Monday, January 9, 2012

Today's Special -- Tawny Weber





What a great way to start the New Year, welcoming
Tawny Weber back to The Romance Dish. Tawny, one of the fabulous Romance Bandits and Harlequin Blaze author extraordinaire knows how to have fun, and we are happy she's here to share some with all of us. Her Undercover Ops series is smokin' hot! Sex, Lies, and Mistletoe kicked off the series with a bang. Read my review here. And book 2, Sex, Lies and Midnight is just as steamy. See my review here. Please join us and say a big hello to Tawny!






Oh, Those Resolutions!

Here we are, a little more than a week into the New Year! How’s it going for you? There’s something so energizing about the New Year. It might be that exhausted fog that fills our head after the craziness of the holidays, or maybe just the knowledge that the candy canes are all gone and the decorations tucked away. Or maybe it’s the idea of a clean slate – a brand new year with a chance to make things a little different. To change it up. To, you know, achieve the big goals.

Lose weight. Take time to relax. Quit this or that bad habit. Finish writing a book. Save money. Manage time better. Quit eating dessert (but why?!?) Otherwise known this time of year as resolutions. You know how those go. “I resolve to finally do that one thing I know I should do, that’s really good for me, but never quite manage. And I resolve that this is the year it’s going to happen.” Then we call up all our willpower and resolve, and make it happen. Or, well, not.

Resolutions are a funny thing. My heroine, Maya, in Sex, Lies and Midnight, resolved when she left the small town of Black Oak that she’d never return. She was so insistent that she was through with her old life—and never going back—that she even changed her last name to disassociate herself further from that life, and from her father. She had a really good reason for this resolution, and being a strong woman with a major stubborn streak, she was able to keep it. Now, just between us, it might have been anger rather than willpower that kept her going the first year or so, but by then her new life was established, so it was easier to keep on with it.

And she did manage to keep on with that resolution for quite a few years. She lived her new life, the one she thought she should live. She did the day in, day out thing quite successfully. And never was really happy. Then she had to make a choice. Did she go back home to save her father from what she was sure would be a miserable, humiliating experience? Or did she stick with her resolution and stay away? And what could make the entire situation easier? Hmm, maybe a boy toy distraction? *g* Enter Simon, with his own agenda and a whole lot of sexy hotness to help her make the decision. Now, I might be biased (after all, I had a hand in making Maya’s decision) but I think breaking her resolution to never go back to Black Oak was a fabulous choice. Sometimes, resolutions are made to be broke, right?

So here’s my question to you. Do you think resolutions are the things we want to do? Really really want to, because it’ll make us happy? Are they big things that will make a positive impact in our life, but that we have to work toward in small steps for a long (long long long) time. Or do you see resolutions as those things we think we should do. The ones that we know are good for us, that will have a positive effect on our life, but don’t necessarily excite us.

Did you set any New Year’s resolutions? Have you in the past and have you kept them? Or, like Maya, kept them for awhile, until life changed.

I’ll offer an autographed copy of SEX, LIES AND MIDNIGHT to one random commenter today – so please, hang out, share your resolutions and chat with me!

Tawny Weber has been writing sassy, sexy stories for Harlequin Blaze since her first book hit the shelves in 2007. When not obsessing over deadlines, she’s shopping for cute shoes, scrapbooking or hanging out on Facebook and Twitter. Come by and visit her on the web at www.tawnyweber.com

In December of 2011 Tawny launched her Undercover Ops series with SEX, LIES AND MISTLETOE. The second book in the series, SEX, LIES & MIDNIGHT is on shelves in January 2012, quickly followed in February by SEX, LIES & VALENTINES. You can read the first chapter of SEX, LIES & MIDNIGHT on her website, too – all you have to do is join the Reader LoveFest! Be sure to follow Tawny on her Holiday Survival Tour as she celebrates these three books with tons of fun and a chance for readers to win a $100 giftcard!

54 comments:

  1. Ooh, do I get the Rooster? LOL! Tawny and Dishies, waving madly to you all. How fun to have some of my fave people all together here today. Tawny, as you know, I loved Sex, Lies and Mistletoe. And I loved Sex, Lies and Midnight. Can't wait for the next instalment. Actually outside the luscious central love stories, I love the town you've created in these stories. It's such a great place!

    Resolutions? Nuh.

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  2. is there any rooster here, lol ;)

    so many resulotion for this here :

    add my list book and i hope i have much time to read, find a new job, and the important thing can be more better person and to make my mom more and always happy (hope so and praying ;))

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  3. I think in a lot of cases resolutions are what we think we should do. I personally don't make resolutions.

    I am still reading Sex, Lies, and Mistletoe, I love it. I was late in getting it so it is going to work well with the new one coming out now.

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  4. Anna, you know that rooster would never show up here! LOL

    Don't you love the town of Black Oak? Makes me wish it was real, and I could go for a visit. ;-)

    No resolutions for me either.

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  5. Eli, I think those are great resolutions. :-)

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  6. Dianna, I'm glad to know I'm not the only "non resolution" maker. *g*

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  7. Great resolutions. :)

    Problem is that I can never keep them so I stopped making them... Unless they are things like eating more gummies... it's hard to keep...

    congrats on your new book!

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  8. I always have to chuckle when people make New Year's resolutions. Why bother? Most people don't keep them anyway. Instead, why not keep telling yourself all year that you can improve yourself by setting goals. If you go on a diet on January 1st and then two weeks later, you eat something not on your diet, have you failed? No. You just had slip. Forgive yourself and keep on. The same goes for smoking or drinking too much etc. Just do what you can every day of the year to be a good person and care for your body. If you have a "bad" day, it's no biggie because there is always tomorrow.

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  9. Tawny, you know I love this series! Can't wait for the final volume.

    I no longer make resolutions, most of which I fail to sustain. I make plans. This year's plans are mainly two, de-cluttering the house, which means paring down not only the TBR pile but the keeper shelves, and making healthier lifestyle choices so I can get back to the clothes I actually like.

    Last week, I bought five books. This means I have to read six before I can buy any more. This includes ebooks because buying them leads me to read them, sometimes, instead of the paper books adding to the clutter.

    The dh and I are tackling accumulated papers together, one bit at a time, because I focus better when I have company. Once the base clutter is clear, he'll sit with me while I weed the shelves, which will allow me to shelve books currently sitting in stacks.

    I'm shooting for incremental progress, starting slowly and building, rather than trying to blitz in January and then tailing off. We'll see how this works.

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  10. The only thing I really have planed this year is to try and get into better shape. I have been trying to get a few walks in lately when the weather permits.

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  11. Problem is that I can never keep them so I stopped making them... Unless they are things like eating more gummies... it's hard to keep...

    May, that sounds like me and chocolate. *g*

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  12. Just do what you can every day of the year to be a good person and care for your body. If you have a "bad" day, it's no biggie because there is always tomorrow.

    Connie, I think that's excellent advice. :-)

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  13. This year's plans are mainly two, de-cluttering the house, which means paring down not only the TBR pile but the keeper shelves, and making healthier lifestyle choices so I can get back to the clothes I actually like.

    Nancy, sounds like you and I have the same plans. Here's wishing us both success!

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  14. I have been trying to get a few walks in lately when the weather permits.

    Same here, Virginia.

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  15. Oh No!!! Foanna, you didn't bring that naughty rooster over here to the lovely Dishies place, did you? You know he's trouble.

    But you say such wonderful things about my stories, I'm more than willing to clean up after him and repair any damage he caused *ggg* Thank you so much for the Sex & Lies love (which sounds kinda kinky). I adore Black Oak, and would love to write more stories that center there, or around the FBI task force - titled in my head, "It Takes a Thief" :-D

    LOL on the no resolutions. I'm with you. I'm a goal fiend, but always see resolutions as a lovely thought with no energy behind it.

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  16. My main 2012 resolution is to do things that scare me. I am a very shy person and a homebody. I will force myself to go out and try new things and meet lots of new people.

    geishasmom73 AT yahoo DOT com

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  17. Eli, that's a wonderful list. I hope you can make it all happen, too. Sometimes, I think it's the things we do for others that we manage to make happen.

    btw, just ignore the rooster feathers. I think he followed Anna over from the Romance Bandit's lair, but he's really not supposed to be here.

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  18. Dianna, I'm with you. Just the word -Resolve- sounds like a chore.

    That doesn't keep me from trying, though LOL. Last year, I figured hey, give the resolution thing a go. I resolved (sigh) to finish my daughters' scrapbooks and get the three mini-books up to date. By the end of the year, I'd done none of that.

    So I flipped it this year. My goal is to complete all my mini scrapbooks and add at least 12 layouts to each of the girls' books. And because it's a goal (I love me my goals!), I easily broke it down into a layout a week plan, with subplans on classes, scrappy events, etc that would help me achieve it.

    That's so much more fun to think about than a resolution LOL

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  19. I read the first book in this series and loved it!! I can't wait to read this one.
    I normally don't make New Year's Resolution. I've done that too many times and never kept them!

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  20. My goal is to complete all my mini scrapbooks and add at least 12 layouts to each of the girls' books.

    Tawny, you inspire me. I have soooo many pictures that need to go in albums and scrapbooks. Good task when the weather is yucky this winter. Now, all I have to do is JUST DO IT! LOL

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  21. Hey Tawny! Hey Dishies! Tawny, you know I set goals, but I seldom do "resolutions" - per se. I think resolutions are those things we think we SHOULD do i.e. stop eating chocolate, skip the dinner bread, etc. But hey, who are we kidding? I don't know about you but I NEVER skip the dinner bread. Snork! I'd give up chocolate before I'd give up bread. :>

    I think resolutions should be things that make us happier - and if it no longer makes Maya happy to stay away, then she should break THAT resolution and go back, since going back, and helping her dad, will make her happy. :>

    Goals now...that's something I do. Did you see my blog the other day where I teased about you color coding yours? Hahahah! You may have been joking about that, but...

    Thanks for the preview of Sex, Lies and Midnight! Loving Sex, Lies and Mistletoe!

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  22. Gannon, you mean Black Oak isn't real? But... But... it's right here all alive and 3 dimensional in my head :-D

    I really loved creating that town. There's something so wonderful about small towns, I find I have to keep reminding myself to go for a different setting in the next book. But, well, yeah, my current WIP is set in another small town :-D

    Hmmm, this is another Christmas story, though. Maybe it's the idea of small town's and Christmas that appeal to me LOL

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  23. Hi May, and thanks for the congrats :-D

    LOL on the resolution to eat more gummies. Yep I can see how that'd be an easy one to keep.

    I think that 'hard to keep' angle is why they really don't work. Resolutions reminds me of my mom standing over me at the dinner table, insisting I eat my lima beanse - for my own good. Um, no, chalk doesn't taste good and I couldn't get any enthusiasm going for it.

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  24. Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! <--That's me jumping up and down with pompoms to cheer Connie's comments :-D

    I totally agree. That's why I think goals are much stronger and durable. They aren't black and white, but a work in progress.

    With resolutions, when you're doing something that's good for you because you 'should' its so easy to see the first setback as failure and jump off the can-do wagon.

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  25. Nancy, you know I love you for saying you love this series, right? *g*

    I also love your decluttering plan. Now see, that's the kind of thing that's sustainable, liveable and will have long-lasting results!

    I'm a clutter freak (I blame my parent's. I really do), and having clutter around tends to make me antsy. Which means I'm in a constant state of 'donation frenzy'. One month it might be my closet, another it might be the kitchen cabinets. The one area I totally fail, though, is the filing cabinet and all those accumulated papers :-(

    That is so cool --and smart-- that you know you work better with company, so having your sweet hubby there will motivate you to get more done. Now that's how goals are achieved!! Know what tools help us, and enjoy the heck out of them :-D

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  26. Getting in better shape is an awesome goal, Virginia :-) I like that it's not a hard-and-fast resolution, like "weight XYZ before Valentine's Day".

    I hope you have lots of good weather so you can get in those walks :-D

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  27. Mmmm, chocolate.

    Milk chocolate, with caramel and toasted almonds. Or pecans. Or walnuts. Drizzled with dark chocolate.

    Yum.

    Sorry, got distracted at the mention of chocolate :-)

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  28. Hey T, my resolution is all about balance. So far, not off to a GREAT start but better than 2011. :) Congrats on your fabulous series!

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  29. Hey, Tawny and Dishes!

    As you know, I don't make resolutions but I do make goals. This year I only have two major ones so it feels like I'm slacking but I'm hoping that by keeping it simple, I'll be able to focus and actually achieve what I've set out to achieve *g*

    Love this trilogy (as you know *g*) and I love, love, love Simon! He's so sexy and the perfect match for Maya ;-)

    Happy New Year!

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  30. Wow! Stacie, that's a big goal/major resolution. I'm too wimpy to do things that scare me, but I'm going to stand back here and cheer you on *g*

    I do think pushing our boundaries is always a great thing when it helps us grow and become stronger. I hope you have a very brave 2012!

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  31. Woot, thanks for letting me know you enjoyed Caleb and Pandora's story, Runner :-D

    You nailed one of the very reasons I love goals and am meh about resolutions- at least with goals, at the end of the year if we've made even a tiny bit of progress, we can say we did okay *g* A resolution is all or nothing. And I'm on flying the nothing flag way too often.

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  32. Oh man, I hear ya on the overwhelming number of pictures to 'do something with', Gannon.

    I have a ton of digital on the hard-drive, bins and bins of prints and a shelf full of old albums that are falling apart. And I love to scrapbook - you'd think I'd be so ahead of the game :-D

    But like you said, this is the year to JUST DO IT!!!

    shall we?

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  33. Hey Tawny! Welcome back!!

    The dh and I are not big new year resolutions people, but the first of the year is always a great time to set some goals. One goal we both want to work on this year is eating healthy. Not necessarily losing weight (although that will be a bonus), but just eating healthy food (cutting out the process stuff as much as possible). One goal that I personally have this year is to declutter my life -- home, work, and all things mental ;-)

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  34. Whooo hooo, Tawny! Great to "see" you here with the Dishers.

    And I have a question for you. DECORATIONS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DOWN BY NOW???

    Okay, I know what reservation I have to make pronto!

    I like the idea of small resolutions (in fact, I hate calling them "resolutions" because it seems so fixed in stone).

    I want to take baby steps towards larger goals, because honestly, baby steps are all I'm capable of making most days LOL.

    Love that Maya broke hers, though, because often resolves you have when you're young just don't hold up well as you age and mature.

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  35. Oh, Jeanne. Bread. You had to mention bread. I love bread. Yep, more than chocolate. Mmmmm, now I'm hungry.

    Your definition of resolutions is much better than mine :-D I like that - something that makes us happy. Until it doesn't. Living without bread wouldn't make me happy LOL. Although living in a much smaller size jeans would- so there's the trick. Figuring out which happy is more important.

    ROFL - I am so bummed I missed the blog dedication to my color coded goals. We had a nasty, vicious computer virus try and take over here, so I'm way behind in all my blog reading (and sadly, in writing, too.) But yep, I do color code them. I color code everything! It's just tidier that way *ggg* I've got to go read this!!!

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  36. Virna :-D Hey you!!! Hi and thanks for stopping by.

    Oh, balance.

    Yeah.

    I think about that a lot.

    I don't do it, but I think about it a lot :-D

    Good luck - I'll be watching you for tips and ideas :-D

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  37. I don't make resolutions, but I will say that I can't wait to pick this book up, Tawny!!

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  38. Tawny, having you with us today has been fun---I knew it would be! *g*

    Looks like the "no resolution" camp is winning. LOL

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  39. Awww, Beth - my favorite goal setting partner :-) I know you're all over those goals!

    I don't two major goals is slacking. Heck, I think one major goal is a big deal!!! And by focusing and fine-tuning your attention, you'll feel so much better able to achieve what you want :-)

    Happy New Year -and thanks for loving Simon. Again and again and again (ahem, talking about reading the book for crit here. Nothing else *g*)

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  40. Buffie, that's been an ongoing goal of mine for the last 5 or so years. It's a great one - and in small steps really easy to achieve (well, you know *g*) Last year my step toward that was to put in my own garden. This year it's to figure out how to grow better, and make the most of that garden LOL.

    I wish you happy, healthy eating all year long!! :-) And a lot of decluttering fun!

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  41. Hey Jo :-D It's great to see you here, too *ggg*

    Um, decorations? What decorations? :-D LOL, I think decoration storage is a highly personal choice, which must never be rushed into or influenced by anyone outside the home. But, yeah, we put ours away the first weekend of the year, generally. Since they go up the first weekend after Thanksgiving, I'm always read to put the house back to 'normal.'

    Baby steps are the best kind. Unless you're impatient (like me *g*) and want giant steps all the way. But giant steps are definitely harder to take, and to maintain.

    And yes!!! I totally agree that our goals, our needs and our outlooks change so much as we grow older (and some of us maybe a little more mature *g*)

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  42. YAY - I'll admit, I love hearing you want to get the book, Andrea. Who needs resolutions when you have something fun to read :-D

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  43. Gannon, thank you Soooooooo much for having me in to visit today - you're always such wonderful hostesses and make it so comfy to hang out and have fun :-D

    And yep, no resolutions seems to be the theme. I do love how many people differentiate between resolutions and goals, though!

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  44. Oh, Tawny, must we talk about the "R" word? :) I'll admit my resolutions (when I make them) are generally things I think I should be doing, rather than things I want to go. If it's something I want to do, I just go ahead and do it - or at least make plans. I only need a resolution if it's going to be painful - or dull - or involve exercise or deprivation in any way. That's why I don't make resolutions. Ha!!

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  45. Pretty much make the standard resolutions every year. I really hope this is the year we finally finish renovating our house (20 years and counting). I resolve to buckle down and get these boxes unpacked and the house straightened up and KEEP it that way.

    The standard resolutions - loose weight, save more & spend less, be a better person, get organized - are always there, but usually drop by the wayside pretty fast. The one I always manage to keep - read more books : )

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  46. I haven't read the first 2 books yet but I love when I read a series if I wait ad read them all back to back. :) They are on my TRL.
    I stopped making resolutions when year after year they weren't accomplished and I felt worse. :) Now I just include the things I need to stop doing and work on them gradually.
    Carol L
    Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com

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  47. For many years now my resolution has been to NOT make resolutions. I have kept to this.

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  48. *wince* Sorry, Caren. I know the R word is a naughty one. But you know me, I'm always tempted by the naughty ;-)

    I do think the same about resolutions - they smack on obligation more often than not.

    LOL -I gotta ask, though, what DO you do if you want to exercise but won't do resolutions? Do you have a magic answer? I'm always in the market for ideas *ggg*

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  49. Oh man... 20 years of renovating, Pat? And you're still sane? I'd go crazy LOL. Wow, I sure hope this is your year to finish -and get all unpacked and settled. I'll bet that'd feel fabulous.

    I LOooooooooove that you resolve --and keep the resolution--to read more books. That's the bestest resolution EVER!

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  50. Hi Carol :-D I think your way of doing it sounds much more successful.

    And hey, I do that too! If a series is coming out close enough, I'll get the books but wait until I have them all and go on one long indulging reading binge.

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  51. ROFLMAO!!!

    Marybelle, that is the best resolution I've ever heard :-)

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  52. I think I'm to late to be entered :(! But I just wanted to stop bye and say hello and that I LOVE your books, and thanks for the great post! And for resolutions same one every year "be the best me I can possible be!"
    brandon_savannah@yahoo.com

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  53. Hey there, Savannah :-D It's never too late. Well, after the winner is announced probably is, but otherwise, nah ;-)

    I looooove!!!! your resolution. What a great, all-encompassing, positive way to make the resolutions rock!

    And thank you SO much for loving my books *g* I am thrilled that you do!!

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  54. If I'm not too late, I have to say that I think resolutions are the thinks we know we should want, because they are good for us, so the reason we so often fail is that we don't really want to make the changes necessary to accomplish them.

    drainbamaged.gyzmo at gmail.com

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