Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Wishing You Happy Holidays (plus a GIVEAWAY!)

Hiya, guys! 

The Holidays are here and 2012 will soon be gone. I've had a wonderful year getting to know new people online and in the real world. 

A Quick Recap of 2012:
My book, Creatura, was picked up by a wonderful foreign publisher. I took some great trips that inspired my muse and I'm sure I'll be able to use the experiences in my writing. Best of all, I was able to give back to the fans by having lots and lots of giveaways! 

My year wasn't entirely fun filled, though. There was lots of work to be done, and there were also some sad times that I won't dwell on. But let's keep our focus on the good times, shall we? 

My Wishes for You:
I hope that your year was as wonderful as mine and that the year to come is even better. I love reading your posts and comments on all my social networks and hope that you'll continue to share them with me. 

Thank you for your company, your support and your time. May the spirit of this Holiday Season stay with you through out the coming year, and may you have the Happiest of Holidays! 

Xo,
Nely


P.S. I included a giveaway and it's international! Good luck! 



WIN A PAPERBACK COPY 
OF 



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Friday, December 14, 2012

Dear Cassie Cover Reveal!



ISBN13: 9781620612545

Entangled Publishing/ Entangled Teen March 2013
Young Adult


Lisa Burstein is a tea seller by day and a writer by night. She received her MFA in Fiction from the Inland Northwest Center for Writers at Eastern Washington University. She lives in Portland, OR, with her very patient husband, a neurotic dog and two cats. Dear Cassie is her second novel.


Connect with Lisa Burstein:






ABOUT THE BOOK

What if the last place you should fall in love is the first place that you do?

You’d think getting sent to Turning Pines Wilderness Camp for a month-long rehabilitation “retreat” and being forced to re-live it in this journal would be the worst thing that’s ever happened to me.

You’d be wrong.

There’s the reason I was sent to Turning Pines in the first place: I got arrested. On prom night. With my two best friends, who I haven’t talked to since and probably never will again. And then there’s the real reason I was sent here. The thing I can’t talk about with the guy I can’t even think about.

What if the moment you’ve closed yourself off is the moment you start to break open?
                                                                                                                            
But there’s this guy here. Ben. And the more I swear he won’t—he can’t—the deeper under my skin he’s getting. After the thing that happened, I promised I’d never fall for another boy’s lies.

And yet I can’t help but wonder…what if?

EXCERPT
We kept walking on the lake trail, the bullfrogs croaking. There was also a humming in my ears from the nicotine.
 It could only be from the nicotine. It had nothing to do with being outside, at night, alone with Ben. It had nothing to do with Ben coming to the cabin and taking me instead of Nez and it definitely had nothing to do with the stars above us shining like they were the sky’s tiara. 
I stopped on the trail and looked up, taking them in, when all of a sudden bright colored lights exploded in the sky—fireworks, one after another, on top of each other, huge kaleidoscopes of light, like sparkling rainbow spiders.
“How did you know?” I asked, my voice going softer, like if I talked too loudly they would stop. It was so beautiful, after weeks of so much ugly. 
Ben turned to look at me, the colored lights in the sky turning his skin pink, blue, green. “I’m magic.” He shrugged.
I geared up to tell him to fuck off, because that was some corny-ass shit, but then I realized that he really kind of was. In that moment he was able to actually make me forget being me.
 “I would try to kiss you,” he said, “but I’m afraid you’d kick me in the balls.”
“I probably would.” I laughed, the sky filling with noisy color like paint launching from a giant popcorn popper. “But like I said, it wouldn’t be about you.”
“I guess I’ll have to figure out how to make it about me,” he said, taking off his boots and socks and standing. “Come on.”
“There is no way I am getting near that water again,” I said.
“I’ll make sure nothing happens to you,” he said, holding his hand out to help me up.
            I looked at his palm, open, waiting, just wanting to hold mine. For once, I didn’t think about anything except that there was a cute, sweet, smart-ass boy standing in front of me with his hand out.
I pulled off my boots and socks and took it.  
We stood at the lakeshore, our hands still clasped, the water licking our feet, fireworks decorating the sky.
I turned to him. He was looking up, his mouth open in wonder like he was trying to swallow the moment.
It was definitely one worth keeping.


Get your copy of Pretty Amy on Amazon & Barnes and Noble

Friday, December 7, 2012

Nely's Birthday Swag Giveaway

Hey, guys! My birthday is coming up on December 9th. I'll be a whole year older and hopefully wiser. To celebrate I'm having a little giveaway. Enter to win the Creatura swag pack pictured below, and increase your chances of winning by Tweeting and/or sharing the giveaway on Facebook every day. 

Good luck!
-Nely 

Get or Gift a copy of Creatura:  
Amazon  |   Barnes and Noble  |   AuthorHouse  |  *BookDepository
(*BookDepository ships free worldwide)






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Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Resisting Fate Cover Reveal






About the Author:
Marie De La Rosa holds a degree in Graphic Design and has returned to college in hopes of obtaining a degree in Criminal Justice. With a passion for reading and writing, she excelled in Advanced Placement classes during high school but always considered writing a hobby up until now. Marie is perhaps more well-known for her reviews on the Paranormal Reads and Lunar Haven Reviews & Designs book blogs.
Marie is currently working on her debut YA Paranormal novel Resisting Fate, book one in The Right of Blood Series. The series is set to be released in 2013.
When not reviewing or working on Graphic Design projects, Marie can be found at her day job, out and about with a camera in her hand, or working to finish her book. Look for more information to come in the future.





Title: Resisting Fate
Series: Book One in The Right of Blood Series
Author: Marie De La Rosa
Published: Coming in 2013
Genre: YA Paranormal
Cover Art: Claudia McKinney - PhatPuppy Creations

Synopsis:
Eighteen-year-old Araina was your normal teenager or at least she believed that to be true. She had only two things on her mind: graduating high school and getting away from home to start a life all on her own. But after a tragic accident claims the life of her mother, Araina is left dumbfounded and finds herself on a much different path: enrolling in the local college in Austin. Convinced that her mother’s death was no accident, she becomes obsessed with finding out the truth, and becomes disconnected from everything around her in the process.
That is … until she meets Lucca.
Lucca is the captain of the Resistance: an elite group sworn to protect Araina. He knows the truth about her mother’s death and the future attempts that will be made on Araina’s life due to her being the great-granddaughter of Leto, mother of Artemis and Apollo, which is why it is important he follow the one rule given to him: Don’t get too attached.
It is his job to gain her trust and somehow reveal her true lineage and what the fates have in store for her. Araina is about to be thrown into a world she never knew and will have to come to terms with the role she will play in the Resistance.
Will she stand up and fight or will she lose the one thing everyone has been trying to protect?
Her Life.

Excerpt:
He walked the path back to the house they were using as their headquarters at the moment; though it wasn’t much on the outside the inside made up plenty for it. As he walked in through the door he stopped and looked to the right to stare at his own reflection. Heavy bags hung under his eyes, his tan skin was much duller and his black hair a mess.
“You need to get rest. Huntir and I have everything set up so take this opportunity to gather your strength. Wearing yourself out like this will not be beneficial in guarding her.”
Lucca turned to his older brother Matteo, surprised that he had arrived so soon. “I know, I will go take a shower and get rest, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done.” He passed Matteo but not before laying his hand on his brother's shoulder as if silently reassuring him not to worry and that he was fine. Though his brother had pointed out his need for rest, his mind was running around with too many unanswered questions with no way to solve them. But one question he kept going back to was always the same, the one that would matter most in the end.
When he finally reveals the truth to her will she rise from her sorrow and be the savior they needed her to be? Or will she turn away and go into hiding like her mother did and suffer the same fate? As he got to the top of the stairs, without turning around he asked, “Why did you arrive ahead of schedule brother?” he waited for his brother to reply, a heavy silence floated between the two. He did not expect the next few words that came out of his brother’s mouth.
“We have verification on who killed Aella.”

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Official Opal Book Trailer Reveal




OPAL
             by Jennifer L. Armentrout
               (The third book in the Lux Series)


No one is like Daemon Black.
When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well… There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on.
But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love.
After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different… And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.
Together we’re stronger… and they know it.

  • Reading level: Ages 15 and up
  • Paperback: 452 pages
  • Publisher: Entangled Teen  (December 11, 2012)
  • Language: English


Available in both print and digital version on December 18, 2012

Amazon
Barnes and Noble



Official OPAL BookTrailer



        


About Jennifer L. Armentrout


USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russel Loki.
Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She also writes adult romance under the name J. Lynn.


Check out Jennifer L. Armentrout on the following sites:
Facebook
Twitter
Official Website



Thursday, November 15, 2012

What the Heck is Nely Doing?



You're probably wondering why I haven't posted much in the past months. There's an easy answer to that: I've been busy.

As all authors do, I love writing my book series, and I love my characters. I've been working hard to finish book two, which you're probably tired of waiting for. I'm sorry it's taking so long, but there've been major family issues that have slowed me down. Thank you for being so patient with me and for encouraging me to continue writing even in hard times. You have no idea how wonderful it feels to come back to my social media sites and have dozens of notifications telling me how eager people are to see my next work in print. I've got plans for all these works in progress, and I'm also working on much needed edits for Creatura.  It's all for you, guys! So sit tight while I work myself nutty to get these polished books out.





I've also been busy promoting a song I wrote for Lexi. It's called Your Morpheus. It's a song that I wrote inspired by Creatura. You can listen to it on Spotify for free or download it from Google Play or Juno. Look out for its release on iTunes soon. It's also somewhere on that side --->



Some of you have also been asking when the Romanian version will be released by Ledabooks. Sorry to say that there is still no release date set. But rest assured that I'll keep you posted. I can't wait!

As a treat and a thank you for you fangirls who have been asking, here's a picture I took during a photo shoot I did with "David". Thank you Ivan (that's his real name), for being part of my fictional world. 
Isn't he lovely? 
 ~Nely 



Coming May 2013 from Sara Humphreys


Coming soon from one of my favorite Paranormal Romance Authors...

Undone




Pete and Marianna’s story is coming–May 2013!
Party girl Marianna Coltari is an unmated pureblood Amoveo who wants nothing to do with the ongoing war that took her father’s life and continues to consume her brother Dante’s. But when she is targeted by one of the clans, she has little choice but to run and hide in a cabin with Pete Castro, a retired cop from her brother’s security firm. There, Pete and Marianna explore an intensifying attraction between them until danger is at the door and there’s no escape.

Watch the Trailer



ABOUT SARA HUMPHREYS:
Sara is a Goodreads Author
Unleashed, Sara’s first published novel and the first book in The Amoveo Legend series, recently won Best Book of 2011 in the Grave Tells Reader’s Choice Awards, beating out JR Ward for the top honor. Untouched (AL #2) is being released by Sourcebooks in April of 2012 and will be followed by three more books in the series.
Dead in the City, Sara’s urban fantasy vampire series was recently sold to Sourcebooks in another five book deal, with the first book slated for release in 2013.
Sara is a graduate of Marist College, with a B.A. Degree in English Literature & Theater. Her initial career path after college was as a professional actress. Some of her television credits include, A&E Biography, Guiding Light, Another World, As the World Turns and Rescue Me.
Sara is the President of Taney Speaker Training, which specializes in public speaking, presentation development and communication skills training. She has trained executives at Verizon, Bristol-Meyer Squibb, Westchester County and the United States Navy.  Her speaking career began with Monster’s Making It Count programs, speaking in high schools and colleges around the United States to thousands of students.
Sara has been a lover of both the paranormal and romance novels for years. Her sci-fi/fantasy/romance obsession began years ago with the TV Series STAR TREK and an enormous crush on Captain Kirk. That sci-fi obsession soon evolved into the love of all types of fantasy/paranormal; vampires, ghosts, werewolves, and of course shape shifters. Sara is married to her college sweetheart, Will. They live in Bronxville, New York with their 4 boys and 2 insanely loud dogs. Life is busy but never dull.


Connect with Sara:


 
Buy The Amoveo Legend Series:

Monday, November 5, 2012

A Day in the Life of Todd Crawford: Part 2




Hello and welcome to "A Day in the Life of..."©, a featured guest post exclusive to my blog that's published on Mondays and sometimes, on Thursdays. On these two days, a spotlight guest will share a normal day in their lives, giving us insight on their thoughts, projects, interests, obsessions and more. Occasionally, and if we're lucky, they'll even throw in a giveaway.

And now on with the show...
                                          
                                             About Todd Crawford 

Todd Crawford (1994) was born in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, where he wrote his first three books, a Clockwork in the Stars, The Final Gospels, and his anthology The Black Season. His writing style is recognized as descriptive, cynically honest yet whimsical. His works obsess over the geography of the human mind, existentialism juxtaposed with the politically religious, and nature hearkening back to the Romantic era of literature. He first published a Clockwork in the Stars through Lulu publishing, but released his latter works under the CreateSpace banner before reissuing Clockwork with his new label. Although his only currently released works have been of the literary outlet, he has indulged in other orientations of Art such as music (having composed a companion piece for his novel, The Final Gospels), film (having adapted his novella, Brighter, into a short film), and comic books. Crawford is currently working on his third (traditionally structured) novel, The Pilgrimage, an abstract commentary of politics as he is browsing agents to market the release.

Connect with Todd Crawford

Facebook    Amazon      Goodreads



“A Day In The Life Of…” Todd Crawford, pt. 2

I wake up every morning to the sound of my alarm clock, the most sobering noise this world has to offer. I force myself out of bed, already well aware that I’m to be cutting it close to being late to my first class as I get in the shower. It’s amazing how many insults can slip out of one’s mind at any given nuisance when this tired. The shower at my apartments has no bath tub, but rather a small cell with a shower curtain, which means my towel, spread across the floor, will inevitably be soaked by the time I step out. Not only that, but the thin shelves are hardly wide enough to put a thin bottle of shampoo or a bar of soap on, let alone my roommate’s large bottle of hair jazz that he somehow manages to balance just long enough for me to get in the shower, before tumbling down onto my toe, at which point my arm-flailing reaction knocks my own bottle of shampoo on the other side of me (Oh, right, this shampoo cell has just about the spaciousness of a coffin, you might need to know.) onto the same toe on my other foot! I spent the first two weeks living here paranoid that I had broken one or both of them, especially when they began to stick out funny.
Anyways, I’m sure that you didn’t come here to read all about my toes. My day varies greatly depending on which day of the week it is, as Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays I have my English 198 and Psychology classes; on Tuesdays and Thursdays I attend History and Music. Now, one would think as an English major and author I would be in favour of the former set of days, but I also don’t think one would be inclined to think I would be failing my English class. I won’t necessarily go in-depth about it, but I never would have thought college professors would try to suffocate creativity and individuality in such a way as this woman does. She really is every reason that I didn’t want to go to college in the first place. She will tell students that they write “too scholarly” for her or that they are “too smart,” and then dock points for being too sophisticated for her low class. It’s sickening at how well America tends to the lowest common denominator, especially in the classroom of all places, where knowledge and personal development should be encouraged, not depressed. My History course makes up for it in spades, though, as we usually take at least four pages of notes a class period and all of it is both fascinating and inspiring. As I am currently writing a novel based on how little Art has advanced since the Greek and Roman ages, it’s stunning to find out how little society has advanced as well. (Democracy and Republics originated from these time periods, as well as just about any religious or artistic theme which one can find!) My Music class is also interesting; I can now read music…well, sorta, and we even learned about Symphonie Fantastique, the musical piece from which my upcoming novel originated.
After class I head back to my apartment and may stay there until the following morning, with occasional breaks to go on walks. I get hopelessly lonely and have noticed that I eat a lot more than I need to out of both lethargy and a need of something to do, which is never something I noticed about myself before. I’m really struggling to live up to that healthier lifestyle I had planned for myself a few months ago. This past month (of October) I have been uploading videos to YouTube about my artistic endeavors and giving more personal statements about them than I am able to through written word, which has surprisingly gone over much better than I had ever anticipated it to. I’m still very camera-shy (technophobe here), but I see it as a challenge to overcome, and something that will better prepare me to be the public figure which I see myself as inevitable to become. I’ve also been working on a lot of promotional essays and articles (such as this one!) for a “pre-marketing” campaign for my upcoming book titled The Pilgrimage. My theory is that if I do enough to promote the book on my own before I finish writing it, and develop a proper readership for the book, then when I go to sell it to agents and publishing houses, then they can recognize me as someone capable of handling publicity and marketing, as well as a true Artist (or at least someone attempting to live up to such a title). I also plan on someday compiling and publishing a book containing just these articles, interviews, and other promotional releases in one volume organized by date. The Artist’s representation of his- or herself is something truly lacking in a lot of modern contributors today, and something I hope to reform. I’m sick of seeing quotes by Blood on the Dance Floor, Black Veil Brides, or whatever farce act is trendy today on Facebook proclaiming their message to kids as some phrase synonymous with “Just be yourself!” If you don’t have something worth hearing, there’s no sense in clouding the public conscious with your chatter. Hopefully when people read my writings they can see that I aspire to much more than that.
Speaking of which, a lot of younger girls from my high school who are into such bands seem to look up to me or idolize me as they do such characters. I’m both flattered by their adoration and insulted that they would lump me in with such “Posers,” as Matthew Lillard might have it. Seeing myself as a “survivor” of high school and being suppressed artistically by my peers, classmates, and school in many ways, I see it as a sort of duty to help support them in whatever they may want to do, so long as it is true to their selves. I even offered to pay one girl for her Artwork when her parents told her she’d never get anywhere or make any money off of it. I just hope to remind them that life isn’t about financial gain, or what that may bring you, but the journey of life itself, and the satisfaction one may get from it: The Pilgrimage. It’s a journey I have yet to complete as well as one that I hope to help others along. It’s The Shadow of the Valley of Death, the journey from Kether to Malkuth, Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb.”
By the end of the day it’s fascinating how different of a place I am now than when I first wrote in to Nely Cab’s “A Day In The Life Of…”, (A hundred thousand thanks for having me!) yet I am in no different a situation as I was before. I still suffer from claustrophobic loneliness, and overpowering lethargy, but here I am nearly two hours away from my home town. I suppose what I’ve really learned is that life isn’t about what you have, but what you do. I’ve come to terms with a lot of the struggles I’ve had in the past, but I’ve still got many landmarks to pass and many ways to go. It seems like new readers are always telling me “I can’t believe that I’ve waited this late into your writing career to jump on the bandwagon!” but in actuality, this is only the beginning. I’m young at 18, I’ve only written three books, and there is so much yet to come that I don’t think anybody can fathom where it will end. If nothing else, there are two things I wish to accomplish every day in the life of Todd Crawford: 1.) To let people know that I am something to watch out for and that I have some truly fantastical things in the making (starting with five upcoming books) and 2.) To become not only the Artist, but the person I have always aspired to become. By the end of 2013, my Potential and Real selves will be merged into the best of my capabilities.

Thank you, Todd, for sharing your day with us and thank you, readers for taking the time to stop by. I hope that you've enjoyed today's 
"A Day in the Life of..."

Thursday, October 25, 2012

BLOG TOUR - Fate Fixed by Bonnie Erina Wheeler +Giveaway




Welcome, Bonnie! How did you come up with the idea for Fate Fixed? Were there any real people that influenced the character’s personalities?

So often I am asked where the idea for Fate Fixed came from. It is an answer that many find surprising. Two years ago my teen daughter, Miranda, was very ill and hospitalized for an extended period of time. She was so sick that she could not tolerate any sounds from TV, conversation or music. I spent hours reading while she slept. That time allowed me to remember how much I enjoyed writing as a child.

Although I hadn’t written in years, I decided to write a novel that Miranda would enjoy. I knew she loved YA paranormal romance and I did too, so I crafted my Erris Coven characters. Once I knew them, the idea for Fate Fixed came. Instantly I fell in love with Torin and Lexie and realized that I had to finish the novel even if I was afraid to do it. As soon as Miranda was feeling better, I gave her the manuscript. I was so afraid she would laugh me out of her room, but to my surprise, she loved it.

There are a few characters with personalities like my Erris Coven characters.  Theo may only be a minor character, but he is greatly inspired by one of my daughter’s best friends.  Both Theo and his real-life counterpart are fiercely loyal and always funny.  There will be more of Theo in the upcoming novels.

Another character that is based in reality is Courtney Parsons. I think most people go through high school with at least one person that leaves them feeling self-conscious and embarrassed.  Usually a classroom antagonist has something going on in their life that explains away their unsavory behavior, hence, the idea for Courtney’s character.




Title: Fate Fixed
Series: An Erris Coven Novel - Book One
Author: Bonnie Erina Wheeler
Published: Self Published – July 2011
Word Count: 58,000
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Synopsis:
When Lexie Anderson’s mother suddenly announces she is marrying a Romanian immigrant, Lexie willingly leaves behind her busy life in Connecticut for her penance in the "Moose Capital of the World.” Small town living is strange enough, now Lexie must cope with her overbearing stepfamily monitoring her every move. They disappear into the woods at night and keep a strange secret locked in their shed. Her once calm mother is now having violent outbursts and Lexie’s little sister is hearing sinister sounds coming from the forest behind their new home. Lexie’s biggest surprise comes when she discovers the boy she has been dreaming about since her accident is living in Maine. Despite Torin’s questionable reputation, Lexie cannot resist the physical and emotional attraction pulsating between them. Animals and people in town are turning up dead and Lexie learns the strange new world she lives in has real life monsters. Just when she decides she wants to be with Torin forever, she must fight to protect her mother and sister from being harmed by a formidable evil.


About the Author:

BONNIE ERINA WHEELER is a lifelong resident of New England and a University of Connecticut student. 

Having grown up in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, Bonnie discovered her love of writing early on, but did not begin writing novels until May 2011. As the daughter of author, Glen William Ruane, storytelling and world building is a family affair. Bonnie’s daughter, Miranda E. L. Wheeler and son, Robert D. Wheeler, share in the family’s passion and have both published in the last twelve months. 

When not in class or working on her next novel, Bonnie enjoys spending time with her husband, Jerry. Together the two have been writing their own special love story since marrying in April of 1995. Their children Miranda, Justin, and Bobby give them great joy. Their family is made complete with the addition of Petey, a Spanish water dog, they adopted from their local pound. 

Bonnie’s plans for the future include writing more novels in the Erris Coven Series, as well as, writing several contemporary young adult novels that have been in development for some time.

                                Amazon Author Page | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads | Blog



Synopsis for Blood Twist: An Erris Coven Novel Book Two

From Bonnie Erina Wheeler, the author who brought you Fate Fixed, comes the second installment in the Erris Coven Series, Blood Twist

Braden Murphy knew he was going to die. There was a twist to his family secret – one that was forced upon him from the time he was a child. For years he envisioned his final days and tried to be strong enough to leave his family. Now that it was time, he was ready to make good on a deadly promise. Except for one unexpected glitch, a raven haired beauty insisted on joining him. 

Liz Sanders thought her best friend’s stepfamily was weird, but she never would have guessed they were werewolves. Now Liz must travel with a secretive half-vampire in search of a lycanthropy cure. Landing in a nest full of blood thirsty vampires wasn’t on the agenda, but neither was falling in love.

Braden is tempting, but Liz’s feelings for him are complicated. She wishes he would open up about his past and give her a reason to trust him. Just when Liz thinks she can let her guard down, she’s forced to confront the evil that has been stalking Braden’s past for years. Death is here and ready to destroy everything they've fought to save.

Fate Fixed by Bonnie Erina Wheeler Tour Schedule:
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