Sunday, December 22, 2013
Holiday Wishes
Faith makes all things possible. Hope makes all things work. Love makes all things beautiful. May you have all three for this Christmas and every day to come.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Who's Your Favorite?
Goodreads is having their annual Member's Choice Awards. Fire Horse is in the running for Best Athletes and Best Cover. If you would like to vote for your favorite author, story, and cover for 2013, now's your chance. You don't have to be a member of the Goodreads M/M Romance Group to vote.
Here's the link for those who are interested: http://www.esurveyspro.com/Survey.aspx?id=31dc63a9-f374-40b9-a220-b3aad4f2ba0d
Sunday, December 8, 2013
30 % Sale at Dreamspinner Press!
To celebrate all the winners in the 2013 Rainbow Awards, Dreamspinner Press will be putting our novels on sale at 30% off from now until December 15 (e-books only). This is a great opportunity to fill that Christmas stocking with offerings from many different genres.
You can find the novels here: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=56_773_1008
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Winner!
I'm honored that Fire Horse is tied for 7th place in the LGBT Erotic Romance category at the 2013 Rainbow Awards. Congratulations to Heidi Cullinan who won first place for her novel, Dirty Laundry, and to all the other winners in this category. Many thanks to Elisa Rolle and everyone who helped to make these awards a success.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Post-Thanksgiving Update
I haven't posted anything since early November, so here's a little update for those who want to know what writers do in-between book releases. Catching up with family is always a joy after being buried in my writing cave. It's hard to find the right balance, but now that I'm semi-retired from my day job, I'm finding it easier to mesh both real and imaginary lives.
Let's start with Thanksgiving. I flew to North Carolina (Raleigh) where my oldest son lives with his wife and brand new baby girl, Scarlett. She was born a few days before I left for Europe so this was my first chance to see her up close. Scarlett is just as beautiful in person as she is in pictures. A happy baby and a wonderful addition to the family. My other grandchild, AJ, shown above with his new cousin, was also present with his Mommy and Daddy who flew in from Chicago the day before the holiday. We had a full house of 8 adults and 2 little ones. My son's property is in Apex, just outside Raleigh, and quite spacious. Room for a lot of extras, including a chicken coop (he's got 12 egg laying hens) and two dogs. My little guy AJ had a wonderful time collecting the eggs each morning. It was a definite Farmer in the Dell moment which I'm glad he could experience. Most of our time was spent buying ingredients for the meals, or planning them, or cooking them, then lying around with distended bellies after eating way too much. Ugh. I think I've gained 5lbs over the last week.
Once the babies were down for the night we played this card game called Cards Against Humanity. It's the most politically incorrect, albeit hilarious, game I've ever played. I took great pleasure in shocking the hell out of my adult children. Serves them right for thinking they could pull a fast one over their writer Mom who has a more vivid imagination than they ever wanted to know or hear about. LOL.
Just before leaving for my trip I got a new contract for a spin-off to my books Impacted! and Bonds of Love. My new novel is titled Fractured and is scheduled for release sometime in March/April. It's also set in the same dental universe, but the main characters are new. There will be a guest appearance by Robin and Scott from the original series before they leave on an extended vacation. Susie, another familiar character from Impacted! has a key role in this new book. It's not necessary to read the first two books in the series, but it would give you a little background on the setting, more than anything else. Impacted! was my first foray into the BDSM world, and I admit, it wasn't my best work (although it sold really well). Since then, I've learned a lot about the D/s dynamic and I'm hoping it shows in this new endeavor. I'll keep you posted as I get exact dates and cover art to share.
Lastly, I came across this lovely review of Ride-Off over at M/M Good Book Reviews. Here's the link for those who haven't seen it yet.
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/2013/12/03/ride-off-by-mickie-b-ashling/
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Interview!
M/M Romance and Yaoi author, Alex Akira, is featuring me on his blog this week. Stop by and learn a little bit more about me and my upcoming work. Read an excerpt of Ride-Off that hasn't been posted anywhere else, as well as the wonderful review Alex gave Fire Horse on Rainbow Reviews recently. This is also another opportunity to win a free copy of Ride-Off by commenting on the post.
http://alexaakira.blogspot.com/2013/11/mm-erotic-romance-author-of-week-mickie.html
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Baby Update!
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Fire Horse Reviewed
Fire Horse was reviewed on GGR-Review.com by Steve with the rating of interesting
and well written on 10/11/2013.
Here's the link: http://www.ggr-review.com/fire-horse-2/
Here's another chance to win Fire Horse and the sequel Ride-Off by clicking on the Goodreads link. The contest runs for a month and the winner will receive 2 signed paperbacks.
Giveaway!
I've just listed Ride-Off on Goodreads as a giveaway. The winner will receive a signed paperback (along with a signed copy of Fire Horse) . The contest runs for a month and is open to residents of the US, Canada, Australia, and UK. Two copies of Ride-Off have been listed, but in actuality, I'm giving away 4 books. The giveaway goes live in 24 hours. Click on the link for more details.
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/69775-ride-off
I was pleasantly surprised to come across this review from Amos Lassen yesterday. Here's what he has to say about Ride-Off.
http://reviewsbyamoslassen.com/?p=25180#comment-32033
And here's another honest review from the scarf princess, Jody. In my Polo universe, anything goes, and trust me, there's a lot happening in the Fawkes-Schnell clan. Throw in Ned Temple and his young lover, Bandi, plus a charming new addition to the cast in the form of cross-dressing, make-up artist, Jeremy Starr, and a soap opera is born.
http://wowfromthescarfprincess.blogspot.com/2013/10/book-spotlight-for-ride-off-by-mickie-b.html
Friday, October 18, 2013
Give Away Winners!
Here are the winners of my contest. Spike 7451 and Whitestar. Those of you who'd like another chance at a give away, hop on over to Sid Love's blog and comment. Here's the link: http://sidlove.wordpress.com/
Will the winners please email me at mickie.ashling at gmail dot com or comment on this post. I need your email address and the format of choice. I did promise a signed paperback if either of you are interested.
If I don't hear back in 48 hours I'll have to choose another winner. Thanks to everyone for stopping by.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Ride-Off Excerpt and Contest
To celebrate the release of my latest novel, Ride-Off, I'm offering a signed paperback (or e-book if you'd prefer) to the 14th person who comments, since this is my 14th published novel. All you have to do is leave your name and tell me you want the book. For anyone else who'd like to participate, leave a comment, and I'll draw another random winner. The only catch is you have to respond within 48 hours since the book releases on Friday, October 18.
So far, this is your third chance to win. First is over at Chris' blog, Stumbling Over Chaos (see my previous post and easy click to link), the next is on Facebook or LJ, and lastly, here. So three chances all in all to win a freebie.
Ride-Off is a sequel to Fire Horse which released last April. Readers were drawn to this epic romance spanning 35 years. Two years have passed since our lovers were reunited and now the hard part begins. Trying to blend families is always a challenge, especially when the players are no longer children.
Preston and Konrad find themselves caught in one contentious argument after another as their strong-willed progeny vie for their places in this new family dynamic. We've met or heard about most of these characters in Fire Horse but now we get a chance to peel off layers and find out what makes them do what they do. There are a couple of new characters that insinuate themselves into this family saga. Some are most welcome, and others, not so much. Here's an except that hasn't been posted anywhere else. Read, enjoy, and don't forget to comment to enter the contest. For those of you who would rather bet on a sure thing, the buy link will take you directly to the Dreamspinner site where you can pre-order the book.
Here's the excerpt.....
Buy or pre-order here: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4264
So far, this is your third chance to win. First is over at Chris' blog, Stumbling Over Chaos (see my previous post and easy click to link), the next is on Facebook or LJ, and lastly, here. So three chances all in all to win a freebie.
Ride-Off is a sequel to Fire Horse which released last April. Readers were drawn to this epic romance spanning 35 years. Two years have passed since our lovers were reunited and now the hard part begins. Trying to blend families is always a challenge, especially when the players are no longer children.
Preston and Konrad find themselves caught in one contentious argument after another as their strong-willed progeny vie for their places in this new family dynamic. We've met or heard about most of these characters in Fire Horse but now we get a chance to peel off layers and find out what makes them do what they do. There are a couple of new characters that insinuate themselves into this family saga. Some are most welcome, and others, not so much. Here's an except that hasn't been posted anywhere else. Read, enjoy, and don't forget to comment to enter the contest. For those of you who would rather bet on a sure thing, the buy link will take you directly to the Dreamspinner site where you can pre-order the book.
Here's the excerpt.....
“My God,” Preston exclaimed when he opened the door
of his suite and set eyes on his errant daughter for the first time in years.
“You’re lovely.”
“Nice to see you too,” Sasha said, inserting himself
between the pair. He was hardly able to keep the sneer out of his voice.
Clearly, sharing the spotlight with anyone, even his half sister, bothered him
more than he cared to admit.
Preston tore his eyes away from Paloma and rewarded
his son with a kiss and a hearty slap on the back. “How are you holding up,
kiddo?”
“I’m fine, Dad.”
Satisfied, Preston turned back to the young woman
who’d been watching the exchange intently. “This is unexpected, Paloma.”
“Are you upset?”
“Not unless your mother has called Interpol.”
“I’ll get in touch with her once I’m settled,” Paloma
assured him.
“She must be out of her mind wondering where you are.
You should call her right now.”
“I don’t want to.”
He picked up the phone and handed it to her.
“But I haven’t met anyone,” she whined. “Won’t you
introduce me to your companions?”
Preston frowned and took a deep breath, then reached
for Paloma’s hand, and led her toward a door which opened after one knock.
“Kon, this is Paloma.”
“What a nice surprise,” Konrad said, shaking her hand
and then drawing her forward for a kiss. “I’d hoped to meet you someday, and
here you are.” He was staring at her with a look of wonder written all over his
face. “You’re Preston’s spitting image.”
“May I call you Uncle?” she asked.
“I’d be mighty pleased if you would, young lady.”
“Come on,” Pres said impatiently, pulling her toward
another door on the opposite side of the large seating area.
Sasha couldn’t help but notice the suite was twice
the size of his apartment and probably cost more per night than his monthly
rent. He wondered what it would be like to live as a prince instead of a
starving young pauper. He tracked his sister’s progress and watched when Bandi
opened his bedroom door and studied Paloma with interest. His cousin was in a
red polo shirt, with the RL logo on the pocket, and a pair of faded jeans that
hugged his slim hips, drawing attention to his bulging package. Paloma scanned
him from top to bottom and settled on one spot just below the sterling silver
buckle. She looked a little dazed when Bandi reached out to shake her hand,
drawing her eyes away from his groin.
“Mu...mucho gusto," she stammered, reverting to Spanish. She was blushing and looked ill
at ease while Bandi appeared unaffected by the stir he was causing.
Ned peeked over Bandi’s shoulder to see what was
going on. When he saw Paloma, his face lit up and he greeted her with
enthusiasm, studying her as if she were some rare archeological find. “My
goodness,” he exclaimed, “there’s no denying your sire, is there?”
“Ned,” Pres rebuked. “She’s not a prized bull.”
“No, but she’s definitely a thoroughbred. Who knew
you could make such lovely children, Preston?”
Sasha noticed that his father appeared entirely too
smug for someone who’d barely had a hand in Paloma’s upbringing. Being a baby
daddy hardly counted as parenting in Sasha’s book.
“Something good did come out of my wild youth,” Pres
responded. “Speaking of parents,” he said, turning Paloma toward the sitting
room and the phone, “let’s go call your mother.”
“I wish we could wait until I’m settled,” Paloma
protested.
“Trust me,” he said confidently. “This will go down
much better if we keep her informed every step of the way.”
Paloma rolled her eyes but sat down on the chair
closest to the phone while the hotel operator connected them. Within minutes,
she was defending her impetuous decision to come to America in faltering
Spanish. She spoke slowly, so Sasha could understand every other word, and it
appeared the conversation was not going the way she’d planned. Apparently
Preston caught the gist as well and hit the button, putting the other party on
speakerphone.
“Lorena,” he boomed, “Preston here. Paloma is safe so
get off your high horse for a minute and let the girl talk.”
Everyone listened while the voice on the other end
screeched her reply in guttural Spanish. “I know she was wrong to run off,”
Preston interrupted, hoping to reassure the harried female on the other line, “but
she’s with family so you can stop worrying.”
It wasn’t working, because there were more
invectives, and she shifted her anger to Preston as if all of this was his
fault.
Paloma looked mortified as the conversation went from
bad to worse. She began chewing on a lock of her hair in a nervous gesture.
Every time she tried to explain, her mother cut her off with a sharp reply. For
the first time since her arrival, Sasha felt sympathetic. Hell, he would have
run away as well if his mother treated him like a child, which was obviously
the case. Preston put an end to the bitter diatribe by pressing the disconnect
button.
“Well, that went well,” he remarked.
Paloma let out an explosive breath and began to cry.
He gathered her in his arms and patted her on the back as if she were, indeed,
ten years old, instead of a grown woman. “Don’t you worry about a thing,
honey.”
“Will you send me back?” she blubbered.
“No.”
“Thank you,” she replied. The relief on her face was
pitiful. “She’s so controlling,” Paloma added in case anyone was too dumb to
figure it out.
“She had to let you go at some point,” Preston mused.
“We’ll get you set up with school and a place to live before we call her back,
okay?”
She nodded, looking at her father like he was her
savior.
“Is anyone in the mood for a drink?” Sasha asked. “I
could use a frozen margarita myself.”
“That’s the best idea I’ve heard all night,” Preston
replied. “Do you need a minute to fix your face?” he asked Paloma.
She gave him a grateful look and escaped into one of
the bedrooms.
“That poor girl,” Ned commented.
“Now maybe you can understand why the marriage didn’t
work out,” Preston said humorlessly.
“Bullocks,” Ned rebuked. “It didn’t work out because
Lorena didn’t have a penis.”
Everyone erupted into laughter, easing the tension
brought on by the melodramatic phone call.
When Paloma reappeared, she looked much more serene.
She’d brushed her hair and it fell softly on her shoulders in shiny waves. Her
lips glowed with a fresh application of plum-colored lip gloss,
and the mischievous sparkle was back in her eyes. Preston smiled at her
appreciatively and the girl visibly preened under his scrutiny.
It was a joint decision to have dinner at The Champagne Bar in
the hotel rather than trying to find available seating for six at another
five-star restaurant in town on a Friday night. As guests, they’d be guaranteed
a table without a long wait. Preston ordered a round of drinks for everyone,
and they opted to wait in their suite until the table was ready downstairs.
Sasha’s phone chimed and he saw that Jeremy had sent
him a text telling him he’d procured the tickets for tomorrow night’s show. Did
he want them delivered in person or left at the “Will Call” window?
“Dad, would you mind if Jeremy joined us?” Sasha
asked, breaking into the usual discussion on polo. Paloma was listening
intently while sipping her glass of white wine.
“Who’s Jeremy?” Preston asked.
“Dad,” Sasha said, sighing impatiently. “You’ve met
him once before.”
“Is he the one with the eyeliner?” Preston asked.
Sasha nodded. “He’s got the tickets for tomorrow’s
performance.”
“Sure. I’ll have them add another chair for dinner.”
Sasha texted :
bring tickets but ditch Barbra. u’ve been
invited to dinner. Jeremy
would be thrilled. He’d met Preston briefly and was eager to meet everyone else
in the family. He’d heard the tales and ogled the photos of polo players but
tonight would be his first face-to-face appearance with the lot. Sasha hoped
he’d make a good impression. He wasn’t sure how they’d handle Jem’s sequined
alter ego, so he thought it best to leave her behind.
He should have known better. When Jeremy showed up,
he wasn’t in drag, but he may as well have been. His eyes were lined, his
lashes were darkened with navy blue mascara, and he’d glossed his lips to make
them exceedingly kissable. Black leather pants showed off his long legs, and
the platform boots made him appear taller than the tallest man in the room.
Mouths gaped as he sauntered in, unwinding the hot pink scarf from around his
neck. “Ta-dah,” he declared, pirouetting gracefully. Sasha avoided rolling his
eyes
but couldn’t help the grin that curved his lips. He noticed that Uncle Ned was
smiling as well, and he was the first to step forward and introduce himself.
“Ned Temple,” he said, extending his hand.
“My pleasure, sir; I’ve heard wonderful things about
you.”
“I’m afraid you have me at a disadvantage,” Ned
replied. “I know nothing about you.” Turning to Sasha, Ned asked, “Why have you
never mentioned Jeremy before?”
Jeremy countered immediately. “I’m sure it was an
oversight.”
Catching his tone, Sasha could tell his best friend
was a little hurt he’d never mentioned his name in passing. “Jeremy’s the
company makeup artist,” Sasha said, “and the only person in the world who
understands theater people. I rely on his advice as well as his company,” he
added, hoping that praise would make a difference.
“Oh, brother,” Jeremy replied, masking his emotions
with a nonchalant air. “Sash exaggerates. You know how these actors are, don’t
you, Ned? May I call you Ned?”
“By all means,” Uncle Ned said, visibly amused.
Continuing, Jeremy declaimed, “Actors are worse than
children, vying for my attention constantly. I’ve learned to grunt and nod at
proper intervals while they talk incessantly about themselves. All of a sudden
I’m the best friend and the best listener,” Jeremy added, slinging his own
arrow.
“Whatever,” Sasha countered. “Isn’t it time to go
downstairs?” The rest of the group had been listening to the exchange between
Ned and Jeremy with the rapt attention of moviegoers watching a 3D horror show.
They couldn’t seem to take their eyes off the flamboyant young man. “Hello!”
Sasha called out again. “Is anyone listening?”
Preston started when he heard Sasha’s voice and
picked up the house phone to check on their table. After a second, he put it
down. “They’re ready for us,” he said, giving Kon a look that spoke volumes. Anyone who wasn't a polo player or somehow involved in the sport was treated like an alien, and that included artists and other intriguing theater personalities. Ned, on
the other hand, was his usual gracious self and offered Jeremy an arm while
Bandi trailed behind.
Seizing her chance, Paloma sidled up to Bandi and
held his hand tentatively. “Shall we go?”
“What?” Bandi said, taking his eyes off Jeremy for a
second. He glanced down at their clasped hands and gently pulled away. “After
you.”
Sasha nudged Paloma aside and let the rest of the
group step into the waiting elevator. When the doors closed with a whisper he
rounded on Paloma. “Are you crazy? Bandi is gay, and furthermore, he’s your
cousin. Keep your distance!”
Paloma looked at him in surprise and raised one
eyebrow in a classic Preston move. “He’s not my cousin.”
“Of course he is.”
“Oh.”
“Eres un tonto," she said as an aside.
“I’m not stupid.”
“Oh, so you do understand Spanish.”
“Bits and pieces. I know when I’m being insulted, so
you can stuff your remarks.”
“I will if you stop meddling in my life.”
Friday, October 11, 2013
Contest!
There's a twofer going on over at Stumbling Over Chaos. Click on the link and throw your name in the hat for a chance to win Ride-Off and Fire Horse (if you haven't read it yet). Also, anyone who comments on this post will be eligible for another drawing. Winner will be announced on Friday, October 18 when Ride-Off releases.
http://www.stumblingoverchaos.com/archives/25066
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Blog Tour!
I've scheduled a blog tour to celebrate the upcoming release of my novel, Ride-Off. Feel free to stop by any of the posted blogs to read an excerpt and throw your name in the hat for a freebie. Ride-Off is a sequel to Fire Horse and opens two years after the first book ends. The novel will release on Friday, October 18 and is now available for pre-order on the Dreamspinner Coming Soon page.
Here are the links:
First up -Chris' very interesting and informative blog. Stumbling Over Chaos.
Contest goes live at 2 am CDT on October 10: http://www.stumblingoverchaos.com/archives/25066
Words of Wisdom- October 12th- http://wowfromthescarfprincess.blogspot.com/
Sid Love-October 15th- http://sidlove.wordpress.com/
Eden Winters- October 16th- http://www.edenwinters.com/
Dawn's Reading Nook- October 19th- http://dawnsreadingnook.blogspot.com/
Uk Tour...final
Cardiff Castle |
I climbed all those damn stairs to get some photos. It was worth the effort. |
This is one of the shots from up in the tower. I guess they used it for killing the enemy. |
Entrance to the Castle. |
More shots of the bell tower. |
Georgian Bath |
This is the bridge like the one in Florence. |
Another view of that bridge |
This is a park in the middle of the city. It's quite large and I would have liked to explore it further but we ran out of time. There's only so much you can see in two hours.
We stopped at Stonehenge on our way to Plymouth and walked among the stones. Outlander fans will be disappointed to hear nothing happened to me. I didn't disappear into another century, much as I wanted to. Writers are really weird, you know? We think about the craziest things when we're strolling around.
Back to London for the end of the tour. 21 days is a long time to be in a bus. The pace is very hectic. I'm so glad I went on an exercise program for an entire year to prepare. It's definitely not the kind of trip you want to take if you can't walk long distances or climb a bunch of stairs. Lifting suitcases on and off the bus is sometimes required if the porters are delayed. The trip gave me a wonderful overview and now I know what places I'd like to see in-depth when I have another opportunity to go back. I would like to see more of Scotland and Wales. Ireland is gorgeous as well. I have so many more photos and stories but I think this will hold us for now....
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
UK Adventure...Part 3...
This is a stock shot because it was foggy that day and my photos suck |
Day 10 found us crossing the border into North Wales,and driving through
the incomparable landscapes of Snowdonia National Park on our way to Holyhead for
the ferry crossing to Dublin, Ireland. The ferry ride is fuss-free and very relaxing. The entire bus is driven onto the ferry, and once parked, passengers are allowed to go up to the higher decks to have a snack and chill. I took the opportunity to hide and write. You can do a lot good writing in 3 hours. My fellow travelers dreaded the ferry ride but I looked forward to the free time.
Oscar Wilde |
The stables |
One of the mares ... |
Outside the individual stalls...notice the flowers. They even have skylights! |
These little guys are Falabellas. The Falabella is a rare Argentinian breed of miniature horse with only a few thousand existing worldwide. They are adorable. |
Day 13-Cliffs of Moher. Breathtaking, despite the mist...
The black faced sheep above is a Scottish breed. It turns out that wool is a dying business and hardly commands any money. Woolen sweaters are no longer popular because acrylics are easier to care for. It's sad but most of the sheep are slaughtered for food. The biggest market is France.
The last Irish stop was the city of Waterford. We stayed at the lovely Granville Hotel where they served porridge with a healthy amount of Irish whiskey. For breakfast! A lot of us were nicely buzzed when we got on the bus to catch the ferry back to England.
The Granville is tiny but very comfortable. Breakfast is a must! |
Some samples of Waterford crystal. The special orders were kept at the factory that we toured. Regular items are made elsewhere. Did you know a glass blower has an 8 year training period before they let him loose on the floor. It's a really difficult craft and I wonder how many of these men are left in the world. We were given the opportunity to watch a few of them blowing and cutting the crystal.
To be continued...
Monday, October 7, 2013
Part 2-Scotland tour
Why do I love Scotland? Let me count the ways...
Edinburgh Castle |
View from the Castle |
After the castle, we went to visit Holyrood Palace. The Queen resides there one week during the year. It's an actual working palace where she entertains dignitaries and handles local business issues. Balmoral Castle is her summer or whenever getaway place. Apparently, she loves it and goes as often as possible. We weren't able to see it up close because she was there.
Holyrood Palace |
Holyrood Palace |
St. Andrews |
Our next stop was St. Andrews, whose Royal and Ancient Golf Club gave us the rules of the game. I was surprised that it was a public course and anyone could play, so long as they got a tee time. The wait list is a mile long. I'm not a golfer but I was impressed by the history and beautiful course. My sons would have knelt down and kissed the greens so I bought them some souvenirs.
Highlands |
We got to Inverness late in the day, and again, it was cloudy and drizzling. Par for the course, from what I understand. I'm posting a few stock shots for a better view.
Ruins of Inverness Castle |
Shops and homes beside Loch Ness |
Culloden Battle Monument |
Finally, we made our way down to the lowlands, enjoying more of the view. I wish we had more time in Scotland. I could have used another week but it's impossible to do see it all in one tour. I will go back someday. Got to save up first:)
I got my first glimpse of the hairy highland cows (pronounced helan koos). They are sooo cute and fluffy. We got to pet a few.
Highland Cows |
Rainbow over Loch Lomond |
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