Due to the rising of corona infections in our country, we've decided to cancel our trip to the south of France end of this week. Luckily, we could do it without losing one euro. Airplane, hotels, train all could be cancelled with full restitution.
My sister had a bad feeling about this trip - and we've learned to trust her feelings. Furthermore, we think it's best to forget about travelling for the rest of the year.
We hope that next year will be better. This feels like a lost year. We're back to wearing masks all the time - so you can't just go for a walk (I can hardly breathe when wearing a mask, and I barely see where I'm going because my glasses damp up) - and you can't go shopping unless on your own. Big shit! Luckily, in our hometown Dendermonde you only have to wear a mask in the shopping streets There at least you can go walking round the lake.
We console ourselves by planning what we can do in 2021. When the corona situation is better then, it promises to become a wonderful year with lots of travel. We're thinking Morocco, France, Italy, Mexico, Canada, UK, Lebanon to begin with. We've been saving up a lot of money by not going anywhere now. Some people think we're fools because of what we spend on travel. Had we saved up all this money, we've owned a big country estate with surrounding park. But real estate doesn't interest me or my sister. We have a house and a flat at the coast. That's enough. We don't need more.
I just hope this corona crisis will come to an end, rather sooner than later!
Tuesday, July 28, 2020
Thursday, July 23, 2020
Full Tilt Boogie
Say hello to Leslie Scott, author of Full Tilt Boogie, a New Adult Romance available July 22, 2020 from The Wild Rose Press. Leslie is doing a virtual book blast tour to launch this novel. The Book Blast Tour will take place July 22 - 28, 2020.
Blurb
Excerpt
Author bio and links
Leslie Scott will be awarding a $20
Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Please use the following link to place your comment:
Breanna
Casey has only ever wanted two things in life: to race and to get the hell out
of Arkadia, Texas. Stifled beneath her family's turbo-charged reputation, she's
got her thumb firmly on the self-destruct button. A night of hyper-driven
racing and rebellion leads to a one night stand with the one guy who knows how
to press all her buttons: Noah McKay.
Torn
apart by the toll of his high-intensity enlistment in the Marines and
guilt-ridden by what he's seen, Noah McKay left the military to find peace. A
chance encounter sends him working for the parents of a raven-haired Amazon
goddess with a tongue that cuts sharper than any knife. Quiet is the last thing
he'll get.
Finally,
she gets her chance. Calloway Racing wants her to drive for them. But that's
not all they want. A good friend of her father's, Calloway insists she take
Noah along for the ride. Suddenly, her dreams are feeling more like a nightmare.
Will they be able to help each other, maybe even find love, when living life
full tilt boogie?
Excerpt
The tent was suddenly far too small
and suffocating. Abruptly the song changed again. Silently I thanked the DJ for
offering me a reprieve. To keep from smothering in Vic’s good intentions, I
pulled away and sought refuge with what was left of my cake.
Let’s face it, going back to the
table was an epic mistake.
With Vic and Cara on the dance floor
and Isaac MIA, that left a surly Noah McKay as the only
occupant. And I’d walked straight to
him, ready for a fight.
“What’s your deal?” I shot as I
tucked my purple skirt beneath my ass and sat down—hard.
He opened his mouth and his tongue
slipped out and across his bottom lip, then he took seduction a step further
and pulled the shiny, succulent flesh between his teeth.
“Sweet baby Jesus.” I pushed the
cake away and let my forehead drop to the table. I couldn’t live like this. I
was vastly inexperienced in such things—no matter
how much swagger I put on.
He laughed. “My deal? I don’t know
whether to throttle you or kiss you.”
Author bio and links
Award
nominated author of Two Hearts, One Stone and the Arkadia Fast Series, Leslie
Scott has been writing stories for as long as she can remember. The happier the
ending, the better. Currently, she lives and writes amidst her own happily ever
after with her soul mate, son, and domestic zoo.
Author Links:
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/leslieSwrites
Buy Links:
Amazon:
https://amzn.to/316cgpZ
Barnes
and Noble: https://bit.ly/2CogIG7
Monday, July 20, 2020
Duty Bound Duet
Please say hello to author Sydney Jamesson. Sydney is doing a virtual book cover reveal for the Duty Bound Duet: Duty of Care and The Caretakers - psychological suspense available August 18th (Duty of Care) and August 25th (The Caretakers).
Sydney Jamesson will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour on July 21st. Please use the following link to place your comment:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3439/
Blurb
Author bio and links
Sydney Jamesson will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour on July 21st. Please use the following link to place your comment:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3439/
Blurb
DUTY
OF CARE:
On her death bed Emily Derbyshire’s mother made her promise to
take good care of her little sister. Keeping her promise, twelve year old Emily
did exactly that and became five year old Rita’s benefactor and bodyguard.
After eighteen years of sisterly devotion Emily receives some
shocking news! Rita has committed suicide. When disturbing details start to
surface, Emily puts her highflying career on hold to seek out those
responsible. She hires an American private investigator Robert Blackmoor; a
motorbike riding, no-frills, computer hacker who will use any means necessary
to unearth the truth.
Not surprisingly, Robert uncovers secrets from Emily’s troubled
childhood and chips away at the glossy veneer of deceit which masks the truth
behind, not only Rita’s life, but Emily’s imperfect life too.
Together they assemble the pieces of a sinister puzzle, revealing
a cruel and corrupt world of exploitation and murder: a Dark Web into which
Rita has become entangled.
As dark forces encircling Emily tighten their grip, and with
everything to lose, she must make a life and death decision that she may live
to regret.
THE
CARETAKERS:
Emily Parsons is a product of a difficult childhood: self-reliant,
fiercely protective and willing to do whatever it takes to safeguard the
wellbeing of those in her care. She has even slayed a monster, or two … or
three in the name of poetic justice, and yet she is haunted by the image of a
beautiful blond girl.
Sixteen-year-old Louise Travis has been abducted.
Louise’ fate rested in Emily’s hands, but she let her slip through
her fingers like gold dust, only to be swept away by a malevolent band of
brothers.
By once again enlisting the help of computer hacker, Robert
Blackmoor, Emily must find Louise before she is lost forever in a Dark Web of
heinous crimes, cruelty and corruption. The clock is ticking, and Emily’s
investigation is drawing the wrong kind of attention, but she will not back
down. She is duty bound to protect those she loves.
With skeletons from her past being unearthed, who can she turn to,
and who can she trust with her own sinister secrets?
Author bio and links
Sydney
Jamesson is a USA Today bestselling author by night and an English teacher by
day. She is nocturnal by nature and loves nothing more than staying up late,
listening to music and being inspired to write. She has always written
creatively; in her home is one enormous wastepaper basket full of discarded
phrases, opening lines and pieces of dialogue that have hit her like lightning
in the middle of the night. Her USA Today bestselling trilogy, THE STORY OF US
sold worldwide, and she has been thrilled to continue Ayden Stone's and Beth
Parker's epic love story in The Story of Us Series: Into the Blue, featuring
Blue Genes, Blue Hearts and Blue Moon.
More
recently, Sydney has focused on psychological suspense. THE DARKEST CORNERS was
her first venture into the new genre: a complex love story filled with lots of
angst, emotional scenes and edge of your seat suspense as a single father and a
troubled young woman confront their deepest, darkest fears together. The twists
come think and fast and the ending is unforgettable!
In her
latest novels, DUTY OF CARE and THE CARETAKERS - THE DUTY BOUND DUET -readers
explore the seedier side of the Dark Web; witness abduction, human trafficking,
and a devoted sister’s willingness to do whatever it takes to safeguard the
wellbeing of those in her care. It’s a real page turner, filled with incidents
which are heart-breaking and heart-stopping in equal measure!
Author
platforms:
Website: https://www.sydneyjamesson.com/
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/SydneyJamesson
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamessonauthor/
Sunday, July 19, 2020
Second corona wave coming?
Since the day there were less restrictions to our freedom (8th June), the number of contagions is on the rise once more. Not only in Belgium, but also in the rest of the world.
I've noticed that (some) people behave like they've been held captured and now have been freed from their bonds. They want to do everything, all at the same moment. That's how new contagions spread.
This morning, a special council of the goverment is gathered to talk about what's to be done. Probably there will come new restrictions.
In my opinion, the problem is rather easy to solve. First, raise the fines on bad behavior. Not 250€ but 2500€! When they'd have to pay such a fine more than once, they certainly would think before they act. Next, restrain the bubbled to who's living under one roof. Not the bubble of 15 that is allowed now. And finally, close the pubs and cafés after 8 pm. Later on, people only start drinking heavier and begin to make trouble.
Big Brother should be watching. Not a lot of people like that, but personally I have no problem with it. I'd like to live in a place like Singapore where you can't even throw a paper on the pavement without being fined. If something is forbidden, you don't do it. Is that so difficult? Here in Belgium we are allowed so much, so be thankful for it and try to follow the rules.
I've noticed that (some) people behave like they've been held captured and now have been freed from their bonds. They want to do everything, all at the same moment. That's how new contagions spread.
This morning, a special council of the goverment is gathered to talk about what's to be done. Probably there will come new restrictions.
In my opinion, the problem is rather easy to solve. First, raise the fines on bad behavior. Not 250€ but 2500€! When they'd have to pay such a fine more than once, they certainly would think before they act. Next, restrain the bubbled to who's living under one roof. Not the bubble of 15 that is allowed now. And finally, close the pubs and cafés after 8 pm. Later on, people only start drinking heavier and begin to make trouble.
Big Brother should be watching. Not a lot of people like that, but personally I have no problem with it. I'd like to live in a place like Singapore where you can't even throw a paper on the pavement without being fined. If something is forbidden, you don't do it. Is that so difficult? Here in Belgium we are allowed so much, so be thankful for it and try to follow the rules.
Tuesday, July 14, 2020
On the Eighteenth of May
Please say hello to author Jordan R. Samuel today! Jordan's doing a virtual book tour for On the Eighteenth of May, a romance available now. The tour will run July 6 - July 24.
Blurb
Excerpt
Author bio and links
Links:
Jordan R. Samuel will be awarding a
$30 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Please use the following link to place your comment:
Blurb
On the
evening of the eighteenth of May, a young woman named Cass walks alone into a
small village with the intent to stay for exactly one year. Cass soon meets two
precocious children, a caring and generous business owner, and the Chief of
Police from the neighboring town. Family and loss are parts of many of their
stories, and while these people, as well as others, attempt to know and help
her, the history and troubled memories of what led Cass to this place begin to
gradually unfold. As the potential for love and the pathway for healing become
clearer, the date of departure approaches. Cass and those around her will be
forced to decide how forcefully they are willing to hold on: to the past, to
the pain, and to the person.
On the
Eighteenth of May is the story of the people and events that are interwoven
throughout Cass’s journey and her life.
It is a story that examines the true test of strength in the deepest
depths of sorrow, as felt by the human heart. It is a story that explores the
perceived helplessness of those within the support structure, and the extent to
which those we love can hinder or accelerate the healing process. Finally, it is a story that reminds us of the
overwhelming power of comforting influences in all of our lives, as our human
souls struggle, against all odds, to survive.
Excerpt
Taking his keys from his pocket and
unlocking the back porch door, Lucas returned to the present. He was well aware
that this was his mother’s favored napping time, a time she lovingly referred
to as her “pre-supper beauty sleep”, so he was careful to open the back door
quietly. After entering, he softly stepped through the kitchen and headed
straight for his old bedroom.
The bedroom door was closed, which
seemed odd. He quickly shrugged it off and proceeded to walk towards it,
intending to find the croquet set and leave the home so quietly his mother
would never even know he had been there.
As he turned the doorknob, the
bedroom door slid slowly open, offering him a small and then ever-increasing
slice of vision. As the opening grew wider, Lucas suddenly saw. There was a
stranger in his bedroom.
The stranger was looking out his
window. Her face was fully turned away. However, he did not need to see her
face to realize the stranger was the drifter. The very same drifter he had seen
earlier in the day. The same clothes, the same sweat, the same hair.
He thought back to the questions he
had considered earlier in regards to her age. Whatever her age, she was old
enough. Old enough to know how to break into an older woman’s home and steal
her blind.
Author bio and links
Jordan
R. Samuel is a former public school teacher and administrator who enjoys her
current work as an Assistant Professor of Education. She spends her days with
her husband and her three children as she teaches, studies and writes. She
immensely enjoys travelling, and penned many parts of this particular story
while relaxing in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina.
I asked Jordan why she prefers to write in this genre. This is what she answers:
I probably
shouldn’t admit it, because I am sure it will come across as a little lazy, but
this is the genre I love to read myself! As I wrote the book, I kept thinking –
“wow, I can’t wait to finish so I can relax, lay on the couch, and read this
book!”
I love simple
romances, with a little bit of mystery. And as I started writing On the
Eighteenth of May, I started picturing all the people in my mind who
probably loved this type of book as well and were all just waiting for me to
finish!
I have already
started writing my next novel, The Broken Bridge, and I am happy to
share that, yes, it is the same general type of genre. A sad romance that will
pull on your heartstrings and leave you cheering for characters even though you
suspect, against all hope, that a rough road is ahead – just around the curve.
I belong to a
book club and we met recently to discuss a historical fiction that we had just
read. I was so relieved when everyone started sharing how hard it was for them
to “get into it”. It was then that I knew, I’m
not alone. Sometimes we all just need a sad love story to engross ourselves
in, as we lay on the beach or sit on our couch or swing on our front porch.
I hope you and
your readers will enjoy On the Eighteenth of May!
Amazon
Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Jordan-R-Samuel/e/B087CB3RTF/
Sunday, July 12, 2020
A String of Stories
Today we welcome author Ann Chiappetta. Ann is doing a Virtual Book Blast Tour for A String of Stories: From the Heart to
the Future, a short story collection/general fiction
available now from DLD Books. The Book Blast Tour will take place July 13 - 17,
2020.
Blurb
Excerpt
Author bio and links
Ann Chiappetta will be awarding a
$15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the
tour. Please use the following link to place your comment:
Blurb
A demon
deer and a ghost cat. Sibling rivalry and sexual awakening. Self-image and self-confidence.
The chance for an offworlder to breathe free at last on a new planet. Those are
just some of the diverse themes of these remarkable stories. Some endings are
happy, some are sad, and some are intriguingly open-ended. But once you step
inside the author’s world, you cannot emerge unmoved.
Excerpt
Excerpt from "A Temporary
Perspective"
Sloane had ordered Chinese take–out,
a treat on their fixed income. Josh loved eggrolls, and his smile upon seeing
the containers made her day.
After clearing the dishes and
stowing the leftovers in the fridge, Sloane noticed Josh watching her.
“Josh, what is it?”
“Can I talk to you?”
“Sure, honey.” She put her hands in
her lap to hide her nervous fidgeting.
“Mom, now that I’m in 8th grade,
I’ve been thinking about what I want to do after high school.”
“You mean, like college?”
“Kind of. But not really. Mom, I
want to join the military.”
Sloane stopped fidgeting, shocked.
This wasn’t how the conversation should go, she thought. He was supposed to say
something different. “Mom, I want to learn all about computers.” Or “Mom, I
want to run my own business.” But the military? She must have looked confused,
because she saw the barest flick of an eye roll from her usually respectful and
stoic son.
“The military?” she asked.
“Yes, the Army—the Reserve Officer
Training Corps, actually. It starts in 9th grade.”
Sloane didn’t know how to respond.
Part of her was relieved, and the other part wasn’t happy at all. “That means
you’ll be going away a lot.”
“Not until after high school,” he
said. “Besides, Juan and Mark are joining ROTC, too.”
“Sounds like you’ve done your
homework on this one,” she said. “I’ve tried my best to raise you to make good
decisions and be practical.”
They sat in silence at the dining
table. Sloane couldn’t help finding the irony in what was clearly her own
inaccurate thinking. Josh wasn’t even thinking of her as an embarrassment or of
himself as the only son of an abandoned single mother who was going blind.
“It could be dangerous,” she said.
“I’ll worry.”
“Mom, it’s what I want. There are
kids who get all messed up just crossing the street.”
Sloane shook her head in defeat.
There was no arguing with the invincibility of youth.
Author bio and links
Ann
Chiappetta M.S. author and poet.
Making
meaningful connections with others through writing.
Ann’s
nonfiction essays have been printed in Dialogue magazine, among others. Her
poems are often featured in Poesis, The Pangolin Review, the Avocet, and
Magnets and Ladders. Her poetry is also included in Breath and Shadow’s 2016
debut anthology, Dozen: The Best of Breath and Shadow.
Her first two books, a poetry collection,
UPWELLING: POEMS C 2016 and memoir, FOLLOW YOUR DOG A STORY OF LOVE AND TRUST C
2017, are available from all eBook sellers in electronic and print softcover,
and as audio books from Audible.
Ann’s
third book WORDS OF LIFE: POEMS AND ESSAYS
C 2019 can also be purchased in all eBook formats and in softcover. The
Audible audio book will be released in Fall 2020. Ann’s newest title, A String
of Stories: From the Heart to the Future C 2020, is also available as an eBook
and softcover.
Ann’s
blog: www.thought-wheel.com
Ann’s
personal website: www.annchiappetta.com
Ann’s
author page: www.dldbooks.com/annchiappetta
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/AnnieDungarees
Thursday, July 9, 2020
Holiday at the coast
We've been staying here at the North Sea coast for almost a week now. The weather, up to now, doesn't co-operate too much. We've only had the one sunny day! For the rest, there are clouds and some days even rain.
Here in Heist (part of the city Knokke-Heist) it's rather quiet. Not many tourists. So not much danger of catching corona. In Knokke, it's different though. There the streets are more crowded and especially at night there are problems. All pubs must close at 1 am and when they do, hundreds of youngster gather around to make trouble. For a couple of consequent nights, the police had to use force to make them leave and go home.
I often get the notion people go a bit crazy now that the corona rules are less severe. Just be glad that you can go to a restaurant or pub. Before you couldn't. And why do young people need to stay out until early morning? When we were young, we went out at Friday or Saturday night around 8 pm and came home by midnight. And we were happy with that and had great fun. But now they only leave their homes around midnight and return when other people go to work... Wouldn't be bad if corona could bring a change to this pattern.
According to the weather information, we are having the last of this bad weather, and from the weekend on it should become more sunny once more. I really long for it, as I love to feel the sun on my skin! When the weather is nice, you can do so much more. We'd like to go to Bruges one day, and it's nicer when you don't have to wear a raincoat or bring an umbrella. Or go cycling. You don't do that when it rains.
Here in Heist (part of the city Knokke-Heist) it's rather quiet. Not many tourists. So not much danger of catching corona. In Knokke, it's different though. There the streets are more crowded and especially at night there are problems. All pubs must close at 1 am and when they do, hundreds of youngster gather around to make trouble. For a couple of consequent nights, the police had to use force to make them leave and go home.
I often get the notion people go a bit crazy now that the corona rules are less severe. Just be glad that you can go to a restaurant or pub. Before you couldn't. And why do young people need to stay out until early morning? When we were young, we went out at Friday or Saturday night around 8 pm and came home by midnight. And we were happy with that and had great fun. But now they only leave their homes around midnight and return when other people go to work... Wouldn't be bad if corona could bring a change to this pattern.
According to the weather information, we are having the last of this bad weather, and from the weekend on it should become more sunny once more. I really long for it, as I love to feel the sun on my skin! When the weather is nice, you can do so much more. We'd like to go to Bruges one day, and it's nicer when you don't have to wear a raincoat or bring an umbrella. Or go cycling. You don't do that when it rains.
Monday, July 6, 2020
A Convenient Escape
Please welcome author Sara R. Turnquist today. Sara's doing a virtual book blast tour for A Convenient Escape, a sweet historival romance available June 30, 2020. The Book
Blast Tour will take place on July 6 - 10, 2020.
Blurb
Excerpt
Author bio and links
Sara R. Turnquist will be awarding
a $30 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the
tour. Please use the following link to place your comment:
Blurb
She has nowhere to go. He has
nothing to lose.
Lily McAllen has known nothing
but hardship and rejection. Her brother, the only person she can lean on, takes
a job at the Miller ranch. Now with no ally, she is alone, confined, and
vulnerable. She becomes desperate to get away…by any means necessary.
Despite
his best intentions, Daniel Hayworth is drawn into a fatal mishap. He feels
responsible. And is prepared to do whatever it takes to ensure Lily is cared
for…even if that means proposing marriage.
Complicating
matters, Geronimo and his raiding band terrorize the surrounding areas.
Troubles mount and tensions challenge the growing attraction between Dan and
Lily.
Will
they make it to the church? Or find themselves victims of lies,
disillusionment, or the ire of an Apache rebel?
Excerpt
She leaned into Dan’s arm, her head
on his shoulder. “I just don’t know what to do, you know?”
Dan turned his face toward hers, his
lips nearly brushing her forehead.
“I can’t believe he’s gone. Really
gone.” Her voice cracked into a whimper.
More tears would come.
What did she need? What did he want
when faced with death?
Consolation.
Dan slid an arm around her. Now she
was drawn to his chest. And he embraced her from the side.
As much as she shook, she soon
settled into his arms. Did she find some measure of comfort there? In the arms
of the man responsible?
He closed his eyes. This wasn’t
right. But could he take away what peace she found there because of his selfish
desire to share the truth?
No, he would be strong and let her
pull from his strength. For now.
The truth would come later.
Dan glanced at the house. How might
they appear to her father? It was not appropriate for him to be embracing a
woman who was not his sister or his betrothed. Or for him to find such
enjoyment having her in his arms.
As he shifted his focus back to her,
he saw a curtain move. Had someone been watching?
Author bio and links
Sara
is a coffee lovin', word slinging, Historical Romance author whose super power
is converting caffeine into novels. She loves those odd little tidbits of
history that are stranger than fiction. That's what inspires her. Well, that
and a good love story.
But
of all the love stories she knows, hers is her favorite. She lives happily with
her own Prince Charming and their gaggle of minions. Three to be exact. They
sure know how to distract a writer! But, alas, the stories must be written,
even if it must happen in the wee hours of the morning.
Sara
is an avid reader and enjoys reading and writing clean Historical Romance when
she’s not traveling. Her books range from the Czech lands to the American wild
west and from ancient Egypt to the early 1900s. Some of her titles include The
Lady Bornekova, Hope in Cripple Creek, The General’s Wife, Trail of Fears, and
the Convenient Risk Series.
Happy
Reading!
Website: http://saraturnquist.com/
Twitter: @sarat1701
Facebook
Author @authorsararturnquist
Instagram: @sarat0103
Pinterest: @saravturnquist
YouTube: Sara Turnquist
Free on Kindle Unlimited!
Thursday, July 2, 2020
Preparing for a longer stay
Tomorrow we'll head to our place at the coast to spend most of the summer there. As we've been having this place since 1993, we have pretty much everything we also have at home in Dendermonde. We have a washing machine and dishwasher, there is linen and clothes + shoes.
But nevertheless you need to take some measures when you'll be away from home for a longer time. I need to ask a neighbor to keep a reserve key (our former neighbor Willy used to do this, but he passed away last year in October) and check if everything's allright every now and then. We had to apply to have our post send to the other address (filling in a form with BPost and paying for the weeks involved). Have to keep my finances up to date and kept on USB, so I can transfer them to my pc in Heist. Not forget my sunglasses! Count out my pills to last me until the end of August...
All small things, but they keep you occupied for some time. Hopefully it's going to be a nice summer. As long as it doesn't rain too much, it'll be okay for us. Sunshine is appreciated but not necessary.
And what about your summer?
But nevertheless you need to take some measures when you'll be away from home for a longer time. I need to ask a neighbor to keep a reserve key (our former neighbor Willy used to do this, but he passed away last year in October) and check if everything's allright every now and then. We had to apply to have our post send to the other address (filling in a form with BPost and paying for the weeks involved). Have to keep my finances up to date and kept on USB, so I can transfer them to my pc in Heist. Not forget my sunglasses! Count out my pills to last me until the end of August...
All small things, but they keep you occupied for some time. Hopefully it's going to be a nice summer. As long as it doesn't rain too much, it'll be okay for us. Sunshine is appreciated but not necessary.
And what about your summer?
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