Thursday, September 25, 2014

MANscapes Blog Tour By Manuela Cardiga



MANscapes Journey into the light 
By Manuela Cardiga's 

Blog Tour 


About MANscapes 
" All women - from the most exquisite beauty to the plainest drab - want to believe in the Cinderella myth. Even the harsh-faced and sour-hearted, somewhere deep in their night-time struggles with their bitterest reality, dare to dream some Prince could still see past the dense veil of unkind nature and time, to the delicate, frail-hearted beauty within." 

But Clara wasn't Cinderella, waiting for her Prince, she was Sleeping Beauty poisoned by a deadly kiss. After 24 years Clara awakens from a living nightmare of abuse and discovers her life unfolding miraculously; but the true miracle is her own blossoming: the maturing of a frightened abused girl into a strong woman capable of love, laughter and joy. In Tahiti's exotic landscape Clara finds her way from darkness to incandescent light, embracing in herself the strength of choice, and the power of decision.

MANscapes is a powerful parable of hope and renewal, a story of one woman's discovery of herself and her journey into love.



Manuela Cardiga was born in Mozambique and raised in South Africa where she studied fashion design. She moved to Europe where she worked as a fashion designer, then moved to the crazy world of advertising as a graphic designer and copywriter. Manuela is a designer by profession, a cook by vocation, and a writer by compulsion. She currently resides in Lisbon, Portugal where she writes contemporary and historical fiction, designs book covers, illustrates children’s books, and mothers a gorgeous daughter while juggling a day job. She also dabbles enthusiastically in exotic, experimental cuisine, much to the discomfort of family and friends.





Connect with the Author



MANscapes

Clara is a young woman from a small town who comes to Lisbon to study Art. She has just begun her adventure of self-discovery in the extravagant bohemian world of the late 70’s, when her journey is abruptly cut short by a brutal rape by an acquaintance.

In the aftermath, Clara finds herself pregnant, and her family pressures her into marrying the man who assaulted her, and who claims “she was willing”. Clara is plunged into a nightmare of abuse that is to last two decades.

One day something changes. A chance encounter, a word spoken in passing by a stranger, and Clara awakens. Wakes and takes charge of her life. She frees herself of the nightmare and of her oppressor, but can she heal herself of the scars years of abuse have left on her spirit?

Determined to continue her interrupted journey, Clara goes to Tahiti to fulfill her childhood dream and “paint like Gauguin”.

On the magical island of Moorea, Clara enters a world of endless possibilities where she starts to blossom as a woman, and an artist. There, Clara meets the right man, and falls in love with the wrong one…

A return to Lisbon gifts Clara with vindication, closure, and triumph over her abuser, and yet her trials have just begun. She is about to discover the path of life rarely runs smoothly, and before she can reach for happiness, Clara must grow.

She must shed the abused girl and become a woman, capable of making the hardest of decisions, taking responsibility for herself and a new life.  Setting out on the difficult road that leads to maturity, Clara must complete her journey from darkness into light.



Available in Kindle Unlimited for free, with a monthly subscription. Sign up today for a free 30 day trial and start reading MANscapes NOW!

Don’t have a Kindle? Get your Free Kindle Reading App Here- www.amazon.com/freereadingapp





WHEN WERE YOU FIRST BITTEN BY THE WRITING BUG?

When I started reading. I was four years old.


WHEN DID YOU FIRST CONSIDER YOURSELF A WRITER?

Oh I don’t. I am a story-teller. I wouldn’t be so presumptuous as to consider myself a writer. I am hopefully learning...


DO YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC WRITING STYLE?

No, as a matter of fact, this novel is completely different to the previous one. That was a romantic comedy, and this is a much darker book. I think I tell the story in the character’s voices and each one is so different!



WHAT DO YOU WANT YOUR READERS TO GET OUT OF YOUR NOVELS?

Love.


WHAT ARE YOUR CURRENT PROJECTS?

It’s a secret…


DO YOU SEE WRITING AS A CAREER?

A career? No. It’s a life’s work; it’s a compulsion, a need.


WHO DESIGNED THE COVER?

Well, actually, I did, I designed it.
There is a story to this cover. I had a childhood friend, a very gifted artist living on a tropical island, and I had always loved this particular painting of his, and so I asked him for permission to use it, and his response was that he felt it wasn’t good enough…

But I insisted, and it turned out incredably beautiful. I sent him the final artwork for MANscapes, and he loved it. Unfortunately three days later, my friend tragically passed away.

In a way, I feel this book has become a tribute to him. Not just because of the cover, but because the story is about an artist finding her way home on a tropical island… Journeying into light. As he did.


WHAT WAS THE HARDEST PART OF WRITING YOUR BOOK?

Living Clara’s anguish, her struggle to leave her pain behind, to grow.
I felt it, every bit of it: the oppression, the agony, and the ultimate achievement when she becomes a free human being. It was terrible and incredible. It was exhausting.”


WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM WRITING YOUR BOOK?

So much! I am still learning how to write. I told you I am a story-teller, so my “thing” would be sitting in front of someone spinning a yarn. This writing is something I am still learning…


DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR OTHER WRITERS?

Be passionate about what you do. Tell the story for yourself, not an audience, not the critics. Do it because you have a story that needs to be told; because you can’t help yourself.


DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING SPECIFIC THAT YOU WANT TO SAY TO YOUR READERS?

Clara’s story is not unique. There are many Claras out there. Many women are living in the hell of abuse, afraid to walk away because it’s all they know.
Take that first step out of darkness. Once you do, you will be surprised to find the light meets you halfway. Life is not punishment, we all deserve happiness; but it’s not going to fall into your lap. 
You need to fight for it.

The thing is, once you do act, decide to fight? Something incredible
happens: life, the universe –whatever you want to call it – steps into your corner. But you have to choose. The essence of effective living is choice. We choose.

Not all your choices will be right, not everything will work out. But it is YOUR choice, YOUR life. You will no longer be a passive victim things happen to; you will be a survivor, someone who makes things happen, who decides, takes charge and responsibility for her own life.

And remember, the only power anyone has over you, is the power you yield.


WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR SOMEONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO BECOME A PUBLISHED WRITER?

Submit, submit, submit, submit again; then submit yet AGAIN. Never give up.


IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD?

Please live. Don’t just survive from day to day. Make every moment worth remembering. You don’t need to do huge things, change the world. 
Just make every day worthwhile.

Whatever you do it with it love, be passionately in love with living. 
Whether it’s making a meal for your family, punching tickets, writing law; whatever it is, do it with love. Don’t take a single moment for granted.


Tuesday, September 23, 2014

JAG Blog Tour

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Jag by Stevie J. Cole Blog Tour Sept. 22nd-30th

Synopsis:
"My name's Jag Steele. I’m the lead singer and guitarist to the band Pandemic Sorrow and I have a drug problem – well, I mean it's not really a problem unless you count the fact that I almost made my heart explode from all the blow I shoved up my nose a few weeks back."

That was my introduction during my first stint in rehab. I'm a fuckup. If you ask anybody who I am there’s a list they will go down: Famous, rock star, legend, drug addict, womanizing man-whore… but if you asked me, I wouldn't have the first idea of what to say because I don’t know who Jag Steele is. Really, I’m living every other damn person's dream, and all I want is reality.

Roxy Slade, that girl was my reality. My brutally flawed and beautifully broken reality. And she fucking hated everything I stood for. To her I was just one of “those guys”, and she’d rather be buried alive with poisonous snakes than give someone like me a piece of toilet paper to wipe their ass with. Brutal - Life. Is. Brutal. And it is just a giant pain in the ass, which is why I chase after anything to make it numb, anything that can fill this void. I just want anything that can make me not feel.
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Buy Links:


Trailer:
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Excerpt:

“Well,” she said, “you’re clean now. That’s amazing. You've been clean for – how long now?”
Just talking about those drugs had made my mouth water. Every fiber inside my body was twitching, thinking about how good it would feel to just get something in my system. My heart was banging against my chest with anger, with the need for something that would cut the pain of being sober right out of my life.

Forcing a smile so it would appear I really was proud, I said, “Six months.” I knew I was lying, I knew it had only been two weeks ago that I had gone through an eight ball of coke, and I had just drank myself into a stupor the night before, but other than those two times, I really had been sober – I think.

Brittney beamed, relieved that part of the interview was over with. “That’s awesome, Jag. You are such an inspiration. Addiction is a hard battle to win, and to see you doing it is wonderful. I’m sure many of your fans find strength hearing you say that.”

I hated hearing that. I despised that somehow, for some unknown fucking reason, people still looked up to me. No matter what mess I got into, people still wanted to be me. Liars like me shouldn’t be role models, but that’s what happens when you’re a celebrity – regardless of how worthy you are, you become an idol.

I was too weak for fame, but she didn’t care. She broke me, and I tried to let drugs mend me. While it numbed the pain and may have held the pieces together in a nice little package, I was deteriorating on the inside, and it was only a matter of time before it would all crumble to a pile of shit. In the beginning I’d thought fame was as close to being a mortal god as you could get, and in some ways I was right. The thing I had no idea about was my ability to handle this fucking double-edged sword. I like to think of fame as a metamorphosis. You get all wrapped up in it, almost like a cocoon, and the way I emerged from it was like that moth from Silence of the Lambs, with the stamp of death and destruction all over me. I had no idea how to handle fame, so, unfortunately, fame handled me.











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AuthorLinks:
Twitter: @steviejcole








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Want to reach out to Jag???

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Monday, September 22, 2014

The Bone Whistle Blog Tour

 The Bone Whistle
by K.B. Hoyle
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Release Date: September 18 , 2014
Genre: JUVENILE FICTION/Fantasy/Magic & Family/General
ISBN e-book:   978-1-61213-279-2
Available from: Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, and TWCS PH
 Summary:
The-Bone-Whistle-3D-Paperback-eReaderDarcy burned with the pain of knowing she’d failed. What happened when a prophecy didn’t come true? It must not have been much of a prophecy in the first place. And if they couldn’t trust in that, then they couldn’t trust in anything at all. Five years ago, Darcy first received the prophecy of the Six, which stated she and her friends would save the land of Alitheia from a shadowy foe. For five years, she hasn’t known what the end will look like, but she certainly didn’t expect this. Thrust back into Alitheia through unexpected means, Darcy winds up alone, scared, and without her recent memory. As she struggles to regain her lost memories and reunite with the ones she loves, she pieces together the prophecies and the oracles to find they all converge into one story¾a story that tells her just how much she’ll have to give to save both worlds, and everyone she loves. Pursued through Alitheia by forces desperate to kill them, Darcy and her friends take a journey fraught with danger that will lead them, inevitably, to the final confrontation with the Shadow. Armed with newfound knowledge of how the prophecy of the Six will play out, Darcy and the others must have faith in the face of mounting odds and adversity. Ultimately, the greatest courage of all belongs not to those who give something of themselves, but to those who let go of what they could never control. Filled with stunning losses, heart-wrenching reunions, unexpected twists, and the power of love and sacrifice, the conclusion to The Gateway Chronicles will leave you breathless and begging for more from author K. B. Hoyle.
About the Author:
kb_hoyleK. B. Hoyle has been a classical educator for several years. She is a wife to a wonderful husband and mother to three rambunctious little boys. Her favorite literary genres have always been Young Adult Fantasy and Science Fiction, so that is where her journey began. At a young age, she knew she wanted to write stories that would inspire people, and she wrote her first fantasy novel at the age of eleven. Her goal as a writer is to take a look at existing truths in the world around her and repackage them in new, exciting, and fantastic ways.
Connect with the Author:
Praise for The Bone Whistle
"I really enjoyed this series from the opening pages of THE SIX, where we meet 13 year old, solipsistic, angst-ridden Darcy, through to the final pages of THE BONE WHISTLE where we leave her behind, matured and likely as grown as she will ever be."  - Suzy Goodreads Review
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Friday, September 12, 2014

Jag Release Day Blitz

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**Release Blitz**
Jag By Stevie J.Cole
Sept. 12th

Come Join the Release Event

Synopsis:

"My name's Jag Steele. I’m the lead singer and guitarist to the band Pandemic Sorrow and I have a drug problem – well, I mean it's not really a problem unless you count the fact that I almost made my heart explode from all the blow I shoved up my nose a few weeks back."

That was my introduction during my first stint in rehab. I'm a fuckup. If you ask anybody who I am there’s a list they will go down: Famous, rock star, legend, drug addict, womanizing man-whore… but if you asked me, I wouldn't have the first idea of what to say because I don’t know who Jag Steele is. Really, I’m living every other damn person's dream, and all I want is reality.

Roxy Slade, that girl was my reality. My brutally flawed and beautifully broken reality. And she fucking hated everything I stood for. To her I was just one of “those guys”, and she’d rather be buried alive with poisonous snakes than give someone like me a piece of toilet paper to wipe their ass with. Brutal - Life. Is. Brutal. And it is just a giant pain in the ass, which is why I chase after anything to make it numb, anything that can fill this void. I just want anything that can make me not feel.

Goodreads:

Buy Links:
Coming Soon!!

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Thursday, September 11, 2014

Exposed Blog Tour By Samantha Jacobey


When seduction and danger are all you've ever known can you ever truly leave it behind?

When Tori walked away from a life of crime, she set forth on a path of redemption and discovery. She found a man to call her own, and a life she would give anything to keep. But love and life aren't always beautiful or kind...sometimes they are painful and traitorous.

For years, Tori's drug of choice was alcohol, but through hard work and self-determination she has learned to exist without it. Suddenly faced with her true identity, and the danger of having friends and family destroyed by the world she left behind, she finds herself once again lost in a dark world filled with sex. drugs and murder.

She thought that a life of normalcy is what she wanted most, but when she gets a small taste of the dangerous life she once lived, she is forced to face the facts...not all of the demons are found on the outside.

WARNING: GRAPHIC SCENES
This book is intended for readers 18+ and contains scenes that may cause distress to some readers: Abuse, Kidnapping, Rape and Substance Abuse are described in detail.

 
Add to Goodreads

http://amzn.to/1unCmvU

Book 4
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo







Also Available in the New Life Series

 
http://amzn.to/1psFD7t

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo  ~  Google Play


http://amzn.to/1tw0U84
 
Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo  ~  Google Play


http://amzn.to/1Aa1kj9
 
Book 3
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo  ~  Google Play


http://amzn.to/1psM9uX
 
Book 5
Coming September 18th
Pre-Order Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca  ~  iTunes








Samantha Jacobey is a middle aged woman who earned a BS in Business Management and has worked in half a dozen fields. With a relentless zest for life, she enjoys action and adventure, as well as all the love and romance it has to offer. Creating stories in her mind for many years, she has put some of them into print for the world to share, and hopes you will enjoy reading them as much as she did creating them. What drives her most is the love of a good story and is confident you will enjoy her latest creation.

Connect with Samantha

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Blog  ~  Goodreads


 

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Saturday, September 6, 2014

JAG Cover Reveal

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Cover Reveal- Jag by Stevie J. Cole
Sept 6th
Release Date Sept. 12th


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Synopsis:

"My name's Jag Steele. I’m the lead singer and guitarist to the band Pandemic Sorrow and I have a drug problem – well, I mean it's not really a problem unless you count the fact that I almost made my heart explode from all the blow I shoved up my nose a few weeks back."

That was my introduction during my first stint in rehab. I'm a fuckup. If you ask anybody who I am there’s a list they will go down: Famous, rock star, legend, drug addict, womanizing man-whore… but if you asked me, I wouldn't have the first idea of what to say because I don’t know who Jag Steele is. Really, I’m living every other damn person's dream, and all I want is reality.

Roxy Slade, that girl was my reality. My brutally flawed and beautifully broken reality. And she fucking hated everything I stood for. To her I was just one of “those guys”, and she’d rather be buried alive with poisonous snakes than give someone like me a piece of toilet paper to wipe their ass with. Brutal - Life. Is. Brutal. And it is just a giant pain in the ass, which is why I chase after anything to make it numb, anything that can fill this void. I just want anything that can make me not feel.



Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22680249-jag

Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=880vX6u5-Gs


Stevie J. Cole Author Links:
Facebook:

Twitter:
@steviejcole

Amazon:

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Captive Blog Tour



Captive A New Life Novel 
By Samantha Jacobey 


Captive - A New Life Novel… To what lengths would you go to break away from a life filled with pain and suffering?

Tori Farrell has lived a dangerous life. When you grow up with a Motorcycle Gang of Mercenaries and Drug Lords like the Dragons, a normal life is more like a fairy tale. For years, she accepted her dark reality, a world consisting of drugs, sex, violence and murder. In the end, she learned the most valuable lesson: survival.

After years of being ruled by the Dragons, Tori uses her skills of seduction and assassination to free herself from the grasp of the people who vowed they would never let her go. Taken in by the FBI, she fears not everything is what it seems, and soon finds herself lost in a web of lies and deceit. She thought getting away from the Dragons would put her on a path to a new and better life, but now she must face the cold hard truth… there is always a price to be paid.


EXCERPT 1 from CAPTIVE by Samantha Jacobey



Tori was sitting in one of the padded chairs, knees curled to her chest and arms wrapped, when Eli Founder arrived the next morning. She had been sitting for some time, watching the sunrise bring light to the lush green outside her small window.

The Dragons slept and lived outdoors routinely, and she was beginning to feel penned up being indoors for so many days now. "How was the bed?" Eli asked as he took the seat opposite of her. A blank stare was her only response, so he mumbled a simple "Well, you'll get there," and let the subject drop.

Tori lay her left cheek on her knees, watching out into the patio for several minutes. Finally, in a low voice, she inquired, "Why am I here?"

Eli shifted in his seat, wanting to be precise with his words. "You're here for evaluation, and to heal." He drew a deep breath to continue, catching himself before he spoke, and then exhaled slowly in silence.

Tori's head popped up, and she asked again in a more forceful tone, "No, I mean why am Ihere." She added emphasis to the word 'here' by reaching out with her right hand to stab the table with her index finger.

At his surprised look, she continued with the irritation clear in her voice, "I told you the knife was mine. I told you the Dragons got what they deserved. I did it. I killed them. Why am I not in a prison or a cell or something?"

Tori’s story begins with CAPTIVE










Box Set Link 

~ SAMANTHA JACOBEY ~


Anyone who knows me could tell you, I am a friendly kind of person, never met a stranger and take up conversations any where at any time. I work hard, and my mind never seems to shut down, as I wake up often in the middle of the night with ideas pouring out and demanding to be dealt with. Of course that means much of my books were written in the middle of the night.
I grew up and still live in the great state of Texas where everything is bigger, where we have warm weather and a central location. I love my state, my town, and my family, which includes my four sons, my significant other, and many friends as well.
I have thoroughly enjoyed writing the books that are currently available and hope you will enjoy reading them just as much. And of course, there will be many more stories to come.




I would like to start off by saying thank you to all of the tour host who have participated in the Captive Blog Tour. Here is a interview done by Samantha Jacobey. Enjoy!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I still am not really what I would call a writer… I am a story teller. I love to share exciting adventures that have meaning and depth, and hope that my readers enjoy them. In a way, I thought that once I had put them in writing, I would be able to let go, and move on to something else, but that is not so. I still find myself dreaming about this girl and going over parts of her story over and over.

What inspired you to write your first book?
I have had this story in my head for about 25 years. It has undergone many changes and versions, and I love to experiment with ‘what if’ and ‘now what?’ The entire story is far larger than what is being published, with many disconnected pieces; who knows if any of them will ever find their way into print. The part that I am sharing is the section that is the foundation, and completes a segment – Tori’s segment. I ‘wrote it’ and put it out there because I felt like it was time to share.

Do you have a specific writing style?
I think that I do. I try to use language that is easy for most readers to understand, with a few 50-cent words thrown in. I also like to keep it fresh, and try not to repeat words or phrases too often, unless it serves a purpose, which means if I am retelling something, readers should be watching for what is different from one telling to the next. Finally, I think there needs to be a fair amount of description in the story, so my characters are grounded and not floating in space, but at the same time it is not overly so, where you get bogged down in the setting and lose interest in the action of the story.

How did you come up with the title?
My series is called A New Life – and that is exactly what is happening in the story. My heroine, Tori Farrell, has lived a very sad and unusual life, but that is only the beginning. The entire series is about her journey to get a ‘new’ one; a normal one more or less. The book titles have changed from my originals, which I still love, but from a marketing standpoint, they do work much better. Each title, old and new, representing what that segment is about, so it’s like the ‘theme’ of the book in a single word… CAPTIVE, BOUND, ENTWINED, EXPOSED, INDELIBLE, INTREPID and AVENGED.

What do you want your readers to get out of your novels?
My series is like that proverbial onion people always talk about… lots of layers. On the surface, you have the drama and what happened to our girl, and what actions she takes along the way. Beneath that, you get into the how and the why of things; what motivates the characters. At the deepest level, you have the human condition and what makes people who and what they are at their foundation. Not everyone will see all of these things, and I am ok with that. For those that do, this is a very rich experience, and it will move you to the core – that’s what I would like for people to get out of it, if they are ready for it.

Is the book mostly fantasy or do you think these situations could actually happen?
On some level, this is most definitely a realistic scenario, and although all of the pieces coming together in this fashion would be a stretch, each component most definitely can, does, and has happened. That being said, I made the entire thing up – there are slivers of truth woven throughout – ideas or stories that I heard about and stripped down to use some portion of, but the work as a whole is pure fantasy.

What book are you reading now?
Right now I am reading the Sage Seed Chronicles, by Holly Barbo. This is a sci-fi series, and is very imaginative; I love them. She builds an entire world, and quite believable at that.

What are your current projects?
The New Life Series is completed, and only waiting for release. Beyond that, I am researching and doing preliminary writing for my dystopian thriller that will be next.

Do you see writing as a career?
I agreed to teach one more year, so my plate is pretty full once again, with outside commitments. After this year, I will be able to dig in more fully and really throw myself into writing full time. I want it to be my career, but it won’t be my only one for a few more months at least.

Who designed the covers?
The covers are all designed by Nicolene Lorette Designs, and I love her work. Books 1 and 2 were published before, and the covers they have now are far and away more attractive.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Thank you. Thank you for your time and support, and for sharing my work with your friends and family – it is very greatly appreciated!!!

Which comes first? The character's story, or, the idea for the novel?
I would have to say, the character came first, and I built her story around her. At least, that’s how A New Life came about. I am not sure on this next one if that is the case, as I have the idea for a situation, and am playing with who all I would find in that world. I have narrowed down a few characters, and am now exploring who they are and what they are about in the context of the story as it unfolds.









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