Posts By Lindsey Loucks
13 Questions With @JodyAKessler
Hello, everybody! Today I have the lovely Jody Kessler, author of Death Lies Between Us, with us, and she’s agreed to be interrogated! Yay, Jody!
Here we go!
1. What is your favorite smell? Grape candy. Grape has been my favorite since I was born. I don’t eat fake grape flavoring anymore, but I love the smell.
2. Very interesting. Would you rather live in a mountain hideaway or a beach house? Okay, both. I already live in a mountain hideaway, so can I have a beach house too? The ocean calls my name all the time. I’m a Pisces, I can’t help it.
3. You can have a beach house too only if I can come visit. What’s your favorite drink? Grape. Did I already use that answer? So, just for today, I’m really enjoying hot black tea with cream and sugar — simple and yummy.
4. Cats or dogs? Dogs. Cat hair makes me want to scratch my face off.
5. Cats will sometimes scratch your face off for you! Did you learn anything today? If so, what? Mentos in diet coke does not always explode. Apparently you have to have the correct ratio. My four year old was learning this with me earlier. And, by the way, vinegar and baking soda will shoot up like a geyser. (We’ve been making volcanoes for the last few days.)
6. That sounds like great fun! What makes you laugh? Being silly with my kid. His laugh always makes me laugh. It’s the greatest sound in the universe.
7. That is so sweet. Do you watch sports? Why or why not? I have a hard time watching most sports. It doesn’t hold my interest and I am the least competitive person in the world. That being said, I have an unwarranted passion for ice hockey and WRC rally car racing.
8. What’s the last movie you watched? Watch movies? Who has time for that? It’s been a while, but I think it was Pirates! Band of Misfits. I kinda dig claymation.
9. Here’s a free plane ticket! Where would you like to go? Ireland, Iceland, and Scotland. I have a weird obsession with that area of the world. And thanks, I’ve been dying to go there for some time now. (I’ve been to Scotland once, but I really want to go back.) My latest work in progress has a twisted misadventure in Northern Ireland. It’s been fun to write characters and scenes there.
10. Take me with you! What’s something about yourself that really annoys you? I can be a bit obsessive. I usually know when I’m doing it, and I still can’t stop. It’s typically something trivial, like not being able to find my favorite pen or trying to rid my couch of dog hair.
11. I can relate to that. What’s the name of the book you’re reading? Oooh, I’m currently reading an ARC of Relics by Maer Wilson. It’s due out in May. I feel special because I get to read it before anyone else does. I have another pre-release that I’m excited about. The Grave Winner. I think you may be familiar with that one.
😉
12. I may have heard of that title somewhere… Summer or winter? Summer!!!! I’m not opposed to winter. I live at 8,600 ft. and winter lasts about 7-8 months. After that long, the cold gets annoying and a few warm months are really nice.
13. Why do you write? If I don’t write, I turn into a scary beast that nags, complains, and cleans house — obsessively, of course.
Thanks, Lindsey, for having me over at your place.
Any time, Jody. Any time. 😀
So that was the wonderful Jody. Here’s a bit more about Death Lies Between Us.
Blurb
Saving the life of someone you love should not be the worst thing you have ever done, unless you are an Angel of Death.
Disgruntled with his position in the afterlife and conflicted by his feelings toward his new client, Nathaniel Evans forgoes the rules and saves nineteen year old Juliana Crowson from being hopelessly stuck in Forge Creek. This alters Juliana’s destiny and she finds herself in a series of near death accidents.
In the mountains of Colorado, Nathaniel comforts Juliana as she struggles to understand her paranormal abilities while coping with her brother’s drug addiction. When an ill-tempered Native American Shaman teaches her the difference between ghosts and place memories, she decides she wants nothing to do with the supernatural world. Too bad she doesn’t know that Nathaniel is part of it.
Will fate bring these two together, or has Nathaniel made the biggest mistake of his afterlife?
Bio
Jody A. Kessler enjoys writing paranormal novels and is a member of Pikes Peak Writers. She is a yoga instructor, Reiki Master, and a graduate from the Colorado Institute of Massage Therapy. When she took an extended leave from her massage practice to stay at home with her newborn she returned to her first true passion —writing. She spends most of her time being a mother, writing, and teaching yoga, but also likes going to concerts, hiking, practicing herbal medicine, and reading anything that catches her interest. Jody lives in the mountains of Colorado with her family.
She welcomes visitors to her website www.jodyakessler.com
Buy a copy on Amazon
Or connect with her here: Facebook Goodreads Twitter Pinterest
Violet Dawn by #LynnRush
Today is my birthday, and I’m celebrating with a Violet Dawn blog party! There’s virtual triple chocolate cake, too, so grab a plate and read on! At the end of this post is a link to a Rafflecopter giveaway for a Kindle!
First, check out this gorgeous cover.
Truly awesome! Here’s the blurb:
In the darkest place, the Light shines brightest.
Emma’s love saved Jake from life as a vampire. But their happily ever after is threatened by a savage Vamp seeking retribution for destroying the Avenos Trinity of Evil.
A mysterious stranger enters the mix, coinciding with the first Vamp attack in months. Emma’s new friendship, and the suspicion and deceit surrounding it, further drives a wedge between her and Jake.
To complicate things, Emma is bitten by a Vamp with abilities no one has ever seen before, and that bite has left its mark.
A mark that might tear Jake and Emma apart forever…
Check out the Book Trailer!
Here’s the 411:
Title:Violet Dawn (Violet Night #2)
Author:Lynn Rush
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Crescent Moon Press
Release Date: April 1st, 2013
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Violet-Dawn-Lynn-Rush/dp/1939173213
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17160459-violet-dawn
Here’s the author bio and her links:
Driven to write, Lynn Rush often sees her characters by closing her eyes watching their story unfold in her mind. Lynn Rush is a pen name that is a combination of two sources – Lynn, the first name of her mother-in-law, who passed away and Rush –since the author is a former inline speed skater and mountain biker. All of Rush’s books are dedicated to Lynn, her namesake, and a portion of the proceeds benefits cancer research and awareness.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LynnRushWrites
Twitter: www.twitter.com/LynnRush
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/lynnrushwrites/
Website: http://www.lynnrush.com
AND THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY!
#petthecover – Oh, It’s My Cover!
Do I even need to tell you how much I love it? Probably not, but I will anyway.
When I first saw the email from Crescent Moon Press with a subject line that said ‘Grave Winner cover art,’ I stopped breathing. What if I hated it? What if I liked it? What if I loved it so much I started crying? I’d been waiting for that moment for a long time, after all. I was at work in the school library at the time, and I quickly glanced around to make sure no one would see me open it in case I did cry. Hey, don’t judge. I’m a crier.
I opened the email and gasped. There was Leigh, just like I’d imagined her, sitting on tree roots in a graveyard. It was absolutely perfect. I didn’t cry, probably because I repeated to myself over and over, “Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Don’t cry.” I replied back in all capital letters how much I loved it.
The cover designer is Liliana Sanches, aka the Princess of Shadows. She’s a genius and a wizard. I sent her a gushing thank you through Facebook when I got home from work that day.
I’ve accomplished very little since I saw the cover because I can’t stop staring at it.
Don’t forget to add this to your Goodreads list if creepy YA paranormal fantasy is to your liking! Oh! I guess I should tell you it releases May 15, 2013.
A Ranger’s Tale New Cover Release Party
My lovely writer buddy and critique partner, Mysti Parker, has a new cover for her already released A Ranger’s Tale. It’s an amazing book. I loved it so much, I proclaimed myself the president of Mysti’s fan club.
So, to celebrate the new cover, she’s throwing a party tonight!! Here are the details:
The world of Tallenmere was born in January, 2011 with this first exciting story about Caliphany, an elven noblewoman who longs to leave her gilded cage, and Galadin, the half-elf former pirate who trains her to do just that. To better reflect its place in the burgeoning series and Caliphany’s choice between two good men, cover artist Caroline Andrus and I tore down the original cover to make room for a whole new look!
Join us for this exciting reveal party on Facebook, Friday, March 29 from 5-10 PM EST. Bring a friend, too. There do be prizes, mateys!
*$25 Amazon.com gift card
*Signed Print copy of A Ranger’s Tale
*And MORE!
CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE PARTY: https://www.facebook.com/events/103766896485420/
Blurb:
In the world of Tallenmere, an elven noblewoman longed to leave her gilded cage. A half-breed former pirate wanted nothing more than to escape his guilty past. Easier said than done…
High elf Caliphany Aranea leads an enviable life as King Leopold’s niece and daughter of Sirius, Leogard’s most famous wizard. Yet, being forced to follow in her father’s footsteps and being betrothed to a man she doesn’t even like makes her want a taste of life outside the city walls.
As a young boy, half-elf Galadin Trudeaux witnessed his parents’ death at the hands of pirates. After being raised by those same murderers and forced to do their bidding, he escaped and now lives an honest life as a sea merchant and ranger.
When two brutes at Leogard Harbor attempt to kidnap Caliphany while she dreams of faraway lands, Galadin comes to her rescue. Impressed by his skills, she asks him to train her as a ranger. Though he is hesitant at first to train a woman of her class, Caliphany’s hefty sack of gold finally persuades him. Unfortunately, her father is not amused, and the two must escape before Caliphany faces a forced marriage and Galadin faces a noose.
From that moment on, she and Galadin embark on an adventure of a lifetime. Only if they can survive the trials ahead, will they find a love that stands the test of time.
****
You can find the brand new version of A Ranger’s Tale with its shiny new cover at all major online bookstores, including:
Amazon.com
B&N
Smashwords
Lulu
All Romance eBooks
Coffeetime Romance
About the Author
Mysti Parker (pseudonym) is a full time wife, mother of three, and a writer. Her first novel, A Ranger’s Tale was published in January, 2011 by Melange Books, and the second in the fantasy romance series, Serenya’s Song, was published in April 2012. Book Three, Hearts in Exile, is expected to be born in the summer of 2013. Mysti reviews books for SQ Magazine, an online specfic publication, and is the proud owner of Unwritten, a blog recently voted #3 for eCollegeFinder’s Top Writing Blogs award. She resides in Buckner, KY with her husband and three children.
Mysti’s other writings have appeared in the anthologies Hearts of Tomorrow, Christmas Lites, and Christmas Lites II. Her flash fiction has appeared on the online magazine EveryDayFiction. She is currently a book reviewer for the online speculative fiction magazine SQ Mag and has served as a class mentor in Writers Village University’s six week free course, F2K.
The Tallenmere Series:
A Ranger’s Tale
Serenya’s Song
Hearts in Exile (coming summer 2013)
Twitter: @MystiParker
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mysti-Parker/103786449704221
mystiparker@yahoo.com
13 Questions With @sromkey
I recently sat down with Shawna Romkey and tortured entertained her with weird interview questions. Remember Shawna’s delicious cover for Speak of the Devil?
Yes, of course you do. 😀
Here’s the interview:
Me: Let’s get right to it. What’s your favorite planet?
Shawna: Xena, Gallifrey or Alderaan
Me: The supernatural – is it real? Why or why not?
Shawna: Yes, we just haven’t seen hard evidence yet. Or we haven’t interpreted and acknowledged the evidence we’ve been presented with.
Me: Fair enough. What’s your favorite drink?
Shawna: Iced cappuccino from Tim Horton’s
Me: Yummmmmm. Cats or dogs?
Shawna: Dogs ftw
Me: Errrrrrrr, wrong answer. 😉 Did you learn anything today? If so, what?
Shawna: I learned that the planet Xena was renamed Eris.
Me: Cool! What makes you laugh?
Shawna: Everything. I’m easily amused.
Me: Me too! What’s the last song you listened to on purpose?
Shawna: Probably “Running up that Hill” by Kate Bush
Me: What’s the scariest thing you’ve ever done?
Shawna: Had a baby, asked a guy on a date, went sky diving… not necessarily in that order.
Me: Scary stuff! Here’s a free plane ticket! Where would you like to go?
Shawna: The Greek Isles… thanks!
Me: You’re welcome! What’s something about yourself that really annoys you?
Shawna: My craving for sweets and my weight which go hand in hand.
Me: What’s the name of the book you’re reading?
Shawna: The Last Keeper’s Daughter by Rebecca Trogner
Me: That’s on my TBR list, too! You just walked in the door after a long day. What do you do first?
Shawna: Keep the hellhound from mauling me.
Me: Good idea! What do you write?
Shawna: YA Paranormal Romancy stuff
Me: Me too!
Both of us also went to KU. It’s such a small world sometimes. Thanks for joining me here today, Shawna!
Here’s more info about Shawna and her book:
Shawna grew up in around farms in the heart of Missouri but went to the University of Kansas, was raised in the US but now lives on the ocean in Nova Scotia with her husband, two sons, two rescue dogs and one overgrown puppy from hell. She’s a non-conformist who follows her heart.
She has her BA in creative writing from the University of Kansas where one of her plays was chosen by her creative writing professor to be produced locally, and two of her short stories were published in a university creative arts handbook. She earned her MA in English from Central Missouri State University where she wrote a novel as her thesis.
She’s taught English at the university and secondary levels for close to twenty years and can’t quite fathom how all of her students have grown up, yet she’s managed to stay the same. She’s a huge geek and fan of Xena, Buffy and all kick ass women, and loves to write stories that have strong female characters.
About Speak of the Devil:
What happens when falling in love and falling from grace collide?
After dying in a car accident with her two best friends, Lily miraculously awakens to grief and guilt. She escapes to her dad’s to come to terms with the event and meets some people at her new school who seem all too eager to help her heal. Sliding deeper into sorrow and trying to fight her feelings for two of them, she finds out who…what they really are and that they are falling too.
Can she find the strength to move on from the past, reconcile her feelings for Luc, find a way to stop a divine war with fallen angels, and still pass the eleventh grade?
Links:
The Tragic Story Behind #Poison
This story made me cry when I first heard about it. A young librarian/author named Bridget Zinn wrote a book, but sadly, before it was published on March 12, 2013, she died of colon cancer.
I’m also a librarian/author with a book coming out. Although I’m losing sleep already from nervousness, I wouldn’t trade that for anything. If I wasn’t around for my own release day…I don’t even want to go there.
Thanks to Bridget’s family, friends, and supporters, there’s still a book birthday celebration happening all over the internet. You can visit this link to see everyone involved.
Here’s a little more about Bridget and her YA debut, Poison. Happy book birthday, Bridget. Rest in peace.
About Bridget Zinn
Bridget grew up in Wisconsin. She went to the county fair where she met the love of her life, Barrett Dowell. They got married right before she went in for exploratory surgery which revealed she had colon cancer. They christened that summer the “summer of love” and the two celebrated with several more weddings. Bridget continued to read and write until the day she died. Her last tweet was “Sunshine and a brand new book. Perfect.”
Bridget wanted to make people laugh and hoped readers would enjoy spending time with the characters she created. As a librarian/writer she loved books with strong young women with aspirations. She also felt teens needed more humorous reads. She really wanted to write a book with pockets of warmth and happiness and hoped that her readers’ copies would show the watermarks of many bath time reads.
Book Blurb:
Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend.
But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart…misses.
Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king’s army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she’s not alone. She’s armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can’t stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her?
Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she’s certainly no damsel-in-distress—she’s the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon.
Purchase your copy
Barnes & Noble < http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/poison-bridget-zinn/1110606774?ean=9781423139935>
IndieBound <http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781423139935>
iTunes Bookstore <https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/poison/id586771278?mt=11>
Powell’s Books <http://www.powells.com/biblio/62-9781423139935-0>
Add Poison to your Goodreads pile! <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8113512-poison>
Bess’s Strength in #ResurrectingHarry
So this is what daylight looks like! I’ve been hunkered down in my editing cave while working on Salt in the Cupboard edits, but I’m done now. I have a chocolate mustache and beard smeared across my face because my editing cave has chocolate, but I think I’m going to leave it there while Constance Phillips talks to us about Harry Houdini and her new book Resurrecting Harry.
Take it away, Constance!
Thank you so much, Lindsey, for having me on your blog today!
The question I’m most asked about Resurrecting Harry, is “Why write a book about Harry Houdini?”
There’s no doubt that Harry Houdini was a fascinating person and his persona made for a great character, but for me Bess was even more intriguing.
While Harry was still alive, she served as his partner – not only in life, but in business. After he passed, she still devoted herself to the legend and legacy by conducting the séances on the anniversary of his death for ten years. At the end of that last séance, she is said to have blown out a candle that had burned for the entire decade and said, “ten years was long enough to wait for any man.”
I have to say I agree.
And it is part of the inspiration behind Resurrecting Harry; that a woman of such strength and character shouldn’t have to spend so much time devoted to a ghost.
Though the story is a work of fiction, I hope that I was able to capture the strength that this woman had, and that the Bess that is on the pages of the book, at the very least, resembles the Bess who lived, breathed and stood by her partner on the stage and in life.
Wow! Now that’s dedication! Here’s the book trailer, cover, and blurb for Ressurecting Harry:
Can the greatest escape artist ever known break the grim reaper’s chains to save the only woman he’s ever loved?
In order to save Bess from self-destruction, Harry Houdini puts his afterlife on the line by entering a wager with purgatory’s keeper. He gives Harry a younger face and body, and a new name: Erich Welch.
Bess clings to his promise to deliver a coded message from beyond the grave, determined to provide the bridge for him to cross, even if that means befriending her husband’s sworn enemy.
Erich needs to help Bess over her loss and put her on the road to healing, but will any good come from resurrecting Harry?
It sounds awesome! Here’s Constance’s bio:
Constance Phillips lives in Ohio with her husband, two ready-to-leave-the-nest children, and four canine kids. Her perfect fantasy vacation would involve hunting Dracula across Europe with her daughter, who also digs that kind of stuff. When she’s not writing about fairies, shifters, vamps, and guardian angels, she’s working side-by-side with her husband in their hardwood flooring business.
Constance is actively involved in her local Romance Writers of America chapter (MVRWA) and the Southeast Michigan chapter of the United States Pony Club. When not writing or enjoying the outdoors, she loves reality television or can be found at a Rick Springfield concert (just look for the pink Converse high tops).
Constance blogs regularly at www.constancephillips.com. You can also follow her on Twitter or friend her on Facebook.
Website/blog: http://constancephillips.com/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6470282.Constance_Phillips
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ConstancePhillipsRomanceAuthor?ref=hl
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/CPhillips
Buy links
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Resurrecting-Harry-ebook/dp/B00BLBKDDQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361977605&sr=8-1&keywords=Resurrecting+Harry
My Momma Made Me Read This
Winter weather got you down? Then maybe you should check out my guest post on Mysti Parker’s blog about reading romance and how copious amounts of sugar can ruin your memory.
18 Things With @jamiemayres
I recently had the privilege of interviewing YA author Jamie Ayres. Because her recent release is called 18 Things, I thought it would be fun to ask her 18 questions. I cracked myself up with some of the questions I thought up, but Jamie’s answers are even more hilarious!
Read on and be on the lookout for an e-book giveaway!
1. What’s your favorite planet? I’m originally from Dagobah, so that’s still my favorite.
2. What do fish think about? Please don’t eat me, please don’t eat me, please don’t eat me!!!
3. What’s your favorite drink? COFFEE!!! Right now I’m hooked on Coconut Mocha Donut Shop with Bailey’s Cheesecake Creamer (hubs got me the Keurig Machine for Christmas, so I’ve nominated him for “Husband of the Year”)
4. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, or ICK! CHOCOLATE?! WHAT? Okay, if anyone says ICK, they need to get their head examined! Um, yesss to all kinds of chocolate for sure!!!
5. Did you learn anything today? If so, what? As a teacher, I’m always learning something new! My third graders are very good at relaying random bits of information to me throughout the day. Examples from JUST today: “Mrs. Ayres, did you know there’s about 35,000 different kinds of fish in the ocean?” and “Mrs. Ayres, did you know that the main job of a flower is to make more flowers? Isn’t that funny?” and “Mrs. Ayres, did you know that the Megladon is the biggest prehistoric shark that EVER lived?”
6. Would you consider yourself a settler or a pioneer? Pioneer—but I will say my spirit of adventure doesn’t come naturally. I have to constantly push myself out of my way!
7. What’s the last song you listened to on purpose? Listening to Imagine Dragons song, Radioactive, right now on YouTube.
8. What’s the scariest thing you’ve ever done? Publish my first baby book, 18 Things
9. Here’s a free plane ticket! Where would you like to go? Uganda to take my 12yo daughter there to meet our sponsored child. They’ve been pen pals since we ‘adopted’ her 5 years ago and they want to meet sooo very much!
10. What’s something about yourself that really annoys you? Nothing, I’m perfect;-) HA! I could be a bit more patient *husband coughs next to me on the couch* Okay, okay . . . A LOT more patience would be awesome!
11. Are you an introvert or extrovert? Probably painfully obvious to everyone in a room with me that I’m an extrovert!
12. You just walked in the door after a long day. What do you do first? Kiss my husband and change into my pj’s, which aren’t sexy *blue cotton shorts and an old shirt that says “Night Owl”*
13. Would you rather be able to read everyone’s mind all the time or always know their future? Read their minds so I can help push them toward the future they desire!
14. Why do you write? I’m afraid the white van will come for me . . . the voices in my head just won’t shut the hell up unless I do.
15. What’s the title of your book? 18 Things
16. What is your book about? A young girl struggles to live again after a lightning strike kills the best friend she was secretly in love with. Her therapist suggests she write a life list of eighteen things to complete the year of her eighteenth birthday, sending her and her friends, including the new hottie in town, on an unexpected journey they’ll never forget. As she crosses each item off her list, she must risk her own heart, but if she fails, she risks losing herself and her true soul-mate forever.
17. Where can we buy your book?
18. Where else can we find you on the web?
If those answers don’t make you want to be BFFs with Jamie, then you’re just silly.
Because Jamie is made of awesome, she’s giving away an e-copy (Kindle or Nook) of 18 Things. All you have to do is leave a comment, and she’ll pick a winner using Random.org. Good luck!
What’s Love Got To Do With It? Everything!
Love’s got everything to do with everything in my life. I love books so much I became a librarian so I can build forts out of them on my desk and pop out from behind them whenever anyone comes into the library. (If that doesn’t wake the students up, nothing will).
Chocolate and the Foo Fighters and Firefly all put a smile on my face because I love them/it so much.
So, yeah, love is huge in my life. But why do I feel the need to write about it in most of my stories? I’ll answer that question with another story. Don’t worry – it’s short.
Lightning struck my heart when I first got to know my BF eighteen years ago. No, not literally, but it sure felt like it. Every time I thought about him, which was all the time, my cheeks heated, a smile would dance across my lips, and I’d lose my appetite. Oh, yeah. I was falling for him. Big time.
Fast forward to now. The lightning that struck me has fueled a raging fire, and me and the BF are still ridiculously in love. We leave love notes for each other. We call each other cute nicknames. We walk each other to the door before work for one last kiss goodbye. It’s almost sickening how cute it is, isn’t it?
But that’s why I write about love. I want to capture that feeling for my characters because that feeling will stay with them forever, even if that particular love doesn’t last. Plus, as a reader, I enjoy reading about characters who find first love or long-lost love or love in the strangest place. I feel what they feel all over again.
Now, because I love all of you, here’s a gigantic contest! The winner gets a $250 e-giftcard to Amazon or Barnes & Noble, your choice. The contest is international and ends February 19th, so hurry! Enter the Rafflecopter below to win and good luck!
If you want to hop around to other Crescent Moon Press authors’ sites to see what they think love’s got to do with it, you can start here.