series—the Norton twins.

Which fictional character would you hang out with? 
SH: Kerry, the heroine in Untouched. She’s sassy, spunky and a lot of fun. I’d love to go out and have drinks with her.

What is one of your favorite book covers, your own or someone else’s? 
SH:  There are so many good ones out there…it’s hard to choose just one. Sourcebooks does a beautiful job on their covers. I love all of the Amoveo Legend covers, perhaps UNTOUCHED is my favorite of the three so far. I really like the covers of Elisabeth Naughton’s Eternal Guardian series. Enraptured is her latest release and it’s hot.

What would readers be surprised to learn about you? 
SH:  I work as a public speaker but when I was in high school I was terrified of speaking in public or getting on stage. I didn’t find my voice until college.

If you could go backward or forward in time which would you chose?  
SH: Backward. I’d like to experience one day in the court of Queen Elizabeth I. I’m fascinated by the Tudors.

Sara, please share with us more about UNTOUCHED released by Sourcebooks. 
SH:  The hero and heroine in UNTOUCHED were introduced in UNLEASHED but you don’t have to have read book one to read book two. (Although, I hope you do.) Kerry has the gift of second sight but she doesn’t think it’s much of a gift because one touch brings visions and horrible pain. The only person she could ever touch without pain was her friend, Samantha and when she touched her the only vision she saw was a wolf. When she meets Dante, the attraction is overwhelming but she figures it will never be able to go anywhere because of the inevitable pain. However, one touch from Dante brings nothing but pleasure…..

I noticed that UNTOUCHED is a sexy sensual paranormal romance.  What is it about this genre that piqued your curiosity?
SH: I think paranormal heroes are particularly sexy because they’ve lived along the outskirts of traditional society. They’re usually wounded and guarded…there’s nothing sexier than getting  a tough guy to reveal his sensitive side.

Name one or two fascinating things you learned while researching and writing UNTOUCHED.
SH: I enjoyed reading out the bayou area of New Orleans and researching some of the houses in that area. I bought a book about old plantation mansions and all kinds of ideas came from that. One of the houses in that book became a primary location in the book.

Okay, I want to give a warm welcome to, Kerry Smithson and Dante Coltari. (Waving frantically, trying to get the besotted couple’s attention). I know you two have gone through a lot to get to your happily ever after so I will try to be brief. (Blushes scarlet as she catches the intimate glance between the newlyweds, clears her throat). Okay, so you two are still in the honeymoon stage, I see. I would like to know what each of you thought when you first laid eyes on the other.

Was it love at first sight?
Kerry: Holy Hotness, Batman. I mean look at him, the man is freaking gorgeous. However, instead of jumping his bones, I was horrible to him and tried to scare him off. Lucky for me, he’s stubborn as hell.
Dante: I couldn’t quite believe my eyes. I knew she was my mate from the moment I set eyes on her but I also realized she was a hybrid like Samantha. And she’s stunningly beautiful, as anyone can see.

When you met, did you believe in true love? You can both answer. I’m quite curious to know both of your opinions.
Kerry: No. I never dreamed that there was anyone out there for me. I couldn’t touch anyone without wanting to puke from the pain, so I didn’t exactly think there was love of any kind around the corner.
Dante: Of course. We are Amoveo and we all have that one true mate. I never doubted I would find her but I’m grateful that I did.

Kerry, name the one thing about Dante that you believe won your heart.
Kerry: His heart…it’s the sexiest thing about him.

Dante, name one thing about Kerry that you believe changed your outlook on love.
Dante: Once I found Kerry, I realized that I would have to earn her trust and her love. It quickly became clear that she simply wouldn’t fall into my arms.  It was not as simple as I thought it would be but it was worth it.

Now back to Sara.

Sara, what is more difficult to write: an intense sexual scene or a heart-wrenching emotional scene? Why? 
SH:  I think the emotional scenes are challenging to write because I’m worried they’ll seem smarmy or forced—and there’s nothing worse than that.

When you were writing “UNTOUCHED” did you have music playing in the background?  If yes, what type?  Does music play an intricate part in your writing? 
SH: Music doesn’t play when I’m writing because it’s too distracting. I play music before I write and when I’m driving so that I can get ideas. Music is a big part of my writing process and I create a soundtrack for each book.

Which do you find is most important to you as a writer, voice or story? Why? 
SH: Story. No story. No book.

Sara, please share with desperate readers where they can connect with you in cyber world. :)
SH: They can find all the information they’re looking for on my website. http://www.sarahumphreys.com or on facebook http://www.facebook.com/Amoveo  or on twitter @authorsara. I have a monthly newsletter that folks can sign up for and you’ll find the form on my website.

I know this is a difficult question with there being so many amazing authors out there to choose from but who are some of the GOT-TO-HAVE authors in your TBR pile? 
SH: Christine Feehan. Lori Handeland. Carolyn Brown. Terry Spear.

What’s next in the works for you? When can readers expect to see it out on shelves in their local bookstores?
SH: UNTAMED will be out in November 2012 and then in 2013 the fourth and fifth books in the series will be out. I also have a vampire series that’s coming in 2013.

Sara thanks so much for stopping by and chatting with Over the Edge readers and myself; it has really been a blast getting to know more about you and your books.

UNTOUCHED BY SARA HUMPHREYS – IN STORES APRIL 2012

She should be seen, but never touched…
Kerry Smithson's modeling career ensures that she will be admired from afar, which is essential since mere human touch sparks blinding pain and terrifying visions.

Every good model needs a heavenly bodyguard…
Dante Coltari is hired to protect Kerry from those who know who she is—or more importantly what she is—and want her dead because of it. Nothing could have prepared him for the challenge of keeping her safe. But, strangely, his lightest touch brings her exquisite pleasure rather than pain, and Dante and Kerry have an otherwordly connection that might just pull them through.

“Red-hot love scenes punctuate a well-plotted suspense story that will keep readers turning pages as fast as they can.”
Publishers Weekly Starred Review

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sara Humphreys has been attracted to the fantasies of science fiction, paranormal, and romance since her adolescence when she had a mad crush on Captain Kirk. An actress and public speaker, Sara lives with her husband--who is very considerate of her double life--and four amazing boys, in Bronxville, New York. For more information, please visit http://sarahumphreys.com, Like her on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/Amoveo and follow her on Twitter https://twitter.com/#!/authorsara.


~ CONTEST~

Over the Edge, RCJR eZine along with Sourcebooks are proud to present the next enticing installment in paranormal romance author, Sara Humphreys's The Amoveo Legend series, UNTOUCHED which released earlier this month.  I'm sure after getting know more about Sara and her work you will be come a devoted fan. 

THE PRIZE: Two (2)  eCopy of UNTOUCHED is up for grabs.

To enter:  Please leave a comment for Sara Humphreys, including your email address
(ALL entries must have an email address for contacting the winner)

*Connect with RCJR eZine at:

***
Contest is open to ALL
It will runs until April 30,2012
I will contact the winners directly on May 1, 2012
HAPPY READING! =)





Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Contest and Conversation with LESSONS AFTER DARK's Paranormal Romance Author Isabel Cooper

LESSONS AFTER DARK
Contest & Conversation
With
Sourcebooks Casablanca
Author
Isabel Cooper

Why do you write?
IC:  Definitely for fun! I’ve always enjoyed making up stories, and it wasn’t much of a stretch to writing them down.  I like getting to create characters and worlds, and to make up amusing bits of dialogue or dramatic scenes.

Name one eye-opening thing you learned from your book research.
IC:   How awful it really was to be without resources back in the 1800s. No insurance, no unemployment, and pensions were very much dependent on your (or your husband’s) trade; if you weren’t really rich, a little bad luck could really ruin you, as Olivia found out in her youth.

Do you have a favorite motto?
IC: Carpe diem. Life is short—might as well enjoy it!

Do you have a favorite fictional hero?
 
IC: Quite a few of them!  My absolute favorite is probably still Aragorn from Lord of the Rings—youthful habits stay with you—but at the moment, I am also loving Roland Deschain from King’s Dark Tower series, with a minor in Alistair and Zevran from Dragon Age: Origins.

Which fictional character would you hang out with? 
IC:  Kaylee from Firefly, Sunshine from, well, Sunshine (in part for the baked goods), and a whole bunch of others!

What is one of your favorite book covers, your own or someone else’s? 
IC:  I’m pretty enthused about the cover for Lessons. I also like the cover for Mercedes Lackey’s Unnatural Issue, which is…pastoral with zombies, or something.

What would readers be surprised to learn about you? 
IC: In real life? I’m cynical and rather solitary by nature: I get more like Henry Higgins as I get older.

If you could go backward or forward in time which would you chose?  
IC: Forward to stay, because I’m basically optimistic: I think society and the world improves in the long run, even if it goes through some rough bits on the way. I’d love to take a vacation in Victorian England, though, or in Mad Men world.

Isabel, please share with us more about LESSONS AFTER DARK released by Sourcebooks. 
IC:  It’s the story of a school for young people who, either by choice or by chance, aren’t ever going to be entirely part of the normal world; it’s also the story of two teachers there who start out not liking each other at all and end up falling in love. Looking at it as a finished work, I think it’s largely about identity: are you what you’ve done? What you want to do? How other people feel about you? How you feel about what you’ve done?

I noticed that LESSONS AFTER DARK is a sassy sensual paranormal historical romance.  What is it about this genre that piqued your curiosity?
IC:  Well, I’ve always really enjoyed writing fantasy: anything I write will pretty much involve woogy paranormal stuff going on. And I decided to try romance because it was a chance to really concentrate on interpersonal relationships, and how people find their place in the world.

Name one or two fascinating things you learned while researching and writing  LESSONS AFTER DARK.
IC:  One, like I said, is how tough things could be—especially for women on their own!
I also learned a little bit about the Anglo-Egyptian war, where Gareth picked up his wound: it sounded even nastier and for murkier motives than most wars, and really influenced Gareth's issues with honesty and trust.

Okay, I want to give a warm welcome to, Olivia Brightmore and Dr. Gareth St. John. (Waving frantically, trying to get the besotted couple’s attention). I know you two have gone through a lot to get to your happily ever after so I will try to be brief. (Blushes scarlet as she catches the intimate glance between the newlyweds, clears her throat). Okay, so you two are still in the honeymoon stage, I see. I would like to know what each of you thought when you first laid eyes on the other.

Was it love at first sight?
Olivia: Not at all! Though he was pleasant enough for, oh,  the first five minutes of our acquaintance. Things degenerated rapidly after that.
Gareth: Lord, no. Not that she wasn't quite pretty, but I was in no state to think much about women at the time.

When you met, did you believe in true love? You can both answer. I’m quite curious to know both of your opinions.
Olivia: Yes, but I rather thought I'd had my chance at that already.
Gareth: Not in some years. I hadn't much thought about any kind of love, true or not.

Olivia, name the one thing about Gareth that you believe won your heart.
Olivia: His honor. He's a man who knows both what's right and what's necessary, and he'll act on that knowledge, no matter what.

Gareth, name one thing about Olivia that you believe changed your outlook on love.
Gareth: I believe it was seeing how dedicated she was to Englefield, and to the students there. I'd always known she was, ah, a very determined woman—but seeing her put that determination in the service of others was a shock. A very pleasant one, in time.


Now back to Isabel.

Isabel, what is more difficult to write: an intense sexual scene or a heart-wrenching emotional scene? Why? 
IC: Both are tough! I've had somewhat more difficulty with the sexual scenes at times, purely for logistical reasons. It's tough to keep track of everyone's...hands, say...and Victorian clothing does not help!

When you were writing LESSONS AFTER DARK did you have music playing in the background?  If yes, what type?  Does music play an intricate part in your writing? 
IC: I would have loved to, but I did most of my writing at work. I do like music a lot, though, and really enjoy finding theme songs for characters and books. “Flowers Never Bend With the Rainfall” goes pretty well with LESSONS AFTER DARK at the moment, though I'd love to hear other suggestions!

Which do you find is most important to you as a writer, voice or story? Why? 
IC: Story, by far. Voice is important, especially when I'm in the characters' heads or writing dialogue: it's important not to have anyone sound too modern. (Except maybe Joan.) But the central part of any book, for me, is having events unfold, whether that means fighting demons or bantering across a dinner table.

Isabel, please share with desperate readers where they can connect with you in cyber world. :)
IC: Aw, thanks! My webpage is isabelcooper.org, and I have a blog linked off of there. Comments are great, and so is email!

I know this is a difficult question with there being so many amazing authors out there to choose from but who are some of the GOT-TO-HAVE authors in your TBR pile? 
IC: That is tough! I'm really looking forward to the next books by Stephen King (Shining sequel! Dude!) and Robin McKinley; I'm also going to be downloading a lot from Emma Holly, Rose Lerner, Susanna Fraser, and Angela Knight in the future. And I have to admit that I'm kind of anticipating the next Merry Gentry novel from Laurel K. Hamilton: hot elves are like the guy version of Junior Mints, for me.

What’s next in the works for you? When can readers expect to see it out on shelves in their local bookstores?
IC: Next up is Curious Affairs At Midnight, the story of Charlotte Woodwell (who appears as a student in Lessons), a handsome government agent, the possible end of the world, and a surly hedgehog. I had a great time writing it, and it's due out in December.

Isabel thanks so much for stopping by and chatting with Over the Edge readers and myself; it has really been a blast getting to know more about you and your books.

Thank you so much for having me!

LESSONS AFTER DARK BY ISABEL COOPER – IN STORES APRIL 2012

A woman with an unspeakable past…
Olivia Brightmore didn't know what to expect when she took a position to teach at Englefiend School, an academy for "gifted" children. But it wasn't having to rescue a young girl who levitated to the ceiling. Or battling a dark mystery in the surrounding woods. And nothing could have prepared her for Dr. Gareth St. John...

A man with exceptional talent…
He knew all about her history and scrutinized her every move because of it. But there was more than suspicion lurking in those luscious green eyes. Even with all the strange occurrences at the school, the most unsettling of all is the attraction pulling Olivia and Gareth together with a force that cannot be denied.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Critically acclaimed author Isabel Cooper lives in Boston with her boyfriend and a houseplant she’s kept alive for over a year now. She maintains her guise as a mild-mannered project manager working in legal publishing; all the while, she’s writing dark, edgy and magical romance novels. Her debut novel, No Proper Lady, was named a 2011 Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year in the romance category, a 2011 Library Journal Best Romance of the Year and received an RT Book Reviews Seal of Excellence for the month of September 2011. For more information, please visit http://www.isabelcooper.org.

~ CONTEST~

Over the Edge, RCJR eZine along with Sourcebooks are proud to present the next enticing installment in paranormal romance author, Isabel Cooper's  LESSONS AFTER DARK which released earlier this month.  I'm sure after getting know more about Isabel and her work you will be come a devoted fan. 

THE PRIZE: Two (2)  eCopy of LESSON'S AFTER DARK is up for grabs.

To enter:  Please leave a comment for Isabel Cooper, including your email address
(ALL entries must have an email address for contacting the winner)

*Connect with RCJR eZine at:

***
Contest is open to ALL
It will runs until April 14,2012
I will contact the winners directly on April 15, 2012
HAPPY READING! =)



 

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