Sunday, July 5, 2015

Welcome guest author Juliet Blackwell + book #giveaway!


Juliet Blackwell pens the New York Times Bestselling Witchcraft Mysteries and the Haunted Home Renovation series. As Hailey Lind she wrote the Agatha-Award nominated Art Lover’s Mystery series.  Her upcoming The Paris Key (September 1, 2015) is Juliet’s first standalone novel.  She is past president of Northern California Sisters in Crime and former board member of Mystery Writers of America.  Juliet lives in a hundred-year-old house with extensive botanical gardens in Northern California, but spends as much time as possible in Europe and Latin America.  She believes in the magic of language, travel, and cultural exchange to open hearts, minds, and souls.

By the way, Juliet is offering a book giveaway today. See details below!!

Take it away, Julie!!

Chilaquiles

I was taught to cook by a busy working mother and a father who had been a short-order chef.  Both were children of the depression who never threw anything away.  So using up leftovers was a big theme in our house.  Like so many aspects of childhood that I railed against at the time, I now find myself adhering to them. 

I’m a leftover queen!

And while busy writing the next installment of the Witchcraft Mystery series, I prefer any dish that’s satisfying while quick and easy to prepare.

Chilaquiles is an ingenious dish to use up stale tortillas. It’s a delicious, easy-to-make stove-top Mexican casserole most typically eaten for breakfast.

In its simplest form, Chilaquiles consist of fried tortillas and eggs in a cooked salsa (red or green). Sometimes chicken or other meats, beans, tofu, or extra veggies are added – this is where the leftovers come in. Be creative!

Serve as is, or top the dish with cheese, Mexican crema (a pourable sour cream), raw onions, avocados, cilantro, or hot sauce. Again, use your imagination and any leftovers you can find.


Ingredients:

1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 small corn tortillas, cut into triangles or strips
1/2 cup salsa (fresh or canned is fine)
Shredded chicken, pork, or cubed tofu
1/4 cup leftover pinto or black beans and/or veggies
2 eggs
1/4 avocado
2 tablespoons crumbled queso fresco (or substitute your favorite cheese)
Hot sauce, optional
Roughly chopped cilantro

Directions:

Pour the oil into a cast iron or stainless steel skillet and warm over medium-high heat until shimmery. Add tortilla pieces and fry, stirring and flipping constantly, until browned and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes.




Pour the salsa over the tortillas, and cook, stirring, until the tortillas soak up most of the salsa and soften, about 1 minute. Add beans, cooked meat or veggies or tofu as you like, and stir to heat.



Push the chilaquiles to one side of the pan and lower the heat to medium. Crack the egg toward the middle of the pan. Partially cover the pan and cook until the egg whites are set and the yolk is as done as you like it. Alternatively, whisk the egg in a bowl before adding it to the pan and make scrambled eggs instead. Once cooked, mix up with the chilaquiles to coat the tortillas.



Garnish with the avocado slices, queso fresco, hot sauce, and cilantro. Eat immediately.



* * *
Visit Juliet at www.julietblackwell.net


Spellcasting in Silk, #7 of the Witchcraft Mystery series, features Lily Ivory, natural-born witch and vintage clothes dealer with a shop in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. With her potbellied-pig familiar, Oscar, at her side, Lily finds herself embroiled in magical mystery in the City by the Bay.



Lily would like nothing better than to relax, enjoy her friends, and take care of business at her store, which is booming thanks to San Francisco's upcoming Summer of Love Festival. But as the unofficial witchy consultant to the SFPD, she is pulled into yet another case.

A woman has jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge, and her apparent suicide may be connected to a suspicious botanica in the Mission District. When the police investigate the shop, they ask Lily to look into its mysterious owner, whose granddaughter also appears to be missing. As Lily searches for the truth, she finds herself confronted with a confounding mystery and some very powerful magic…

GIVEAWAY!!

I am offering a giveaway today, your choice of the first or last in the series, Secondhand Spirits or A Vision in Velvet. Leave a comment (hint: click the word "comments" below), include your email or a cryptic version of it that I can figure out, and tell me if you believe in magic!




99 comments:

  1. I do not believe in magic but I would love to read one of your books. I have never met a book I did not like.
    Deana
    Jhdwayne@peoplepc.com

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    1. Yay! I like that attitude! I *have* met a few books I didn't like, but I hope you like Spellcasting in Silk!

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  2. This sounds like a great dish. I will have to try it. Also thank you for the giveaway!
    angelhwk68@yahoo.com

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  3. I think it's good to believe in a little magic - makes life that much more enriching and fun :) Love this recipe and the books sound amazing! EMS591@aol.com

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    1. I hope you'll try both -- I always think there's a little magic in the kitchen!

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  4. I have never had Chilaquiles, but it looks great! Thank you for the recipe.
    I adore this cozy series! Thank you for the chance to win.
    myrifraf(at)gmail(dot)com

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  5. The recipe sounds wonderful. I love this series and I believe in the magic people can do if they are nice and love each other. poohwine1217@gmail.com

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  6. Just saying hi, since I get every book you write anyway--it's the way I visit SF vicariously. And of course there's magic, only most people can't control it.

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    1. Nice to *see* you here, Sheila! We have a mutual admiration society! ;-)

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  7. My niece makes these. I'm not sure if she uses salsa. surfoster at netzero dot net. I'd like the first book. I like to read in order.

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  8. Hi Juliet! Welcome! My daughter in LA talks about chilaquiles all the time. And I'm very anxiously waiting for THE PARIS KEY. this will tide me over:)

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    1. Hello Roberta! (That's what I always think of you as...we're so difficult with our multiple names!) LA has some fabulous chilaquiles ;-) Thank you-- I'm excited about The Paris Key too!

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  9. Hi! The recipe sounds delicious! I love this series, it is one of my favorites. Looking forward to Paris Key. As far as believing in magic, I think so! :-) dnrocker@yahoo.com

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    1. Hi Dawn! Nice to *see* you here! Thank you for following this series, and for trying The Paris Key too!

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  10. Finally getting into witches and ghosts in my cozies. valeriamh@yahoo.com

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    1. Hah! We got you! Seriously, I'm glad you're giving them a try...sometimes we enjoy reading about things we never thought we'd enjoy ;-) And I hope you like Spellcasting in Silk!

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  11. I have never had chilaquiles...thanks for the recipe and chance to win! And I do believe in magic.
    grace dot koshida at gmail dot com

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    1. Chilaquiles are my favorite breakfast food ;-) I hope you win!

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  12. I love your series, would be great to win this book! karenlalsip@gmail.com

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    1. Thank you Karen! I'm glad you know the series and enjoy them -- hope you like Spellcasting in Silk!

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  13. Thanks for joining us today, Juliet! This is a new recipe to me, and it sounds wonderful!

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    1. Thank you for having me, Krista! This is such a great blog. Yes, chilaquiles is very common in Mexico but not seen here as much -- I think you'll enjoy it!

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  14. I do believe in magic. I've seen some unusual things happen and it would be great to win this book. dbahn@iw.net

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    1. Thanks Dianne! Yes, there are some remarkable things in this world...hope you win the book!

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  15. I try to always use my leftover, too, and have made some of my best hot dishes that way---the only trouble is that I can't recreate them. Thanks for the contest.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

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    1. Hahaha yes, that's the problem of being creative with leftovers -- no recipes!

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  16. Don't enter me, but I love simple recipes.

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  17. I believe in magic! thanks for this opportunity. :)
    peggyhyndman(at)att(dot)net

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  18. I believe that everyone should believe in magic. It makes the world more interesting. All of my favorite books are magical. I would prefer the last book in the series.
    Lacunae@email.com

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    1. Hi Rachel! It certainly does make the world more interesting ;-) Thank you for finding me here!

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  19. I love books about witches and magic. Gotta keep the imagination churning. The recipe looks good. I love trying new things. Thanks. bessert57@gmail.com

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    1. Thanks Debbara -- they're such fun to write, as well! I hope you enjoy the books!

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  20. The recipe sounds great, I could go for it right now, but sadly I don't even have any leftovers! I do believe in magic. I do. I do. There's magic in everything and those in tune are able to harness the power. I wish I could use magic like Samantha Stevens and clean my house, but unfortunately, I don't think anyone has that kind of magick!

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    1. Hahahah Katreader, I think we *all* want that kind of magic! But alas, you're right, it doesn't really manifest that way ;-)

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  21. Thanks for this delightful post. I believe in magic since it changes our lives and is in everything we see. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Thank you for dropping by, and for believing in magic! I hope you enjoy the books!

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  22. When we have leftovers we call if French dining "A La Leftovers" I believe in magic.
    pwtish171(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. HI Trish -- I love that: "a la leftovers"! I'm going to have to borrow that ;-)

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  23. I do believe in magic. The world is full of magic, we just need to believe and open ourselves up to it.
    debprice60@gmail.com

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    1. I like that attitude, Deb ;-) And I agree! Hope you enjoy the books!

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  24. That recipe looks great! My aunt makes something like that.Hers has a tortilla,eggs, salsa, avocado, enchilada sauce, and refried beans. The series looks great! Yes, I do believe in magic. Thanks for the giveaway!
    magicgirl2357@yahoo.com

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    1. Mmmm, yes, there are many versions of chilaquiles -- you can put just about anything in them. That's what's so fun about them! Thanks for entering!

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  25. I like to watch movies and read books that have witches and magic in them. I believe in magic and would love a chance to win your book, to see what they are all about. Thank you for the opportunity. crossxjo@hotmail.com

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    1. Thank you for stopping by the blog, and for entering! Practical Magic is one of my favorites ;-) Hope you enjoy the books!

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  26. A great recipe which I will attempt this summer. Magic is a concept which I feel is important to believe in. Best wishes. Thanks for this giveaway. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

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    1. Thank you for stopping by the blog, and for commenting! I think you'll enjoy the recipe -- it's my favorite breakfast ;-) And yay for believing in magic!

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  27. I am a big "cozy" fan! Every one of these giveaway notices highlights another series I am eager to read. Here's another one!! Witches, spells, and magic...oh, my! And add recipes worthy of trying? Priceless! kat8762@aol.com

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    1. Aw, thanks Kathleen! Isn't this a *great* blog? I hope you try one of my cozy series -- I think you'll like them! And try the chilaquiles too, of course ;-) Happy summer!

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  28. Yes I do believe in magic. It's all around us, you've only to open your eyes and mind to see it.

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    1. That's the way I see the world, too ;-) Hope you enjoy the books-- and the recipe!

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  29. I believe that magicians can fool us into believing they can perform magic but not that they truly can do magic. I do love magic acts.

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

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    1. It's interesting, there's such a debate out in the magical community as to what's a trick, and what's magic...or if magic is simply a state of mind. I don't think anyone knows for sure ;-) Hope you enjoy the recipe, and the books!

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  30. I do believe in magic although my leftovers i never can turn into a great magic dish! lol Anyway I love books and mystery and thank you so much for the recipe.

    ptclayton2@aol.com

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    1. This dish is pretty easy -- I hope you give it a try! And thank you for reading!!!

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  31. Thanks for the recipe. I love to work magic with my leftovers especially when everyone
    enjoys eating whatever I whip up. My favorite magic is the sky.....sunrise, sunset,
    thunderstorms, snow clouds and rainbows. Thanks for the chance to win
    Carol Smith
    penelope223(at) yahoo(dot) com

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    1. That's some of my favorite magic, as well! I live in California, so I can't get enough of the redwood forests ;-)

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  32. Aren't leftovers marvelous? So many possibilities. This looks like a great way to start the day...or any other time as well.
    Magic? Absolutely!

    libbydodd at comcast dot net

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    1. Thanks Libby! I do love leftovers...and books, too ;-)

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  33. Would love to try one of your books!

    bookselr@sbcglobal.net

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    1. Thank you Cindi! I hope you'll give one of them a try!

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  34. I love this blog with the combination of great authors and recipes. I haven't read any of your books but would love to. servedogmom@yahoo.com

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    1. I hope you'll give the books a try! And I agree, what a wonderful blog! These women never fail to impress ;-)

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  35. I Love Mysteries, sure would be nice to have a chance to win one. Thanks for this amazing Giveaway, it sure is appreciated. Linda May.

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    1. Thanks Linda May! Best of luck in the giveaway -- and I saw your email below, thanks!

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  36. Lily and and a potbelly pig named Oscar sound like an interesting pair. Would love to read this series. Enjoyed reading the recipe too.
    Bettyjo.English@gmail.com

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    1. I do think they're an interesting pair! I hope you'll give the series a try. Thanks, BJ!

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  37. Lily and and a potbelly pig named Oscar sound like an interesting pair. Would love to read this series. Enjoyed reading the recipe too.
    Bettyjo.English@gmail.com

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  38. I love your haunted house renovation series. I've ordered the Spellcasting in silk book.
    peggy_rose@hotmail.com

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    1. Thanks Peggy! I have such fun writing the Haunted Home Renovation series! And this one too -- it's fun to switch between the two. Thanks for preordering Spellcasting in Silk!

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  39. I just wrote a comment & forgot my email is: lindamay4852@yahoo.com, thanks for letting me add this. Linda May.

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  40. I believe in magical things happening when people truly feel cared for and loved, especially. That "magic" can make all the difference in the world to those people. Our family believes very much in the "magic" of adoption and how children's lives have been changed forever by having a forever family. I like the idea of magic and it makes you wish for things that you may end up striving to attain but wouldn't have ever found if you had not believe in the power of magic.

    I am looking forward to your new release. Reading can be very "magical" that is for sure. I have been to many countries and traveled to many exotic locations and never had to leave my recliner. That is magical.

    Thank you for the giveaway.
    Cynthia
    ceblain(AT)tmlponline(DOT)net.

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    1. I think that's about the nicest way to think of magic I've ever read! That's beautiful. Thank you for adopting, I think it's an amazing thing to do -- and yes, quite magical. And you're right -- for many of us, reading is our magical time!

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  41. Thanks for a chance to win your giveaway. I am new to your series and would love to win one. Recipe sounds good. TFS.

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    1. Thanks, Babe! Thanks for reading, and I hope you try the recipe -- and the book!

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  42. Thanks for the chance to win. Can't wait to read the newest book. I follow both your main series and am always impatiently awaiting the next one. doward1952@yahoo.com

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    1. Thank you Doward! I'm so glad to hear you follow the series -- there are more in the works! Hope you continue to enjoy.

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  43. Love both series immensely! As an ardent fan, I must rave about your novella containing both Lily and Mel. Please tell more are in the works??

    leilani_hauge@hotmail.com

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    1. Hello Leilani, I would LOVE to write another intermix novella, but nothing's in the works so far. Fingers crossed for this year, though. Glad you liked it!

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    2. Then there's a grain of Hope!! At this point, I am willing to take anything I can get hahaha! Do you have a website?

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  44. The new sounds exciting. Thank you for the chance to win a book.

    knightj4@gmail.com

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  45. Is there anyone who DOESN"T believe in magic???

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    1. Haha! Lots of folks! But my definition is pretty broad, including the sound of a child's laugh or the proverbial sunset ;-)

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  46. I believe but alas, no talent! I'm waiting so impatiently for the book in each of the series!
    Kkdurban@gmail.com

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    1. Thank you so much! I hope you continue to enjoy them! Happy summer ;-)

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  47. I believe but alas, no talent! I'm waiting so impatiently for the book in each of the series!
    Kkdurban@gmail.com

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  48. Yes I believe in magic. I would like A Vision in Velvet, if I win.
    sharame_v80@yahoo.com

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  49. Yum..now I'm hungry again. I would love to read this. Thank you for the chance.
    Marilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com

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  50. Of course I believe in magic! ツ I would love Secondhand Spirits. I have been interested in this series for awhile now but have yet to read them. So many of you great authors out there!
    bpwoodfield@gmail.com

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  51. Julie, thanks for joining us! The winner, by random selection, is Linda May. Linda, you'll have until Wednesday to contact Julie. I'll be putting the two of you in touch via email. Congrats! ~ Daryl aka Avery

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  52. I'd love to win the first in the series. Sounds so much fun.
    I don'r really believe in magic, but it's fun to read about and pretend!
    Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net

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