Giveaway & Interview with Limoncello Yellow by Traci Andrighetti

Limoncello Yellow

Publisher: Gemma Halliday Publishing (January 4, 2014)

E-Book File Size: 1904 KB

ASIN: B00GK3LY92

Print Length: 250 pages

ISBN-13: 978-1493690817

Synopsis

From debut author, Traci Andrighetti, comes a tale of murder, mayhem, and meddling Sicilian grandmas…

Francesca “Franki” Amato is a tough-talking rookie cop in Austin, Texas—until an unfortunate 911 call involving her boyfriend, Vince, and a German female wrestler convinces her once and for all that she just isn’t cut out for a life on the police force. So Franki makes the snap decision to move to New Orleans to work at her friend Veronica’s detective agency, Private Chicks, Inc. But Franki’s hopes for a more stable life are soon dashed when Private Chicks is hired by the prime suspect in a murder case to find out what really happened to a beautiful young boutique manager who was found strangled to death with a cheap yellow scarf. When she’s not investigating, Franki is hoping to seduce handsome bank executive Bradley Hartmann, but most of her time is spent dodging date offers from a string of “good Italian boys”—make that not-so-good aging Italian men—that her meddlesome Sicilian grandma has recruited as marriage candidates. As Mardi Gras approaches and the mystery of the murdered shop girl gets more complicated, Franki must decipher the odd ramblings of a Voodoo priestess to solve both the murder and the mystery of her own love life.

“Traci Andrighetti’s Limoncello Yellow had me tickled pink! Her smart, sassy heroine wacky cast of characters, and vividly original settings had me glued to the page. I can’t wait to read more from this author!” - Gemma Halliday, New York Times bestselling author

“Traci’s writing is sharp and funny; the world she paints leaps off the page and makes the reader laugh out loud…. A thoroughly enjoyable new voice in fiction!” - Kristin Harmel, Internationally bestselling novelist (The Sweetness of Forgetting)

About This Author

Traci Andrighetti is the author of the Franki Amato mystery series. In her previous life, she was an award-winning literary translator and a Lecturer of Italian at the University of Texas at Austin, where she earned a PhD in Applied Linguistics. But then she got wise and ditched that academic stuff for a life of crime–writing, that is.

If she’s not hard at work on her next novel, Traci is probably watching her favorite Italian soap opera, eating Tex Mex or sampling fruity cocktails, and maybe all at the same time. She lives in Austin with her husband, young son (who desperately wants to be in one of her books) and three treat-addicted dogs.

Interview

What is your favorite genre to read/write?

I have always loved reading mysteries. I got addicted to them after stumbling across my aunt's old Nancy Drew books at my grandmother's house when I was around 10 or so.

As far as writing goes, from the moment I sat down to write Limoncello Yellow, my first novel, I knew it had to be a lighthearted mystery. I love to laugh and joke around, so it just didn't make sense for me to write something dark.

How, when and why did you first start writing?

Ha! Well, I actually wrote my first mystery with my cousin when I was twelve (I think it was a whopping ten pages in length). Like so many little girls, I was inspired by all those Nancy Drews I'd read. Fortunately, the not-so-intriguingly titled The Mystery of the Driftwood did not survive my childhood.

Anyway, I didn't write a single line of fiction again until last year. I wrote various academic and magazine articles in the meantime, but nothing fun. I think it was because I didn't know I could write fiction—at least, not as an adult. But that all changed the day I discovered Italian author Gabriela Genisi's mystery series (I read in Italian, too) featuring a sexy police inspector obsessed with fruit. There was just something about Genisi's books that convinced me I could write my own mysteries. So, I enrolled in an online Chick Lit writing class, and the Franki Amato Mystery series was born.

Who is your favorite character in your book and why?

Of course, I love Franki. I mean, her last name, "Amato," is Italian for "loved!" But my favorite character is probably Glenda O'Brien, whose stage name is Lorraine Lamour. Because she's an aging ex-stripper, I can make her say the most outrageous things. Plus, I like the fact that Glenda isn't what she seems on the surface. If you look past the stripper facade, you see that she's actually a smart, savvy businesswoman. She's just a little rough around the edges, that's all.

How long did it take you to write Limoncello Yellow?

I have a day job (huge sigh), so it took about 10 months from start to finish. I wrote anywhere and everywhere I could: in bed, on airplanes, in cars, at my parents' house, in coffee shops, and even in a couple of New Orleans bars! That's not the complete list, either.

What I've learned from this whole experience is that the spare time–approach to writing is probably the best for me because it gives me time to mull over ideas and scenes in my head. That way, when I finally get to sit down in front of my computer, I'm always ready and excited to write.

Is yellow your favorite color? If not, then what color is your favorite and why?

Yellow has special significance for me because I associate it with success and because the Italian word for yellow (giallo) is used to mean "mystery" (the first mystery novels published in Italy had yellow covers). But, my favorite color has always been purple. For me, purple means passion, moodiness, and, yes, mystery. And it doesn't hurt that it's the color of royalty, because I'm an unabashed royal watcher!

If you could sum your main character into five words, what would they be?

Smart, spunky, superstitious and Italian! (I counted "and" as a word because, after all, I'm a writer.)

Webpage: http://traciandrighetti.com

Blog: http://traciandrighetti.com/blo/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/traciandrighettiauthor
Twitter: @TAndrighetti
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7383577.Traci_Andrighetti
Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Traci-Andrighetti/e/B00GL3SN3G/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0


Purchase Link:
AMAZON

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Book Tour Giveaway ~ Up Yours by Howard Rosenberg

Book Synopsis

Ted Milo, until recently the Charles Dickens of obit writers, is dislodged from his carefree new life by a bizarre collision of homicides and hemorrhoids in the fancy Los Angeles suburb of Friendly Lake. Actually…not so friendly, Ted and his wife, Liv, soon discover.

Ted has ditched his long newspaper career to embrace the nouveau riche life he’d always ridiculed after inheriting a fortune from a distant relative. He is floating blissfully, contemplating the fruits of wealth, little on his fiftyish mind beyond bladder control, when a visit to a physician turns him into a sleuth with cold-blooded murders to solve.

“You’re doing this why, because the Navy SEALS aren’t hiring?” chides Liv when learning she’s now married to Sam Spade. “And your dream of playing center field for the Dodgers—dashed?”

Every gumshoe requires a “tomato,” though, and Liv is Ted’s when bodies hit the slab in this twisty mystery that exposes the warty underside of seemingly tranquil suburbia.

Goodreads: Up Yours!

Author Bio

Howard Rosenberg earned a Pulitzer Prize and numerous other honors during 25 years as TV critic for the Los Angeles Times. He teaches news ethics, critical writing and a TV symposium at the University of Southern California and resides in a far-off Los Angeles suburb with his wife, two cats and a bird, all of whom tend to ignore him.

His favorite pastime is slam dunking and working out with the Los Angeles Lakers.

In his dreams.

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Book Tour Giveaway ~ Gibbin House by Carola Perla

Book Details

Author: Carola Perla

Format: eBook and Paperback

Publication Date: September 21, 2011

Publisher: Self-Published

ISBN: 1461074487

ISBN13: 9781461074489

Book Synopsis

During the Second World War, a Hampstead villa named Gibbin House was a refuge for artists and intellectuals fleeing the continent. But nearly five years later, this former beacon of hope has become a prison for the four men who remain exiled there. The mysterious arrival from Vienna of Anka Pietraru - a young woman unable to voice the unbearable secret of a mother's sacrifice - will test the men's perceptions of love and loss. And as Anka unearths old grievances within Gibbin House, its residents will be forced to decide if they have the strength to begin living again or if it is simply too late.

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Author Bio

Carola Perla was born in 1977 in Timisoara, Romania, to parents of Peruvian and German-Romanian heritage. She spent her early childhood in Lima and Munich, before moving with her family to the United States.

She holds degrees in German Literature and Art History from Florida State University. Since 2001 she has been a resident of Miami Beach, where she co-founded an international public relations firm and worked as a freelance journalist. Her recent projects include the launch of the Atelier 1022 Art Gallery in Wynwood. Gibbin House is her first novel.

Giveaway Info

The giveaway for Gibbin House by Carola Perla is incredible!  There will be a total of three winners; one grand prize winner and two additional winners.  

The Grand Prize Winner will receive:
1. A signed copy of Gibbin House
2. 'Vienna Romance' stationary by ATELIER 1022 Company 
3. Limited edition reproduction Stereocard of Trafalgar Square, London - this Edwardian Era 3-D photograph, dated 1901, served as the novel's cover art 
4. Viewing lorgnette 
5. Collector's edition prologue 'letter'

Two additional winners will receive:
A signed copy of Gibbin House

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Book Tour Giveaway ~ Fighting for the Edge by Jennifer Comeaux

Fighting for the Edge (Edge #3)

by Jennifer Comeaux

Release Date: 11/05/13

Summary from Goodreads:

Two friends. Two dreams. One night that changes everything…

Ice dancer Aubrey London scoffs at romance. She’s focused on winning a medal at the upcoming Olympics and uses that as her excuse to avoid serious relationships. But when she and longtime friend Chris Grayden are thrown together by unforeseen circumstances, Aubrey finds herself questioning everything she's ever known about love, complicating her life both on and off the ice.

Pairs skater Emily Petrov embraces romance. She and her husband Sergei still act like honeymooners two years after their wedding. As Emily’s coach, Sergei provides constant support while she prepares to challenge for gold at the Olympics. But Sergei’s support might not be enough to help Emily overcome the one challenge she never saw coming.

With the Games only weeks away, Emily and Aubrey are on the verge of realizing their dreams. But one snowy, stormy night sets in motion a series of events that will test them in ways they never imagined, giving them more to fight for than Olympic medals.

Excerpt

“Bust a Move” had just begun playing, and Chris danced along to the hip-hop rhythm as he closed the space between Aubrey and himself. He set his hands lightly on her hips, and she felt the tingle again. It had been over a month since she’d gone a date, so she was probably just excited to have the attention. Or maybe it was the wine making her giddy.

Their bodies moved together in time to the music, drifting closer and generating more heat with each beat. Aubrey wrapped her fingers around Chris’s biceps, and he tensed, his fingertips putting more pressure on her hips. She clutched him harder and fought the urge to roam her hands over all his other taut muscles.

In her stiletto heels she wasn’t much shorter than Chris, so she had a prime view of his smile, which never left his face. She couldn’t stop smiling either. She hadn’t felt this kind of energy in a long time. Or possibly ever.

Goodreads:

Fighting for the Edge (Edge, #3)

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00GGA5D5U

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fighting-for-the-edge-jennifer-comeaux/1117327424?ean=2940148884309&isbn=2940148884309

Praise for the Edge books:

"Jennifer Comeaux puts you in the action, makes you smell the ice and hear the roar of the crowd during the nail-biting competitions, and she's a master at creating first love jitters in your stomach from the steamy scenes that are so hot without being explicit." - Christina Jean Michaels, author of Epiphany

“Both touching and suspenseful, Fighting for the Edge is a game changer that will have fans of the series giving both the characters and the author a standing ovation once they've turned the very last page. If I could pass out medals, Jennifer would earn gold for writing my favorite romance of all time.” – Jenna at Jenna Does Books

Life on the Edge (Edge, #1)

http://amzn.com/B006T89A4Y

Edge of the Past (Edge, #2)

http://amzn.com/B00AEFAWD6

About the Author

Jennifer Comeaux is a tax accountant by day, writer by night. There aren’t any ice rinks near her home in south Louisiana, but she’s a diehard figure skating fan and loves to write stories of romance set in the world of competitive skating. One of her favorite pastimes is travelling to competitions, where she can experience all the glitz and drama that inspire her writing. Jennifer loves to hear from readers! Visit jennifercomeaux.blogspot.com for contact information and to learn more about her books.

Author Links:

http://jennifercomeaux.blogspot.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5368434.Jennifer_Comeaux

http://www.twitter.com/LadyWave4

http://www.facebook.com/jennifercomeauxauthor

http://pinterest.com/jennifercomeaux/

Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card (INT)

RULES AND RESTRICTIONS:

Contest is void where prohibited. Entrants must be 13 or else have parent or guardian’s permission to enter. Winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond  or another winner’s name will be selected. Winning entries will be verified for authenticity.

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Cover Reveal for GET EVEN by Gretchen McNeil & Giveaway

Release Date: September 16th 2014

Publisher: Balzer+Bray

SYNOPSIS: 

Follows the secretive exploits of four high school juniors - Kitty, Olivia, Margot and Bree - at an exclusive Catholic prep school.

To all outward appearances, the girls barely know each other. At best, they don't move in the same social circles; at worst, they're overtly hostile.

Margot Mejia – academically ranked number two in her class, Margot is a focused overachiever bound for the Ivy League.

Kitty Li – captain of the California state and national champion varsity girls' volleyball team, she's been recruited by a dozen colleges and has dreams of winning an Olympic gold medal.

Olivia Hayes – popular star of the drama program, she's been voted "most eligible bachelorette" two years running in the high school yearbook and has an almost lethal combination of beauty and charm.

Bree Deringer – outcast, misfit and the kind of girl you don't want to meet in a dark alley, the stop sign red-haired punk is a constant thorn in the side of teachers and school administrators alike.

Different goals, different friends, different lives, but the girls share a secret no one would ever guess. They are members of Don't Get Mad, a society specializing in seeking revenge for fellow students who have been silently victimized by their peers. Each girl has her own reason for joining the group, her own set of demons to assuage by evening the score for someone else. And though school administration is desperate to find out who is behind the DGM "events", the girls have managed to keep their secret well hidden.

That is until one of their targets – a douchebag senior who took advantage of a drunk underclassman during a house party, videotaped it on his phone, and posted it on YouTube – turns up dead, and DGM is implicated in the murder.

Now the girls don't know who to trust, and as their tenuous alliance begins to crumble, the secrets they've hidden for so long might be their ultimate undoing.

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16005219-get-even?from_search=true
Pre-Order Links Will be available in the coming months, keep an eye on your favorite retailer for more information!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Gretchen is a former coloratura soprano, the voice of Mary on G4's Code Monkeys and she currently sings with the LA-based circus troupe Cirque Berzerk. She is a founding member of vlog group the YARebels where she can be seen as "Monday," and she is an active member of both The Enchanted Inkpot, a group blog of YA and middle grade fantasy writers, and The Apocalypsies, a group blog of 2012 children's debut authors.

You can find Gretchen on Twitter, Facebook, and on her blog.

GIVEAWAY:

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Must be 13+ To Enter

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Wildwood Creek Launch

Launching the Tour for Wildwood Creek by Lisa Wingate...

The Tour:

2/10: Launch

2/11: LDS and Lovin' it - Review

2/12: Mythical Books - Guest Post

+ Christy's Cozy Corners – Excerpt

+ I Am A Reader, Not A Writer - Guest Post

2/13: Kelly P's Blog – Excerpt

2/14: Mel's Shelves - Review

2/16: Brooke Blogs - Guest Post

+ Tell Tale Book Reviews – Excerpt

+ Paulette's Papers - Guest Post

2/17: My Love for Reading Keeps Growing - Review

+ The Written Adventure – Excerpt

2/18: My Devotional Thoughts - Review

2/19: Getting Your Read On - Review

+ Bookworm Lisa - Guest Post

2/20: The Wonderings of One Person - Interview

+ Platypire Reviews - Review

2/21: Katie's Clean Book Collection - Review

+ Reviews By Molly - Review

2/22: Grand Finale

Wildwood Creek
by Lisa Wingate
Christian Romance
Paperback, 384 pages
February 4th 2014 by Bethany House Publishers

Allie Kirkland has never been one to take wild risks. But when she’s offered a costuming assistant’s job on a docudrama in the hills near Moses Lake, she jumps at the chance. She’s always dreamed of following in her director-father’s footsteps, and the reenactment of the legendary frontier settlement of Wildwood is a first step. The family expectations will have to wait.

But in 1861, the real Wildwood held dangerous realities. Town founder Harland Delevan held helpless residents, including young Irish schoolteacher Bonnie Rose, in an iron grip. Mysterious disappearances led to myths and legends still retold in the folk songs of Chinquapin Peaks. Eventually, the entire site was found abandoned.

When strange connections surface between Allie and the teacher who disappeared over a century ago, everyone in Wildwood, including Allie’s handsome neighbor on the film set, Blake Fulton, seems to be hiding secrets, and Allie doesn’t know who she can trust. If she can’t find the answers in time, history may repeat itself . . . with the most unthinkable results.

Bethany House *Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository

From the author regarding this awesome giveaway:

I'd just like to share the tradition of a prayer box on this blog tour. It has meant a lot to me since I received my first prayer box and I've learned that there is a tradition of prayer boxes in the Jewish and early Christian cultures. I'm on a mission to revive that tradition.

The little prayer box that was given to me was by no means unique. I’d heard of prayer boxes, and I knew what they were for. They’re either keeping places for favorite scriptures, or they’re similar to a prayer journal, only more flexible. Any scrap of paper will do, anywhere, any time of the day or night. The important part, in a world of fractured thoughts, hurried moments, and scattershot prayers, is to take the time to think through, to write down, to clarify in your own mind the things you’re asking for, the things you’re grateful for, the things you’re troubled about, the hopes you’ve been nurturing.

And then?
Put them in the box and…

Let.

Them.

Go.

That’s what trust is. It’s letting go of the worry. It’s the way of peace and also the way of God. It’s such a hard road to travel for people like me, who are worriers. When I’m writing a story, I control the whole universe. In life… not so much. Actually, not at all. Things happen that I hadn’t anticipated and wouldn’t choose and can’t change. That’s the tough part.

Closing the lid on a prayer box is symbolic of so many things. When we give a prayer over to God, it’s supposed to be in God’s hands after that.

- See more at: http://www.southernbelleviewdaily.com/making-using-and-sharing-prayer-boxes/#sthash.e7kou0Sk.dpuf

Lisa Wingate is a journalist, inspirational speaker, reviewer for the New York Journal of Books, and the author of over twenty novels.  Her novels combine elements of history, romance, mystery, and women's fiction with nuggets of Southern culture, from the sublime to the humorous. She is a seven-time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol award nominee, a Christy Award nominee, an Oklahoma Book Award finalist, a Christianity Today Book Award nominee, an Inspy Award nominee, and a two-time Carol Award winner. Her works have been selected for Booklist’s Top Ten List in 2012 and in 2013. Recently, the group Americans for More Civility, a kindness watchdog organization, selected Lisa along with Bill Ford, Camille Cosby, and six others, as recipients of the National Civies Award, which celebrates public figures who work to promote greater kindness and civility in American life.

Website * Southern BelleView Daily Blog 
Goodreads * Facebook * YouTube * Pinterest

Tour-Wide Giveaway

February 10 - March 2nd  US Only

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1 Winner, 1 Amazing Prize Pack from Bethany House and Lisa Wingate:
   $50 Amazon Gift Card
   Print copy of Wildwood Creek by Lisa Wingate
   Handmade-by-author Prayer Box with notepads 

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A Reign Supreme by Richard Crystal Book Blast Giveaway

A Reign Supreme by Richard Crystal

When a copper deposit is discovered on the land of the Makenda tribe in eastern Kenya, a young king, Ule Samanga, is told to relocate his people to a refugee camp in Nairobi or risk imprisonment. When all appears lost, the young king discovers the existence of Curtis Jackson, a mysterious half-brother presently living in New York. Believing this unexpected news is an omen from the spirit of his ancestors, he eagerly seeks his help to save their sacred tribal homeland. A struggling mortgage broker and former jazz prodigy, Curtis initially has no interest in developing a relationship with his newly found African family. But when he’s presented with an intriguing business offer, he embarks on a journey to Africa that becomes a spiritual odyssey, changing him in ways he never imagined.

In this assured debut, Richard Crystal weaves a complex story of contemporary moral imperatives conceived during Obama’s victorious election as America’s first black President. Themes of corporate malfeasance and exploitation will resonate with readers of The Constant Gardener and Blood Diamond. But beyond the various political machinations, readers will find a heartwarming story infused with the strains of Coltrane, the history of jazz and the enduring power of family.

Richard Crystal

Mr. Crystal has produced and written countless television shows and penned numerous screenplays for theatrical feature films in Hollywood. He has sung and produced four pop/jazz albums performing the classic standards he first heard as a young boy growing up in a house filled with music. A Reign Supreme is his first novel, inspired by a trip to South Africa and Botswana on his twenty-fifth wedding anniversary with his wife Fran.

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Pinterest

Tour Schedule

Praise for A Reign Supreme:

“Mr. Crystal has fashioned a tale of virtue and vice in the modern world. It deals with corporate greed, the politics of today’s African economic scene and how they test the people who have to make their living in that environment. And it’s all backed by the mellow sounds of modern jazz. I’m sure it will intrigue all.” - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, legendary basketball star, author and jazz aficionado

“From the streets of New York to a remote tribal village in Kenya, A Reign Supreme is a moody, intriguing and emotional story. Our hero’s journey from teenage jazz prodigy, to a man haunted by his past, to accepting his surprising fate of heritage, is a terrific read. I’m not just Richard Crystal’s brother, I’m his fan.” - Billy Crystal, actor, comedian and writer

“As you read ‘A Reign Supreme’ you will wonder if the author is a jazz musician from the streets of New York or was raised in a village in Kenya. The language of the characters is perfect and real. The descriptions of locations are both factual and extremely visual. Richard Crystal takes you on an adventure involving family loyalty, greed, life changing decisions and much, much more. Something for everyone.” - Lou Adler, award winning music and film producer, recently inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame

“John Coltrane constructed his four-part magnum opus A Love Supreme as a harmonic journey meant to convey an ascendancy to spiritual enlightenment—the musical statement of one man meant to inspire and uplift all. With deep appreciation for that inspirational source, Richard Crystal has been inspired to create a story in four sections that follows that same path to a personal awakening, a return to one’s roots, and realization of one’s purpose. A Reign Supreme is a rare example of a powerful literary work drawing its spirit from a timeless musical classic, with a deft, reverential touch that avoids cliche or overstatement.” - Ashley Kahn, jazz historian and author of A Love Supreme: The Story of John Coltrane’s Signature Album and Kind of Blue – The Making of the Miles Davis Masterpiece.

“In “A Reign Supreme”, Richard Crystal creates a multi-dimensional experience for the reader such as I’ve rarely experienced. Besides creating a fascinating and suspenseful plot that keeps the reader turning pages and transports him or her to Kenya with details you can taste, hear and feel so well you would swear you were there, he has, through his own musical experience, created descriptions of jazz that enables the reader to actually hear the music. It’s extraordinary.” - Andrew Neiderman, Author of The Devil’s Advocate and the worldwide V.C. Andrews literary franchise

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * The Book Depository

BookBlast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 3/14/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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