2019 Royal Dragonfly Book Award Winners


Grand Prize Winner:

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 I'm Your Daughter, Julie: Caring for a Parent with Dementia by Julie A. Gorges


$100 Drawing Winner:

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The Toronto Embryo by Judith Fournie Helms

 

Activity Books

1st Place: Albert by Beth W. Roberts

2nd Place: Myself, My Responsibility: Tools to Self-advocate by Lori Ciccarelli Stotko, MPS, Jeremy Brooks

Honorable Mention:

Chloe Counting Workbook by Suzan Johnson, Tiffany Doherty

 
Aging/Senior Living

1st Place: I'm Your Daughter, Julie: Caring for a Parent with Dementia by Julie A. Gorges

 

Animals/Pets

1st Place: Coco & Olive: The Color of Love by Michelle Madrid-Branch with Eviana Tiblet Branch, Erin Darling

2nd Place: The Magical Journey Bob Crane by Karen Nicksich, Pam Sharp

               

 Audiobooks

1st Place: Shadowed by Death: An Oliver Wright WWII Mystery by Mary Adler

2nd Place (tie): Trail of the Warrior by R.H. Pfeiffer

2nd Place (tie): Code 7: Cracking the Code for an Epic Life by Bryan R. Johnson

Honorable Mention:

The Right Staff by Debra Spence


Best Cover Design

1st Place: Cami Kangaroo Has Too Much Stuff! by Stacy C. Bauer, Rebecca Sinclair

2nd Place: The Wonderful Adventures of Wandering Willy & Wendy: Willy Visits Japan by Charles Winslow and Brandon Taylor

 
Best Illustrations

1st Place (tie): Albert by Beth W. Roberts

1st Place (tie): Ellie and Her Emotional Dragons by Joseph Goodrich, Traci Van Wagoner

2nd Place: Cami Kangaroo Has Too Many Sweets! by Stacy C. Bauer, Rebecca Sinclair

Honorable Mention:

Relay by Roy Lieberman                              

Jet & Scoot: A Story About Us by Stephanie Smith-Kenny, Lauren Looney

Tex the Explorer: Journey Around the Earth by Ellie Smith, Eyen Johnson          

 

 Best Interior Design

1st Place: Kia and Klondike's Adventures by Anna Grob

2nd Place: One Little Bella by Georgina Schroeder, Sam Balling

Honorable Mention:

The Magical Journey Bob Crane by Karen Nicksich, Pam Sharp

 
Biography/Autobiography/Memoir

1st Place: How Languages Saved Me: A Polish Story of Survival by Tadeusz Haska and Stefanie Naumann         

2nd Place: Mother of Souls: The Story of a Holocaust Survivor by Adena Astrowsky

Honorable Mention:

Midpoint by James Hill 

 
Book Flyer

1st Place: Yazzy's Amazing Yarn by Cathey Nickell, Emily Calimlim          

2nd Place: Trail of the Warrior by R.H. Pfeiffer

  

Book Trailer

1st Place: Your Body's Environmental Chemical Burden by Cindy Klement         

2nd Place: The Sheriff's Catch by James Vella-Bardon

Honorable Mention:

Spreading Her Wings (Butterfly Princess) by Alisa Hope Wagner, Albert Morales

Yazzy's Amazing Yarn by Cathey Nickell, Emily Calimlim               

 

Bookmark

1st Place: Trail of the Warrior by R.H. Pfeiffer  

 

Business & Finance

1st Place: RetireSMART! by Mark Anthony Grimaldi

2nd Place: The Right Staff by Debra Spence

  

Chapter Books

1st Place: Growing Up Behind the Scenes by Deborah Smith Ford, Susi Galloway

2nd Place: On The Little Apple by Deborah Smith Ford, Susi Galloway

Honorable Mention:

A Little Goat in Africa by Deborah Smith Ford, Susi Galloway   

  

Children’s Poetry

1st Place (tie): Whinny Nicker Neigh: Equine Interviews by Shellby Young         

1st Place (tie): Whinny Nicker Neigh: Mountain Mustangs by Shellby Young     

1st Place (tie): Whinny Nicker Neigh: Pony Poetry by Shellby Young

2nd Place: Gibber, Animal Acrostics by Raven Howell

Honorable Mention:

YOU - ME: Poetry for kids by kids by Gabriela Aliaga and Adrian Aliaga

  

Coffee Table/Gift Books

Honorable Mention: Mondays in October by Sheree K. Nielsen             

 

Cultural Diversity

Honorable Mention: The Wonderful Adventures of Wandering Willy & Wendy: Willy Visits Japan by Charles Winslow and Brandon Taylor

 

Educational

1st Place: One School's Journey by Eleanor K. Smith and Margaret Pastor

2nd Place (tie): Myself, My Responsibility: Tools to Self-advocate by Lori Ciccarelli Stotko, MPS, Jeremy Brooks               

2nd Place (tie): Careering: The Pocket Guide to Exploring Your Future Career by Tamara Raymond

Honorable Mention:

The Awesome Reading Adventures of Super Sammy and Marvelous Megan by Vanessa Caraveo

Greater the Expectations...Greater the Achievements! by Shirley Gholston Key, Ed.D.                

Queen Vernita Conquers the Volcanic Islands by Dr. Dawn Menge, Pamela Snyder

  

Fiction: Collection of Short Stories

Honorable Mention: A Way Out of Nowhere: Stories by Nancy Gerber              

  

Fiction: Novel

1st Place: The Crossroads of Logan Michaels by James Roberts

2nd Place: Running with the Wolves by J.E. Reed

Honorable Mention:

Solid Steel Knife by Michael Minton                      

At a Homeland Dell: Where's the Lost Key Kell? by Alene Adele Roy

Mikey and Me by William Andrews                       

In the Shadow of War by Patrick M. Garry                         

The God Child by Stuart Rawlings                           

Dead Men Don't Cry by Emory Cosgrove


Fine Art/Photography

1st Place: Mondays in October by Sheree K. Nielsen     


Graphic Novel

 1st Place: F'lorna of Rodesh by Alisa Hope Wagner, Albert Morales

 

Green Books/Environmental

1st Place (tie): And The Trees Began To Move by Lisa Gammon Olson, Lauren Rutledge             

1st Place (tie): Your Body's Environmental Chemical Burden by Cindy Klement

2nd Place: At a Homeland Dell: Where's the Lost Key Kell? by Alene Adele Roy

                 

Historical Nonfiction

1st Place (tie): And Then They Were Gone: Teenagers of Peoples Temple from High School to Jonestown by Judy Bebelaar and Ron Cabral

1st Place (tie): How Languages Saved Me: A Polish Story of Survival by Tadeusz Haska and Stefanie Naumann

2nd Place: Killing Pat Garrett, the Wild West's Most Famous Lawman - Murder or Self-Defense? by David G. Thomas

  

How-To

 1st Place (tie): The Mystery Shopper Training Program by Bethany Mooradian

1st Place (tie): I'm Your Daughter, Julie: Caring for a Parent with Dementia by Julie A. Gorges

 

Humor

 Honorable Mention: Horror at Terror Creek by Regan W. H. Macaulay               

 

Middle Grade Fiction

1st Place (tie): Hidden Scales by A.M. Robin

1st Place (tie): Life in the Grand Pause  by Frank Saraco

  

Mystery

1st Place (tie): Shadowed by Death: An Oliver Wright WWII Mystery by Mary Adler

1st Place (tie): Bones of Skull Island by M.A. Duvernet and Chase Stevens

2nd Place: The Red Hand by Michael Stephen Daigle

Honorable Mention:

At a Homeland Dell: Where's the Lost Key Kell? by Alene Adele Roy

Dead Men Don't Cry by Emory Cosgrove                            

Saxxons in Witherston: A Witherston Murder Mystery by Betty Jean Craige     

Tigers Love Bubble Baths & Obsession Perfume (who knew!) by Mary K. Savarese, Kellie Emery

 
New Author: Fiction

1st Place: The Curse of Purgatory Cove by Pete A. O'Donnell

2nd Place (tie): No Fish For Charles by Tracy Detz, Monika Suska

2nd Place (tie): Being Small (Isn't So Bad After All) by Lori Orlinsky, Vanessa Alexandre

Honorable Mention:

The Crossroads of Logan Michaels by James Roberts    

Bailey Brings Her Friends Together with Music by Kali Bate

Where Does the Man In The Moon Go During the Day? by Jared Jackson

Ellie and Her Emotional Dragons by Joseph Goodrich, Traci Van Wagoner

Mikey and Me by William Andrews                       

Jet & Scoot: A Story About Us by Stephanie Smith-Kenny, Lauren Looney

Trail of the Warrior by R.H. Pfeiffer

Tigers Love Bubble Baths & Obsession Perfume (who knew!) by Mary K. Savarese, Kellie Emery           

The Wonderful Adventures of Wandering Willy & Wendy: Willy Visits Japan    Charles Winslow and Brandon Taylor

 

 New Author: Nonfiction

1st Place: Midpoint by James Hill

2nd Place: The 50-Year Secret by Julie MacNeil

Honorable Mention:

How Languages Saved Me: A Polish Story of Survival by Tadeusz Haska and Stefanie Naumann

 

Other Nonfiction

 1st Place: And Then They Were Gone: Teenagers of Peoples Temple from High School to Jonestown by Judy Bebelaar and Ron Cabral

2nd Place: The Wrongful Conviction of Oscar Pistorius by Brent Willock

Honorable Mention:

Kia: A Puppy's Great Adventures by Anna Grob

 

Parenting

 1st Place: Autism Uncensored: Pulling Back the Curtain by Whitney Ellenby      

2nd Place: Raising Independent, Self-Confident Kids: Nine Essential Skills to Teach Your Child or Teen by Wendy L. Moss, PhD, and Donald A. Moses, MD 

Honorable Mention:

Strong Roots Have No Fear by Aditi Wardhan Singh

  

Philosophy

1st Place: Trail of the Warrior by R.H. Pfeiffer  

 

Picture Books 5 & Younger

1st Place (tie): Cami Kangaroo Has Too Many Sweets! by Stacy C. Bauer, Rebecca Sinclair

1st Place (tie): Cami Kangaroo Has Too Much Stuff! by Stacy C. Bauer, Rebecca Sinclair

1st Place (tie): Ellie and Her Emotional Dragons by Joseph Goodrich, Traci Van Wagoner

1st Place (tie): No Fish For Charles by Tracy Detz, Monika Suska             

1st Place (tie): Winston Versus the Snow by Savannah Hendricks, Liliya Todorova

2nd place: Tex the Explorer: Journey Around the Earth by Ellie Smith, Eyen Johnson

Honorable Mention:

The Cows Go Moo! by Jim Petipas                         

The Shapes That Tried To Escape by John McCoy, Anna Williams

Coco & Olive: The Color of Love by Michelle Madrid-Branch with Eviana Tiblet Branch, Erin Darling     

The Mustache Fairy by Adrianna Ahern Donat, William G.A. Roth

The Little Apple by Deborah Smith Ford, Susi Galloway

Just The Way That I Am by Tanya Fraser

  

Picture Books 6 & Older

 1st Place (tie): Ellie and Her Emotional Dragons by Joseph Goodrich, Traci Van Wagoner

1st Place (tie): I'll Always Clap for You by T. Lynn, Marty Petersen

1st Place (tie): Yazzy's Amazing Yarn by Cathey Nickell, Emily Calimlim

2nd Place (tie): Older by Emmanuella Macri

2nd Place (tie): Woulda Been by Penny Ledbetter, Krystal Smith

2nd Place (tie): My Name is Curly by Andi C. Kryszak, G.C. Schlea

Honorable Mention:

The Man Who Wanted to Pet Every Dog in the World by Bradley Holley, Emese Aalto

Another Tuesday at popcorn elementary teamwork by Meeka Wojo, Ivan Wojo

Albert by Beth W. Roberts                         

Chasing the Sun by Sirui Li, Kiki Kang    

When Kids Switch Houses  by Lauren Gould, Mary Biswas         

Esie Explores Beneficial Bacteria by Smiljka Kitanovic   

No, No, Elizabeth by Carmen K. Jimenez, Claudia Tenorio Pearl

On The Little Apple by Deborah Smith Ford, Susi Galloway

Tex the Explorer: Journey Around the Earth by Ellie Smith, Eyen Johnson

The Happiest Birthday Ever by Stephanie Berger

The Warrior Princess by D.L. Murphy                   

Monica and Michelle Travel the World by Vera Harris, Gaurav Bhatnager

No Fish For Charles by Tracy Detz, Monika Suska           

She Was Anacaona, The Golden Flower Queen by Viviana S. Torres, Maria Ocampo

Spreading Her Wings (Butterfly Princess) by Alisa Hope Wagner, Albert Morales           

The Little Apple by Deborah Smith Ford, Susi Galloway               

Imagine That: The Magic of the Mysterious Lights by George Yuhasz, Egle Bartolini

Charlie Wants to Play! by Alison Mays, Evan Clagg        

A Little Goat in Africa by Deborah Smith Ford, Susi Galloway

One Little Bella by Georgina Schroeder, Sam Balling     

Queen Vernita Conquers the Volcanic Islands by Dr. Dawn Menge, Pamela Snyder

Mighty Mommies and Their Amazing Jobs by Donald Jacobsen, Graham Evans

Jet & Scoot: A Story About Us by Stephanie Smith-Kenny, Lauren Looney

Oscar Goes to School by Meaghan Fisher and Emma Rose Fisher-Rowe, Timothy Rowe

  

Poetry

 1st Place: Mondays in October by Sheree K. Nielsen     

2nd Place: Walking on a Moonbeam And Other Views from the Creekbank by Bill McDonald

Honorable Mention:    

A Dime is a Sign by Sherrill S. Cannon, Kalpart  

Confessions of a Barefaced Woman by Allison Joseph 

  

Psychology

1st Place: Trail of the Warrior by R.H. Pfeiffer                  

2nd Place: The Wrongful Conviction of Oscar Pistorius by Brent Willock

  

Relationships

1st Place: At a Homeland Dell: Where's the Lost Key Kell? by Alene Adele Roy                

2nd Place: The Dancing Clock: Reflections on Family, Love, and Loss by Nancy Gerber

  

Religion/Spirituality

 1st Place: Trail of the Warrior by R.H. Pfeiffer  

2nd Place: Platinum Faith by Michelle Medlock Adams and Bethany Jett

Honorable Mention:

The God Child by Stuart Rawlings

 
Science Fiction/Fantasy

1st Place: Dragon's Truth by Leanne Pankuch

2nd Place: Running with the Wolves by J.E. Reed

Honorable Mention:

The God Child by Stuart Rawlings                           

F'lorna of Rodesh by Alisa Hope Wagner, Albert Morales           

A Foreign Shore: The Company of Women by Forrest Johnson, Liz Clarke

  

Self-Help/Inspirational

1st Place: I'm Your Daughter, Julie: Caring for a Parent with Dementia by Julie A. Gorges          

2nd Place: You Are Loved by Antonia Aviles, Lovyaa Garg

Honorable Mention:

The 50-Year Secret by Julie MacNeil      

Trail of the Warrior by R.H. Pfeiffer

 

Special Needs/Disability Awareness

 1st Place (tie): Autism Uncensored: Pulling Back the Curtain by Whitney Ellenby            

1st Place (tie): Myself, My Responsibility: Tools to Self-advocate by Lori Ciccarelli Stotko, MPS, Jeremy Brooks

2nd Place: To Root & To Rise: Accepting Brain Injury by Carole J. Starr, M.S.

 

Sports

 1st Place: Pace: A Book about Running, Not Running, and Taming My Inner ******* by Ann Mandt Hall           

                 

STEM

1st Place: Esie Explores Beneficial Bacteria by Smiljka Kitanovic

 

Travel

 Honorable Mention: Yes, the World is Round, Part I, Sailing in the Wake of Early Explorers and History Makers by Donna Hill          

 

Unpublished Manuscript

1st Place: Get Your Life Together, Girl by Danielle Vann

2nd Place: The Land of Sugary by Arthur C. Morton

Honorable Mention:

Jon and the Toymakers by Arthur C. Morton                    

Four Days by William Andrews

 

Young Adult Fiction

 1st Place: Shards of Light by Susan Miura

2nd Place: Remeon's Quest: Earth Year 1930 by J.W. Garrett    

Honorable Mention:

Neffatira's First Challenge by Tom Xavier                           

Dragon's Truth by Leanne Pankuch                       

The Crossroads of Logan Michaels by James Roberts    

At a Homeland Dell: Where's the Lost Key Kell? by Alene Adele Roy

Below the Moon: The 8th Island Trilogy, Book 2, A Novel by Alexis Marie Chute

Lizardville: Jimmy's Curse by Steve Altier, Philip Benjamin

The Toronto Embryo by Judith Fournie Helms                 

F'lorna of Rodesh by Alisa Hope Wagner, Albert Morales

Bones of Skull Island by M.A. Duvernet and Chase Stevens                                       

Saxxons in Witherston: A Witherston Murder Mystery by Betty Jean Craige     

 

 Young Adult Nonfiction

1st Place: Careering: The Pocket Guide to Exploring Your Future Career by Tamara Raymond

  

Youth Author Fiction

 Honorable Mention: Bailey Brings Her Friends Together with Music by Kali Bate

  

* E-Book Award Winners *

 

Best Cover Design

1st Place: The Sheriff's Catch by James Vella-Bardon

 

Best Illustrations

1st Place: Lacy's Magic Tree by L.F. Sarrouf, Lion Farrington

2nd Place: Pirate Bear by Sonya Song, Javier Ratti           

  

Biography/Autobiography/Memoir

1st Place: Not a Blueprint: It's the Shoe Prints That Matter - A Journey Through Toxic Relationships by Nina Norstrom

                                 

Children’s Poetry

1st Place: Lacy's Magic Tree by L.F. Sarrouf, Lion Farrington

2nd Place: City of More by Sonya Song, Daniel Howard

  

Cultural Diversity

Honorable Mention: Halloween at Lukes by Priya Pasumarthy

  

Green Books/Environmental

1st Place: Your Body's Environmental Chemical Burden by Cindy Klement

2nd Place: Lacy's Magic Tree by L.F. Sarrouf, Lion Farrington

 

Fiction: Novel

1st Place: The Sheriff's Catch by James Vella-Bardon

 

Historical Fiction

1st Place: The Sheriff's Catch by James Vella-Bardon

 

New Author: Fiction

Honorable Mention: Splish Splash Born in the Bath by Michelle Eliason, Katherine Olenic

  

Picture Books 5 & Younger

1st Place: Relay by Roy Lieberman          

2nd Place: Splish Splash Born in the Bath by Michelle Eliason, Katherine Olenic

                 

Picture Books 6 & Older


1st Place: Relay by Roy Lieberman

2nd Place: Persephone by Simon Spence

Honorable Mention:

A Family Dinner by Cory Q. Tan                               

A Dream by Cory Q. Tan                              

Theodore the Unfortunate Bear by Cory Q. Tan                              

City of More by Sonya Song, Daniel Howard

                                 

Poetry

1st Place: Cinema Stanzas Two: Poet Laureate of the Movies by Betty Jo Tucker

  

Special Needs/Disability Awareness

1st Place: Bipolar Disorder: Etiology and Treatment Overview: Mindfulness, Medication, Digital Psychiatry and Classroom Accommodations by Maria Santiago-Valentín                           

  

Young Adult Fiction

1st Place: Where You Lead by Leslea Wahl         

2nd Place: The Unity: A Predictive Fantasy by H. Barton Wilson

Honorable Mention:

The Secrets of Elimeare: Wielder of Light by Suzy Rosenow

To enter the Story Monsters Approved or Dragonfly Book Awards programs,
visit dragonflybookawards.com.

Sponsored by Story Monsters LLC

Author Spotlight: Patricia M. McClure-Chessier


As an author, educator, healthcare professional, and speaker, Patricia M McClure-Chessier’s life reads like an individual who is very compassionate, caring, inspirational, tenacious, and industrious. Her passion for learning started when she use to play school with the children in the neighborhood, and her role was the teacher. Her love for writing developed through creative writing and poetry in grade school. She admits that writing is therapeutic and fulfilling for her. “I write because I want to preserve myself and leave my legacy in writing,” she says. Patricia’s first published book Losing a Hero to Alzheimer’s: The Story of Pearl was a first-place winner in the Aging/Senior Living and Relationships categories and an Honorable Mention winner in the Biography/Memoir category at the 2016 Royal Dragonfly Book Awards.

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Where did you grow up?
I grew up in the city of Chicago.

Did you read a lot as a child?
Yes! I loved to read as a child. Reading allowed me to expand my imagination. It also gave me a chance to escape from difficult situations going on around me.

What were some of your favorite authors and books?
My favorite books were the Box Car Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner, Beezus & Ramona by Beverly Clearly and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

What did you want to be when you grew up?
I always wanted to be a psychologist or a teacher.

Tell us about some of the jobs you’ve had before you became an author/writer?        
I have worked in the behavioral healthcare field for the past 25 years. After graduating with my Bachelors in Psychology from Eastern Illinois University, I worked in the capacity of a direct care provider, case manager, and director at a residential and vocational facility for people with intellectual disabilities and mental illness. As newlyweds, my husband Eric and I took care of my mother who had Alzheimer’s. Later I had children and went back to school to obtain my masters in business administration and masters in public administration, all while working as an Associate Clinical Director/Senior Leader at a behavioral healthcare outpatient organization. As time progressed, I made the transition to work as a Healthcare Executive Leader in Risk Management and Quality at a behavioral healthcare hospital. Throughout my career, I have written several articles for major newspapers and magazines. Additionally, I am an adjunct professor and teach college healthcare courses.

How did you get started writing?
As a small child I enjoyed writing, especially creative writing and poetry. One of my fondest memories was when I was 12 years old, I wrote a poem titled “He Say She Say” and entered it into a poetry contest for Ebony Jr. Magazine, and it got selected for publishing. My parents were so proud! Also, in grammar school and high school I was on the newspaper and yearbook committee.

Why do you write books?
Thus far, my books have been about my journey and experience caring for my mother who had Alzheimer’s. I want to persuade the readers to do the right thing, inform them based on my professional and personal experience all while entertaining them. I find sharing knowledge fulfilling because the information will be valuable to someone else. I believe we are all helpers to one another on this earth and I relish in doing my part! I want readers to understand how the disease affects the individual, caregiver, and family. I want them to be more equipped to handle the situation.  

What do you like best about writing?
Writing to me is magical! I can be free, transparent, and authentic. All of my writings thus far have been nonfiction. When I write, I start to relive the experience, and sometimes this can be good, but sometimes it can be depressing. Writing about my personal experiences is very therapeutic for me. If my past experience takes me to an emotional state, I know there is more healing that needs to take place. I write because I want to share my journey, love, experience, and highlight what God has brought me through.

What do you find the most challenging about writing?
Finding the time to write is always my biggest challenge! I live a very busy life and I have to manage my time wisely.

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Where do you get your inspiration?
I get my inspiration from my parents. Both of my parents spent valuable time with me. I had a special relationship with the both my parents. Their strengths and weaknesses complimented each other as parents. I believe I got the best of both worlds. Although both my parents are deceased, I get inspired from the legacy they left. Both my parents were goal-oriented, motivated, committed, loyal, and hard-working. My parents believed that I could do anything and convinced me that I could. My husband, children, and friends are a great inspiration to me as well. I also get inspired by watching other successful people. I gravitate towards autobiographies because I am always curious about the story behind the success.  

Tell us about your latest book
In A Caregivers Guide for Alzheimer’s and Dementia: 9 Key Principles, I share how being a caregiver for someone with Alzheimer’s or Dementia can be a stressful and a thankless job. The experienced caregiver will garner additional strategies to help prevent burnout and gain additional insight on how to handle challenging situations. The reader will learn to employ techniques with the person with Alzheimer’s/Dementia when they are noncompliant with active daily living skills or exhibiting unwelcoming behaviors. Additionally, it offers a unique perspective on how to be successful as a caregiver with a limited support system. Everybody can’t be a caregiver, but we can all participate in care giving! The 9 key principles will teach the reader how to survive this tumultuous journey and remain physically and mentally healthy.

What’s next for you?
I have been working on a screen play that I hope to have completed soon. I’m learning writing a screenplay from a book is more challenging than I realized. But I’m up for the challenge.

 

For more information on Patricia M. McClure-Chessier and her books, visit losingaherotoalzheimersthestoryofpearl.com.

 

November is Alzheimer's Awareness Month

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