Top Selling Authors: Get To Know Them Better

This is a list of our featured author interviews. These authors take a few minutes out of their busy schedule to sit down and answer a few questions. Get to know what they are working on next and what types of books they like to read.

Featured Author Jeremiah Ukponrefe

Featured Interview With Jeremiah Ukponrefe

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m both a comedian and a writer. I was raised in Langley B.C and currently live in Vancouver. In terms of pets I don’t have any.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
It started around 10 when I started to discover books that I enjoyed. I started taking writing seriously when I hit 19.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I really enjoy fantasy and non fiction. It terms of favourite authors I have many who I admire.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Hive is a New Adult Soft Sci-Fi Dystopian Adventure, the first in The Arcane Volumes.

The Collective military has spent its years destroying the last remnants of The Hive, an alien force which devastated the old world, bringing forth the apocalypse , and ushering a new age of warring factions.Alexander King is a Collective soldier who during a mission monitoring the outskirts of Zone 6, discovers evidence that The Hive’s presence is stronger than commonly believed. With his new information it becomes vital that the Collective acts fast, for if they don’t the world will be brought to it knees again in a second wave of destruction that will end humanity forever.Astonishing, complex, and character driven. Hive is the first in The Arcane Chronicles which will leave you begging for more.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Jeremiah Ukponrefe’s Website

Jeremiah Ukponrefe Twitter Account

Featured Author Naureen Youssef

Featured Interview With Naureen Youssef

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Hello!! My name is Naureen Youssef. Let me tell you a little about myself.
I was born in Denmark in 1989. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration majoring in Marketing, and have a GDM diploma in Business Management. I mothered a baby girl at the age of 24. In 2015, I got in the modeling world by becoming a fashion model. Later on, I became a social media influencer and a motivational speaker to empower women. I became the only mother in Egypt to win a crown in a beauty pageant as “Miss Planet Egypt 2019”.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Since I was 13 years old, I always liked to write. I would write pieces here and there. One day I decided to share my writing with the world. It was a dream for me to publish my own book “Bits & Pieces”, and I am beyond grateful this dream became a reality.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I fell in love with writing and poetry because of Shakespeare. I am inspired by stories of my own or stories I here from from loved ones.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Bits & Pieces will make you know you are not alone in your daily struggles or happiness, you will relate and connect to quotes, poems and short stories. I hope you relate to every happy and peaceful piece in my book, but if you do feel the sad ones as well then I hope they give you courage and strength knowing you are not alone.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Naureen Youssef’s Website

Naureen Youssef Facebook Page

Naureen Youssef Twitter Account

Featured Author Tom Fargnoli

Featured Interview With Tom Fargnoli

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am a retired engineer, teacher, magician, and ex-deacon in the Catholic Church. I grew
up in a small, one square mile, a town in South New Jersey, called Magnolia. I had a great
childhood growing up in the sixties. I lived on my bike and enjoyed so much freedom across
the entire town, walking to school, to church, buying candy at a nearby candy store, making
money with a paper route, and buying a hoagie for 35 cents and a huge milkshake for 60
cents at the nearby deli. I loved my high school years tremendously, playing football and
lifting weights, and driving my 1954 Chevy.

After college, I married my high school sweetheart and had two beautiful children who have
children of their own now. I was married for forty years, lived in a beautiful rancher for 40
years, and worked as an engineer for over forty years. Four years after my wife passed
away, I remarried. I am now living a small town called Clarksboro, also in New Jersey. I
would love to have another Golden Retriever, but my wife and I plan to travel a lot, so we
will postpone a pet for now. Together, we have 17 grandchildren.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
As an engineer and teacher, I was always writing to simplify complex material. I was rather
successful at this and traveled across the country teaching my visual and simplification
methods. My first book grew from this effort and was called, A Bridge to Simplicity through
Diagrams. I never marketed this book outside the engineering community but the book
could certainly be useful for anyone who wants to simplify the material for learning, teaching,
or presenting.

My first attempt to write a novel was inspired by a series of unexpected and unfortunate
events that happened to me over a four-year period. Through all of these events. my
psychologist kept telling me to write things down, so I did! I wrote about my grieving, about
my wife’s suicide, about the hardest decision I ever had to make, about the rejection that
resulted, and about the peace, I found through it all. So what began as a cathartic exercise,
thanks to the Holy Spirit, and being shut in by the Covid-19 virus, my novel was born!

I would say I am a new writer and plan to continue. Because of the letters, I’ve received from
readers of The Deacon – An Unexpected Life, I am starting to create notes toward a new book – a fictional book with a focus on reaching out to those who are yearning to be heard
and loved, showing them that, despite their pain, through it, they can grab glimpses of
hope, faith, peace, and love.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Some of the books that I enjoyed and have inspired include:
The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho
The Shack, by William P. Young
The Razor’s Edge, by Somerset Maugham
Illusions, by Richard Bach
Seeds of Contemplation and The Seven Story Mountain, by Thomas Merton
Joshua, by Joseph Girzone

I am currently reading a book called, The Graveyard Book, a novel by and Neil Gaiman. What
is interesting about this book is that I am taking an on-line writing class taught by Neil
Gaiman and am learning various writing techniques, such as character development and
ways to move my readers. I hope to utilize these new skills in my new book.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My current book, The Deacon – An Unexpected Life, represents my life over the last five
years. I was happily married for 40 years and, studied to become a deacon for over 5 years,
and enjoyed serving as a deacon for 5 years. It was my dream to be a deacon in my
retirement. Life was good – wife, home, children, grandchildren, health, retirement, and an
amazing ministry. But then, unimaginable tragedy and horror came to my family.

First and foremost, my wife, suddenly and tragically, took her own life. Grieving the loss of a
spouse, or any loved one, is devastating but as I quickly learned, grieving is much more
complex when it involves losing your loved one to suicide. Secondly, when a deacon loses his
wife, he cannot pursue another loving relationship that could lead to marriage. I had to
commit to a life of celibacy and, essentially, to a life alone. I actually made this commitment
before I was ordained, but now, the reality of the rule was like cutting my arm off. I simply
could not make a decision and it drove me crazy. – I knew about this rule! This battle went
on for almost 2 years – I couldn’t decide. It drove me crazy –in fact, it landed me in the
hospital for open-heart surgery.

My faith was truly being tested, but I managed to hold onto it. But with that decision, came
something I never expected. Something worse than loneliness – Rejection – rejection from
the church, from some priests, even from some of my brother deacons.

After publishing the book, I was amazed to see how many people were touched by my story
and wrote letters to me. People who related to grieving and isolation, people who lost loved
ones from suicide, people who struggled with surgery and recovery, people who have faced
tough decisions, and people who have experienced rejection.

This book is my true story with a touch of fiction to make the story more moving. My goal
was to make sure my story moved the reader in the way it moved me. In other words, I
wanted the reader to feel my pain, my loneliness, my turmoil, and to relate to it. But I also
wanted the reader to experience my faith and my hope and to help them see glimmers of
faith and hope despite what they may be going through in their lives.

My message is that it is important to focus on those glimmers of light and together
with faith, it is possible to journey from the darkness to the light. In my book, I leave the
pain and loneliness behind as I journey with God to find my peace and light. In so doing, I
find love again and marry again. My wife, Dorothy, also lost her spouse tragically and
suddenly. We are both convinced that God, as well as our late spouses, brought us together.

All proceeds of this book go to Suicide Awareness.

My book is available on Amazon and Barns & Noble.
On my website, www.thomasfargnoli.com, you will find more about me and more about
my current book. In addition, I started a page of me performing some of my favorite
magic tricks!

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Tom Fargnoli’s Website

Tom Fargnoli Facebook Page

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Featured Author TS Krupa

Featured Interview With TS Krupa

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in New Haven, CT into a Polish-American family and raised in a small shore town in CT. Still miss a New England fall! After living in NH and Texas, I am are finally settled in North Carolina with my husband and daughter. True story – when my husband, then boyfriend – was job searching, I said I would only follow him if the state bordered an ocean, hence North Carolina. We have loved North Carolina and it has been our home for the last fifteen years. We have one fur child, who we refer to as our, ‘grumpy old man’. His real name is, Chase and he is a mix of beagle/Shepard.

Fun Fact: I was part of a team that held the Guinness Book World Record for the longest played field hockey game at 51 hours (it has since been broken)

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I loved writing at an early age. I still remember getting really into creative writing assignments in the third grade over Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox. I also loved reading, my first series, The Babysitter’s club. We got two that came in the mail every month and I would have them done within two days, it would make my mom so mad! I continued to dabble in writing the entire time but finally started professionally writing in 2013. I had this idea for a story and the idea would keep scrolling through my mind like ticker tape so I finally started writing it down and before I knew it, my first book was quickly written.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Right now, I don’t have a ton of free time between work, hanging out with my daughter and writing but my two favorite series are Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling and Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. I will read everything and usually am committed to finishing everything I start – only book I couldn’t finish was The Labyrinth of Solitude by Octavio Paz, I really tried.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Big City Dreams is about, Logan Hunter – who is a born and raised Texan. She runs away from home to avoid marrying her childhood sweetheart. As she enters New York City she meets the mysterious Mac. Mac is known for his concierge services to the rich and famous. Together they set out on an unpredictable adventure.

From the first ‘y’all’ to the last ‘crazy as a bullbat’, Logan will you have laughing with her sassy and unforgiving personality.

This book was so much fun to put together and Logan had me laughing as I wrote much of her dialogue. Big City Dreams was started in 2016 but was completed in 2020. I took a bit of a break in the middle, well, because life happened. We moved, had a baby and other adulting type things occurred. It makes me happy to start back up and reconnect with readers and get back in the writing groove.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

TS Krupa’s Website

TS Krupa Facebook Page

TS Krupa Twitter Account

Featured Author Kevin Hagan

Featured Interview With Kevin Hagan

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Portland, Oregon. I was in the closet until my early 30’s I have a mood disorder I believe might have been largely fueled by forcing myself to pretend to be straight so longI was cowardly and didn’t come out out of fear. Like a soldier who wounds themselves in fearing to be wounded or killed. Coming out was a great liberation. I have a wonderful partner now. I attended Pacific University in Forest Grove Oregon and majored in Political Science. I live in Oregon now.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I realized I was fascinated with books when I was 8 and read Cosmos by Carl Sagan my first adult non fiction book. My father helped me a bit with some of the heavier concepts like special relativity but overall I feel like I had good comprehension even at that tender age. I started writing in my teens, principally bad science fiction and now hopefully good poetry.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite author is William Shakespeare by far, in the field of Poetry I love Lord Byron, Shelley, Poe, Frost, Cummings, Angelou and Tennyson to name a few. I also love science fiction. My favorite science fiction novel is Dune followed by the entire Baxter Xeelee sequence and the entire XX01 series by Clarke and its expanded universe with Baxter. Lately I have been reading a lot of Bova and his grand tour and of course I greatly admire the Mars Trilogy by Robinson. What inspires me is good writing of any kind. For pure technical admiration there is in my opinion no living author that can presently hold a candle to Cormac McCarthy the Blood Meridian is the most technically beautiful book I have ever read by a living author.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest “Hatter and Lilith Tales from the Queer Asylum” by K. R. Hagan is an exploration mental illness throughout history as well as the conjunction of madness and coming out and an exploration of how privilege can actually be a detriment to a smooth coming out and can stunt ones growth as a person. I am very excited about this work. It has poems from when I was in the closet prior to even deciding to formally come out, poems from when after I decided to but before execution and of course even post coming out poems. It also has sympathetic poems to people in difficult mental situations and about the horrifying history of the way that LGBTQ people have been treated in this and other countries. The book is a compilation of poetry written over half a decade. I have another book in the works that expands more on my lost out life that will be forthcoming this summer.

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Kevin Hagan Facebook Page

Featured Author Alexandra Tourret

Featured Interview With Alexandra Tourret

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am a professional dog trainer, dog groomer and hydrotherapist. I am the owner of my dream business which i set up when i was at University. I reside in Kent, United Kingdom and we love living in the countryside surrounded by green fields and green trees. I have 2 dogs and 2 cats and my dogs are the reason for my book.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
i started writing a couple of years ago
i didnt think i was going to be able publish and get to where i am today but this was something i wanted to achieve so i ensured it happened

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
i am not an avid reader and the types of books i enjoy are wildlife based, dog behaviour books. The inspiration behind my book was my dogs.
Because of all the extra training i have put into my dogs i am able to enjoy their company when i enjoy my favourite activities. i know that owners can achieve a deeper bond, stronger relationship with their dogs and i wanted to share that with all the other dog owners out there.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Adventure Dogs – is all about water based activities and how owners an follow the easy step by step guides to train their dogs to join them on 20 different water based activities that i have personally trained my dogs in and written the training guides for.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Alexandra Tourret’s Website

Alexandra Tourret Facebook Page

Featured Author Soma Kar

Featured Interview With Soma Kar

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am a writer by passion and a test engineering lead by profession. I live with my family in Sydney, Australia.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I am an avid reader and have been reading books since my kindergarten years.
I trace back my love for writing to my high school years, where I would write extensively for my school magazine. Driven by my passion for creative activities, I completed a Diploma in Fine Arts.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love to read books by a good number of authors. I have quite a few favorites.
I enjoy reading literature and mystery.
I am self-motivated when it comes to writing, which is my passion too.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The Old House By The Woods is a mystery book with colored illustrations for middle graders, teens, and young adults.
The protagonist of the story is the private detective Ria Robertson who is an ex-police officer. She enjoys what she does. It has all the excitement of her former job plus the liberties of being your own boss. Hired by Eve to investigate strange occurrences in her newly bought home, Ria can’t wait to solve the mystery of the century-old haunted house in Mistgrove.
Joined by Jenny and Andy – her sister and best friend – and the last words of a dying man, they set out to uncover the secrets of Eve’s house. Little do they know that a mysterious killer is on the loose and that no one is safe in the old house by the woods.
Running against time, will Ria be able to solve the mystery behind the paranormal occurrences, stop a killer before he strikes again, and save innocent lives from a conspiracy far more dangerous than she ever imagined?
This is a thrill-packed, fun read with plenty of twists and turns for every mystery lover.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Soma Kar’s Website

Soma Kar Facebook Page

Soma Kar Twitter Account

Featured Author Camille Cabrera

Featured Interview With Camille Cabrera

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Camille Cabrera was born and raised in California. She loves writing on the beach and enjoys spoiling her two cats. She has decided that the cats really dictate her writing schedule.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Camille Cabrera was fascinated with books from the very start. Camille remembers coming home from preschool and desperately wanting to read. It amazed her that there was an entire world just outside of her grasp. As soon as Camille could read, she couldn’t get enough. That love for reading slowly morphed into a love for writing and the rest is history.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
She tries to read different genres to better understand diverse themes and perspectives. However, Ms. Cabrera absolutely adores Agatha Christie and anything remotely related to mystery or suspense.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The Mystery of Mistletoe Motel, delves into the holiday season with two sisters desperate for a Christmas miracle. It takes place in 2007, but bounces between contemporary times and the Victorian era. The book explores the consequences of a little white lie when it’s told to the never-ending internet. The novel officially arrives the week of Thanksgiving 2021, but it is currently available for pre-order.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Camille Cabrera’s Website

Featured Author Alene Nation

Featured Interview With Alene Nation

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in north Idaho and received my degree in Computer Information Systems. I ran an embroidery/screen print shop for 20 years. After my husband and I retired, I started thinking about the stories in my head. I loved reading and when I found an excellent writing club, my next adventure began. Since 2013, I have published many novels and novellas. I currently send out a free monthly newsletter with freebies, discounts and a short story attached.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started reading as a child. My parents read to me before I could read. I always wrote stories in my head but started writing for the public in 2013.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love Agatha Christie, Isaac Asimov, J. A. Jance, Rita Mae Brown, Diane Mott Davidson, and so many others. I enjoy reading science fiction and mysteries. I also write urban fantasies from the viewpoint of the character. I’m inspired by the authors I read and also by the world I live in. Some of my travels have also inspired my mystery stories.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is the ninth tale in my Domino Sagas. This is a YA SF adventure of a teenage girl interning on Mars and the troubles she gets into until a strange alien is discovered on the red planet. This story took me about three months to write. I started a little bit with the 2020 nanowrimo event and waited until my editor could send me back updates. My main theme was ‘would you recognize life if you saw it and it didn’t look like anything we have on Earth?’

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Alene Nation’s Website

Alene Nation Facebook Page

Featured Author R. J. Eastwood

Featured Interview With R. J. Eastwood

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in Bristol, Rhode Island, but now live in Sunny Florida. Dog have always been a must in our family. Unfortunately, our last died of old age. Since my wife and I began traveling quite a bit, we have not had a dog since, but once again we are looking.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I began writing short stories at age 14 and over my career have authored 7 screenplay for produced films, and over 140 hours of TV production before retiring and turning to writing books.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love memoirs, but also read Cormac McCarthy, Steven King, Lee Childs, and others.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I had this idea back in 2015 to write about a near future society paying for the sins of our current society. The entire book unfolds through the thoughts of the protagonist in first-person stream of consciousness. That was hard, but in the end rewarding. Then came the political events of 2016, the pandemic, and the Black Lives Matter protests and I new I had to revise and expand the book, which is what I have now done with the release of Midnight Black revised and expanded version.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Robert J. Emery (pen name R. J. Eastwood’s Website

Robert J. Emery (pen name R. J. Eastwood Facebook Page

Featured Author Brittany Earnest

Featured Interview With Brittany Earnest

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Princeton, West Virginia. I lived there until I was six, but my family moved us to Georgia. I didn’t live in one place for long because my family loved to travel to different places. We mostly stayed within areas we’ve traveled to previously, but it was an adventure. I currently live in Georgia with my family. Ever since my father died in 2011, after battling cancer, I’ve tried to stay close to my family and live my life to the fullest. It’s been hard during this pandemic, but I have my family to help me through these difficult times.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve had a fascination with books before I could read. My parents bought me books with pictures in them, which fascinated me. I would sit and look at the pictures and try to figure out what the story was about before my parents would read them to me. My fascination with books helped influence me to begin writing at the age of sixteen. I wrote short stories that were centered around subjects that I was interested in, which was my favorite pass time.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I have a lot of favorite authors for different reasons. Each author brings a unique perspective that gives their readers something to think about, which I find to be important. Readers should have books that help them view a situation in a new perspective, so they can understand a person’s reactions better. Books help us see things differently, which can help us change in some, small way which is why I like different authors for what they bring to their writing. With that being said, I like Willow Summers, Tammy Falkner, J. S. Cooper and Addison Moore. Each one of the authors write their books very well. They help readers understand their characters and what they are going through, which I really like. My favorite genre is romance books because they are interesting to me because it allows readers to really get to know the characters. It shows more vulnerability than other genres because the stories are focused on their imperfections and how they can overcome them by viewing their self differently. The genre can focus on many different things which gives writers a chance to explore more storylines and characters. I’m inspired by a lot of people in my writing. I’m not inspired by just one person because a stranger can inspire me if I see something that sparks my interest, or I hear something that gives me an idea. I find inspiration in everything because there is a lot to work with if you pay attention to the world and people around you.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My book Finding Hope took me a little over a year to write because I had a lot of things going on that took up my time. Also, I didn’t have a clue about how I wanted to write the book when I first started because I didn’t have time for planning beforehand. One day I started writing the first chapter, which I worked on for a long time because I wanted to make Jade’s backstory known before, I got into the present time in the book. I wanted readers to see where she came from and how far she has come to get to her present reality. I felt like that was important to the book, so readers would understand the story, fully without having to guess why the character behaves a certain way. Once I had Jade’s story set and her present reality, I began to focus on her love interest, Leslie. Leslie’s backstory is similar, but different. She had to go through a lot in her life, which caused her to have a lot of mental struggles that caused her to behave in a certain way that she isn’t proud of. Her story develops more throughout the story because she has a lot of growing to do. Both characters have a lot of learning to do, in order to stay together through the growing problems that they face throughout the book. Nothing is ever what is seems, so they have to, truly be ready for anything.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Brittany Earnest’s Website

Brittany Earnest Facebook Page

Brittany Earnest Twitter Account

Featured Author Suzanne Letourneau

Featured Interview With Suzanne Letourneau

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Suzanne Letourneau was born and raised in Montreal, Qc. Her quest for a spiritual connection to all around her led to extensive travel and the experiencing of many cultures, religions, and philosophies.
She is an entrepreneur at heart and has multiple careers and business accomplishments to her credit.
She is a lively and enthusiastic speaker who facilitates from her heart and soul, from the future backward with stories that motivate and inspire.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I think I really started to be fascinated by books when I was about 17 years old. I still prefer a paperback book versus a digital book.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I have many favorite authors but just to name a few Marianne Williamson, Byron Katie, Paul Selig, Terry Cole-Whittaker, Brandon Burchard, Jay Shetty, Eckhart Tolle.
I prefer Inspiration books, along with self-help, marketing, business.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My most recent book SOAR with heart-fullness – keys to a meaningful life.
Why is it that resolutions don’t work and business plans do? One of the reasons is that in business, we do quarterly reviews to make sure the business is on track with planning, financial forecasts, and anticipated results. When it’s not, we make adjustments. We don’t do quarterly reports with our resolutions. Therefore we have no idea if we are on track or not. We don’t even know if our daily actions are in harmony with our purpose, or if they are meaningful to anyone, including ourselves. The purpose of this journal-type book is to help you make a true connection with your heart, your vulnerable authenticity, and your real essence so that you can fulfill your resolutions – and more. It is about sharing your truth through daily acts of meaningfulness and gratitude.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Suzanne Letourneau’s Website

Suzanne Letourneau Facebook Page

Featured Author Taylor Rochestie

Featured Interview With Taylor Rochestie

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My name is Taylor Rochestie and I was raised in Santa Barbara, CA. Currently, it’s hard to say where I live, as I have been playing professional basketball for 12 years and called over 10 countries my home. Traveling the world, and spending time with so many people and so many different cultures has created the person I am, as I continue to be a student of life. There are so many unique differences between each country, with many similarities as well. I try to absorb the best that each place has to offer, letting the world give me a well rounded education and mold me into someone that has compassion and understanding for all types of people and places. My goal is to take the best that I see and incorporate that into my life and be able to pass it down to my kids, as we all need a lesson in humility and compassion (especially in a world full of unknowns).

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was always a movie guy and I often joke that my book A New 20/20 Vision, will be the first book I have read since grade school. I have embodied the main character in ‘If You Give A Mouse a Cookie, as I always was fascinated about life and people. Three years prior to writing my book, I began to write a letter to my unborn daughter, Joy. My goal was to give her a vision for how incredible her life can be, to always see the positive side of things, and to remain optimistic and authentic in her journey through life. Sentences turned into paragraphs and soon into chapters. Around three years after that, I started a note in my iPhone which turned into becoming a bestselling author. It’s a true testament that each day is filled with excitement and potential.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My daughter was my initial inspiration but soon after I was inspired by the journey of writing. Inspired to learn more about myself, dig deeper into my authentic thoughts and find my truth. Once I had my message the focus turned towards anyone with an open ear or a thirst for optimism and personal growth. It’s incredible to believe in something, and I truly believe in the power of positivity and the beauty of our minds ability to create happiness. I am a fan of this type of genre or anyone that has a positive message and looking to bring love into this world. Writing has been a true learning experience and I hope to give back to others as much as I have gained.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
A new 20/20 Vision is for anyone and everyone. It’s a roadmap to unlock your mind and set you on your own authentic path. Everyone deserves to find their happiest self and it is just simply waiting to break through external influences and self doubt on its way to creatively designing the future you desire. This book takes back control, enables you to be the hero of your own story, and rethink the way you experience life. By adding a positive filter to your world, you can organically cultivate joy within everything you bring into your life. Allow yourself permission to dream, to hope, and to be proactive in your own happiness. This book is the key to a better you.

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Taylor Rochestie’s Website

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Featured Author Victor D. López

Featured Interview With Victor D. López

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in Queens, New York from the age of 9 and lived in NYC until my wife and I married, then moved upstate New York. I now split my time between Otsego County upstate New York and Long Island. My wife and I have no pets currently, though we both love dogs. As a child, I had a dog and canaries as pets.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve loved books even before I learned to read, which I did long before attending school. My mom would read to me and I loved the full-color illustrations in fairytale books, Disney books and even illustrated classics like the Odyssey. I would look at these on my own, making up stories based on the illustrations—especially if I did not like stories that did not end as I would have liked. Even the smell of books always fascinated me. It still does—nothing like a hardcover book right off the presses read late at night and into the wee hours of the morning under warm blankets.

I started writing poems and fiction before middle school. My mom was a wonderful storyteller and fueled my imagination. Some of my earliest memories involve mom reading bedtime stories to me or making up her own. I remember crying at the age of one or two when I did not like the ending of the stories she read to me—Little red Riding Hood comes to mind—so mom would have to change the story so that it ended well. I’ve always been a happily ever after kind of guy. Ironically, that is seldom reflected in my own fiction or poetry. I have cousins on two continents who are psychologists and psychiatrists—some day I should consult them about that.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I have very broad, eclectic tastes in both fiction and non-fiction that include science, law, politics, philosophy, drama, literary fiction, speculative fiction, science fiction, poetry and so much more. My light reading is primarily in the science fiction genre—both hard and soft varieties. There are so many authors that have influenced and inspired me to write that it is hard to mention just a few. In poetry, the English romantic poets are by far my favorites, especially Wordsworth, Blake, Shelley, and Coleridge (and, besides the Romantics, Shakespeare, Milton, and Pope). In speculative fiction, Poe, Koontz, and King, are among my favorites. In fantasy, Zelazny, Norton, Le Guin, McCaffrey, George RR Martin, Frank Herbert, Goodkind, and Brooks. In science fiction Clarke, Asimov, Niven. Pournelle, Anderson, Dick, Heinlein, Barnes, Cherryh, and so many others. In law, primarily William Rehnquist, Benjamin Cardozo and Antonin Scalia. In philosophy primarily Plato and Aristotle and the more than two thousand years of reaction they engendered with their competing philosophies. I will never hold a candle to any of my literary heroes—chief among them my mom who with only a few years of primary school education (she began working full time at the age of 11 to help feed her family after her dad died in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War) was to my inferior talent as the sun is to a candle..

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is actually my first novel, Hire Lernin’: An Idealist’s Quest Through the Realm of for-Profit Education. It centers on a bright, naïve young lawyer who accepts a position as academic dean of a for-profit business school in New York City in the 1980s knowing next to nothing about the industry. He soon finds that the profit-centered mission of the institution clashes with his personal need to change lives for the better. Undaunted, he launches a mission to change the way things are, ignoring the advice that it is a fool’s journey. What follows is a year of unprecedented success, life-altering failure and critical life lessons learned about his strengths and weaknesses leadership by example, the failings of higher education and love. The book is fiction inspired by my experience early in my academic career and offers a rare look behind the curtain of for-profit education that only a former insider can provide.

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Victor D. López’s Website

Victor D. López Facebook Page

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Featured Author Lisa Marie Thomas

Featured Interview With Lisa Marie Thomas

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My name is Lisa Marie Thomas.

I am a 26-year old mother of 2 children, aspiring business mogul, graphic designer, wife, former model, musician & songwriter.

I have also been in customer service for a few years, working from home to help provide for myself and my family.

I recently wrote and self-published my debut memoir, Turned Out .

This book was written as an original memoir of my life as a 23-year-old girl that survived human trafficking in Atlanta, Ga in 2016.
After this moment in my life, I moved back to my hometown Albany, Ga.
I stayed there for about a year before moving back to Atlanta, Ga.

I have been recording over the past few weeks, in anticipation of my self-narrated & audiobook version of Turned Out.

I have just reached a sustainable agreement with Audible, Amazon, and Itunes regarding territory and exclusivity.

I am also happy to announce that The Turned Out Audio Doc will be released on the abovementioned platforms, in all countries as early as next month.

Recording the tracks for this version, was not as simple as I thought. In fact, it was much more difficult than writing the book itself. For me, writing a story is easier than talking through the pain. So, it’s taking a little longer than I thought to record through the chapters.

It’s mostly because I’m working on keeping my emotions slightly intact.

I would describe the e-book and print versions of my novel as honest and raw but not a literary masterpiece. For this book, the story came from my heart. I felt that I had to write it that way.

My goal is to share, encourage and inspire, not overwhelm with a version of this story that may be much more compelling. I want my audience to connect with me, on another level. I am hoping that the Audio Doc relays that.

From this experience, I am hoping to grow as a person and author.

Within the next few years, I plan to release my sequel and 2nd novel. I am working on gaining speaking arrangements and building my voice to reach the people that may need me.

I am hoping to use my platform to reach other young women that are in domestic violence and/or human trafficking situations.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
One night, I was plagued by so many negative thoughts and I couldn’t figure out how to heal myself.
I just laid there wide awake for a while, when out of nowhere every fear that I had left and I thought about every girl that was in the same situation that I had just escaped.

I thought about every woman that was being abused and had no idea how to get away or even overcome the emotional trauma. I thought about every child watching their mother hurt and looking for a way out.

That’s when I decided to tell my entire story because I feel that every trial that I went through made me a better person. It made me a stronger person.

My writing became fluid and the closer I came to finishing my manuscript, I started to release many of the things that I had internalized.

I started to let go of barriers that kept me from reaching my potential, from loving myself, and caused a depression that affected my parenting.

I had to decide that I was strong enough to keep going and I was going to give my kids a better life regardless.

That motivation alone, turned 800 words into a 277 page, 44,674-word manuscript.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I have been very inspired by J.K Rowling and her road to becoming an author.
She went through many obstacles but never gave up. When her husband gave up on her, she kept working on her dreams.

One of the most amazing parts of her story is her tenacity after denials from 12 different publishers. One day, she got the call that changed her life forever.

I am also inspired by the author couple Ashley & Jaquavis. They have an ability to tell stories in a captivating way that many people, especially African-American people, women, and people living in and on the outskirts of poverty could understand.

My husband and I both have very real and tumultuous stories that we are sharing with the world in an effort to create understanding and awareness of certain issues.

It is our personal goal to be able to reach our audience in those ways.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Turned Out was a story that was not easy for me to write.

I always thought that I would be in the entertainment industry as an artist or I would follow a more practical approach, with the degree that I am seeking in Information Technology.

However, after returning to my hometown, I dealt with so many emotions that started to affect how I functioned as an adult.

After many times of talking with my mom and dad about subjects entirely unrelated, they would always find some way to tell me that I should write down the things that happened. They told me that I should tell my story because it could help other women.

Honestly, I was totally against it at first and then I realized that I was being selfish.
My primary concern was everyone knowing things that were so sensitive and private. I didn’t want the world to see all of my scars. I didn’t want to keep reliving the hurt over and over again.

The nights that I couldn’t sleep, every night I cried alone and the nights that I had the same dreams over and over again; inspired me to start writing. The writing became therapy to me.

At first, I was still contemplating the idea of a book, so I just started writing down my thoughts. It started with a letter to my children. That’s when I feel like God spoke to me.

and the rest can be found in my story.

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Lisa Marie Thomas’s Website

Featured Author Tonia Lalousi

Featured Interview With Tonia Lalousi

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My name is Tonia Lalousi and I was born in 1993 in Kalamata, a beautiful city of Greece. Today I live in Athens and I work as a biologist. Writing came in my life when I was studying biology and that moment I realized that I was needed a sense of art in my ambitious life.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I start reading when I was around 12 years old, mostly tennage stories and romance books and I never expected I could write a book. Writing came later in my everyday life, when I was around 20 years old. I started writing romantic stories and then I fell in love with crime fiction, so I wrote a crime series, starring the criminologist Peter Deligiannis, who is one of the most favorite heroes of my books in the greek audience.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite author is Agatha Christie but I also love reading the books of Gillian Flynn and Sebastian Fitzek. My favorite genre is generally crime fiction, and most specially psychological thrillers, detective and cozy mysteries. My biggest inspiration is my heroes!

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My last book is ‘’The Last Symphony’’. The value of perfection, as a reference point for the conquest of the top and the social recognition, was the first idea which inspired me to write this book. The story deals with people who react to glory with different ways.

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Tonia Lalousi’s Website

Tonia Lalousi Facebook Page

Featured Author Ilene & Gary Modica

Featured Interview With Ilene & Gary Modica

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Both born and raised in New York, Gary was born and raised in Maspeth, Queens while Ilene on Long Island. They celebrated 40-years of marriage in November 2020. Their blended family all live in Arizona, about 30-miles from one another. Along with these four children, they enjoy nine grandchildren ranging in age from two years to seventeen. We do not currently have any pets due to our travel schedule.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Ilene has always enjoyed reading while Gary is a bit more selective with his reading material. It was in Rome, at the beginning of our 2019 adventure, we decided to document our journey. Writing as we traveled through various towns we stayed and explored, we share our trials and tribulations, as well as the laughter in this lighthearted book.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Ilene’s favorite author is David Baldacci although, I really enjoy all types of books. Gary is more into history books. Our journey is what inspired our writing our first book, as well as our blog subscribers who are always full of questions about Italy and our travels.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Can you imagine living in Italy for one full year? This was the dream. That was the promise.
After a rollercoaster ride of three years to obtain Italian citizenship, Ilene and Gary achieved their goal. During 2019, they packed up leaving family and friends to live this dream in Italy.

This is their travel memoir and personal adventure, which has changed their lives forever. In Our Italian Journey, you will discover and share their desire for a genuine experience with an Italian family and how this dream came true. Enjoy their stories and witty insights about new Italian friendships, reconnecting with old friends, meeting up with subscribers to their blog, and the countless experiences through the various towns they stayed and explored.

In Our Italian Journey, Ilene and Gary provide you with an entertaining look at life in Italy. A journey with a bit of history, tradition, and culture that is written from their hearts. Experience and appreciate Italy’s charm and appeal while joining in the laughter as they also divulge the trials and tribulations they encountered along the way. Through this journey, they eat and drink their year through Italy visiting 8 regions and 46 cities; include Sicilia and—Licodia Eubea, their new Italian birthplace. They picked up their Italian birth and marriage certificates during the adventure in Sicily.

Their debut, writing this book together as their journey unfolded in 2019, was a step outside of their comfort zone and a new venture for them. Ilene and Gary invite you to take a glimpse of Italy through the eyes of locals and their pride as new Italian citizens.

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Ilene & Gary Modica’s Website

Ilene & Gary Modica Facebook Page

Ilene & Gary Modica Twitter Account

Featured Author A.C. Ward

Featured Interview With A.C. Ward

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Accountant by day, writer by night. I’m a bit of a Japanophile and addicted to manga and dating sims. I have a dog, cat, gecko, snake, fish, and tarantula for pets. I’m a born Floridian (a rare breed).

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I loved reading Muggie Maggie and Dear Mr. Henshaw in elementary school and wrote my first short story around that time, of a blacked out van kidnapping my best friend and tracking it down. I started a lot of stories in middle school, but didn’t learn to finish them until much later. Too many ideas to jump around to. I dreamed of moving to New York and being a starving artist, but I had a free ride to college and became an accountant instead. The writing dream never left, but did get delayed.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Juliet Marillier is one of my favorites to read, as her poetic voice is very different from my own. I like to write dialogue and action best, not description. I think that evolved from my love of manga. Too bad I can’t even draw stick figures. Furuba and Skip Beat are my favorite manga series to date. It’s all about characters for me.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Katana of Trust, the first book in The Kami Prophecy, highlights my love of feudal Japan folklore and history. I’m a bit of a Japanophile, and I let myself go in building the fantasy world. The first book was written within a month, and was sparked from a dream. That whole first scene played out in my head. I loved the idea of a child growing up among godlike creatures without even remembering her name. Then Masaru showed up with his eyepatch, and I was lost from there. I absolutely love my characters and editing keeps getting delayed because I get sucked into the store each time I start reading. I write something I’ll love, and hope others find joy in it, too. Creating characters is my favorite thing, and I don’t think Shou and Masaru will disappoint.

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A.C. Ward’s Website

A.C. Ward Facebook Page

A.C. Ward Twitter Account

Featured Author Helen Henderson

Featured Interview With Helen Henderson

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Although the author of several local histories and numerous articles on the topics of American and military history, antiques and collectibles, my first love is fiction. My work in the museum and history fields enables a special insight into creating fantasy worlds. The descendent of a coal-miner’s daughter and an aviation flight engineer, my writing reflects the contrasts of my heritage as well as that of my Gemini sign. My stories cross genres from historical westerns to science fiction and fantasy. Besides my local histories, I’ve written a dark fantasy, and in the world of romantic fantasy, there are five books in the dragon shifter series, the Dragshi Chronicles, and two volumes in the sword and sorcery, epic fantasy series, the Windmaster Novels. In my books, I invite readers to join me on travels through the stars, or among fantasy worlds of the imagination.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
It is not surprising, I developed an early love of books, having inherited a love of reading from my mother and grandmother. After I went through what books of my mother’s that were age appropriate, I moved onto the westerns that my father loved. A family joke was that I learned my numbers and letters helping update manuals and reading the instrument panel of an old Constellation. My original forays into writing allowed the young me to adventure with the characters of the books I read or the television shows I watched.

Although it is only in recent years that my pen turned toward fiction, I have been a professional writer in one form or another for almost 30 years. My first professional writing was software code, technical documentation and user “how-to” manuals. After riding the tip of the needle that burst the dot.com bubble, I combined the technical and the general to write marketing literature for high-tech and insurance companies until those firms also disappeared.

Many, many years after the initial excursions into publication, I fell through the back door into a different kind of writing—journalism. My husband, who was the volunteer registrar for a local history museum needed an article on their stoneware collection. Photos were taken, words written, and a new career born. I wrote regularly for that publication and a dozen more for many years.

Walking a circle brings one back to the beginnings. Because I crossed from technical writing to marketing, then marketing to journalism, I refused to believe, despite being told repeatedly, that if you write non-fiction, you can’t write fiction. So I picked up the pen and many years after I stopped writing adventures that took me to other lands and eras, I returned to worlds of imagination. Only this time, the fan fiction and heroic adventures would be replaced by a more professional eye and an expanded area of interest.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I can never decide on a favorite author or genre. Here’s a few of my go-tos. Anne McCaffrey, mistress of Dragonhold, for her Tower and Hive series and the Dragon Riders of Pern. — Louis L’Amor because he walked the ground he wrote about in his historical westerns. — Barbara Hambly, for her use of magic in her worlds of fantasy. And Katherine Kurtz, of course I’d want to meet her in the land of Scotland where the contemporary fantasy, Adept series took place.

I find inspiration in various aspects of the world around me. A verse of music, a few notes of a tune or a photo from some exotic place can trigger an idea. But not all inspiration is the same. Sometimes a dream awakens me in the middle of the night and gives the overall storyline for a new work or a scene unfolds like one from a movie.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The fantasy of The Windmaster Novels, a series described as, “A great read by an author with magic in her veins,” continues with the release of Windmaster Golem. The epic tale of Captain Ellspeth and the archmage, Lord Dal, returns as the next generation fights to save the future of magic.

Kiansel, sister to the current Oracle of Givneh, is expected to one day assume the mantle and lead the temple’s followers. Her emerging powers force an impossible decision. To answer the siren call of magic requires she turn her back on her family, her heritage and the teachings of the oracle.

Banishment to a remote village as healer, a position he despised, fueled Relliq’s desire for revenge. The discovery of a mythical city and an army of clay soldiers provided the means to control all mages–including the one he wanted most—Kiansel.

Brodie, weaponsmith for the School of Mages couldn’t refuse the archmage’s request to act as escort for a healing team fighting a curse upon the land. But how can a man without any magic of his own fight a curse or protect a friend from an invisible stalker?

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Helen Henderson’s Website

Helen Henderson Facebook Page

Helen Henderson Twitter Account

Featured Author Winter Fox

Featured Interview With Winter Fox

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I live in Southwest Harbor, Maine, with my wife, our dog and our cats. I have always worked for myself, starting as a musician, horticulturalist, cook, and stone artist. I have written all along, but then in 2011, I was inspired to write novels. I guess I see the world through a particular lens, as we all do, and that colors everything, but particularly my writing. My world is bold and beautiful, with granite cliffs against crashing Atlantic waves. I value honor, dedication, patience, and grace under pressure. I value integrity and helpfulness and would like to think that good intentions and good acts are rewarded by a fair and universal God or gods.

I have just built a new treehouse office, which connects to my other little treehouse via a catwalk. This one is insulated for winter use and has a cute little heater. What I didn’t anticipate was, that if it is windy, the trees rock and creak so much that I can’t do voice recording. So, these days, I’m letting the weather dictate whether I narrate or write, and so far the mix has been pretty good.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I became enthralled with books very early on. I believe that I was reading at 4. My favorite book from that time was Richard Scarry’s “Big Book of Everything.” It showed pictures and names of everything in typical American life, from cars, buildings, or professions to kitchenware, farm animals, and clothing items. Only everyone was depicted as animals. Very humanoid animals, in that the frog guy was almost as tall as the bison guy, and the goose gal was not too much taller than the crow lady. It was kind of like a mix of Animal Farm and Where’s Waldo on ludes.

I built my own bed on stilts when I was twelve. That was after my first rudimentary treehouse, just a platform in the maple clump. Under that bed was a reading nook, with a little bookshelf, a white vinyl beanbag chair, and a lamp. I read all of the Fantasy greats, from Burroughs to Howard, and then on to sci-fi with Asimov, Herbert, and Heinlein. Later, I began to enjoy novels from Vonnegut, Robbins, Kingsolver, and King. I love history, and I suppose Pillars of the Earth inspired me to write my Flight of the Wren series.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love comedy and have recently discovered Christopher Moore, and his hilarious “The Stupidest Angel,” best Christmas novel that includes zombie ever. I love the seriousness of Marion Zimmer Bradley, and the goofy imagination of Tom Robbins. I love the optimism of Barbara Kingsolver, and the wry fatalism of Vonnegut and John Irving. I love kvetching, so I’ve been a David Sedaris fan ever since Santaland Diaries.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I just recorded the narration for my second audiobook, “Voyage of the White Bear.” It’s the second volume of the “Flight of the Wren” series, which is a huge epic that takes place at the end of the Viking Age. In Voyage, our heroine Hilja goes to the Greenland Colony in search of her mother and sister, taken as slaves from their village in Lapland. In Norway, Olav Haraldsson steals a ship and goes raiding in Ossinia, and the Witch of Vestfold goes on the run as a wanted woman, and finally becomes the demon that everyone believes her to be.
Anyway, it’s a big book, with a lot of plot threads…

I have found that while I narrate my books, I frequently want to make little changes to the wording, as I find items that were not evident unless the book was read out loud. Having said that, I’ve finished writing and editing book 3 of the series, “The Loom of Bones” and I am narrating chapters every day, wind permitting. As I narrate, I’m putting the final touches on the copy editing. In a few weeks, when I send the audio files to the studio for mastering, I will format the book for ebook and print, and get my book launch ready. Hopefully, this will happen in May.

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Winter Fox’s Website

Winter Fox Facebook Page

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