authors

Scottsdale Society of Women Writers welcome Jessica McCann to speak 11/15/23

October 29, 2023 by brooksadmin

SCOTTSDALE SOCIETY OF WOMEN WRITERS

WELCOMES JESSICA MCCANN, historical novelist, and freelance writer.

SPECIAL EARLY DATE: November 15, 2023

WHO: ALL Women Writers!

WHY: Mission: Scottsdale Society of Women Writers gives members access to events of interest, a format for exchanging ideas, an opportunity to network with other women writers/authors in camaraderie and support, and an alliance with professionals for writing, publishing, and marketing.

WHAT: JESSICA MCCANN has worked for 35 years as a professional freelance writer, journalist, and creative nonfiction author. She is also an award-winning historical novelist. Her books have won the Freedom in Fiction Prize and the Arizona Book of the Year, as well as being shortlisted for numerous literary awards, including the international Rubery Book Award.

McCan will discuss the importance of stepping out of your comfort zone to grow as a writer. Each of her historical novels tackle sensitive topics – like discrimination, racism, and sexism – with a nod toward acceptance, forgiveness, and empowerment. She will share her process of researching, writing, and revising her most recent novel, Bitter Thaw, while striving to balance creative risk and reward.

WHEN: WED NOV 15, 2023, EARLIER DATE at 6:00 pm at our current location at the Panera Bread at Gainey Village, Scottsdale, 8777 N. Scottsdale Road, #302.

Please PAY on my PayPal at www.brooksgoldmannpublishing.com $20.00 per person and confirm you will attend. Thank you. NO PAYMENT AT THE DOOR: the $20 on PayPal is due by 4:00 the Sunday before. Thank you for your cooperation.

GUESTS: If you have a guest, please notify Patricia, the host, and have them contact her directly. Guests may visit on two occasions, and then we ask them to join as a member.

PRICING: THE COST OF THE MEETING ($20.00) covers the food and the room. The menu will consist of sandwich choices, salad choices, chips, cookies, and a variety of beverages. The food at this venue is particularly good.

DUES: Dues are $50. You will receive a copy of the directory, the monthly newsletter, member support at all SSWW events, plus a plethora of professional speakers. Contact me for the form and pay on PayPal and use [email protected] ONLY for PayPal, the membership form will be emailed to you. Thank you.

CHECK-IN: Please be on time and check-in at the restaurant between 5:15 and 5:30 pm. This allows you time to mingle, go through the buffet line and settle in for the meeting. The meeting starts promptly at 6:00 pm AZ Time. All attendees must RSVP at least three days in advance. Thank you for attending.

Goals of the Group

Value all the professional women writers sharing their expertise.
Honor all genres and all forms of professional writing.
Attend monthly meetings to move the group and its members forward.
Learn and share in the experiences of monthly professional speakers.
Grow the group to a membership of active and contributing women.
Encourage participation by members as mentors, and volunteers.
Support and challenge each other to always be writing.
Help members to stretch as writers and reach lofty personal goals.

SCOTTSDALE SOCIETY OF WOMEN WRITERS welcomes Deena Goldstein as speaker 10/25/23

October 5, 2023 by brooksadmin

SCOTTSDALE SOCIETY OF WOMEN WRITERS

WELCOMES DEENA GOLDSTEIN to speak October 25th. This award-winning artist and stand-up comedian has recently penned her debut memoir.

WHO: ALL Women Writers!

WHAT: SPEAKER Deena Goldstein. Award-winning artist and former stand-up comedian pens her debut memoir, OK Little Bird. Deena’s artwork has been featured in solo and collective exhibitions, receiving numerous honors for her original acrylic and digital works. Now “Little Bird” shares the unique, irreverent, and inspiring relationship with her quirky loveable, cowboy father, as she navigates the deep waters of grief, teaching us that humor can help heal from unbearable pain and loss.

Deena’s flair for humor and all things offbeat makes this an unforgettable read.

Deena’s work has been recognized internationally. She provides author talks to grief groups, on podcasts and at in-person events. Upon its’ release, OK Little Bird, quickly gained traction, receiving the Shelf Unbound Magazine’s 2022 recommended read list. Additionally, Goldstein’s book has been selected by SoScottsdale’s August 2023 edition, as a featured book, as well as Phoenix Magazine and other publications. Recently, “The Counting of Little Bird’, and excerpt, received honors in the Adelaide Literary Magazine. www.oklittlebird.com www.deenasart.com

WHEN: WED October 25, 2023, at 6:00 pm at our current location at the Panera Bread at Gainey Village, Scottsdale, 8777 N. Scottsdale Road, #302.

GUESTS: If you have a guest, please notify Patricia, the host, and have them contact her directly. Guests may visit on two occasions, and then we ask them to join as a member.

CHECK-IN: Please be on time and check-in at the restaurant between 5:15 and 5:30 pm. This allows you time to mingle, go through the buffet line and settle in for the meeting. Themeeting starts promptly at 6:00 pm AZ Time. All attendees must RSVP at least three days in advance. Thank you for attending.

Goals of the Group

Value all the professional women writers sharing their expertise.
Honor all genres and all forms of professional writing.
Attend monthly meetings to move the group and its members forward.
Learn and share in the experiences of monthly professional speakers.
Grow the group to a membership of active and contributing women.
Encourage participation by members as mentors, and volunteers.
Support and challenge each other to always be writing.
Help members to stretch as writers and reach lofty personal goals.

DEENA GOLDSTEIN

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SCOTTSDALE SOCIETY OF WOMEN WRITERS welcomes award-winning author Sandra Marinella

September 6, 2023 by brooksadmin

Sandra Marinella, award-winning author, will speak at the Sept 27th meeting of SSWW at 6:00 pm at the Panera Bread at Gainey Ranch Village. She is the author of The Story You Need to Tell www.storyyoutell.com See PayPal information to the right for signing up – or use [email protected] All women attending must pay in advance. No money at the door. Please text Patricia for questions 480-250-5556. SSWW is also celebrating 18 years at this meeting, some special things will be happening.

SCOTTSDALE SOCIETY OF WOMEN WRITERS

June 11, 2023 by brooksadmin

Welcome Kathy Hooker, author and winner of the multi-cultural award from the Independent Book Publishers Association for Voice of Navajo Mother and Daughters: Portraits of Beauty.

How to Survive 164 rejections – is her topic. in 1979 she woke up one morning and told her husband she was going to write a book documenting the traditional lifeways of the Navajo people. She said, “It will only take about six months,” Thirteen years later and 131 rejections later, Time Among the Navajo: Lifeways on the Reservation was finally published. Then in 2009 an amazing photographer and Kathy interviewed and photographed two, three and four generations of Navajo women and daughters. After 33 rejections, Voices of Navajo Mothers and Daughters: Portraits of Beauty was published in 2022. What a journey she will share with us, do not miss this meeting.

SCOTTSDALE SOCIETY OF WOMEN WRITERS

May 4, 2023 by brooksadmin

SCOTTSDALE SOCIETY OF WOMEN WRITERS

Welcomes ANN VIDEAN, book shepherd, author.

professional writer, editor and small business owner

HAPPY NATIONAL SMILE DAY – ALSO MAY 31^st – Smile!

WHO: ALL women writers!

WHY: Mission: Scottsdale Society of Women Writers gives members access to events of interest, a format for exchanging ideas, an opportunity to network with other women writers/authors in camaraderie and support, and an alliance with professionals for writing, publishing, and marketing.

WHAT: SPEAKER ANN VIDEAN says she showed up in the world with a pen in her hand and a song in her heart. Her writings show that www.anvidean.com She is an author of several fantasy books, an editor extraordinaire and a book shepherd for many. She will speak to us about editing our manuscripts ourselves to send the best we can to an editor, to save time and money for all. She has been writing for decades, a professional writer since 1981, and has had her own business for all that time.

Ann has a flare for marketing too. She is a longtime member of SSWW and has spoken to the group on assorted topics on more than one occasion. She has always been well received. Ann will give us many tips and techniques for polishing our work. Be ready with your questions. Remember, she is the one who always has a ‘tip’ for us! Ann guides peers through writing and editing, publishing and word-of-mouth marketing. Make your reservation now, you do not want to miss this meeting.

WHEN: WED May 31^st at 6:00 pm at our new IN PERSON location at the Panera Bread at Gainey Village, Scottsdale, 8777 N. Scottsdale Road, #302.

GUESTS: If you have a guest, please notify Patricia, the host, and have them contact her directly. Guests may visit on two occasions, and then we ask them to join as a member.

PRICING: THE COST OF THE MEETING ($20.00) covers the food and the room. The menu will consist of sandwich choices, salad choices, chips, cookies and a variety of beverages. The food at this venue is very good.

DUES: Dues are $50 annually. Upon joining, you receive a copy of the directory, the monthly newsletter and member support and camaraderie at all SSWW events, plus a plethora of professional speakers. Contact me for the form and pay on PayPal or mail to me – use [email protected] ONLY for PayPal, The membership form will be emailed to you. Thank you.

CHECK-IN: Please be on time and check-in at the restaurant between 5:15 and 5:30 pm. This allows you time to chat with members and guests, go through the buffet line and settle in for the meeting. The SSWW meeting starts promptly at 6:00 pm AZ Time (currently MST). All attendees must RSVP at least three days in advance. Thank you for allowing us to begin our new adventure at this venue.

Goals of the Group

Value all the professional women writers sharing their expertise.
Honor all genres and all forms of professional writing.
Attend monthly meetings to move the group and its members forward.
Learn and share in the experiences of monthly professional speakers.
Grow the group to a membership of active and contributing women.
Encourage participation by members as mentors, and volunteers.
Support and challenge each other to always be writing.
Help members to stretch as writers and reach lofty personal goals.
Have fun, meet trustworthy women writers, share dreams.

SCOTTSDALE SOCIETY OF WOMEN WRITERS

April 4, 2023 by brooksadmin

SCOTTSDALE SOCIETY OF WOMEN WRITERS

Welcomes Mystery Writer, Betty Webb

Author of over 20 Novels and winner of several Book Awards

WHO: ALL women writers!

WHAT: SPEAKER BETTY WEBB, prolific author of over 20 novels!

Betty Webb is the author of the contemporary Lena Jones mystery series (Desert Wives, etc.) and the Gunn Zoo mysteries (The Panda of Death, etc.). But now she’s stepped into a time machine for her new historical mystery series with Lost in Paris, set in 1922. It debuts April 4, 2023. During her 20 years as a journalist, Betty has interviewed U.S. presidents, astronauts who walked on the moon, Nobel Prize-winners, and polygamy runaways. She lives in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Betty’s web site: www.bettywebb-mystery.com

Getting traditionally published has always been difficult, but mergers and buyouts have made that even more difficult. Betty Webb discusses how she jumped from one publisher to another. In her talk, she explains writing different “tones” in three different mystery series: the grim Lena Jones “Desert” series, set in Scottsdale; the cozy “Gunn Zoo” series, based on her work at the Phoenix Zoo, and now the Paris series with “Lost in Paris,” a historical set in 1922. She’ll also share sure-fire writing tips, from advertising copy, to journalism, to creative fiction.

WHEN: WED APRIL 26^th at 6:00 pm at our new IN PERSON location at the Panera Bread at Gainey Village, Scottsdale, 8777 N. Scottsdale Road, #302.

GUESTS: If you have a guest, please notify Patricia, the host, and have them contact her directly. Guests may visit on two occasions, and then we ask they join as a member.

CHECK-IN: Please be on time and check-in to the restaurant between 5:15 and 5:30 pm. This allows you time to chat with members and guests, go through the buffet line and settle in for the meeting. The SSWW meeting starts promptly at 6:00 pm AZ Time (currently MST). All attendees must RSVP at least three days in advance. Thank you for allowing us to begin our new adventure with this venue.

Goals of the Group

Value all the professional women writers sharing their expertise.
Honor all genres and all forms of professional writing.
Attend monthly meetings to move the group and its members forward.
Learn and share in the experiences of monthly professional speakers.
Grow the group to a membership of active and contributing women.
Encourage participation by members as mentors, and volunteers.
Support and challenge each other to always be writing.
Help members to stretch as writers and reach lofty personal goals.
Have fun, meet trustworthy women writers, share dreams.

SSWW Welcomes Susan Ratliff, Award-winning Entrepreneur, Trade Show Expert, Author and Speaker

November 3, 2019 by Patricia Brooks

SCOTTSDALE SOCIETY OF WOMEN WRITERS

Welcomes Susan Ratliff, Author, Speaker

Award-winning Entrepreneur, Trade Show Expert

WHAT: Monthly Speaker/Dinner Meeting

WHEN: Wed NOV 20^th 5:30 pm – See PayPal info below*

WHERE: Starfire Golf Club, 11500 N. Hayden Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85260

WHY: Mission: The Scottsdale Society of Women Writers gives members access to events of interest, a format for exchanging ideas, an opportunity to network with other women writers and authors, an alliance with professionals relating to writing, publishing, and marketing of books, and camaraderie and support.

____________________________________________________________________

SPEAKER – Susan Ratliff author, speaker, award-winning entrepreneur Known in the trade show industry as The Exhibit Expert, Susan has unique insight into how to generate leads and maximize profits from a booth.

Susan has written five books filled with exhibit marketing strategies, sales techniques and design concepts interspersed with her personal experiences from show floors around the country. Here most popular book titles are Exhibit Like an Expert and How to Be a Weekend Entrepreneur. Her articles on trade show marketing, attracting free publicity and networking have been published in numerous local and national magazines, newspapers and industry publications.

Thirty years ago she started her career in the trade show trenches selling personalized children’s books at craft fairs and family expos. She’s produced sports related consumer shows and women’s business conferences.

In addition to being a published author, Susan is an engaging speaker and an award-winning entrepreneur that founded the reputable trade show display company, Exhibit Experts, where for 16 years she helped thousands of businesses polish their presence and produce profits at trade shows and consumer expos.

Susan will talk about how she unexpectantly became a published author and will share useful tips on how to maximize your profits, professionalism and presence when selling your books from a tabletop display.

Susan Ratliff The Exhibit Expert Speaker, Author, Tradeshow Consultant, Event Producer Susan Ratliff Presents 602-828-1177 [email protected] www.susanratliffpresents.com

NOTE:

RSVP before NOON the Friday morning before the meeting The Starfire Golf Club needs to order food a week in advance, and must receive a guaranteed number at that time, the confirmed deadline for an RSVP! Thank you for appreciating our contract with the Starfire Golf Club.

*Please PAY IN ADVANCE with PAYPAL on this website only – see home page www.brooksgoldmannpublishing.com NOTE upper right corner for the link. Please fill out the form and pay with your credit card before NOON the FRIDAY before the meeting! Meeting information on the left of the main page. Thank you!

PRICING: $30 for members and guests. We no longer take checks or cash at the door, except for payment of Annual Dues. Thank you for moving forward with SSWW.

CHECK-IN: Please check-in between 5:15 and 5:45 pm. The buffet is available by 5:45 Themeeting starts promptly at 6:00.

All those attending the meeting must pay for the dinner/room/speaker. The cost is noted above. Pick up your name badge at the front table and ENJOY a wonderful night!

Guests pick up a membership signup sheet too.

AGENDA: The agendas will be on the dinner table with a lot of wonderful announcements for you, including the schedule of upcoming meeting speakers. Remember, the announcements are reviewed at 6:00 with dinner. The member introductions follow at 30 seconds each.

DIRECTIONS: From the 101 Freeway, exit Shea Blvd and go West to Hayden Road and then North a quarter mile, the club is on the West side (Left) of the street. From the South, cross Shea Blvd going north on Hayden Road, again, it is on the West side (Left) of the street. 11500 North Hayden Road, Scottsdale.

Goals of the Group

Value all the professional women writers seeking to share their expertise
Honor all genres and all forms of professional writing
Attend monthly meetings to move the group and its members forward
Learn and share in the experiences of monthly professional speakers
Grow the group to a membership of active and contributing women
Encourage participation by members as mentors, and volunteers
Support and challenge each other to always be writing
Help members to stretch as writers and reach lofty personal goals
Have fun, meet trustworthy women writers, share dreams

SSWW Welcomes Sheila Grinell, Novelist/Creator

October 2, 2018 by pbrooks

SCOTTSDALE SOCIETY OF WOMEN WRITERS

Welcomes Sheila Grinell

Museum Creator and Novelist

WHAT: Monthly Speaker/Dinner Meeting

WHEN: WED October 31^st, 2018, 5:30 pm

See PayPal info below*

WHERE: Starfire Golf Club, 11500 N. Hayden Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85260

SPEAKER 6:45: Sheila Grinell, author, museum creator

Toward the end of her forty-year career as a creator of science museums, Sheila Grinell turned to fiction. Her debut novel, Appetite, was published in 2016, and a second novel, The Contract, will be released in the fall of 2019. Born in a taxi in Manhattan, she studied at The Bronx High School of Science, Harvard University, and the University of California at Berkeley. She lives in Phoenix with her husband and dog.

Sheila Grinell moved to Phoenix in 1993 to build the Arizona Science Center. She hit the ground running and opened the museum in record time. A dozen years later, in her sixties, she took on a different challenge—to begin a second career as a novelist. What was it like for Sheila to start all over again? How did her two careers compare? And what lessons has she learned about getting word about your book out into the world?

www.sheilagrinell.com

RSVP before NOON the Friday morning before the meeting – Oct 26th The Starfire Golf Club needs to order food, and I must give a guarantee to them at that time. That is the confirmed deadline for an RSVP! Please do not use the PayPal after that time. Thank you for appreciating our contract with the Starfire Golf Club.

PRICING: $30 for members and guests. We no longer take checks or cash at the door, except for payment of Annual Dues. This is a workable and good system for all of us. Thank you for moving forward with SSWW.

CHECK-IN: Please check-in between 5:15 and 5:45 to begin the buffet that is available by 5:45 The meeting starts promptly at 6:00.

All those attending the meeting must pay for the dinner/room/speaker. The cost is noted above. Pick up your name badge at the front table and ENJOY a wonderful night!

Guests pick up a membership signup sheet too.

Goals of the Group

Value all the professional women writers seeking to share their expertise
Honor all genres and all forms of professional writing
Attend monthly meetings to move the group and its members forward
Learn and share in the experiences of monthly professional speakers
Grow the group to a membership of active and contributing women
Encourage participation by members as mentors, and volunteers
Support and challenge each other to always be writing
Help members to stretch as writers and reach lofty personal goals
Have fun, meet trustworthy women writers, share dreams

SSWW WELCOMES Marylee MacDonald, Award-winning Author

September 4, 2018 by pbrooks

SCOTTSDALE SOCIETY OF WOMEN WRITERS

Welcomes Marylee MacDonald

Award-winning Author in Multiple Genres

To our 13^th Anniversary Meeting!

WHAT: Monthly Speaker/Dinner Meeting

WHEN: WED September 26^th, 2018 – 5:30 -7:30 pm

See PayPal info below*

WHERE: Starfire Golf Club, 11500 N. Hayden Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85260

SPEAKER 6:45: MARYLEE MACDONALD

“The 80/20 Rule: A Personal Road Trip Through the Baffling, Odious, and Time-Consuming Tasks of Finding Readers for Our Books”

In this presentation she will talk about what she has discovered about building an author platform, working with PR people, and protecting precious writing time. Marylee MacDonald is a writer, blogger, and caregiving advocate. She’s the author of the novel, Montpelier Tomorrow, about a caregiver who’s trying to win her daughter’s love, and a short story collection, Bonds of Love & Blood, a Finalist for Foreword Reviews’ INDIEFAB Awards. Her writing has won the Barry Hannah Prize, the ALR Fiction Prize, the Ron Rash Award, a Gold Medal for Drama from Readers’ Favorites, and many other awards. Locally, she has been Writer-in-Residence for the City of Mesa Public Library and taught for the Desert Nights, Rising Stars conference.

Marylee MacDonald, Author of Montpelier Tomorrow and Bonds of Love & Blood

Website: maryleemacdonaldauthor.com

Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Goodreads

RSVP before NOON the Friday morning before the meeting – Sept 21^st The Starfire Golf Club needs to order food, and I must give a guarantee to them at that time. That is the confirmed deadline for an RSVP! Please do not use the PayPal after that time. Thank you for appreciating our contract with the Starfire Golf Club.

*Please PAY IN ADVANCE with PAYPAL on this website only – see home page www.brooksgoldmannpublishing.com

NOTE upper right corner for the link on this website. Please fill out the form and pay with your credit card before NOON FRIDAY! Thank you!

PRICING: $30 for members and guests.

We no longer take checks or cash at the door, except for payment of Annual Dues. This is a workable and good system for all of us. Thank you for moving forward with SSWW.

CHECK-IN: Please check-in between 5:15 and 5:45 to begin the buffet that is available by 5:45 The meeting starts promptly at 6:00.

All those attending the meeting must pay for the dinner/room/speaker. The cost is noted above. Pick up your name badge at the front table and ENJOY a wonderful night!

Guests pick up a brochure and a membership signup sheet too.

Goals of the Group

Value all the professional women writers seeking to share their expertise
Honor all genres and all forms of professional writing
Attend monthly meetings to move the group and its members forward
Learn and share in the experiences of monthly professional speakers
Grow the group to a membership of active and contributing women
Encourage participation by members as mentors, and volunteers
Support and challenge each other to always be writing
Help members to stretch as writers and reach lofty personal goals
Have fun, meet trustworthy women writers, share dreams

SSWW welcomes Betty Webb, Nationally known Mystery Writer

July 6, 2018 by pbrooks

SCOTTSDALE SOCIETY OF WOMEN WRITERS

Welcomes Betty Webb, Nationally Best-Selling Mystery Writer

WHAT: Monthly Speaker/Dinner Meeting

WHEN: WED July25th, 2018 5:30 -7:30 pm

See PayPal info below*

WHERE: Starfire Golf Club

11500 N. Hayden Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85260

SPEAKER 6:45: In Betty Webb’s talk, “Living the Writer’s Life,” she discusses the ups and downs of authors who write for a living, whether that be advertising copy, journalism, or novels. For such writers, she says, waiting for “inspiration” is a luxury they can’t afford, because if they don’t write — and sell what they write — they don’t eat. And yet in today’s tightening literary market, sales are becoming more and more iffy. So that’s a lot of pressure. And yet they still write. So why? What is it in the writing profession (besides hunger) that keeps them glued to the keyboard? Betty shares the answer, and the answer may surprise you.

Betty Webb is the author of the nationally best-selling Lena Jones mystery series (DESERT VENGEANCE, etc.) and the humorous Gunn Zoo mysteries (THE OTTER OF DEATH, etc.). Before beginning to write full time, Betty worked as a journalist, interviewing everyone from U.S. presidents, astronauts who walked on the moon, Nobel Prize-winners, and polygamy runaways. She has taught creative writing classes and workshops at Arizona State University and Phoenix College and has been a nationally-syndicated literary critic for more than 20 years and is currently reviewing for Mystery Scene Magazine.

Betty Webb

Author of DESERT VENGEANCE

www.bettywebb-mystery.com

& THE OTTER OF DEATH May 2018
www.bettywebb-zoomystery.com

RSVP before NOON the Friday morning before the meeting – July 20th. The Starfire Golf Club needs to order food, and I must give a guarantee to them at that time. That is the confirmed deadline for an RSVP! Please do not use the PayPal after that time. Thank you for appreciating our contract with the Starfire Golf Club.

*Please PAY IN ADVANCE with PAYPAL on this website only – see home page www.brooksgoldmannpublishing.com

NOTE upper right corner for the link on this website. Please fill out the form and pay with your credit card before NOON FRIDAY! Thank you!

PRICING: $30 for members and guests.

We are no longer taking checks or cash at the door, except for payment of Annual Dues. This is a workable and good system for all of us. Thank you for moving forward with SSWW.

CHECK-IN: Please check-in between 5:15 and 5:45 to begin the buffet that is available by 5:45 The meeting starts promptly at 6:00.

All those attending the meeting must pay for the dinner/room/speaker. The cost is noted above. Pick up your name badge at the front table and ENJOY a wonderful night!

Guests pick up a brochure and a membership signup sheet too.

Goals of the Group

Value all the professional women writers seeking to share their expertise
Honor all genres and all forms of professional writing
Attend monthly meetings to move the group and its members forward
Learn and share in the experiences of monthly professional speakers
Grow the group to a membership of active and contributing women
Encourage participation by members as mentors, and volunteers
Support and challenge each other to always be writing
Help members to stretch as writers and reach lofty personal goals
Have fun, meet trustworthy women writers, share dreams

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