An Interview With Katy Evans

Get ready, because Katy Evans, the wicked awesome talent that created Remington "Riptide" Tate, is back with a new man in a new city and a whole new set of problems. MANWHORE debuts on March 24. Get ready world, because Malcolm Saint is coming. Read on for a special interview with Katy Evans about this new series and what we can expect from it. Then, if you live in the US, you can enter to win a copy!

Thank you so much for talking with me today, Katy. I can imagine this is an exciting time for you, as you get ready to launch a brand new series. Back when you were getting ready to publish REAL, did you ever see yourself here? What has been the biggest surprise to you in your career so far?

Hey Krista! Thanks so much for having me today. Oooh, yes, I can't tell you how excited I am to share this new series. It holds a very deep spot in my heart and I'm hoping the readers will open up theirs and let themselves be just as enchanted as I was by this new couple!

I admit I am not much of a planner; I try to live in the present and take the future as it comes. So I never imagined this moment. Back when I self-published Real in 2013, I was blown away by all the book love I received and never, in my wildest dreams, did I expect that I'd be able to continue writing and sharing my stories with all of you. I'm truly blessed: thank you so SO much to everyone who has picked up one of my books.

Your readers are very familiar with Remy. In what ways is the Manwhore himself, Malcolm Saint, different from Remy? Are they at all the same?

I always try to be truthful to each of my characters and am proud that all of my heroes are different in their own way, but all very sexy. Saint has some similar traits to Remy: he's a man who knows what he wants and goes after it relentlessly. He's also a man who's a little bit misunderstood (but in a different way than Remy is.) Other than that, Saint is his own person and he truly won over my heart in the same way Remy did. I hope readers enjoy him like I do! :)

Describe Rachel Livingston, Manwhore’s heroine, in five words.

Hardworking. Self-contained. Modern. Inexperienced. Innocent.

How many books are planned in the Manwhore series? Will they all be about Malcolm and Rachel?

The first books will be about Malcolm and Rachel and I'm hoping to continue with stories for some of their friends. :d

Of your leading men so far – Remy, Greyson, Kenna, and Malcolm – which one most closely resembles your perfectly ideal book boyfriend?

I love my boys! I love them all so its hard to choose. They all have qualities I admire in a man and they all have flaws which endear them to me. Each of them has a huge chunk of my soul. But if I had to choose, the one I most love is always the one I'm currently "dating" which means, my favorite is always the one I'm writing at the time. He's always on top - the one consuming my mind and my heroine's heart.

So far you’ve written about characters in so many different professions – fighter, rocker, physical therapist, business man – the list goes on. How do you research your characters’ lives so that they come across so realistically? Was Rachel easier to write since she’s a writer of sorts?

Rachel is my favorite heroine to date. She is balanced and methodical, has clear goals about who she wants to be and where she's going, and she came across very clearly in my mind. I also love living in her world. I LOVE being in her shoes and feeling seduced by her man!

As for research, I am simply a very curious person. Sometimes between books I read autobiographies and investigate a topic until exhaustion. I love learning about new things, lifestyles, professions. I love to learn.

Does your husband read your books? How about your parents?

My husband isn't a big reader. He's my complete opposite in that respect. I'm dreamy; he's all facts. But we work! We've been married for 19 years and I still love him like a teenager. He's my rock, and I love that without reading a single word I write, he always assures me with a certainty that nobody can write my story better than me. :)

My mother does read my books sometimes. She's very proud. (Or so she says!) :d

One final question. Rollercoasters – yay or nay?

Used to be yay, but not anymore. My adrenals can't take them anymore! :)

Thank you so much, Katy, for taking the time to answer my questions about you and your new Manwhore series. I’m so excited to see what else you have planned for us!

Thanks so much for having me, Krista! I loved spending time with you today. :) XO

Katy Evans grew up with books and book-boyfriends until she found a real sexy boyfriend to love. They married and are now hard at work on their own happily ever after. Katy loves her family and friends, and she also loves reading, walking, baking, and being consumed by her characters until she reaches “The End.” Which is, hopefully, only the beginning…

Interested in owning a copy of MANWHORE by Katy Evans for yourself? If you live in the US, enter the giveaway below, and a copy could be yours!


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AUTHOR INTERVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Maya Banks

I am SO thrilled to feature #1 New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Maya Banks on my blog today! Her Slow Burn series kicked off this week, and it sounds like we readers are going to be in for an exciting and suspenseful ride.  I had the incredible opportunity to ask her a few burning questions – Maya, thank you so much for indulging me!

You’re quite welcome, Krista! And thank you for having me. It’s no secret I love to dish books! Whether they’re MY books or any author’s books, I just love talking romance :)

Your new romantic suspense series, the Slow Burn series, kicked off with the release of KEEP ME SAFE on October 7. Using only five words, describe this new series.

Angsty, Intense, Passionate, Emotional, Alpha-males-and-heroines-who-have-psychic-abilities. 

LOL ok so I cheated a LITTLE by making the last “word” a long hyphenated word but TECHNICALLY it counts as one word! *g*

But honestly when thinking of this series and when asked about particularly the first book, the one word that I always come back to is “intense” Perhaps volatile would have been a BETTER word choice, but all of the books ARE really intense. Everything about them. The characters, the situations, the emotions, the romance between the heroes and heroines. INTENSE really fits them all! And well, ANYTHING I write is going to fall under “angsty and emotional.”

I need to stop using them when asked to use single words to describe by stories because by now, after me having used them so much, it’s kind of understood that the majority of my stories are going to be heavy on the angst and emotion factor. I just LOVE stories that are fraught with both and I really don’t know HOW to write any other way.

I’ve written a FEW stories I’d consider “light” or perhaps “sweet” but even then, the heavy “emotional” factor creeps in for at least PART of the book.

The heroine in KEEP ME SAFE is Ramie, a woman with a unique ability. What type of woman is she – tough-as-nails or soft and sensitive? Will she be a damsel in distress or will she do the saving?

Yes, yes, yes and yes! Haha! She’s a little of all of the above combined. In the beginning of the story, she’s definitely worn down and “broken” and very vulnerable and with good reason. She’s very sensitive and fragile because of all she’s been through and experienced. And in the beginning she is a damsel in distress and seeks out the hero for help. She feels he owes her because a year earlier he forced her into helping locate his kidnapped sister, not knowing how her “abilities” worked. He was horrified and contrite when he realized just what he’d unleashed on Ramie,  but at the same time how could he truly say he’d never have done it had he known when it meant his sister being saved?

But as with all my story ARCs for my heroines, I typically start with a heroine who might be considered “weak” or fragile/vulnerable in the beginning but she comes into her own over the course of the story. It’s my favorite heroine to write because for ME if a heroine starts kickass, stays kickass and FINISHES kickass, you have yourself one boring, one-dimensional character who never “changes” or has a story ARC, or at least a true one. Now this is certainly only MY opinion. Other authors and readers feel differently. But for ME, I want to see a heroine GROW and become stronger, facing adversity and OVERCOMING.

So, again, to answer your question, she is, in fact, a little of everything you mentioned, and that’s what makes her such an interesting character. If a character isn’t interesting to ME as it’s creator, I can’t write it because it would bore me to tears and if it bores ME to tears then I can’t expect my readers to be interested or invested in my characters!

Caleb sounds like a great alpha male hero. How do you ensure your male characters get the right blend of naughty and nice so that they’re not so domineering that they border on abusive, but they’re not complete marshmallows either?

Caleb is one of my more “intense” heroes. (See, there’s that word again!) He’s very passionate about everything. He is extremely loyal to his family and once Ramie re-enters his life, his loyalty then extends to her as well and Caleb doesn’t do anything in half measures.

And I’ll be honest. Some of my heroes ARE domineering, arrogant and “dominant” but NEVER abusive. That’s my hard line. I don’t mind pushing the envelope in a LOT of areas, but an abusive hero is NOT remotely appealing to ME as an author OR a reader.

Now, opinions differ widely on what constitutes abuse, and no doubt, some readers feel some of my heroes ARE abusive. They aren’t wrong, but neither are they RIGHT. They are absolutely entitled to their opinion, but I know what my INTENTIONS are when I write a character. I know what’s in the heart of my heroes and in their minds so I would absolutely say with 100% conviction that NONE of my heroes in ANY of my books are abusive, verbally or physically.

In my erotic romances, particularly stories with Dominance and submission as a theme, I make sure that it’s clear that my heroines are not only WILLING but they also WANT and DESIRE whatever the hero does in and out of the bedroom. This is where the sticky line between abuse and consent can turn off some readers because they can’t simply comprehend a woman who would want or ACCEPT a BDSM relationship. Or that they would enjoy “pain” or the more physical components of such a relationship. But as I said, it always goes back to it being a clear CHOICE and a DESIRE for my heroines, and I believe strongly in women being able to make whatever choices they wish and never feel shame or embarrassment for what they “need” or simply “want.” And I equally support women who DON’T want what others do. Basically I’m very pro-positive for women to choose whatever makes them happy, even if it to “submit” which some would view as “weak” or not the epitome of feminism. But in reality, supporting women’s choices should mean absolute support of whatever makes them happy. And that’s what I like to represent or reflect in my stories and in my heroines. Even though most of my heroines make choices that I wouldn’t make. It’s fun to explore the flip side of the coin, so to speak, and fiction allows me to do just that. :)

Will all three books in the Slow Burn series follow Ramie and Caleb, or will we see different couples’ stories in each of the three planned books?

Each book will feature a different couple and a heroine with a different psychic ability. While this series is considered romantic suspense (and it is) the “backbone” or rather the theme of the series is every book featuring a heroine with a unique ability. I’m hoping not to repeat any of the “powers” but if the series goes long at all then I’ll have to as there is only so many psychic abilities that I can write somewhat believable.

Because this ISN’T a “paranormal” series at all. It’s not set in an alternative world. It doesn’t feature other supernatural “beings”, no shape shifters, vampires, etc. It’s very “real world” and merely propose the idea of “what if…” and basically having the world as it is right now and having a character with a special psychic ability and the issues someone living in there here and now, present time, would possibly face IF they did possess such an ability.

And as for why only the HEROINES, this is just me and my writing preferences. I’ve always preferred to go against the grain. For instance in a lot of PNR romances, if only one of the hero/heroines are for example a shape shifter, vampire or werewolf and are paired with a “human” hero/heroine, nearly ALL feature the HERO as the supernatural being with the heroine being the human.

I wrote a few “shape shifter” books several years ago and made the heroine’s the shape shifters. (Golden Eyes and Amber Eyes) Stories featuring sisters who were a cheetah and cougar shifter respectively. I just love the idea of the FEMALE being the unique “being” while the hero is the regular person because it opens up so many possibilities for the heroine to be vulnerable and for the alpha hero to be uber protective!

You’re such a versatile writer! You have written romantic paranormal, historical, suspense, military, contemporary… the list goes on. How do you never run out of unique ideas? Where do you find inspiration for your stories? Any genre you haven’t tackled yet that has been nagging at you?

I’ve had no shortage of story ideas (thank goodness!) and in fact, this series was a source of “frustrated writer syndrome” ha! I’ve had the idea for this story, the ENTIRE story from start to finish and all parts in between, for YEARS. But my writing schedule is quite full and there are specific things I write for my current publishers and this series didn’t fit with my current regimen and so I wasn’t certain I’d ever get to write it. I’m so excited (and grateful!) that May Chen has long been a fan of my writing and when this idea came up in a conversation that had nothing to do with me potentially writing for her (a completely NEW publisher to me) she LOVED the premise and said, “You HAVE to write this for me!”

As for a genre I haven’t yet tackled or have a hankering to write in that I haven’t, as you pointed out, I’ve written in MANY different genres, and at this point I can’t think of any type of romance that I haven’t already written that I have a strong desire to.

When you find time to read, do you read romance/erotica books? Or, do you go with something completely different?

I actually don’t read much erotic romance at all. I think if I read it a lot it would diminish my excitement when it comes to writing my own and could potentially stifle my creativity. I don’t want to know what’s “being done” or NOT being done out there in the genre. I want the freedom to go my own way without concern or hindrance of what other authors are writing.

Do you prefer books that give you a good cry or a big laugh?

Not a fan of “comedy” because my sense of humor is different than most I think. I tend to have a rather morbid sense of humor and as a result, you’ll find a lot of one liners or quick flashes of humor in really tense situations in my books. You see this a LOT in my KGI series. Bullets flying, explosions etc and the characters in this series tend to have my type of sense of humor so at least one of them will usually have some quirky remark at an otherwise serious moment.

We have seen characters in your books go on lots of dates. What is your idea of a great time with your leading man?

Well for me personally, I’m pretty boring, as is my idea of a good time! I’m not a go out and light the town on fire type of person at ALL. My idea of a really GREAT evening with my husband is going to bed early, watching some TV or browsing the internet together or just having a quiet, private conversation with no interruptions.

I’m not a TV watcher at ALL but I do enjoy HGTV and the history channel so being in my comfy pajamas in my REALLY comfy bed with my mountain of pillows and having snuggle time while catching an episode or two of a show I enjoy is about as perfect as it gets for me.

Thank you again Maya for giving us some insight into your inner cerebral workings. These answers were fantastic!

To celebrate the release of Maya's new Slow Burn series, I'm giving away a paperback copy of KEEP ME SAFE (Slow Burn #1) to one lucky US winner! To enter, just fill out the Rafflecopter below. And, then, keep reading for my review of KEEP ME SAFE.

About the Author

My name is Maya Banks and I live in Texas with my husband and three children and our assortment of pets. When I’m not writing, I love to hunt and fish with my family. We all love the outdoors and go on family hunting trips every year. We also love to travel. Maya Banks is a #1 New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author.

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BLOG TOUR AUTHOR INTERVIEW & GIVEAWAY: All Lined Up (Rusk University #1)

I'm incredibly excited to hold a spot on the blog tour for Cora Carmack's brand new novel, ALL LINED UP, organized by Inkslinger PR! Read on for an interview with Cora and then enter the giveaway for 5 signed copies of All Lined Up! And, don't forget to check out the other stops too.

All Lined Up (Rusk University #1), by Cora Carmack
Published May 13, 2014
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: new adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Read my 5-star review here. 

(Synopsis) In Texas, two things are cherished above all else—football and gossip. My life has always been ruled by both.

Dallas Cole loathes football. That's what happens when you spend your whole childhood coming in second to a sport. College is her time to step out of the bleachers, and put the playing field (and the players) in her past.

But life doesn't always go as planned. As if going to the same college as her football star ex wasn’t bad enough, her father, a Texas high school coaching phenom, has decided to make the jump to college ball… as the new head coach at Rusk University. Dallas finds herself in the shadows of her father and football all over again.

Carson McClain is determined to go from second-string quarterback to the starting line-up. He needs the scholarship and the future that football provides. But when a beautiful redhead literally falls into his life, his focus is more than tested. It's obliterated.

Dallas doesn't know Carson is on the team. Carson doesn't know that Dallas is his new coach's daughter.

And neither of them know how to walk away from the attraction they feel.

And, now on to the fun stuff...

An Interview with Cora Carmack

Thank you so much for talking with me about ALL LINED UP, Cora. I can imagine this is an exciting time for you, having seen one series come to completion and a brand new one kick off. Back when you were getting ready to publish LOSING IT, did you ever see yourself here? What has been the biggest surprise to you in your career so far?

Oh goodness, no. I mean, I hoped. There's always that hope, but it feels like this far off, intangible thing. It still feels that way most days. Until I see my books in a store or a hold a new in my hands, and it sort of shocks me all over again.

So, let’s talk football. ALL LINED UP is about the daughter of a Texas college football coach. You’ve mentioned that YOU were the daughter of a Texas football coach. Is Dallas perhaps a reflection of a younger Cora Carmack?

Parts of her, absolutely. The biggest similarity is that by the time I graduated high school, I (like Dallas) resented football (and Texas really). I also have two sisters, so I pulled from their experiences as Coach's daughters too. (My poor Dad just had three girls, no boys).

If Dallas is loosely based on you, is there a real-life Carson out there somewhere?
Not really, no. I mean I've known and dated guys that are the same type of guy as Carson-- sweet, funny, just all around good guys. But Carson isn't based on any of them.

Dallas is a dancer. Her BFF Stella would play football, if she could. What about you? Were you a lady-jock in school? Or were you more artistic in your extra-curriculars?

I was definitely a lady jock. Basketball was my first love, though I did dance, track, cross country, and tennis, too. And I wanted to be a basketball coach until Junior year. But really, I did everything. Sports, arts, and academics. I went to a small school, and one year they did a survey to determine how many groups and activities students participated in, and I had the most out of the whole school with 41. That's probably where a little of the over-achiever in Carson comes from. :)

How many books are planned in the Rusk University series? And, will they all follow the guys on the football team, or can we hope for a book detailing Stella’s HEA somewhere along the way?

Right now I'm contracted for three. Book two is about Silas, and book three is Ryan. But I've got at least three more that I'd like to do. But, of course, whether the series continues or not depends largely on the readers and my publisher. I'm not stuck on doing just players, but I want to focus on people close to the team. Stella is definitely in the mix, and I have a book planned for her, provided the series continues. Either way, she continues to play a pivotal role in the series as a whole.

Has your dad read All Lined Up? Has he issued Dad’s My-Daughter-Is-A-Freaking-Genius Seal of Approval?

HAHA. He's read parts of it. He actually helped a lot with the football sections to help me find that right balance between technical accuracy and easy, understandable descriptions for my non-football readers.

Of your leading men so far – Garrick, Cade, Jackson and Carson – which one most closely resembles your perfectly ideal book boyfriend?

I mean... I wouldn't say no to ANY of them. But Carson is my usual type. I like funny guys who are sweet, but strong enough to not let me walk all over them. And you gotta know sports to survive meeting my family. :)

Thank you so much, Cora, for taking the time to answer my questions about you and your new Rusk University series. I’m so excited to see what else you have planned for us (like, oh I don’t know… Silas and his sexy potty mouth, maybe…)!

Thank YOU. And yes, things are definitely taking a turn for the dirty with Silas in book two. ;)

About the Author

Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. Her first book, LOSING IT, is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.

Learn more about Cora --> Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads


Giveaway

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SWEET RECKONING BLOG TOUR - Author Interview & Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the SWEET RECKONING (Sweet Evil #3) blog tour, organized by Kismet Book Touring. This book... wow. It was completely amazing and a fantastic ending to an exciting and romantic series. I had the especially awesome privilege to ask Sweet Evil Trilogy author, Wendy Higgins, a few burning questions about the series, what comes next, and her BFF. Check out the book info (don't forget to add it to your TBR on Goodreads!), then read on for a conversation with Wendy!

Sweet Reckoning (The Sweet Trilogy #3), by Wendy Higgins
Published April 29, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: young adult paranormal romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

(From Goodreads) It's Time.

Evil is running rampant and sweet Anna Whitt is its target. Nobody knows when or how the Dukes will strike, but Anna and her Nephilim allies will do anything necessary to rid the earth of the demons and their oppressive ways.

The stakes are higher than ever, and Anna is determined that the love she feels will be her strength, not a liability. But trying to protect the ones she loves while running for her life and battling demonic forces proves to be perilous—especially as faces are changing and trust is fleeting. When the Duke of Lust sends Anna’s great love, Kaidan Rowe, to work against her, Anna must decide how much she’s prepared to risk.

In the most sensual and fast-paced installment yet, Sweet Reckoning brings all the beloved Neph together one last time to fight for their freedom.

Author Interview - Wendy Higgins

Thank you so much for talking with me about SWEET RECKONING, Wendy. This must be a bittersweet experience for you, seeing your first series come to completion. If you could go back and give yourself a piece of advice as you were beginning the writing process on Sweet Evil, what would it be?

Hi Krista! Thanks so much for having me!  Okay, if I could go back I would tell myself to calm down because it’s not a race or a competition. I’d say to just have fun and enjoy the process.

What was the most difficult part about writing SWEET RECKONING?

I have some author guilt because I know I have to stick to the rules of my story world, and I know things need to be realistic even though it’s a fantasy, but I feel guilty about one particular thing. I almost changed it so many times.
 
It’s sad to see it end, but I keep telling myself I can always write more scenes with these characters and revisit them in other ways. It doesn’t have to be completely over.

Which character from the Sweet Trilogy will you miss the most?

There are things I will miss about all of them, but come on. Kai will forever be my favorite fictional boy in the world. His entire story and journey gutted me and challenged me as a writer. He is the epitome of all the things I think are sexy, but it’s his heart I loved the most.

Tell us an interesting fact about SWEET RECKONING that we might not know.

When I finished the first draft I really felt like something was missing. Then I realized…I had no big scenes with Kope. And one of my beta readers mentioned missing him, too.  So I got the idea for a scene to add him, and it turned out to be a major scene.  It’s just funny how these things happen.

There were a lot of references to actual Biblical scripture in SWEET RECKONING. Was writing about this aspect of angels and demons a stretch for you, or is the Christian faith something you were already familiar with?

I’m familiar with the Bible, and even though the entire trilogy is based in Biblical lore, it still scares me each time I reference it. People’s beliefs are very personal and very special. I worry about making people uncomfortable or making anyone think I have ulterior motives. I think most readers understand that my book is a work of fiction, and appreciate the use of the ancient scriptures in building the story world. I’ve taken a lot of liberties in this novel, but ultimately it’s a romance story with elements of spirituality, not the other way around.

If you were ruled by a “Duke,” who would it be? (Mine would be Javar, the Duke of caffeine consumption, LOL.)

Hahaha, Javar. You so crazy! Seriously, though, one of the reasons I could write Anna is because I’ve had a taste of that lifestyle. From 17-23 I was a mess of a young woman—woo boy. Not even kidding. I’ve seen the fine line of entertainment and recreation veering into abuse and scary stuff. So I was able to chanel some of that with both Anna and Kaidan.

So, what is next? Is there a new series on the horizon? Is there any chance that this is not the last we’ve seen from Anna, Kai and the rest of the Neph?

I am truly open to writing whatever comes to me. If the inspiration hits, I’m there!  Things are crazy in my personal life right now because we’re planning a big move and my husband is starting his own business, but I’m really hoping to get back to writing soon.  I am 16 chapters in to a fantasy based on a Grimm’s tale, but I haven’t written in months and I miss it. I have no idea what the future holds. I just go where the tides of imagination take me, and hope for the best.

You and Jennifer Amentrout have traded obscure (and not so obscure) references to each other’s books a few times now. Any chance you two will get together on a joint venture sometime in the future?

We have no plans for a co-written book, but this is a future possiblity. ;)

Thank you so much for talking to me about SWEET RECKONING and the Sweet Trilogy, Wendy. I think I'm already going through Kai withdraw!

Make sure to check out the other stops on the SWEET RECKONING tour to learn more about the Sweet Trilogy.

Monday, April 28th - Supernatural Snark  

Tuesday, April 29th - Bewitched Bookworms 

Wednesday, April 30th - Jenuine Cupcakes 

Thursday, May 1st - Krista's Dust Jacket 

Friday, May 2nd - Two Chicks on Books  

Monday, May 5th - Curling Up with a Good Book 

Tuesday, May 6th - Parajunkee 

Wednesday, May 7th - fiktshun 

Thursday, May 8th - Bookcrush.in 

Friday, May 9th - Alice Marvels 

About the Author

After earning a bachelors in Creative Writing from George Mason University and a masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Radford, Wendy taught high school English until becoming a mommy. Writing Young Adult (YA) stories gives her the opportunity to delve into the ambiguities of those pivotal, daunting, and exciting years before adulthood.

She lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, daughter, and son. Sweet Evil is her debut novel.

Learn more about Wendy --> Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

 

Giveaway

We have a really exciting giveaway for this tour! Lucky winners will receive either:

• A Kai Prize Pack (3) - leather bracelet, drumstick pencils, Lascivious Tour pass, Kai button, and signed bookmark/bookplate

OR

• A Bookmark Bundle (10)

 

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