Crazy Stupid Love Giveaway Hop: Sunshine by Nikki Rae

Hosted by Talk Supe

In support of the New Adult craze, I'm introducing:

Sunshine (Sunshine Series, #1)
by Nikki Rae
ebook, 330 pages
Published January 28th 2013
GoodReads | Amazon

18 year old Sophie Jean is pretty good at acting normal. Sure, she’s not exactly happy, but happiness is nothing compared to being like everyone else. She can pretend she’s not allergic to the sun. She can hide what her ex-boyfriend did to her. She can cover up the scars she’s made for herself. Ignore anything. Forget anything. Then Myles enters her life, and he has more than a few secrets of his own. When accident after accident keeps happening to Sophie, she can’t help noticing that he’s everywhere. That he knows too much. That she’s remembering too much.
It’s one thing covering up her own dark past, but does she really need to worry about people finding out just how much Myles likes her? Or that despite how much she doesn’t want to repeat past mistakes, she kind of likes him back? Not to mention the fact that she now has to conceal that Myles drinks blood-that he says he’s about four hundred years old.
She almost forgot about that part.
But Sophie has no plans to ruin the normal life she has created for herself. She can deal with this little glitch, no problem. Even if word has gotten around to the wrong vampire about Sophie and Myles, even if she’s putting the few people she loves at risk. Suddenly, those who were monsters before are just people, and the monsters? They’re real. Now being a normal human being is the least of her problems. Now she has to stay alive.

About the Author:

Nikki Rae is a student (at Richard Stockton College) and writer who lives in New Jersey. She also works part time at Petsmart and loves animals. When she is not writing, thinking, or reading, she is most likely hanging out with her gecko (Neil Gaiman), drawing in a quiet corner, or drinking tea by the gallon. Sunshine is her first book.

What inspired you to write Sunshine?

A few different things. Mainly, I got really bad sun poisoning on a trip to Aruba with my family (Ugh, it was so horrible).So I basically spent the rest of the trip in a hotel room by myself. Sophie and Myles showed up in the haze of pain and aloe-vera lotion. Some of the story came then, but mostly, I just listened to what they had to say until I broke my knee a year or two later and had nothing else to do. I finally just started writing and writing until I had the first draft.

What's your top three favorite paranormal beings as the male lead in a romance & why?

Oooh. That’s hard. I really like Sin (Swoon by Nina Malkin), who is a golem, Caspian (The Hollow by  Jessica Verday) who is a ghost, and Eric Northman (The Sookie Stackhouse Series by Charlaine Harris) who is a Viking vampire. : ) I like them all for different reasons, I guess. They all have different personalities and problems that come with their supernatural abilities. But I think I probably like it most when they seem human.

What's your stand on sex in YA?

Bring it. Lol. No, in all seriousness, I believe that there’s a time and place for it. When I was a young adult, I found it strange that when characters were in love, they never had sex, or if they did, it was off camera. I completely understand why some YA authors would not include sex scenes. YA spans a wide range of ages, some of them on the younger side. The fact of the matter is, if the plot and story point to two characters having sex, they should. The way that’s it’s done is way more important than the fact that it is happening. No one is saying an author has to bust out Fifty Shades of Grey caliber sex scenes (and for the love of god, please don’t), but to just build up to something that your characters, readers, and you know is supposed to happen but doesn’t is cheating them and yourself.

What's your stand on "bad boy" males in YA romance?

I have a love hate relationship with them. Mostly, I kind of get annoyed when there’s a “bad boy” with a heart of gold or something in a book, TV, show, or movie. There’s nothing wrong with them. They can absolutely work, like Noah Shaw in The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, or Sinclair Youngblood Powers in Swoon. They work because there is more to them than just being a “bad boy”.  Noah has a dark past, and Sin wants revenge for something that happened to him. The main problem with the whole “bad boy” thing is that there usually isn’t a reason for it other than for the main character to fall for the guy “from the opposite side of the tracks”. So I guess the simple answer would be: yes, I like the occasional bad boy when it’s done right. : )

Do you prefer damsels in distress, socially awkward, or kick-ass heroines & why?

I prefer a mixture. Similar to the bad boy question, I think it’s okay to have a bad ass or socially awkward heroine as long as they have a reason for it. Are they protecting someone from something? Are they afraid of people for a particular reason? Usually, I can’t STAND damsels in distress. However, I can deal with any type of character as long as they learn and grow from their experiences. 

What's the future of Sunshine?  (series, trilogy, saga, etc)

It’s a series. Right now, there are at least three books, but it will most likely end up being four.

If you were stranded on a desert island, what three books would you have?  E-readers are not an option, because they would die rather quickly with no power.

Oh man. I would bring: Tale of The Body Thief by Anne Rice because I never get tired of that book, Who Killed Amanda Palmer: A Collection of Photographic Evidence, because it has beautiful pictures of my hero, Amanda Palmer in it, as well as stories from Neil Gaiman, and probably a book like John Dies At The End because it’s funny.

If Sunshine was adopted into a motion picture would it be a soap opera, prime time weekly show, cable show, or big screen only?

Hmmm…I think it would be kind of cool if it were a movie. I think soap opera would be too overly-dramatic for it, and I don’t feel like you could quite tell the entire story in short half hour or hour segments of a TV show.

Tell us your dream cast.

Oh lord. I never know how to answer this question. I don’t usually find actors that look a whole lot like my characters in my head, but I can try to narrow it down for some of them.
Sophie: Emily Browning (Sucker Punch).

Source

Myles: oh man. It’s hard. Gaspard Ulliel (Hannibal Rising) has his dimple, but Ian Somerhalder (The Vampire Diaries) kind of has his eyes. Agh. It’s so hard.

Source

Source

Jade: Jade was almost completely made up out of Jade Puget from AFI.

Source

Boo: Aaron Yoo (Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist)

Source

Trei:  Jamie Chung (Once Upon A Time)

Source

Alex: Miss Mosh (alternative model)

Source

Adrienne: Hayden Christensen (Jumper)

Source

Phew, that was hard. Haha.

What 10 songs would be on the musical soundtrack for Sunshine?

It was really hard, but I think I have a list:
1. “Blister in The Sun” by The Violent Femmes
2.  “Sorta Fairy Tale” Tori Amos
3.  “Frozen Creek” by Circa Survive
4.  “Conversation 16” by The National
5.  “Love Will Tear Us Apart” by Joy Division
6. “Glass Slipper” by The Dresden Dolls
7. “Devil’s Song” by Anthony Green
8. “Out And In And In And Out” by Portugal. The Man 
9. “10lb Mustache” by Man Man
10. “Sun Hands” by Local Natives

We love fashion, so tell us a little about Sophie's style. (Hair, clothes, shoes, etc)

Sophie is definitely unique. She’s got magenta hair. She wears combat boots everywhere. She loves punk and torn jeans and faded band T-shirts. Sophie’s allergic to the sun, so she has to wear a trench coat that covers her extremities while she’s outside, as well as wrap around shades. I’d probably describe her style as a cross between punk/goth/grunge.

I really got a kick out of interviewing Nikki Rae.  I was excited before but now I'm ecstatic!

This blog hop runs from 12:01AM Feb. 21st through to 11:59PM Feb. 28th. 

 This giveaway is US/CAN/Internatiional!
There will be 2 winners!

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Release Day Book Tour & Giveaway: Hereafter by Jennifer Snyder

Hereafter
by Jennifer Snyder
Release Date: 18 February 2013

In Death I could finally see the importance of Life…
After being forced to become a Reaper Council member and being torn away from the one she loves, Rowan Harper must learn to accept her altered Fate as well as her death and move on. A task easier said than done, especially when witnessing those you love suffer in the wake of your death.
When an unlikely alli provides information that could change everything, Rowan sets out on a journey through Purgatory with her beloved by her side and a nonchalant Tracker to learn the true meaning of the word sacrifice. Another task which seems easier said than done, especially with the threat of Purgatory’s ability to corrupt your soul the longer you’re in its grip looming above their heads.

Jet was what had made all of this seem tolerable. If I had to be a Reaper, then I could endure it, but only if I was able to visit with Jet from time to time. Sorrow cracked its way through my soul again. I didn’t want this. I didn’t want the waiting and the yearning. I didn’t want to be a part of the horribleness death was, not alone, not without Jet.
I didn’t want this to be my hereafter.
“Rowan?” a familiar voice called out to me. I left my eyes closed and smiled, afraid that if I opened them disappointment would crush me because he wouldn’t be there in front of me, afraid that it was nothing but a memory of him calling my name swimming to the surface of my broken mind in my moment of heartbreaking want.
A hand softly brushed against my cheek, and I slowly allowed my eyes to flutter open. Glistening sapphire eyes held my attention as I fumbled to make sense of how Jet was in front of me. Happiness and excitement bubbled through me and escaped in the form of laughter. My arms wrapped around his neck, and I drew him in closer to me, vowing to never let him go again.
“I’m glad to see you, too.” He chuckled, a sound I’d missed more than I knew.
“I feel like I’ve been waiting forever,” I said, releasing the grip I had around his neck in favor of simply holding his hands in mine.
“Death has a way of making things feel eternal,” he said, his tone etched with heartache.
I didn’t want to talk of death. I didn’t even want to think about it. All I wanted was to savor this moment because I wasn’t sure how long we would get. Leaning forward, I pressed my lips to his and felt my desire to be with him always pulsating through my soul.

About the Author:

Jennifer Snyder lives in North Carolina were she spends most of her time writing young adult fiction, reading, and struggling to stay on top of housework. She is an instant coffee lover with an obsession for spiral bound notebooks and smooth writing pens. Jennifer lives with her husband and two children, who endure listening to songs that spur inspiration on repeat and tolerate her love for all paranormal, teenage-targeted TV shows.
Blog | Twitter | GoodReads |Facebook

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Cupids Playground Hop!

Hosted by Readers Confession

Since we are making up all of our own playgrounds for Cupid...tell us who you would love to have Cupids arrow hit for you!!
If there is a list of them and you want a harem that's okay too. :-P Who would you pick and why? Do they have anything in common?

Cupids arrow?  *Sigh* At last, my heart is taken.  I wouldn't want Cupid hunting down another guy on my behalf.
However, back in my hay day, I may have lusted after one fictional character or two.So I'll hand the question of the hour over to the author of today's novel.  

Heroes and Hunks

As an author, I'm naturally in love with all the heroes I create for all my books, but being quite fickle towards my fictional characters, I'm always most drawn to my latest hero. Kethan Hilliard, the hero in A Fall of Silver, is my particular favorite because he combines so many of the things that draw women to men. (He's also an awful lot like my husband in terms of character, which makes him doubly attractive to me.)

Kethan is a “reformed” very bad boy which means he's got that terribly sexy vibe without the annoyance of having to work on his transformation, myself. Sure that means I'm lazy, but there you are. He is also a good listener and can read people really well. If I were the love of his life, I could count on that to save me the trouble of explaining just why I suddenly lost my temper with him, and who wouldn't love that? He is also extremely intelligent and I'm a sucker for intelligence, particularly combined with a sense of humor. That's a killer combo for me.

He can also cook! Yes, that's right--he makes a scrumptious chicken curry in A Fall of Silver (which happens to be my favorite dish) and who wouldn't like that? Not to mention that he's a neat housekeeper and completely housebroken. Sigh. Frankly, I can't imagine a better guy to have hanging around, protesting his undying love for me.

So if I could have Cupid shoot his arrow at someone, it would definitely be Kethan. And I just noticed that pretty much everything I've said reveals more about me than Kethan, because it all boils down to one thing: I'm chronically lazy. Having a guy like Kethan would save me an awful lot of “relationship” effort, leaving me free to write more.

Hmm. Maybe I should have made a New Year's resolution to stop being so lazy, but I was just too, uh, busy this year to make any resolutions.

The Novel:

A Fall of Silver
by Amy Corwin
ebook, 318 pages
Published January 26th 2013

Allison “Quicksilver” Bankes has a simple philosophy is: the only good vampire is a dead vampire. After a brutal encounter with the undead, Quicksilver wants revenge and she’s about to kill one of the undead to save a young woman’s life when Kethan Hilliard confronts her. Kethan promises peace and redemption for both vampires and humans in exchange for an end to the slaughter, but Quicksilver knows that’s not going to happen.
Someone is killing both humans and vampires, and sweet words aren’t going to end the nightmare.As events spiral out of control, terrible secrets from Quicksilver’s past awaken, and she’s forced to turn to Kethan to prevent more deaths. This time however, she’s determined not to make the same mistakes and with Kethan’s help, she hopes to silence the horror, forever.

Excerpt from A Fall of Silver

When she glanced up, his dark eyes caught her gaze. She didn't notice his body tense until it was too late. He grabbed her wrist in a single, smooth movement, catching her off guard. The warm, human strength of his hand enveloping hers surprised her, delaying her recognition of the unrelenting strength of his grip.

"What are you doing?" She jerked her arm, but he didn't release her. Instead, he  pried the whip handle out of her hand. Then his brown eyes caught her gaze again and held it with the intensity of a master vampire.

Her eyelids fluttered in an attempt to break the connection. She wanted to look away, she had to, but couldn't force herself to look away. After a breathless moment, she stepped back. Her left hand tightened on her second whip. She had a spare--a third whip--and she wouldn't be caught by surprise again.

He couldn't control her. No one could. Never again.

Kethan threw the whip handle to Jason, allowing him gingerly to unwrap the silvery monofilament coil from around his neck.

"What are you doing?" Her voice rose shrilly as Jason fumble with the unfamiliar weapon.

Kethan barely glanced at her as he wrapped a handkerchief around his bleeding hand. "Defusing a difficult situation."

"Watch out! She's got another one!" Jason stammered, blinking rapidly as if on the verge of tears. He fumbled and dropped the whip when a single drop of blood slid down his neck. "She broke the truce." He stared at his clan leader, the vampire he had called "Sutton."

In a blur of movement, Sutton circled Kethan. Before the humans could react, he stood at Quicksilver's back, one hand gripping her upper arm, the other forcing her head to the right.

About the Author:

Amy Corwin is a charter member of the Romance Writers of America and recently joined Mystery Writers of America. She has been writing for the last ten years and recently left a career as an enterprise computer systems administrator to write full time. She writes paranormal romances, mysteries, and Regencies/historicals. To be truthful, most of her books include a bit of murder and mayhem since she discovered that killing off at least one character is a highly effective way to make the remaining ones toe the plot line.

Amy’s books include: paranormal romances, Vampire Protector and A Fall of Silver; Regency romantic mysteries, The Necklace, I Bid One America, The Bricklayer’s Helper, and Escaping Notice; Regency mysteries, The Vital Principle and A Rose Before Dying; and the cozy mystery, Whacked!.

Join her and discover that every good romance has a touch of mystery.

Links:  Website | Blog | Twitter | FaceBook

There will be 6 winners:
1 hardcover (signed): Whacked! {US only}
and 5 ebook copies of A Fall of Silver {US & International}

This hop runs 2/13 to 2/18.  
Winners will be contacted via email and must respond within 48 hours.

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V-Day Special Promotion on Edge!

Thursday, February 14th is Valentine's Day!

On that day, noted vampire author Nancy Kilpatrick will share some free vampire-love with you.  It’s only on the 14th. So, bookmark the page (www.edgewebsite.com) and on that day you can read the special announcement which allows you to experience vampyric thrills like no other. Shocking. Exciting. Exhilarating.

This announcement is courtesy of EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing!

2013 Spring Ambuzzador: Dualed by Elsie Chapman

On a last Wednesday at 7:53 pm, I was slap happy excited!  Why?  What's the big fuss all about?  Well....I was notified a few days ago that I was chosen to be a 2013 Spring Ambuzzador!  Now it's official:

I'm on the Dualed campaign!

If you're not familiar with this title, here's some additional information:

Dualed 

by Elsie Chapman

Paperback, 304 pages

Expected publication: February 26th 2013 by Random House Books for Young Readers

GoodReads | Amazon

You or your Alt? Only one will survive.
The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. Everyone has a genetic Alternate—a twin raised by another family—and citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts before their twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage—life.
Fifteen-year-old West Grayer has trained as a fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. But then a tragic misstep shakes West’s confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she’s no longer certain that she’s the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love . . . though both have the power to destroy her.
Elsie Chapman's suspenseful YA debut weaves unexpected romance into a novel full of fast-paced action and thought-provoking philosophy. When the story ends, discussions will begin about this future society where every adult is a murderer and every child knows there is another out there who just might be better.

This was all made possible thanks to the good folks over at Random Buzzers!

If you love to GoodReads and/or LibraryThing, you'll adore Random Buzzers.

If you're not already a member, click the button below to head on over and join!

Random Buzzers is a fun, safe place for readers and writers to gather and share their favorite reads, chat with authors, win books, share reviews and tons of other fun stuff!

What I love most about Random Buzzers is you can earn Buzz points just by participating.  

These points can later be used to buy ARC and other physical novels in the website's store!

Also there's always a weekly author appearance where you can ask questions and interact via the discussion boards. And of course, there's always a chance you may win that author's novel just by participating.

It's too easy!

Thanks so much for stopping by and taking the time to read my post!  Since you're here how would you like an opportunity to win one of the ARC's pictured above and/or a registration code for Random Buzzers for a free book?

That means there can be up to 6 winners!

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Love is in the Air Giveaway Hop

 

February is my absolute favorite time of the year! 

0___o

It's the time when guys show you just how must they adore you via materialistic means. 

Who doesn't like chocolates?!?!

 

If I sound just a tad bitter it's because inspite of the romance and roses, I ALWAYS get gypped this time of year, because my birthday just happens to be 2 days before V-day.  I dislike when people can't distinguish the two.  There's birthday gifts and there's Valentine's day gifts.  There is no dual gift.  THAT'S JUST WRONG.  It takes a perfect guy to get it right.  Which is why I love my husband SOOOOOOOOO much!  He gets me! He doesn't try to swindle me with a discounted heart shaped  cake or cheat me with one 48 hour delayed present.

 

So for this giveaway hop, I'm awarding my ARC copy of Eve Adam.

I like the theory of a girl creating her "perfect" guy!

 

 

Eve and Adam
by Michael Grant & Katherine Applegate
Paperback, 291 pages
Published October 2nd 2012 by Feiwel & Friends

And girl created boy…
In the beginning, there was an apple—
And then there was a car crash, a horrible injury, and a hospital. But before Evening Spiker’s head clears a strange boy named Solo is rushing her to her mother’s research facility. There, under the best care available, Eve is left alone to heal.
Just when Eve thinks she will die—not from her injuries, but from boredom—her mother gives her a special project: Create the perfect boy.
Using an amazingly detailed simulation, Eve starts building a boy from the ground up. Eve is creating Adam. And he will be just perfect... won’t he?

Winner will be chosen after 11:59 PM February 14th and contacted via email. 

Please respond within 24-28 hours the latest.

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Tour Stop {Book Excerpt/Giveaway}: Hidden Gates by D.T. Dyllin

Hidden Gates (P.J. Stone Gates Trilogy #1)
by D.T. Dyllin

Publish Date: eBook Jan 24 - Paperback 2/28
Publisher: Dragonfairy Press

 Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

For P.J. Stone, being a “Seer” who has never seen anything is less than fun. And P.J. isn’t known for her patience.
To make matters worse, she must choose a suitable mate to continue the Seer bloodline. Duty always comes before her heart…at least that’s what her parents taught her. When she finds herself wanting someone who is considered off-limits, P.J. is forced to question everything she believes.
As if navigating her love life isn’t complicated enough, P.J. finally receives a vision—of a threat to her world that only she can perceive. But no one will believe a fledgling Seer’s warnings. With nowhere else to turn, she may decide to trust a stranger with her life, her world, and maybe even her heart.

Bryn exhaled one long breath and, wrapped his arms around me, hesitantly at first, but when I sank into him, his hold grew fiercer. “What were you thinking? Going off with him? I told you to stay put.” His voice was harsh, making me cry harder. “I don’t know. I wasn’t—thinking, that is. I’m sorry, Bryn, so sorry.” My apology, like my thoughts, was slow and muddled. 

He let go of me and tipped my face up towards him again so he could look into my eyes. “Hey, why are you apologizing to me? I was just worried is—” He stopped talking as I brought a hand up to caress the side of his face. I’d never really realized how truly beautiful Bryn was. I mean, I noted on some level he was hot, but I didn’t actually take notice. I studied the face that had been one of the most important ones in my life since I was the age of five. I let my gaze roam from his dark blue eyes that were currently churning like a storm at sea; to his high sharp cheekbones; to his full, perfectly shaped lips. The contrast between his strikingly blue eyes and his black hair was nothing short of perfection. Bryn had the most beautiful face I had ever laid eyes on, I decided.

About The Author:

Cynical-Optimist. Chocolateholic. Sarcasm Addict. Paranormal Believer. Self-Imposed Insomniac. Sci-Fi Geek. Animal Lover. Writer . . . are just a few words to describe D.T. Dyllin. She was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and now lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband and two very spoiled German Shepherds.
AUTHOR LINKS:  Website |  Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads 

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Tour Stop {Guest Post/Giveaway}: Oxford Whispers by Marion Croslydon

The story behind the covers of OXFORD WHISPERS By Marion Croslydon

My original idea for the cover of Oxford Whispers was directly inspired by the covers of the Twilight saga. I loved its simplicity and symbolism. I have to admit not being a big fan of the stereotyped romance novel covers: half-naked dude next to an almost-as-naked chick. So we went for a simple red rose (which plays a role in the story) on a black backdrop. I liked it, but I knew deep down it lacked vibrancy and didn’t really match the story and the characters.

That was when I met (online) the fabulous Claudia McKinney at PhatPuppyArt. I loved her covers. Lately she’s done the absolutely unforgettable cover of On Dublin Street by Samantha Young, which features a couple about to kiss each other! I normally don’t like that, but with her it was so tasteful and sensual at the same time… She introduced me to her photographer Teresa Yeh. These two ladies have been truly amazing to me and I’m forever grateful.

They directed me towards a more modern feel by carefully choosing models, while keeping the mystery element of the novel through the digital work on the background, lights etc…

The first cover shows Madison only. I wanted it that way because the book is about a girl’s journey first and foremost. I wanted a really modern feeling to it and the photo does capture that, IMHO. For the second and third book, we have both Rupert and Madison. My favorite part in this process: choosing the models! Going through their portfolios was so much fun.

About The Author

In addition to being an author, I work as an entrepreneur, wife and mother-of-one but spend a good deal of time with books, DVDs and listening to my mp3 player; all for the sake of inspiration, of course.
My debut series, The Oxford Trilogy, has been a blast to write because I can indulge in my favorite types of music: Country and English rock.
My main goal as a writer is to make readers dream bigger and cause their hearts to beat a little faster.
Since my writing is all about sharing dreams and stories, I love connecting with fellow readers and authors.

Website | Twitter | FaceBook

About The Novel

Oxford Whispers 
(The Oxford Trilogy #1)

by Marion Croslydon
GoodReads | Amazon

Paperback, 324 pages

Published October 8th 2012 
by Carlux Publishing

Madison LeBon is dead set against the dead.
Her fresh start at Oxford University is a brand new beginning. She finally has a chance to turn the page on her psychic powers and cumbersome voodoo heritage. Snakes, dolls, ghosts, and spirits: Farewell…
Not quite.
When the tragic lovers in a painting—the subject of her first history class—begin to haunt her, she must accept her gift before life imitates art. The lovers warn her against their own nemesis, a Puritan from the English Civil War. Unfortunately, said nemesis is now going all homicidal on Madison.
College becomes more complicated when she falls hard for Rupert Vance, a troubled aristocrat and descendant of one of the characters in the painting. With the spirit of a murderer after her, Madison realizes that her own first love may also be doomed…

(1) Print Copy of OXFORD WHISPER - International, 

and (8) eBook copies of OXFORD WHSIPERS - International 

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