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Luck of the Irish Giveaway Hop

February 29, 2012 By


Luck of the Irish Giveaway Hop is hosted by Mama Does It All and Deals from MS DO. Enter to win the Grand Prize Kindle Fire sponsored by zuuzs.com

zuuzs is a social shopping site where friends shop, share, and earn together. You can shop at more than 850 stores, share deals & opinions with friends, and control your own cash back rewards with their exclusive Buying Power functionality. It’s free to join and have fun with zuuzs!

Here is what I have to offer. 6 Winners

Brett Sills: There will be 2 winners, 1 winner will win a free copy of his book and a $5.00 Amazon gift card. The other winner will win a free copy of his book. ( Can be paperback or Kindle version )

Bob Lowe: There will be 4 winners, 2 winners will win a free e-copy of his book and a $5.00 Amazon gift card. The other 2 winners will receive a free e-copy of his book.

Below you will find their books and my reviews. Be sure to enter all the other blogs with the links below. Thank you for stopping by and good luck.

My Sweet Saga by Brett Sills

At nearly 30 years old, Brandon is barely able to make it through life, much less enjoy it. He is weeks away from what should be one of the happiest days of his life, his wedding day to his fiancée, Clarissa, but his attention is distracted when his estranged, erratic, and oddly eccentric father suddenly reappears with a bizarre demand: to accompany him to Stockholm, Sweden, where they will meet a local who he claims will change their lives. Desperate for even a brief escape from his reality, Brandon reluctantly goes with his father, ready for a disaster. But his life completely changes the moment he meets the mysterious Swedish man’s daughter, Saga. On a cobblestone street in the middle of Stockholm, Brandon reawakens to life, but struggles to navigate the messy love triangle with Saga and his fiancée, which includes multiple arrests, hospital stays, terrorist bombs, acts of heroism and foolishness, family secrets, and even a bit of public nudity.

My thoughts:

Brandon has a sad life. He wasn’t happy about getting married soon and took a way out when his father comes along and offers him a way to leave his life for a while. While in Sweden Brandon falls for a local girls, Saga. With family secrets, bombs and some hilarious scenes the book is a good read.

Brett brings us a male’s point of view and it is a switch for me that I enjoyed reading. I had some laugh out loud experiences that keeps the book moving along. The setting and plot works well as you can see yourself in at different places through out the book.

I will admit at the beginning of the book it starts off a bit slow, but after you get going you can not put this book down.

Project Moses by Robert B. Lowe

Enzo Lee, 37, a burned out reporter, has forsaken investigative reporting on the East Coast to churn out feature fluff in San Francisco. He likes his North Beach apartment, steps away from his Chinatown roots. Running, tai chi, great food, women who are attracted to his exotic looks. Life is good. Then, Lee is ordered to cover the unexplained deaths of a local judge and prosecutor. Intrigued by the connection, and the judge’s attractive niece, Sarah Armstrong, Lee begins to uncover a bioterrorism scandal whose perpetrators – including government officials and Silicon Valley titans – will kill to conceal. When Lee and Sarah become targets, the question becomes whether the pair can evade their hunters and piece together the story before their time runs out. Project Moses is set in San Francisco, New York and Silicon Valley. By a Pulitzer Prize-winnng author.

My thoughts:

Enzo is a cute character that I liked from the beginning. The story is engaging that keeps the pages turning. All the characters worked well together. The Bob does a great job with the descriptions of San Francisco and China Town. I have never been there, but flet like I was there. I got a feel for the city.

What I loved about the book it made me feel like I was back reading a real mystery before all the fluff ( which I like those too ). I was impressed with the authors work and look forward to a second read.

Please use the rafflecopter to enter.

 

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Barb
Filed Under: Blog Hop, Book Reviews for 2012, Giveaways Tagged With: , , , ,

Newest Hop I signed up for could use some help

February 29, 2012 By

I can giveaway as many romances books as I want and with using rafflecopter I can have as many entries as I want. If you are an author and would like to giveaway one of your books please contact me @ babsbookbistro at gmail dot com. Also let me know what links you would like the readers to follow for them to enter.

Thanks

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Barb
Filed Under: Blog Hop, Giveaway Tagged With: , , , ,

Blog Tour Hosts Needed for Jackie Gamber

February 29, 2012 By

 

The tour is for Jackie Gamber with her followup to Redheart, called Sela.  If you are interested in helping with the tour could you please send me 2 dates that you would like and if you would like to do a review, giveaway, interview or guest post.  You can combine any two you would like as well.

Sela…Quote from Jackie………With Sela, we’ll find more tension between dragons and humans as the next generation takes their place in the story. And in the final book, our dragon hunter, Jastin Armitage, comes to find himself hunted.

For more information you can check out the first book in the series.

March 27…….Lisa’s World of Books ( Guest Post & Giveaway )
March 28…….Watch Play Read
March 29 ……Stuck In Books (Guest Blog)
March 30…….Fade Into Fantasy ( Character Interview )
March 31…….Dianne Gardner
April 1……..Purple Jelly Bean Chair Reviews ( interview & Giveaway )
April 2……..Once Upon A Time ( Guest Post )
April 3……..A Book Vacation
April 4……..Jess Resides Here ( Guest Post )
April 5……..Soliloquy
April 6……..Vilutheril Reviews
April 7……..Ritesh Kala’s Book Review
April 8 …….SciFi Guys Book ( Review )
April 9……..Unputdownable Books
April 10…….Edi’s Book Lighthouse
April 11…….Workaday Reads
April 12…….Eva’s Sanctuary
April 13…… Book and Movie Dimension Blog
April 14…….Babs Book Bistro ( Review and Giveaway )
April 15…….Azure Dwarf Horde of Fantasy and SciFi
April 16…….Fade Into Fantasy ( Guest post with N )
April 17………Reading Away the Days
April 18………Splash of Our Worlds ( Review )
April 19………Ali’s Bookshelf ( Review )
April 20………Sheila Deeth ( Review )
April 21………
April 22……..All-Consuming Media
April 23……..Spellbound By Books
April 24……..One Thrifty Gurl
April 25……..Evie Bookish
April 26…….Booklady’s Booknotes
April 27…….Ella Bella Reviews
April 28…….I Smell Sheep
April 29
April 30……Darlene’s Book Nook

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Barb
Filed Under: Blog Tour Tagged With: ,

Blue Moon Promise Blog Tour Review and Giveaway

February 28, 2012 By

 

The review is at the bottom of the post :) .  Please welcome Colleen to the blog today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the book:
Book Number One in the Under Texas Stars series

A love like Lucy and Nate’s only comes along once in a blue moon . . .

Lucy Marsh’s worldly resources are running out, but she’s fiercely determined to care for her younger brother and sister. When she discovers that their father’s recent death was no accident, Lucy is eager to leave town. She accepts a proxy marriage she believes will provide safe refuge. But trouble follows her to Texas where her new husband is surprised to suddenly have a wife and children to care for.

Nate Stanton always hoped he’d marry someday, but running the family ranch meant he had no time for romance. When his father deposits Lucy Marsh—a city girl—on his doorstep, with two siblings in the bargain, he expects ranch life will send her running on the first train out of town. But Lucy is made of tougher stuff than Nate imagined. When danger moves in, Nate finds he’d give anything to protect Lucy and the children he’s grown to love. Even if it means giving up his ranch.

About Colleen:
Best-selling author Colleen Coble’s novels have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Best Books of Indiana, ACFW Book of the Year, RWA’s RITA, the Holt Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers’ Choice, and the Booksellers Best. She has nearly 2 million books in print and writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail. Colleen is CEO of American Christian Fiction Writers and is a member of Romance Writers of America. She lives with her husband Dave in Indiana.

For more about Colleen and her other books visit www.colleencoble.com

Link to buy the book: http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/product_detail.asp?sku=1595549153&title=Under_Texas_Stars_#1__:_Blue_Moon_Promise

About the party:

Blue Moon Promise is a story of hope, romance, and suspense . . . immersing the reader in a rich historical tale set under Texas stars.

To celebrate Colleen is teaming up with her publisher Thomas Nelson for a “Blue Moon Promise” Facebook Chat party where she will giveaway a KINDLE Fire and a Texas-sized gift basket (fabulous Texas treats and fun Lucy-inspired housekeeping products)!

Click the banner, RSVP today for the Facebook Party and mark the date on your calendar!

Invite your friends and don’t miss Colleen’s evening of chat, trivia, prizes, and more.
Kindle Giveaway and More! Save the Date – 3/13!

Blog tour schedule: : http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13458569/bluemoonpromise

 

My review:

Lucy Marsh has had some bad luck with her father passing away, someone stealing some important merchandise from her fathers pawn shop, raising her two young siblings, and now losing her job.  She did not know how she was going to take care of the children then that same night she lost her job she learns they are getting evicted from their home as well.    A knock comes to the door when she opens it there is a man standing there that can change everything for Lucy and her brother and sister.

Henry Stanton was looking at Lucy and explained her step mother wrote to him and asked for help.   He offered Lucy a one time deal of marrying his son.  She would be a ranchers wife and her siblings would have a new home and no worries.  After much thinking over night, Lucy packed up everyone and left with Henry the next day to her new home and new husband Nate Stanton.

Nate wasn’t too thrilled to see her and at first thought she was his fathers new wife.  How will Lucy cope with a husband who doesn’t want her or thinks she can’t handle farm life.

I throughly enjoyed this nice relaxing book.  Nate was my favorite character in the book.  He was not thrilled to see Lucy, and was determined to be head strong.   He has this way about him that makes you want to like him.  Not at first mind you.  He is almost set in his ways.  He and Lucy have a lot in common as her parents were now all gone and she lost her mom at an early age like he did.    He is caring and wants to do right.

Lucy was the least of my favorites as she was constantly trying to prove herself to everyone not just herself or even Nate.  She ended up getting herself into some scrapes instead of what she wanted to do.  She was always afraid of Nate not loving her.  It got a bit too much at times.

Overall the characters and plot were well-played out.  The research was great as you felt like you were back in the same era and wanting to be a rancher or could imagine yourself as one.  I will re-read this book.

 

 

 

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Barb
Filed Under: Author Blog Tour, Book Reviews for 2012 Tagged With: , , , ,

Guest Rachel Thompson

February 27, 2012 By

 

 

Why is today different than any other day?

 

It’s not, really. After all, it is only Tuesday (hey, at least it’s not Monday so there’s that).

 

However, today is a big deal for this chick, self-published author and social media consultant you may or may not have heard of, Rachel Thompson. People like to give her lots of nicknames, but mostly she goes by RachelintheOC, aka the Queen of Snark and oh, don’t forget BadRedhead. #asif

 

 

 

 

 

Here are a few facts about this fiery spitfire (and we’ll get to the BIG deal in a minute):

 

  • Her first book, A Walk In The Snark, an essay collection based on her popular blog RachelintheOC.com, hit #1 on the Kindle Motherhood list last fall and has become a mainstay, beating out the likes of (ahem, celebrity blondies) Tori Spelling and Jenny McCarthy. This book covers men, women, and relationships, but also more poignant topics like loss and grief.

 

  • Her second book, The Mancode: Exposed, released in December, hit #1 on multiple lists (Motherhood, Parenting and Family, Parenting and Relationships) as well as placing in the overall Amazon Top 100 in January – within its first month of release! This book is all-out humor: men (Mancode), women (Chickspeak), love, relationships, sex, and of course, chocolate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Her social media consulting group, BadRedhead Media, specializes in social media, particularly Twitter, helping authors learn how to brand themselves, and figure out the world of Amazon. Her clients are varied and cover all genres. Follow @BadRedheadMedia on Twitter for free tips or visit her site for fees and info.

 

So…what’s the BIG deal?

 

Today, for ONE DAY ONLY, The Mancode: Exposed is FREE! (Reg. price $2.99.) Yep, you read that right.  That’s why today, Tuesday, is special. No free Mancode on Wednesday so don’t wait!

 

No strings, no hoops. Simple click here (Amazon exclusive, no Kindle required) and download your free copy of this popular #1 bestselling humorous collection of essays on men, women, relationships, chocolate, and sex. (Adult content warning.)

 

Remember, no Kindle is required to download an Amazon eBook. But you already knew that, yes? Simply download their free Kindle apps for computer, tablet, or smartphone. Even cloud. It’s very easy.

 

Do you have questions for Rachel? Visit her site, Twitter, Facebook, or email her at RachelintheOC@gmail.com. She’s very friendly….after coffee. Especially if you send Nutella (we hear she’s a fan).

 

Finally, Rachel is happy (well, as happy as she gets) to eSign her eBooks for you (go to Kindlegraph.com) to request her signature. Again, no Kindle required. It kinda rocks.

 

Thanks for hanging and enjoy the free read!

 

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Barb
Filed Under: Author Guest Post Tagged With: , , , , ,

Review of Out of Her Dreams by Fran Lee

February 26, 2012 By

She’s a best-selling erotic romance writer. Her fans adore her. She’s making excellent money. All by writing about a man she dreamed up many years ago. Her hero is handsome, virile, sexy, strong, sensitive and a complete gentleman. He’s a hot-headed, sex-on-the-hoof pro wrestler. He has a reputation for being the hottest, nastiest man on the mats. The fact that his face and body are plastered all over a bunch of mushy romance novels written by a woman with a death wish doesn’t sit well on those massive shoulders. His agent’s demanding monetary retribution from the woman who’s dared to use his image on her covers but he has another form of retribution in mind…and it has nothing to do with money. She was his the moment he touched her. He came out of her dreams to claim her, and she wants every hot, throbbing inch of that delicious man. He wants her, naked, at his mercy. One hot, orgasmic night wasn’t nearly enough. She ran…but he’ll find her.

 

  • Paperback: 204 pages
  • Publisher: Ellora’s Cave (October 7, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1419961594

My thoughts:

Samantha or as she likes to be called Sam has her dream come true at one of book signings.   The hot looking guy in her dreams was looking down at her and Sam had to get away and ran to the stockroom of the book store.    She really thought she was seeing things until the dram man came in to the stockroom looking for Samantha he has questions that needed to be answered.

David Chance wanted to know how this author could use his picture on the covers of her books and how she knew so much about him that no one else knew. David is a pro wrestler and goes by the name Chance Braza.  His manager wants him to sue the pants off Sam, but David has another idea that will work better.

A wonderful book to read I was so gripped by the first page I read it in one sitting.  I loved the characters and Sam’s spunk.  There are some funny moments as I even laughed out loud.  I loved David being a pro wrestler as back in the day I would go to wrestling matches.  Samantha just fit in where she needed to and they worked well together.  Neither one at first let the other one know they felts and Sam left and of course David found her.  The romance that develops between the two make you want to crawl into the book yourself, have a cigaret or jump your husband then you might want to go to a wrestling match.

Everything worked well in this book from the plot, setting and characters.  This is a must read.

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Barb
Filed Under: Book Reviews for 2012 Tagged With: , ,

Gift Basket from Fran Lee

February 26, 2012 By

I normally do not post about what I win from giveaways etc.  This time I thought I would share my joy.  I entered romance/erotic romance author Frank Lee’s giveaway for Valentine’s.  To enter you had to share a story and mine was picked.

As you can see from the picture below Fran went overboard with the gifts.

 

I love everything. The rose was surprising as it is recorded and you chance the recording if you like. I never knew those existed. The bag I can use for my books and the t-shirt was very nice. The chocolates are to die for.  The journal is amazing and have lots of ideas I can use it for.  Thank you Fran for such nice gifts.

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Barb
Filed Under: Misc Tagged With: ,

Storming Whitehorn Return to Big Sky Country by Christine Scott

February 24, 2012 By

 

If only he could stay away…

Storm Hunter’s return to Whitehorn sent tremors through the town–and shock waves of desire through innocent Jasmine Kincaid Monroe. But then Storm discovered the Monroes might have had something to do with this brother’s long-ago disappearance….

 

  • Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
  • Publisher: Silhouette; Reprint edition (April 5, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0373362366

My thoughts:

 

Jasmine Kincaid Monroe is working at the B & B and worried about her mom as she should have been home a while ago. As she is walking out to go see about her a strange car comes into the driveway. Jasmine doesn’t know who the man is but she can tell he is an Indian. He introduces himself as Storm Hunter. Her mother has fainted at the police station when she saw Storm. It brought back memories of Raven Hunter, Storm’s brother vanished 30 years ago until his remains were found at a construction site.

Storm blames the Kincaid family as Raven was last seen alive at their home. Jasmine is taken aback as Storm is tall and sexy. He thinks she is pretty cute herself, but young. As things start to heat up about the investigation of Raven’s remains and finding the killer. Storm and Jasmine team up to find out who the murder is. Between all the misunderstandings and pined up emotions can these two work through them and find out if a Kincaid did indeed kill Raven?

I enjoyed the read and could relate to the characters very easily. Jasmine’s mom believed in the here after and would was thought to communicate with the dead. That part of the story was interesting along with the feelings Storm would get as well. The romance part of the book was just as could they both wanted the other, but for Storm it was age for Jasmine she wanted it all.

I will be looking at more of the series.

Barb
Filed Under: Book Reviews for 2012 Tagged With:

Press Release New Paranormal thriller author RJ Sullivan

February 23, 2012 By

For Immediate Release
February 23, 2012

Seventh Star Press Announces Four Book Deal With Paranormal Thriller Author R.J. Sullivan

Seventh Star Press proudly announces a four book deal with author R.J. Sullivan, making him the seventh author to come aboard the publisher’s main roster.

The addition of R.J. Sullivan comes close after Seventh Star Press’ strongest year yet, during which titles such as Jackie Gamber’s Redheart and Michael West’s Cinema of Shadows received excellent critical reception, and the artwork featured by the press also received increased recognition, as Matthew Perry recently won Top Cover Art in the 2011 Tor.com Readers Choice Awards for his cover art on Stephen Zimmer’s The Seventh Throne.

The first title to be released by Seventh Star Press, Haunting Obsession, tells the story of Daryl Beasley. Daryl collects all things Maxine Marie, whose famous curves and fast lifestyle made her a Hollywood icon for decades after her tragic death. Daryl’s girlfriend, Loretta Stevens, knew about his geeky lifestyle when they started dating, but she loves him, quirks and all.

Then one day Daryl chooses to buy a particularly tacky piece of memorabilia instead of Loretta’s birthday present. Daryl ends up in the doghouse, not only with Loretta, but with Maxine Marie herself. The legendary blonde returns from the dead to give Daryl a piece of her mind—and a haunting obsession he’ll never forget.

A member of the Indiana Horror Writers, R. J. Sullivan resides with his family in Heartland Crossing, Indiana. His first novel, Haunting Blue, is an edgy paranormal thriller about punk girl loner Fiona “Blue” Shaefer and her boyfriend Chip Farren.

R.J. is hard at work on the next chapter in Fiona’s story, Virtual Blue, which will be released in 2013, followed by two more novels over the course of 2013 and 2014.

“I was with Michael West at several events last year, and I couldn’t help but notice the slick marketing materials he was handing out,” R.J. Sullivan commented as to why he wanted to bring his work to Seventh Star Press. “I saw how Seventh Star had a personal presence nearby to assist at the cons. I realized that having the publisher at those events changes the convention vibe, which can otherwise be an isolated experience. I love that they produce interior artwork as part of their product–it shows an understanding of the genre and its readers. It’s clear Seventh Star understand the modern publishing world, and does everything they can to open up opportunities for the author to succeed.”

Bonnie Wasson, whose cover art and illustrations are featured in Seventh Star Press titles such as D.A. Adams’ The Brotherhood of Dwarves series, will be creating the artwork for the R.J. Sullivan novels.

Haunting Obsession will be released in limited hardcover, softcover (trade paperback), and several eBook editions, including versions for Kindle, Nook, the iBookstore, and Sony-compatible devices.

For further information on R.J. Sullivan and the upcoming releases, please visit www.seventhstarpress.com or the author’s site at www.rjsullivanfiction.com

Contact: C.C. James
Public Relations, Seventh Star Press
ccjames@seventhstarpress.com

Seventh Star Press is a small press publisher of speculative fiction located in Lexington Kentucky

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Barb
Filed Under: Press Releases Tagged With: , , ,

Smart Bones Review & Giveaway US ONLY

February 23, 2012 By

Giveaway is at the bottom of the post 

I have to say my dogs loved the Dental SmartBones.   We have given them the same old treats for the past few years as they hate change.  So,when I had the opportunity to try these bones out I was happy.  It took the dogs just a few seconds to decide to chew on them.

There are several things I like about these 100 % Rawhide Free, 99% digestible.  You will see in the video below me showing the back of the package the outside of the bone is Vegetable and the inside in real chicken.  We have switched to Smartbones and you can tell the dogs appreciate it with all the playing they have done.  Their teeth are getting better.

Below is the video of my review:  keep in mind I was very nervous :)   Don’t forget about the giveaway.

 

Pet Owners Looking for Rawhide-Snack Alternative Find Answer with SmartBones

“Smart” chew treat is fortified with vitamins, minerals to keep dogs healthy

 

NEW YORK, N.Y. (July 11, 2011) – If ‘Fido’ is one of the more than 20 million dogs craving a chew treat not made with rawhide, there’s a palate-pleasing, healthy alternative now available.

 

SmartBones, by PetMatrix, are chew treats made with chicken, vegetables and other healthy ingredients.  These rawhide-free treats are perfect for the four-to-five out of 10 consumers who prefer not to feed their dogs rawhide.

 

“Chew treats are an important part of every healthy dog’s diet,” said PetMatrix Chief Science Officer Martin Glinsky, Ph.D.  “Eating kibble alone doesn’t thoroughly exercise a dog’s mouth and can cause teeth to become disused and plaque-ridden.  This ultimately may lead to additional health problems.”

 

And, since keeping pets healthy is paramount, SmartBones contain a special vegetable layer that is fortified with vitamins and minerals to help supplement daily nutritional requirements.  In fact, these treats are the first of their kind to be fortified and offer more nutritional benefits than standard chew treats.  This is because rawhide treats are made with animal byproducts that offer “zero” nutritional value, Dr. Glinsky said.

 

“Even though rawhide is a form of protein, all proteins aren’t equal,” Dr. Glinsky said.  “Rawhide is an extremely low-quality form of protein, not the type that animals need for nutrition.”

 

In addition to health benefits, SmartBones are easier on a dog’s digestive system compared to rawhide treats.  SmartBones are 99.2 percent digestible, whereas even the highest-quality dog foods are only 85 percent digestible.

 

“The actual digestibility of rawhide treats is questionable,” Dr. Glinsky said.  “There are many reports of certain breeds of dogs swallowing rawhide treats whole, or in large pieces, which cause intestinal blockages and other severe health problems.”

 

Further aiding a dog’s digestion, SmartBones are available in four different sizes based on a pet’s weight:  Mini SmartBones (5-10 lbs.), Small SmartBones (11-25 lbs.), Medium SmartBones (26-50 lbs.) and Large SmartBones (over 50 lbs.).  All four sizes are available in Chicken and Peanut Butter flavors.  There is also a special Dental variety offering additional ingredients to assist with oral health.

 

SmartBones are available in stores nationwide, and additional information may be found at www.SmartBones.com or by calling 877.336.DOGS (3647).

-More-

About PetMatrix

PetMatrix, the creator of SmartBones, was founded in 2008 and has offices in New York, Arizona and Hawaii.  The company’s founders have extensive pet industry experience, which they use to create healthy products that improve the lives of pets around the world.  For more information, please visit www.SmartBones.com.

 

GIVEAWAY

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Barb
Filed Under: Giveaway, Product Review Tagged With: , , ,
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