Saturday, May 31, 2014
Friday, May 30, 2014
Author Post: Jodi Interviews Josh Lanyon
We are very happy to welcome Josh Lanyon to the
Smoocher’s Voice blog today to talk about the newly published novel Stranger on
the Shore (Carina Press) and the self-published novella Everything I Know.
A distinct voice in gay fiction, multi-award-winning
author Josh Lanyon has been writing gay mystery, adventure and romance for over
a decade. In addition to numerous short stories, novellas, and novels, Josh is
the author of the critically acclaimed Adrien English series, including The Hell
You Say, winner of the 2006 USA Book News awards for GLBT Fiction. Josh is an
Eppie Award winner and a three-time Lambda Literary Award finalist.
Learn more about Josh at http://www.joshlanyon.com/.
Jodi: Thank you for
taking the time to chat with us. Your books are the first I began reading in
the m/m romance genre. For readers who have never read your stories, where
would you recommend they begin?
Josh: Thank you very much for inviting me to the blog!
I think the
standalones are a good place to start. I know fans usually rec the Adrien
English books, but I think a series is a big investment for an unconvinced
reader. So I always rec Fair Game to people who love mysteries or maybe one of
the holiday stories like The Dickens With Love for readers who don’t care for
mystery.
Jodi: For the record,
I would recommend all of those books J. Many
of your books are mysteries with a touch of romance thrown in. What inspires
you to write in this genre?
Josh: Well, my first love remains mystery. That’s where I cut
my writing teeth, so to speak. Romance generally doesn’t have enough plot for
me, which is why my non-mystery work is usually short format -- stories or
novellas. Without murder there just isn’t enough to hold my interest! As far as
what I like about mystery… I like everything from the clean structure to the
inevitable ethical and moral questions that will arise for the protagonists. I
like the emotional high stakes. Plus action and danger scenes are always fun to
write.
Jodi: Stranger on the
Shore is wonderful story. What was the inspiration for this book? Is it based
on an actual news event?
Josh: It’s not based on any one single news event, but it was
heavily influenced by my researching a number of real life news stories.
Everything from the tragic Lindbergh kidnapping to the actual story that the
documentary Imposter is based on. The actual inspiration probably goes back to
my love of classic mystery. There are some wonderful classic mystery stories
revolving around the Missing Heir trope, and I sort of wanted to offer my own
spin.
Jodi: Are these
characters completely fictional or are they based on real people?
Josh: The characters are completely fictional. That said, I do
borrow heavily from real life, including history. Everyone I’ve ever met,
observed, or even read about, ultimately goes head first into that creative
well to be drawn upon as required.
Jodi: Griffin Hadley
and Pierce Mather butt heads from even before they meet. Despite being so
different, they actually have a lot in common. Was that something you planned,
or did the characters unfold for you as you began writing?
Josh: I usually know what the central conflict(s) will be for
my main characters before I ever start writing. A lot of the conflict will be
based on personality types. Not entirely, but a lot of why we clash with people
simply has to do with who we are. And that’s also true of why we become friends
-- or fall in love -- with the people we do.
I always make
sure that my character pairings have both believable conflicts and common
ground. That makes it easy for the reader to understand the emotional dynamics
because it’s completely realistic. That IS how relationships work, both good
and bad ones.
Jodi: Why did you
choose The Great Gatsby as Griffin’s inspiration?
Josh: There’s always a certain amount of synchronicity in the
creative process. Usually whatever I’m reading or thinking about at the time
works its way into whatever the current story is. But then a lot of what I’m
reading and thinking about at any given moment has to do with the research I’m
undertaking for the current project. So in this case, I had set a story on Long
Island because I find the history of the Gold Coast fascinating, and the film, The
Great Gatsby had just come out, which seemed serendipitous. I started reading
up again on Hemingway and the Lost Generation and Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald’s
conflicted feelings about the rich seemed to mirror Griff’s mixed feelings, so
it really just took off from there.
It’s actually
difficult trying to track it step-by-step because it all just sort of falls
into place while you’re writing.
Jodi: Like many of
your characters, Con Myers and Wes Callahan bump heads in rather dramatic
fashion at the beginning of Everything I Know. It seems that Callahan has no
idea what he has actually said or done that causes the chaos that ensues in
Con’s life. What is Callahan’s motivation for seeking out Myers after their
initial run in at the store?
Josh: What I think is interesting about this story is that Wes does
have certain biases. We see it from the start. He is emotionally off-balance,
and he certainly doesn’t intend his words to be taken out of context, but there
is a bias against male preschool and kindergarten teachers, and Wes’s
unthinking words do reflect that cultural leaning. As do Bea and Andy’s
interpretation of what he means.
And we
continue to see Wes’s biases throughout the story. But in Wes’s favor, he
recognizes his own mistakes and tries to fix them.
Granted, it’s
complicated because Wes is also very attracted to Connor. Initially he doesn’t
think of Connor as being his type. In fact, it is probably being to blame for
Connor’s predicament that really drives Wes to pursue a relationship with him.
Jodi : What was your inspiration for this novella?
Josh: I taught for a number of years, so it was inevitable I
would eventually begin to tap into some of those story possibilities.
Jodi: These books are
written in third person point of view. Does writing in third person point of
view provide more opportunities to explore each character’s personality than it
would if the books were written in first person?
Josh: Probably not. I always write from a deep POV, whether
it’s first or third person. And I usually don’t switch back and forth between
the main characters. I’ll generally make the decision on first versus third POV
based on how much info I want to share with the reader, how crucial the main
character’s “voice” is, and whether narration duty will be shared by a second
character.
I know a
percentage of readers don’t enjoy first person, so I typically opt for first
POV when I know it will make a better -- usually funnier -- story.
Jodi: Do you prefer
writing short stories, novellas or novels? Which format allows you the most
creativity with the characters?
Josh: They all have their pleasures and pains. It’s unlikely
that I would ever write a novel-length contemporary romance because I find
those boring to read. I need more plot. So when I’m in the mood to write
romance, it’s always going to be a story about a few days or a few hours in
someone’s life -- which requires short form.
Jodi: You have penned
quite a few series: A Shot in the Dark, I Spy, Adrien English, Homes &
Moriarity and, one of my favorites, Dangerous Ground. Do you prefer writing
standalone books or series books?
Josh: More and more I prefer standalone. That said, I’m very
fond of the existing series I have -- those books were created with series in
mind, so the intention was to explore the characters and their lives a little
at a time over a long period.
Jodi: Do you have more
series stories planned?
Josh: No. I do intend to wind up the series story arcs I’ve
started, but I don’t plan on beginning any new ones. At least not in the
immediate future. There might be a few sequels though.
Jodi: When can we
expect the next Homes & Moriarity and Dangerous Ground books?
Josh: The next H&M, The Boy With the Painful Tattoo will be
out late summer/early fall. The next Dangerous Ground book, Blind Spot, isn’t
planned until sometime in 2015. That one will probably be a full-length novel
and more of a traditional mystery.
Jodi: Homophobia makes
its presence known in many of the books. Why have you chosen to make this issue
a constant in the series?
Josh: With the exception of the AE books, I don’t know that
it’s really much of a focus in my work. My characters are gay, so it’s
realistic that they are going to encounter some prejudice from other characters
in certain situations. Just as writing about women would require female
characters bumping into sexism and stereotypes. Or disabled characters
confronting their share of fear and bias. Or older characters having to deal
with ageism and disrespect in a world that doesn’t value getting older.
Basically I try to write realistically about humans in a recognizable setting,
and gay humans are going to face a certain amount of discrimination and even
hatred.
Stranger
on the Shore,
published by Carina Press, is available at the following locations:
The
Blurb
Twenty years ago,
little Brian Arlington was kidnapped from his family's Long Island estate and
was never seen again. The trail went cold, but investigative journalist Griff
Hadley has always thought there was more to the story--much more. When the
Arlingtons' patriarch invites him to stay at their estate to research his true
crime book, Griff can't say no. It's the story of a lifetime.
But not everyone is
happy about Griff's presence. Relatives and staff alike regard him coldly,
including Pierce Mather, the Arlingtons' attractive lawyer, who is more than a little
wary of Griff's motives.
When a stranger shows
up claiming to be the long-lost Brian, Griff and Pierce are united in their
suspicions. Startled to have found an ally in the buttoned-up lawyer, Griff
soon realizes it's hard to keep a professional distance. Even in the midst of a
groundbreaking investigation, even in the face of a shocking family secret.
Everything I Know,
published by JustJoshin Publishing, Inc.
The Blurb:
Connor loves teaching.
He loves working with kids, he loves feeling like he ís making a difference.
And the kids -- and parents -- seem to love him. Until the afternoon he makes a
small error in judgment, and an angry father is thoughtless comments start the
kind of rumor that destroys careers and lives.
Now everything Connor
thought he knew about himself and his world is in doubt. But sometimes help comes
from the most unexpected direction.
Buy Links:
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Review by Jodi: Let it Ride by L.C. Chase
Title: Let It Ride
Author: L.C. Chase
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Rating: 4.5/5 Smooches
Blurb:
This title is #2 of the Pickup Men series.
Pickup
man Bridge Sullivan is the kind of cowboy everyone wants—as a brother, a
friend, a lover. People think he’s straight, but Bridge isn’t one for labels,
and when a sexy male paramedic jumpstarts his heart, he charges in with all
guns blazing.
New
York City transplant Eric Palmer grew up in foster care. While he always had a
roof over his head, he never felt love or a sense of belonging . . . until he
joined the California rodeo circuit as a paramedic and found a band of brothers
who took him in as one of their own. Now, one in particular is making Eric’s
pulse race.
When
things heat up between Bridge and Eric, Bridge has to prove to Eric he’s not
just experimenting with the rougher sex, while Eric must overcome his fears of
being unwanted and cast aside. He knows that trusting Bridge may be the key to
his happy ever after, but getting in the saddle is much, much easier than
learning to let it ride.
Review:
“Whatever happened in the past is the past. You
can’t let it dictate your future.”
-
Bridge Sullivan
Hot
cowboys. Hot sex. Angst. Humor. Who could ask for anything more? Let it Ride is the second book in the
Pickup series, and L.C. Chase has done a great job developing this story and
further developing the characters. Bridge Sullivan is a pickup man for a
California rodeo circuit. Eric Palmer is a paramedic who takes care of injured
cowboys. The two men became friends in the first book in the series.
Eric
Palmer is not a cowboy, but he feels as though he finally fits in somewhere
with this group of men who have welcomed him into their family. A New York
transient, Eric is not used to fitting in or being part of a family. He is friendly,
shy and more than a little wary of becoming too close to these men.
Bridge
Sullivan has been best friends with his fellow pickup men Kent and Marty for
years. These men travel, work and live together. They don not keep secrets from
each other, most of the time.
Bridge,
who appears to be a ride hard, play hard cowboy, has a bit of a reputation
bedding women on the circuit. Almost 30 years old, he has never mentioned to
his friends that he once fooled around with a guy in college, and he definitely
is not sharing the erotic dreams he has been having for the past few months.
Bridge’s
eyes snapped open, and he stared hard at the ceiling while the faint,
bittersweet odor of cum tickled his nostrils and his chest rose and fell in
double time. His heart continued to pound as the fading remnants of the best
wet dream of his entire life left him feeling more than a little unbalanced. A
dream featuring a man—and not just any man, but one man in particular. Eric
Palmer, the paramedic he’d met on the rodeo circuit the previous season who’d
become fast friends with Bridge and his two best friends since childhood and
fellow rodeo men, Marty Fairgrave and Kent Murphy. Eric had been on his mind
too often over the past months . . . and as far more than just a friend.
He sucked a
ragged gulp of air. “Oh my God. I’m gay.”
It
has taken Bridge a year to understand his feelings for Eric and come to terms
with what those feelings mean. Not only is he ready and willing, albeit
nervous, to jump into a romantic and sexual relationship with Eric, but like
with everything else he does, Bridge jumps in guns blazing. With blinding
clarity, Bridge realizes “Shit. I’m Eric-sexual.”
Eric has no
doubts about his sexuality. He knows he is gay. When he turned 13, he told his
parents he was gay, and they promptly threw him out of the house. Eric’s life
has been a constant turmoil of disposable households and relationships. He is not embarrassed to be gay, but he has
been burned multiple times in relationships – both familial and romantic. Not
only is guns blazing not his style, but he is terrified of getting involved
with Bridge romantically and jeopardizing their friendship and the
relationship with his new close circle of friends.
He
knew better than to believe someone like Bridge would want him—at least not for
more than just sex. Jeremy had made that painfully clear when he’d chosen
another over him, even after professing his undying love. Like Ron before him,
who Eric had also foolishly believed had loved him. Nope, he couldn’t go there
again. As long as he kept his heart locked down, no one would ever be able to
hurt him again, and if it were Bridge . . . the heartbreak would be
devastating.
With this cast
of characters, Chase has established a close family dynamic. Eric is honored to
be part of this group, but with his experience in foster homes and bad
relationships, Eric doesn’t see himself as a real part of the family. He knows,
in his heart, that he is disposable.
He
may have felt like he’d known the affable cowboys forever, that maybe he
finally belonged somewhere, but in the back of his mind, he was still Disposable
Eric. The kid whose parents said they loved him but kicked him to the curb; the
new kid in the foster home who would always be the first one turned out if
there was a rift between him and the established friends. If he let his
original attraction to Bridge resurface any more than it had already, let
something happen between them, he’d lose more than Bridge when it took its
usual route south. He’d lose all of them because there was no way Marty and
Kent would choose him over Bridge. No way anyone would choose him first.
Fuck,
how did he let himself get in so deep with these guys? He knew better than to
let his guard down and believe in fairy tales
Bridge
is a strong character who appears to be tough and in control. He is described
as being “The man was solid. A rock in the eye of the storm. No matter what
happened, he stood by his friends.”
It
is Bridge’s vulnerability and humor that draws in the reader. His nervousness
and shyness around Eric makes him an endearing character. This group of rugged cowboys
warn Bridge not to toy with Eric’s feelings, but they do not seem to see how
truly vested in Eric Bridge has become.
When
Bridge first decides to make his move, he is nervous and tentative. He hides
behind a somewhat innocent façade of openly flirting.
Eric
jumped down from his barstool and met Bridge in front of the pool table. Bridge
held the cue stick out for him but didn’t let go when Eric grabbed it. Their
gazes locked for an extended beat, and then Eric stepped into Bridge’s space.
That spicy-citrus fragrance drifted into his nostrils, teasing his senses and
triggering a rush of endorphins in his brain.
“If
I didn’t know any better—” Eric’s voice was low, his accent thicker. His hand
slid down the shaft of the stick until it rested above Bridge’s, and the
contact sent a burning spike of arousal careening into Bridge’s cock. “—I’d
think you were flirting with me.”
“Maybe
you don’t know better,” Bridge said, quietly enough for only Eric to hear, and
then grinned when his eyes widened ever so slightly. Bridge let go of the cue
stick, dropping his hand to brush Eric’s thigh as he walked past him without
looking back.
Eric
has been hurt too many times not to be wary. The ugliness of Eric’s past is too
overwhelming for him to accept Bridge’s words and actions at face value.
He
knew better than to believe someone like Bridge would want him—at least not for
more than just sex. Jeremy had made that painfully clear when he’d chosen
another over him, even after professing his undying love. Like Ron before him,
who Eric had also foolishly believed had loved him. Nope, he couldn’t go there
again. As long as he kept his heart locked down, no one would ever be able to
hurt him again, and if it were Bridge . . . the heartbreak would be devastating.
For
a little while, Eric tries to keep his walls up, but the more Eric learns about
Bridge, the more intense the attraction becomes, but Eric’s fears about getting
involved are too rooted in his heart and brain for him to overcome them. As a
reader, it is easy to see both Eric’s dilemma and his rash and heartbreaking
reaction to Bridge’s enthusiasm.
Either
way, sooner or later Bridge would see what everyone else had seen: that there
was something inherently wrong with Eric. Why else would everyone he had ever
loved, or had thought had loved him, kick him to the curb? He wanted what
Bridge and his friends had—that unconditional camaraderie, that belonging, that
confidence that he was wanted and loved. But the more he wished and prayed for
love, the more elusive it seemed to become. All he knew of that mysterious
emotion was pain. Every time he’d let himself believe that maybe this time
would be different was when it’d all come crashing down again.
The
climax of the story is dramatic and heart wrenching.
Eric
and Bridge are likeable, sympathetic, well rounded characters. Chase does a
great job pulling roping readers into this story. The narration is descriptive, intense and well
written. The dialogue in the story is free-flowing and humorous and helps bring
a sense of realism to this story. Chase does a great job offsetting the tension
with humor.
Chase
constructs a wonderful story with Let it
Ride. Although the conflict in this story is not as dramatic as it is in Pickup Men, the climax is devastating.
These characters are lighthearted in some respects, but thanks to Chase’s
writing ability, their emotions run deep. This simplistic, angst-filled plot is enhanced
by Chase’s wonderful character development and smooth dialogue.
Thank you to Net
Galley and Riptide Publishing for providing a review copy of this title in exchange
for my honest opinion.
Buy
Links:
Review by Cam: Zeek's Loving Thorn by Dicey Grenor
Title: Zeek's Loving Thorn (Narcoleptic Vampire Series 3.1)
Author: Dicey Grenor
Publisher: Self-published
Rating: 4/5 Smooches
Blurb:
She's an intersexed, newly turned vampire.
He's a human who was left behind.
Together, they learn how to love each other...
and survive in the final days.
Review:
I like this post-apocalyptic world. This book is part of a series, and even though the rest of the series is M/F, it makes me want to go back and read it. I loved the characters, specifically Zeek, who is intersex with both male and female genitalia.
Zeek seemed to prefer being referred to as a woman so I'm going to use SHE for the purpose of this review. Zeek is a pretty badass character who can kick ass and take names, but has a lot of compassion.
Thorn is a dick. Seriously, he really is. He wasn't a great guy in his life before, and he's admittedly selfish but trying desperately to be a better person. To say he is thrown for a loop by his attraction to Zeek and the subsequent discovery of Zeek's differences are putting it mildly.
I think this book is a relatively good stand-alone, but would probably make more sense in terms of certain character interactions if read within the series. I love the portrayal of an intersex vampire character though. This little book is definitely a gem, and if you are interested in a little diverse reading, I think you will too.
Currently only available through Amazon: Here
or in Paperback through Create Space: Here
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Review by Jodi: It's Complicated by L.A.Witt
Title:
It's
Complicated
Author:
L.A. Witt
Publisher:
Riptide Publishing
Rating: 4/5 Smooches
Blurb:
It's
Complicated (Tucker Springs #7)
After their umpteenth
breakup, Brad Sweeney and Jeff Hayden are living apart and starting over from
scratch. The morning after a promising first date, they’re more optimistic than
ever that they can make it work this time . . . until Jeff’s ex-wife and
business partner calls to announce she’s pregnant with Jeff’s baby. Brad’s
already competing with a demanding business for Jeff’s time. Now there’s a baby
on the way, and worse, he’s afraid Jeff is still carrying a torch for the woman
who’s carrying his child.
Jeff is desperately
trying to keep his life together, but before he can even get his head around
the news that he’s going to be a father, his ex announces that she wants to
leave Tucker Springs. Now he either has to take over her role at the shop while
ferrying the baby back and forth from Denver, or move the business — and
himself — with her.
Brad and Jeff knew
reconciliation wouldn’t be easy, but they’re rapidly running out of room for
compromise. And sooner or later, something has to give.
Review:
L.A.
Witt has a knack for weaving a great plot and developing complex, realistic
characters, and she does not disappoint in the latest installment of the Tucker
Springs world, It’s Complicated. In
the case of Brad Sweeney and Jeff Hayden, the term “it’s complicated” is a mild
understatement. Every aspect of these men and their relationship is
complicated. No matter how much love
they have for one another, life keeps getting in their way.
Wanting each
other had never been an issue. Sex was the one thing we’d gotten right from the
start, and it was the last thing we’d finally given up when things had really
soured. I’d promised myself when we started dating again that we’d take it
slow, get our feet back under us as a couple before we went back to bed
together, but damn it, that was easier said than done. Right now, I felt closer
to him than I had in months, and I couldn’t see tonight ending any other way
than getting as close as humanly possible.
Heart beating
faster by the second, I turned into the driveway. My hard-on hadn’t lasted the
entire drive, but it was sure as hell coming back now. I took my usual spot in
front of the garage, and Brad parked next to it in the place that had been his
before he’d moved out. Seeing his car in that space that had been empty for so
long was weirdly familiar and alien all at the same time, but that thought
vacated my brain when our eyes met over the roof of his car. If my cock hadn’t
already been fully hard by then, it would’ve been in very short order.
At the beginning of the book, Brad and Jeff
seem to be perfect for each other. The way they seem to want each other and
connect both emotionally and sexually is tangible. But under the haze of that
love and connection, there is a concrete layer of tension and frustration. The tension
between the two men is palpable.
Brad
is in love with Jeff, but he seems distrustful of the man. Although he seems to
understand that Jeff has other responsibilities, Brad’s frustrations stems from
the fact that he is not the number one priority in Jeff’s life. Jeff owns his
own business with his ex-wife, and that business seems to take a lot of his
time away from his relationship with Jeff.
Although
Jeff’s bisexuality did not seem to be an issue when the couple discusses the
issues that caused them to split up, Jeff’s ex-wife and business partner,
Christine, plays a very prominent role in the turmoil. Now that she is pregnant
with Jeff’s baby, Brad’s insecurities about the closeness of the two come
screaming to the forefront. That, and the fact, that Jeff obviously had
unprotected sex with his ex-wife after he and Brad were already in an
established relationship.
I stopped at a
coffee shop in the Light District. I wasn’t all that hungry, not with my
stomach doing all these somersaults, but caffeine sounded like a winner. As I
waited for my order, I sent Nathan a text. You busy?
It was ten
thirty on a Saturday morning. There was a good chance he and Ryan were still in
bed. Couldn’t blame them — if I had a smoking-hot guy like that in my bed, I wouldn’t
be up this side of noon either. Especially since a Saturday off was a rarity
for me. And yet, here I was, wide awake and grasping for coffee while my hot
guy went to see his ex-wife. About a baby. His baby. Their baby.
What the fuck?
Of
course, understandably so, Jeff is freaking out, too. He loves Brad. He does
not want to get back together with Christine. But, he does want to be a father.
This was utterly
insane. It had to be a prank. A joke. Something. A baby? Now? With my ex-wife?
Really? For fuck’s sake. Every time I thought I had a handle on things,
something else threw a monkey wrench into it. And the monkey wrenches seemed to
be getting bigger and bigger.
No. I wasn’t
going to freak out. Wiping my palms on my jeans, I took a few slow, deep
breaths. I could handle this. It was overwhelming, and it wasn’t exactly a
minor thing, but I would deal with it and not lose my mind in the process. I was
thirty-five years old, not some fucking teenager who’d knocked up his
girlfriend on prom night.
But how could I
not be panicked over this? My ex-wife and business partner was pregnant with my
baby. My boyfriend—ex-boyfriend?—and I were on ground that was way too fragile
for any kind of upheaval. Cursing under my breath, I thumped the wheel with my fist.
This was insane.
Neither
man seems mature enough to make their relationship work.
This
is not a typical man meets man romance. It also is not a typical romance
between two men in an established relationship. Witt has tackled a complex
topic, and the idea of happily ever after seems way out of reach for these two
men, yet, Witt drags in the reader who hoping for that HEA. It is Witt’s
writing style, prose and dialogue that catapult the reader into this story
hook, line and sinker.
Witt
does a wonderful job of showing how messy and complicated real-life can be,
even when two people seem to love each other and want things to work out. By
alternating point of views with each chapter, Witt is able to show the
perspective of each man as he struggles through trying to figure out what he
wants and whether or not the four of them (Christine, Brad, Jeff and the new
baby) can have a life together. The back-and-forth perspective is what makes
this story so engaging.
As
with other Witt books, the characters in this book have very real flaws, which
contribute to the elements of realism and perpetuate the angst. There is not a
lot of action in this book, but the plot, though simple in construct, is
intense. Witt does a great job pulling the reader into the emotional turmoil of
the characters and their lives, which seem to be spiraling out of control at
points in the story.
The
fictional town of Tucker Springs is located on
the western slope of Colorado, in between Grand Junction and Silverton. One of
the themes of Tucker Springs is that what you see is not what you get. The
collaborative world of Tucker Springs, with a population of approximately
75,000, has been created by L.A. Witt, Heidi Cullinan and Marie Sexton. The
books in this series can be read as standalone novels, but the characters do
interact from book to book.
Thank you to Net
Galley and Riptide Publishing for providing a review copy of this title in exchange
for my honest opinion.
Buy
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