Book Blitz: The Last Mission of the Living by Rhiannon Frater - Excerpt & Giveaway

The Last Mission of the Living

Rhiannon Frater

Post-Apocalyptic Zombie Horror
August 28, 2014

Amazon * Author Site



Humanity teeters on the brink of extinction...

Vanguard Lindsay Rooney has faced the undead hordes of Inferi Scourge and lived to tell the tale, but she has also suffered horrible losses. Like millions of other civilians, she had hoped that The Bastion would recover after a team of modified soldiers eradicated the undead hordes of Inferi Scourge that infested their valley. Yet the city still crumbles around them, along with any chance of survival.

Lindsey’s growing friendship with Torran MacDonald, an officer with the Science Warfare division, is her only solace as the decline of the city continues. When food riots fill the streets, martial law is enacted, and the upper echelons of government battle for control of the city, Lindsey is conscripted by her superiors to embark on a dangerous mission into the dead world beyond The Bastion. To add even more complications, Torran and the SWD join the squad.

Soon, Lindsey realizes that her mission is more than what it seems, and there are secrets that could both destroy The Bastion and take her life.

Excerpt

“Sir!” Goodwin breathed.

“I see the readout.” It was impossible to conceive that the others were gone. Opening the comm to the soldiers in the building, Torran said briskly, “Everyone report. Respond now!”

Strange guttural noises were his only answer.

Torran hit his wristlet, again switching the comm to contact Rosario’s group. “Smyth, report.”

As the other half of the squad was added to his helmet visual, he sucked in a deep breath. They were also reported as Killed In Action. Stunned, he swallowed the hard lump forming in his throat. What was going on?

“Sir?” Jonas queried his voice unsteady.

“Watch that door! Smyth, if you can hear me respond now!”

Through the static came the sound of someone choking.

The line hissed and buzzed for a long second, then a woman’s voice that was not Rosario’s said, “Don’t worry. She’ll come for you.”

A wave of horror washed over Torran and plunged him into the blackest depths of despair. They were all dead. Just like before outside the wall when the expanding perimeter fence had failed and the Inferi Scourge had swarmed the soldiers.

“Sir?”

The sound of Goodwin’s voice tugged Torran’s attention back to the present. Staring at the empty doorway shimmering in an ominous pale gray in the night vision filter, Torran gathered his thoughts, and then switched the comm again. “Base, I have lost all communication with my squad and they’re being reported as KIA. We are under attack from the abnormal Inferi Scourge. We need immediate backup to this location.”

The popping and static echoing through his helmet sent a surge of adrenaline through his system. For several seconds, he feared there wasn’t going to be a response, but then a voice said, “Master Seeker, you’re to hold position until we can send a tiltrotor with reinforcements. All units are all presently engaged.”

“We can’t hold this position,” Torran answered curtly. If the rest of the squad was dead, then he had to save Goodwin and Jonas as well as himself. He’d been a sole survivor of a squad before and the burden of that label still weighed on his soul.

“You have your orders to secure and hold that area,” came the reply.

“We’re dealing with a pocket of the Abscrags--”

“You have your--”

There were footsteps in the hallway.

     “--and we are about to be overrun!”

About the Author

Rhiannon Frater is the award-winning author of over a dozen books, including the As the World Dies zombie trilogy (Tor), as well as independent works such as The Last Bastion of the Living (declared the #1 Zombie Release of 2012 by Explorations Fantasy Blog and the #1 Zombie Novel of the Decade by B&N Book Blog), and other horror novels. In 2014, her newest horror novel, The Mesmerized, will be released by Permuted Press. Dead Spots will be published in 2015 by Tor. She was born and raised a Texan and presently lives in Austin, Texas with her husband and furry children (a.k.a pets).  She loves scary movies, sci-fi and horror shows, playing video games, cooking, dyeing her hair weird colors, and shopping for Betsey Johnson purses and shoes.


You can find her online at:Website: rhiannonfrater.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/astheworlddies
Twitter:  twitter.com/rhiannonfrater
Blog:  rhianonfrater.blogspot.com
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/rhiannonfrater/
Email: rhiannonfrater at gmail.com

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Book Blast: Blood Pact by Sharon Rose Mayes

Blood Pact

Blood Pact # 1

By- Sharon Rose Mayes

Genre- YA Paranormal

Riley Spencer has spent most of her life doing what is normal for her: attending school, spending time with her mother, and training to hunt vampires. It was how she grew up as part of the organization and when Nick comes to town and joins her team everything changes. Now Riley and the rest of her team begin to question everything they have learned about vampires and the organization that trained them to hunt the vampires that hide in the world.

Release Blast: The Manhattan Puzzle by Laurence O'Bryan - Excerpt & Giveaway

Title: The Manhattan Puzzle

Author: Laurence O'Bryan

Genre: Thriller

Publish Date: August 26, 2014

Publisher: HarperCollins

ISBN: 9781847562906

Synopsis

An international cover-up that could change the course of history…

Sean has been tracking a symbol from another age. It provides a clue to a barbaric conspiracy. A puzzle with an answer feared for millenia.

When Isabel wakes to find Sean hasn't come home she doesn't worry. At first. But when the police turn up on her doorstep wanting to interview him, she has to make a decision.

Does she keep faith in him or does she believe the evidence?

The symbol Sean and Isabel have been chasing will finally be revealed in Manhattan as one of the greatest banks in the world totters. Can Isobel uncover the truth before time runs out…or will she too be murdered?

A thrilling, high-octane race to save civilisation that will engross fans of Dan Brown, David Baldacci and James Patterson.

    

    

The Manhattan Puzzle Excerpt

 

1

‘Go for it. The rougher the better, girl.’ The man had a black silk blindfold tied around his head. He spoke slowly, his voice thick with desire. Xena went to the door and unlocked it. ‘What’s that? Getting your toys out? Wow, this is even better than you promised.’ Lord Bidoner walked into the panic room. He closed the door behind him and pressed the button to turn on the air management system. The scrubber in the roof could remove the smoke from a blazing fire and turn the output into a vapour trail. The man, spread-eagled and handcuffed to the stainless steel bed frame, had an expectant smile on his face. ‘Go on, do it,’ he said. The navy Calvin Klein silk suit hanging from the stool beside the bed gave an indication of who he was. Lord Bidoner examined the man’s wallet. His bank ID card, a credit-card-sized piece of aluminium with an embedded proximity chip and his family name, Hare, embossed on it, confirmed what they already knew. The head of global security at BXH, one of the world’s few truly global banks, was lying face-up and naked in front of him. ‘Don’t keep me waiting, girl.’ ‘I won’t,’ purred Xena. She stroked his leg, then his inner thigh. He quivered in anticipation. The man’s wife would surely appreciate photographs of this event, but Lord Bidoner had more pressing concerns. He nodded at Xena. She was dressed in a low-cut skin-tight black catsuit that fitted her thin frame perfectly. The man laid out in front of them was expecting something memorable from the woman he’d met in the champagne bar opposite Grand Central, two weeks before. Xena’s story, about being an Ethiopian diplomat’s daughter, and her eager smile, had captivated him. She ran her finger down the man’s stomach. It trembled under her touch. ‘Don’t stop, honey. Don’t stop.’ With her other hand Xena clicked on the silver Turboflame blowtorch, the most expensive model in the world with its 1500C flame. She held the gently hissing blue, inch-long flame up and watched it glow brighter as her fingers moved slowly down his stomach. ‘What’s that?’ he said. She didn’t reply. Hare’s voice was still confident when he spoke. ‘Was that your sister who just came in? Is she gonna join us?’ ‘We have a surprise for you,’ said Xena. The man pulled on the handcuffs, which began to cut into his skin. It had taken a bit of persuasion, since this was their third meeting, for Xena to get him to go this far, but he trusted her now. And he’d made it clear that he wasn’t going to put up with any crap. He’d break the bed if she didn’t release him when he gave the password. She’d smiled, hugged him and agreed. They’d even laughed about making a written contract. ‘What’s the surprise?’ He shook the bed, testing its resilience and the strength of the handcuffs. He’d assumed they were easily breakable toys, like a previous pair she’d shown him. But he was wrong. And he didn’t know that the bed was bolted to the reinforced slab of the panic room floor, either. Though he might have guessed that there was something wrong when it refused to move under him. ‘Just a friend of mine. We have a little question for you,’ said Xena. ‘Yeah?’ He was still curious, still expectant of further delights. ‘What is the password for the security system at BXH?’ The man didn’t reply verbally. He shook the bed from side to side, trying to break free. He didn’t know that his only hope was if his thrashing managed to separate his hands from his wrists, and his feet from his ankles. And very few people have strength enough to do that. Xena waved the blue flame, raised it, as if offering it up. It flickered higher. The odour of the burning butane gas filled the room like bad perfume. The sound of the blow torch was a threatening hissing now. Xena placed the tip of the flame against the top edge of the whiskey tumbler the man had been drinking from. The glass turned blue. ‘Wait until you feel this. Then you will tell me,’ said Xena. Her tone had changed. It was demanding now. ‘What? Fu . . .’ The end of that confident word was bitten off by the piercing scream that came from deep within his throat. Xena had touched the flame against the pale skin of his shoulder. He began thrashing. Like a fish flailing. He moved from side to side, squirming away from the skin-blistering heat. But he couldn’t move fast enough. And his legs and arms were stretched out tight. Easy targets. The smell in the room changed and the atmosphere with it. Pain and whimpering, sizzling and guttural roars filled the air. The man had become a dog. Then Xena asked him again. ‘The password, please.’ She spoke softly, as if they were still playing a game. ‘If you give it up, I will release you. You can explain these little burns to your wife. But the ones I will inflict next will require hospital treatment. Or the services of a morgue.’ She clicked the flame off, then pressed the hot tip hard and fast into the biggest blister she had inflicted, near his ankle. ‘What do you say, Mr Hare?’ The man answered with a defiant, animal roar. He shook the bed under him. The last vestige of his pride in working at BXH bellowed out of him. Xena lit the flame again. She reached forward, touched it to his chest, and ran it fast down the middle until smoke from his burning body hair filled the room with a sickly odour. ‘Stop, stop!’ he screamed. His body squirmed to escape the heat. ‘It’s #89*99,’ he shouted. ‘Please! Stop!’ Bidoner keyed the password into his phone and pressed send. ‘I hope you’re not lying,’ said Xena. ‘I want all this to have a happy ending.’ She squeezed his thigh with her hand, then stroked it. Tears streamed from under his blindfold. His cheeks were red. It was good he couldn’t see the weals on his body, because he would know immediately that he wouldn’t be able to explain any of them to his wife. ‘Please, let me go. I promise not to tell anyone. I swear, on my children’s lives.’ Lord Bidoner’s mobile beeped as an incoming message came in. He nodded at Xena. The code had worked. ‘I believe you,’ she said. ‘But there is one more thing I must do for you.’ She put the Turboflame down and went to the fridge. She took out a six-inch-long serrated knife, honed with care to a perfect blade, from the freezer section. She held it in the air, admiring its cold edge. ‘Now you will find release,’ she said. The man’s body went still. His toes, which had scrunched up, half straightened. The only sound was his pain-filled whimpering. The panic room in the apartment on Fifth Avenue, overlooking the skyscrapers of Manhattan, was soundproof. It was why they used the room. Xena flicked the blade across the man’s pale skin, once, then twice, fascinated by how quickly blood gushed, how fast it flowed from a few simple cuts. ‘This is for my brothers,’ she said. ‘Don’t,’ he whimpered. Fear trembled in his voice. ‘I have two children, a wife.’ She growled, psyching herself up. ‘Prima quattuor invocare unum,’ she said, as she grabbed him, jerking him upwards and castrating him with one swinging motion. She held the bloody remains up in the air. His screams of terror and pain vibrated through the room as blood spurted two feet high. A foul smell followed and the man’s words became a babbling. Lord Bidoner held his nose. He’d seen enough. He went out to the main room of the apartment, with its view towards the glittering Jazz-era spire of the Empire State Building. ‘You did good, my dear. The first offering has been done correctly,’ he said, when Xena joined him. She was panting. ‘Come here.’ He pushed her up against the inch-thick glass of the window, as Manhattan glittered behind them. Afterwards, he handed her a balloon glass containing a large shot of Asbach 21. She sipped the brandy, then downed it in one gulp. Then she lay down on the sleek oak coffee table that dominated the room. The canyon of lights stretching into the velvet Manhattan night reflected all the way along the length of the table and onto her ebony skin. He reached down and stroked her shoulder. It was trembling. ‘Three more before the moon rises again. That is what the book says. That is what we will do.’ She smiled up at him. Her white teeth shone as she leaned her head back and stretched.  

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About the Author

Laurence was born in Dublin. He studied business, then IT at Oxford University.After going to England he paid for his own courses and began rising at 4AM so he could study and work at the same time. One early job was as a kitchen porter near the Bank of England cleaning the plates of the well connected. Laurence was first published by a school newspaper when he was ten, for a short story about aliens getting lost. Thirty-five years later, he attended an authonomy workshop and not long after was offered a publishing contract for three books. The Manhattan Puzzle is his third novel.  

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Book Blitz: Waking the Phoenix by Lindsay Avalon

Waking the Phoenix

by Lindsay Avalon

Mythrian #2

Paranormal, Romance

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Synopsis:

*** This is a continuation of Connor and Sha's story. Book 1, Breaking the Nexus, should be read first.***

As two Realms collide, the world descends into chaos. From the moment Sha Phoenix dropped into the middle of Detective Connor Flynn’s murder scene, he had known his life would never be the same. Following her claim to be a Sorceri from the Mythrian Realm, he had received a crash course in the impossible as they had struggled to stop a madman. Unfortunately, despite their efforts to stop the Nexus, a magical barrier separating the Mythrian and Human Realms, fractured. Magic and myth are spilling over into the Human Realm, plunging everything into turmoil. Is their love strong enough to survive the flames of the phoenix? When Sha vanished through a portal in the middle of battle, Connor did not hesitate to follow the woman he had claimed as his. Now in the Mythrian Realm, they join forces with the Sentinels, the guardians of the Realms, to protect the world they love. Will they be able to contain the evil taking control? Or will they perish in the flames of war?

The Mythrian Series

Breaking the Nexus, #1: Amazon • B&N

Warrior Unleashed, #1.5: Amazon • B&N

About the Author

Lindsay Avalon is a wife, owner of a devious mini Schnauzer, programmer, and now an author. An avid reader, her amazing husband never seems to mind the multitude of books scattered around the house. However, after listening to the words “I have nothing to read” one too many times, he suggested Lindsay try her hand at writing her own books. Since she’d never liked writing in school, she balked at the idea until her sister pestered her to participate in NaNoWriMo. It was then Lindsay realized that it was never writing she hated; it was writing boring essays. Creating worlds of magic, mystery, adventure, and romance became her true calling. In 2012, she embarked on the journey to become a self-published author and to bring her crazy ideas to life.

In 2013, Lindsay decided to ask a fellow author about her publishing company, Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly. It was a spur of the moment, impulsive decision, and one which Lindsay is eternally grateful she made. Though self-publishing was exhilarating, being a part of her amazing publishing family gives her a bit of structure in her chaotic existence.

When she’s not writing or spending time with her husband, she’s hiding out from devious bears seeking to thwart her writing efforts, pestering her amazing friends and personal assistant, creating works of art in resin, and a multitude of other things that capture her attention at the moment. You can find Lindsay online spreading insanity across Facebook and interacting with her many lovelies. She loves hearing from her readers and fellow writers!

Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads

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Cover Reveal: His Frozen Heart by Nancy Straight

Details:

Title: His Frozen Heart

Author: Nancy Straight

Genre: Suspenseful Romance

Release Date: November 2014

Synopsis:

For best friends, Candy and Libby, money is tight with hardly enough to cover their living expenses. When they are desperate for grocery money, the girls bet on their pool playing skills to add to their income.

A simple wager on a quiet winter evening has devastating results, with a stalker determined to kill them both. With Libby in the hospital after a vicious attack, and Candy being pursued by the same stalker, she vows to find Libby's attacker.

What she finds is Dave, an old friend with a secret past filled with misfortune. Will Dave’s past provide the answer to all of Candy’s problems or will it become Candy’s worst nightmare realized?

About the Author:

Nancy was born in Sioux City Iowa, left the cold of the Midwest in 1991 and only returns to see family in the summer time. She spent ten years traveling the world as a US Marine and settled in rural SC with her husband and two children.

She enjoys reading all types of Paranormal and Young Adult literature.

Author Links:

Website:

www.nancystraight.com

GoodReads:

https://www.goodreads.com/NancyStraight

Twitter:

www.twitter.com/nancystraight

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nancy-Straight/243616005687882

Check out Nancy’s other series!

Destiny Series

Meeting Destiny: (FREE)

Amazon:

http://amzn.com/B003U2RUP8

B&N:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/meeting-destiny-nancy-straight/1023330846?ean=2940011054235&itm=1&usri=nancy+straight

Destiny’s Revenge:

Amazon:

http://amzn.com/B005FO28PG

B&N:
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Destiny’s Wrath:

Amazon:
http://amzn.com/B007100ZB6

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Touched Series

Blood Debt: (FREE)

Amazon:

http://amzn.com/B008L79YRO

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blood-debt-nancy-straight/1112345662?ean=2940045020367

Centaur Legacy:

Amazon:

http://amzn.com/B00AB77ZTG

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/centaur-legacy-nancy-straight/1113887495?ean=2940016303741

Centaur Rivalry:

Amazon:

http://amzn.com/B00CKU148K

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Centaur Redemption:

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B&N:

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Cover Reveal: Looking for Lucy Jo by Suzy Turner

Cover Reveal

Looking for Lucy Jo

Morgan Sisters #3

Suzy Turner

YA Urban Fantasy

Expected Release Date: September 20, 2014

It's their first Christmas since entering the Praxos Academy and 16-year-old sisters Lana Beth and Emma Jane Morgan are looking forward to some serious R&R. But when their little sister mysteriously disappears from her bed on Christmas Eve, all thoughts of fun disappear with her. Emma and Lana must do everything in their power to locate her and bring her home safely. Easier said than done, they are forced to go on yet another journey, this time taking them out to the murky depths of the North Sea as well as to the far reaches of southern Portugal.

Other Books in the Series

The Ghost of Josiah Grimshaw

Adopted sisters Lana Beth and Emma Jane are polar opposites, but when the same strange 'tattoo' suddenly appears and winds its way up their bodies within days of each other, they soon realize there's more to their relationship than they could ever have imagined.

Sent off to London for two weeks of 'work experience', the Morgan Sisters soon find themselves being initiated into the ancient Praxos Foundation, one that protects the innocent while fighting evil, both human and supernatural.

At the same time, Lana Beth and Emma Jane must also investigate why the sweet but sometimes pesky ghost of Josiah Grimshaw just won't leave them alone.

What people are saying about The Ghost of Josiah Grimshaw

"I would go so far as to say that this book could be the beginnings of a series as good as those by J.K. Rowling!"

"This book is a great start to a potentially brilliant series"

"I loved the bad guys, the graveyard antics, the talking dead, the superpowers of the kick-a** ninja chicks, and the rite of initiation the sisters go through"

The Ghost of Josiah Grimshaw, FREE on Amazon

 When tragedy falls upon 15 year old Daisy Madigan, she escapes to the only place she feels safe, the cemetery of Abney Park. There, in the company of the dearly departed, she realizes she is changing, growing stronger and faster by the day. But in the darkness lurks a terror even she can't imagine facing.

What people are saying about Daisy Madigan's Paradise

"Wonderful addition to the Morgan Sisters series! I might suggest reading The Ghost of Josiah Grimshaw first, but this should stand on its own even if you haven't. Such a lovely, well written story - I highly recommend it and all of her books."

"A fantastically evocative YA novella perfect for both younger and older teens."

Daisy Madigan's Paradise, FREE on Amazon

It's been a couple of months since Emma and Lana entered the Praxos Academy and life has been hectic ever since. What with regular A level classes combined with learning all about the supernatural world, control classes, self defence and fight night, the girls are constantly busy.

But when their world seems to stop right in front of them, they and their fellow Watchers, have a huge mystery to solve. A mystery which will lead them on a long road trip across south west England where they will meet all kinds of strange creatures, some intent on causing harm and others desperate to put a stop to the problem.

What people are saying about The Temporal Stone

"Suzy has done it again! Her books get better and better.... this had me gripped from the start!"

"Another great read, this is the third Morgan Sisters book I have read and I loved them all. Can't wait for more."

The Temporal Stone, Amazon

About the Author

Although Suzy is a Yorkshire lass at heart, she left her home town of Rotherham, UK, to move to Portugal with her family when she was ten. The Algarve continues to be her home, where she lives with her childhood sweetheart, Michael, two neurotic dogs and a cat who thinks she's a princess.

Shortly after completing her studies, Suzy was offered the position of trainee journalist for a local English newspaper. Her love of writing developed and a few years later she moved on to become assistant editor for the region's largest English language publisher. Since then she has also worked as the editor of one of the Algarve's most loved monthly lifestyle magazines. Early in 2010 however, Suzy began working as a full time author. She has since written several books: Raven, December Moon, The Lost Soul (The Raven Saga), Daisy Madigan's Paradise, The Ghost of Josiah Grimshaw, The Temporal Stone (The Morgan Sisters) and Forever Fredless.

Website: www.suzyturner.com 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/suzyturner

Facebook: www.facebook.com/suzyturnerbooks

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/suzy_turner

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/suzyturnerbooks

YA Blog: http://www.suzyturner.blogspot.com

Chick Lit Blog: http://www.fictiondreams.com

Release Blitz: Shadow's Awakening by Molle McGregor - Giveaway

Awakening

by Molle McGregor

Publication Date: August 21, 2014 

Genres: Paranormal, Romance

Purchase from: Amazon • Nook • Kobo • iBooks

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Synopsis

Hannah Green wants her life back. In the past three years she’s gone from promising graduate student to patient in a mental hospital. Now, she’s being held prisoner by a terrifying group of men who believe she has a mysterious power. She wants to think they’re wrong, but something inside her has changed. If only she could use her power to set herself free.

Conner’s entire life, he’s played by the rules. He’s a soldier. A leader. He knows better than anyone that contact with the Shadows is forbidden. So when a midnight phone call demands he rescue one from a nest of demons, he has no intention of following through. Until he sets eyes on Hannah. Brave, beautiful and determined to survive. Conner can’t walk away.

When you’ve worked so hard to make the right choices, temptation can be a kind of torture. Conner knows he should turn Hannah over to the Shadows. Hannah wants to be grateful for her rescue and let Conner go. But when love and desire bind two strangers together, they have to choose between what they think is right and what they know they need.

Also in the Series

About Molle McGregor

Molle’s writing career started when she was seven and suffered terrible insomnia. Night after night she couldn’t sleep until long after mid-night, only to wake a few hours later. Frustrated with her inability to just go to bed, (and her penchant for sneaking a book and a flashlight under the covers) her grandmother said, “You like to read so much, why don’t you tell yourself a story until you fall asleep.” With this brilliant advice, Molle’s overactive brain was off and running. Now, years later, she’s finally taught herself to sleep, but she’s never stopped telling stories.

When she’s not reading, writing, or staring into space making things up, Molle is getting into trouble with her husband, two sons, two dogs and vicious attack cat in the mountains of North Carolina. She likes to hike, cook, listen to music way too loud, and hang out with her boys. She does not like dusting or emptying the dishwasher.

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