Archive for the ‘Inspirational stuff’ Category
Friday Inspiration — Who Are Your Heroes?
Friday’s inspirational thought is this: Who are your heroes? And why are they important to you?
Why are heroes important? They give us reasons to keep trying.
Long before I ever knew I wanted to be a writer, I knew who my heroes were. Henry Aaron. Ernie Banks. Larry Doby. And Jackie Robinson. Men who broke the color line in major league baseball, who dealt with gratuitous insults with grace and dignity.
Oh, I had others, too. Helen Keller, for learning and thriving despite being both blind and deaf. Florence Nightingale, for being willing to nurse the sick and for preaching the importance of proper sanitation. Art Pepper for getting away from heroin and resuming his jazz career in his early fifties…and Benny Goodman, for proving that a strong jazz clarinetist could play Mozart with equal ease.
Those are just a few of my heroes.
So who are your heroes? Why do they matter to you?
And one additional question for my fellow writers out there: How have your heroes factored into your writing?
Whither Writing, or, How to Stop Getting in Your Own Way
Folks, I keep meaning to write this little bloglet about writing, and time keeps slipping away.
Why? Well, I’m still ensconced in my final edit of A LITTLE ELFY IN BIG TROUBLE. Were my hands a bit better — I’ve been dealing with a flare-up of my carpal tunnel syndrome for the past few months — it would’ve been done by now.
So I thought to myself today, “Why am I judging myself by other people’s standards?”
Writing is an individual pursuit. Anyone who writes knows this. We all have different styles of writing, different ways of writing, and different habits away from writing, all of which adds up to one thing: we are individuals, doing individual pursuits.
Before you say it…I know this is obvious. But sometimes, you must point out the obvious.
Especially when you tend to forget about it, as most of us do.
So here’s my thought: We are all individuals, right? So why do we try to judge our writing progress by anyone else’s standards?
I know, I know. There are some standards that seem irrefutable.
But if I try, say, to judge what I’m doing by what my friends are doing, I’m going to lose.
Then again, if they judge themselves by what I’m doing, they might lose, too. Especially as I don’t know what their standards are; only they do.
Look, folks. You have to judge yourself solely by what you do. And you have to allow yourself to be yourself: an individual voice doing individual things in an individual way.
That’s how you stop getting in your own way, as a writer or in life.
Think about it.
Bruce Jenner, Gender Identity, and You
Last night, Bruce Jenner sat down with Diane Sawyer and discussed his lifelong struggles with gender identity and self-acceptance. He said this will be the last time he speaks as Bruce (with the subtext that this also will possibly be the last time he accepts the male pronoun), and said that inside, he’s always felt like “She” (that’s the only name he has for his female self).
Or in other words, Bruce Jenner is a transgendered individual. Inside, where it matters, Jenner is female. And apparently has known it for a long time, despite being married three times and siring six children.
What Jenner discussed most was his difficulty in accepting himself. Early on, he knew he wasn’t the same as other boys. Instead, he identified more with the girls. But he pushed that aside, became a well-known athlete, and did his best to celebrate his masculinity instead.
Because that’s who he was on the outside.
But who he was on the inside was far different. And he had to really struggle to figure himself out.
Being who you are is a powerful thing, you see. But first, you have to accept yourself for who you are before you can embrace it. Being in the public eye, as Bruce Jenner has been for decades, is likely to make that struggle for self-acceptance much more difficult. And so he intimated to Diane Sawyer.
All of this is relevant, topical, and may actually help to bring about a dialogue about sexual identity, gender issues, and how people come in all gender varieties as well as various shapes, sizes, colors and creeds.
However, what I’m already seeing online is a bit worrisome. It seems that some commentators are focused on the more salacious aspects of Bruce Jenner’s lifelong struggle — his three marriages and his six children. They again are only seeing the outward aspect of Jenner, or what he’s shown to date as his outward aspect, anyway…and are discounting the person who talked to Diane Sawyer entirely.
And that completely misses the point.
Whatever name Bruce Jenner decides to use from here on out, whatever gender he identifies with, the person inside — the soul, if you will — is exactly the same.
That’s what Jenner was trying to tell Diane Sawyer.
Now, how can you learn from Bruce Jenner’s struggles?
Somehow, some way, you need to learn to accept yourself. Warts and all, you are a unique individual, and you bring something to the table that no one else has. Your experiences matter, you matter, and you need to remember that.
We all have our differences inside, you see. We all struggle to become our authentic selves, though most don’t have to do it in the public eye like Jenner.
So if you feel like no one understands you, and no one ever will, you are not alone. Because most of us — if not every single last one of us — has thought that at least once in our lives.
Remember, the most important thing is that you understand yourself.
“But Barb,” you protest. “People aren’t even giving me a chance! They think I am something I’m not, because I look different than I am…remember Leelah Alcorn?”
Yes, I remember Leelah.
My point is that you have to accept yourself, whoever and whatever you are, and be confident in that self. It takes time to do this. (It took me until I was well into my thirties to accept all aspects of myself, for example.) But you should do your best to persevere, because if you give yourself time, you will find at least a few people who like and understand you for who you are.
Because you also will like and understand them for who they are.
Remember, we’ve all faced many of the same struggles in trying to form some idea of who we are. Though having a gender identity that does not match your outward physical self certainly complicates things, it isn’t the only reason that you can be confused.
(If it were, psychiatrists would have far less work to do. But I digress.)
So if you have someone in your life who has something different about him or her — whether it’s religion, politics, race, creed, gender identity or anything else — what I want you to do is simple:
Embrace that person’s diversity.
Don’t shun it.
Anything less is, quite frankly, uncivilized.
What’s Good About Science Fiction and Fantasy?
Folks, for the past several days I have been wired for sound over this SF&F contretemps (which I referenced here a few days ago).
But I can only handle so much stress. (And make no mistake about it: watching people I respect and admire savage each other is not my idea of a good time.) Which is why when Mary Robinette Kowal put up a post a few days ago asking people to talk with her about being a fan of SF&F, it got me thinking.
What is good about science fiction and/or fantasy? What do I like about it?
At its best, science fiction and fantasy can lift you out of yourself, because both genres are about ideas. And ideas have power, and value, and can inspire…
There are so many wonderful authors out there, and so many great books. They’re full of ideas. And ideas can inspire, entertain, lift you out of yourself, maybe give you a new slant on an old problem…you never know where an idea might lead you, in short.
So what’s good about science fiction and fantasy? Plenty.
Try to remember that, amidst this current controversy. And concentrate on the stories, because it’s the stories that all made us want to be SF&F fans in the first place.
Monday Inspiration: How “The Grit Factor” Can Work For You
Recently, I read “The Grit Factor” by Bob Carney in Golf Digest. “The Grit Factor” talks about many qualities that are needed for self-improvement, including mental toughness, resilience, and a willingness to work on all parts of your game — not just the easy stuff that you already know you can do, but the toughest things, too.
After I read this, I had one of those “aha!” moments similar to when I read The Inner Game of Tennis years ago. “The Grit Factor” has many of the same precepts, to wit:
- The real struggle is inward, with yourself, rather than outward against other players.
- Your principal obstacles are self-doubt and anxiety; once you can get a handle on those, or at least are prepared to deal with them, you can concentrate better on what you’re doing.
- You must believe that everything you do, no matter how long it takes, leads toward your goals.
Mind, there’s a lot more going on with “The Grit Factor” than that, but those principles seemed to make the most sense in a writing and editing context.
Consider that writers spend a great deal of time lost in thought, working either outwardly or inwardly on our works-in-progress. Because we don’t have a way to measure how well we’re doing at any given time, it can be easy to give in to self-doubt (“Is what I’m doing worth anything?”) or anxiety (“Will releasing my next book make any difference?”). So it seems obvious that managing these things is essential…or at least acknowledging these things exist could be beneficial.
Why?
Well, if you think that you’re the only writer on the face of the Earth who sometimes struggles with anxiety or self-doubt, it’s easy for that self-doubt or anxiety to stay inside you. Internalized, it sabotages your creative process at a deep level, and it can be hard to get away from that.
What I’ve found that works for me is to admit that yes, I’m anxious about certain things. (For example, right now I’m worried about how long it’s taking me to go over my final edit and come up with a revised first chapter for my second book, A LITTLE ELFY IN BIG TROUBLE.) But so long as I’m making any progress, even if it’s very slow and I can’t necessarily always see it, I have to count that as a win.
Providing I can admit that I’m nervous, I’m able to do a great deal more than when I try to shut it off and just refuse to talk about it. And that’s something I learned way back when I first read The Inner Game of Tennis.
Mind, that doesn’t mean “everything is awesome” (hat tip to The Lego Movie) when it comes to writing. There is a need for honest criticism. Without that, you can’t improve. (“The Grit Factor” discusses how just giving people ego-gratification all the time doesn’t help, though the author puts it a completely different way.) But you don’t need to beat yourself up while you’re working your heart out to improve, either.
If you take away one thing from today’s post, please remember this: As I’ve said before, writing a book is a marathon, not a sprint. Be resilient, be persistent, don’t give up, and keep working on your weakest areas.
That’s the best way to win, as a writer or at life.
Introducing Author N.N. Light and her novel, “Princess of the Light”
Folks, I’ve never done this before, but author N. N. Light and I are simultaneously guest-posting at each other’s blog today. Her blog is usually found at http://princessofthelight.wordpress.com, and it’s well worth reading as she has many interesting things to say about writing and creativity. She also is known for her generosity, as many other writers have guested at her blog — though as far as I know, this is her first and only simultaneous guest-blog appearance.
Now, as to how I know Mrs. Light — aka “Mrs. N.” on Twitter? She and I started talking on Twitter several months ago because we are both baseball fans. (She’s a fan of the Minnesota Twins, while as everyone here knows, I’m a fan of the Milwaukee Brewers.)
What can I tell you about Mrs. N.’s book? Well, it’s her debut novel, and it’s a Christian inspirational fantasy-romance. Her main character, Mary, is floored when she’s informed that she has a purpose and a destiny by none other than Archangel Gabriel himself (as you’ll see in the excerpt, below), and she works hard to reconcile what she knows of the world with what she must do. I’ve found Princess of the Light to be a heartwarming, inspirational novel of hope and faith, and I hope to be able to give it the longer review it deserves down the line over at Shiny Book Review (and, of course, at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc.)
I hope you will enjoy Mrs. N.’s guest appearance here at the Elfyverse blog…and I also hope you’ll be able to take a gander at my guest appearance at her blog.
Now, let’s get to getting! Here’s some interesting things you probably didn’t know about Mary, the heroine of Princess of the Light, organized in an A to Z format! (Enjoy!)
********
Get to Know Mary, aka the Princess of the Light,
From A to Z
A- Art is one of her loves and she secretly paints in her free time
B- Bookstore Manager and loves all things books
C- Coffee and chocolate are her addictions
D-Demons attack her at every turn and she must defeat them all
E- Empathy is one of her gifts from the time she was little
F- Friends are her family and she loves her friends fiercely
G- Golden Lake is her home and she loves it so much
H- Her greatest fear is turning evil and giving in to the demons
I- Insecurity flutters around her heart as she wonders if she can truly be the Princess of the Light
J- Jokes and comedy make her laugh heartily
K- Kicking Than’s butt gives her pleasure
L- Love, pure unconditional love, burns brightly in her soul
M- Musicals, she loves them and her favorite is “Guys and Dolls”
N- Natural appearance and make-up is her fashion sense
O- Orange is definitely not the new black in her opinion
P- Purple is her favorite color and lavender is her favorite scent
Q- Quiet and shy is the type of child she was growing up
R- Reading is her favorite thing to do and she encourages everyone to read
S- Soul mates are something she strongly believes in and she may have found hers
T- Transportation for her is mass transit or walking
U- Underneath it all, she is a normal woman living her life
V- Vexed by Lisbeth at every turn, she must figure out a way to banish the demon
W- Winter is her least favorite season, although she loves Christmas
X- Xtra sensitive talking about her father, Richard, as he died in a car crash
Y- Yearns for the day when the world is filled with Light and hunger is eliminated
Z- Zeal to heal and help all those who feel helpless and alone
Title: Princess of the Light
Author: N. N. Light
Genre: Urban Fantasy Romance, Christian Fantasy, Inspirational Fiction
Blurb:
Gabriel, the Archangel and Messenger of God – yeah, that Gabriel – visits Mary Miller. He tells her, as the key, she is destined to spread the Light and vanquish the Darkness. Her first assignment is to restore the soul of the Walking Man. Sounds simple enough — until she’s thrown into the face of evil. And then, Joe Deacons enters her heart. This battle just got a lot more complicated. She must complete her mission without losing all she loves.
Extra-Long Excerpt:
Gabriel, archangel and Messenger of Light, watched as the Princess calmly slept. Her long auburn hair framed her face, and she showed no signs of stirring.
He folded his wings and sighed.
Gabriel had been sent by the Father to announce the coming of the Princess. This was the first time he had seen her. She didn’t look like much of anything special—nothing in her outward appearance suggested that such strength resided right beneath the surface. Then again, he thought, the carrier of the Light from two thousand years ago hadn’t appeared all that extraordinary, either.
Maybe the common features had been inherently within the Lord’s plan all along. As Gabriel took in this reality, he noted one striking feature that differed from many mortals: she glowed with a heavenly purple hue. Purple is the color of God’s chosen, he reflected silently. The purple-shaded essence that was normally only visible by celestial beings seemed to slightly shimmer through her skin, as well. He knew that the Light would soon shine so bright from her that the world may possibly be rejuvenated.
Gabriel knelt and bowed his head.
“Lord,” his whisper barely more than a breath of air, “I am ready to do Your will. I am ever Your humble servant, and I pray that you see fit to continue using me to spread your Truth. In Your name, this I pray. Amen.”
Gabriel slowly rose and unfurled his wings and Light flooded the room. The woman arched her back slightly in a stretch, then she lengthened her right arm over her head. With a quiet yawn, the woman finally stirred.
Gabriel gently smiled as she opened her eyes.
“There is no reason to be afraid, Princess,” he soothed as the woman widened her eyes in fear. She gasped and glanced around for any escape. Seeing none, she grabbed the bedcovers and pulled them under her chin.
“Who…? Who…? Who are you?” She stammered. In an effort to gain control, she straightened her back and breathed slowly.
“I know a lot about you. My name is Gabriel, and I have a message for you from God.”
“A message for me?” Her voice squeaked, betraying the lack of fear she was beginning to put back into her demeanor.
He continued. “You have been chosen to be The Lord’s bearer of the Light and His Princess.” He wanted to speak more informally, but her reaction required him to be slightly aloof. She must not question the seriousness of the message he was relaying.
The woman crossed her arms over her chest and looked at Gabriel in disbelief. “Oh, come on. This can’t be real. How can any of that be true?” She shook her head, and then continued her rant of disbelief: “I must be dreaming or something. This doesn’t happen to ordinary people. Sure, I believe what they say in the Bible is true. I have always told myself that if God chose me, I wouldn’t hesitate.”
She paused, seeming to consider the magnitude of what she had just said.
“Who are you, anyway? Why are you here telling me this? Could it really be true? Could I be the Lord’s Princess?” As she ran her fingers through her red hair, the woman took a ragged breath. She abruptly stopped and placed her hand over her chest.
“What if I can’t do it? What if I fail? Will I go to Hell? Will the Lord punish me? Oh, Lord, please help me to understand.” Before Gabriel had a chance to respond, the woman closed her eyes and simply fainted.
Gabriel folded his wings behind him and gently sat down beside her on the bed. His strong Light dimmed in compassion, and he carefully adjusted her head so that it was leaning back naturally. Then, he started to situate pillows behind her back for a more comfortable position, so that when she woke up, she might be calmer.
He stole a side-long look at her face again and jumped a bit. He was astonished to see that she was just quietly watching him. Now he could see the courage and strength. He decided to try again.
“You may not believe me, but you’re a very special woman. Mortals call the daughter of a king Princess. You are a daughter of God and he has chosen you to be His carrier of the Light.” This time she didn’t argue, but she still shook her head, nonetheless.
Gabriel silenced her by lightly pressing a finger to her lips. “No. Let me finish, please,” he said on the verge of sounding a little too stern. “The message I have for you is very important.” When she didn’t try to interrupt, he continued. “You have been blessed, and the same Light that the Virgin Mary carried is also inside of you. That Spirit is in all those with faith, but you have a special purpose. Not only do you carry the Light, but you will be the Lord’s Warrior Princess.” A car horn trumpeted a warning outside. The woman didn’t appear to notice, but Gabriel knew he must finish delivering this message, because he would soon be needed elsewhere.
“Since the beginning of time,” he explained, “God has believed in free will for His people. The Devil and his minions have always taken advantage of this. The destruction of souls has been increasing at an alarming rate. Always patient, God loves His creation—you and your fellow mankind.”
“The darkness has begun covering the globe and something must be done, if all is not to be lost. You will be used to offer the world an awakening. Through you, some will begin to see and hear what they have otherwise been closed to. You are the key.”
Again, Gabriel paused. The woman was staring blankly at him, eyes intent with concentration. He continued.
“The final straw, Princess, was when a mortal named André was taken. André was a good soul the Lord had favored. André came too close to helping spread the Light and a group of demons successfully tempted him away from that goal. The loss of André and his desired goal tipped the balance. You are to help bring him back out of despair. Strength and resolve must defeat the tempestuous storm these demons are causing. Your faith gives you that power.”
“Wait a minute,” the woman interrupted, “Are you saying that I am going to be this Warrior Princess?” Her brown eyes widened and her mouth hung open incredulously. “No, no… No, no, no,” she argued. “This can’t be happening.” Shock and fear pulsed so strongly through her unseen Light that Gabriel could feel it as his own.
“Yes,” he tried to soothe. “You have been chosen. You are the Princess destined to lead God’s army and infuse Earth with the Light of faith and strength once again. You and the Warrior, that is. For too long, this world has been shrouded in darkness. You are the chosen one God wants to be His Champion and smite down the demons.”
The woman sat silently looking at him. It didn’t seem to have occurred to her that as a heavenly being, he would be able to hear her inner dialogue.
How am I supposed to be God’s warrior? She questioned within her heart. I’m not the violent type. I get angry at seeing someone being bullied or an injustice done, sure, but how can I do this? I’m not strong enough. I’m just one person. Who’s this Warrior of the Light? How am I supposed to figure out who André is amongst a whole planet of people?
The red head closed her now-violet eyes and started to rub her throbbing temples.
“This is just too much,” she whispered. Her eyes settled back down to brown again.
Gabriel wished he could comfort her, but he also knew she needed to be able to deal with her emotions in the face of this mission. That ability would only become more and more important as the journey continued.
He brushed a stray hair from her forehead. The unexpected compassion startled her. For a moment he had forgotten how disconnected and unsympathetic humans had become of late. He amended his behavior to fit the times and watched as she looked down as his large, glowing hand patted her tightly clasped hands. He sighed.
“I know this is a lot to take in, Princess. I’m here to answer all of your questions.” Gabriel closed his eyes and prayed. Strength came to those who sought it, but it was not up to him to force her. He searched her heart and mind for what she needed to hear most right now. There were so many questions and emotions that ran contrary to one another that he fought to get to the truth.
“I will help you,” he comforted. “Others need you, but you are not alone.”
She sighed heavily and said after a moment, “Why me?”
“The Lord never makes a mistake. He sees a faithful, strong woman who will be His instrument for good. You will restore the Light in many and will crush the darkness. You were destined to be God’s Princess.”
The woman, now fully awake and appearing to calm down, reached over and pulled open a drawer next to her bed. The lamp above illuminated a single brush, a litany of hair clips, and what appeared to be a well-worn Bible. Gabriel smiled to himself.
“How am I,” her words broke as she yanked and pulled her thick red hair into a ponytail “going to restore… the Light… and crush the darkness?” She tossed the brush back into the drawer and slid it closed with a little thud.
“The Lord has given you many gifts. Most of which are still untapped, Pr—”
“Mary. Please call me Mary.”
“Okay. Mary, with this calling, the gifts will help you to be the embodiment of the Light. Some include your ability to see spirits, visions, and psychic phenomenon. The Lord left you a letter that gives you guidance and warning with these abilities.” He motioned to the nightstand. “Your heart must remain pure, Mary. God warns that even Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”
Gabriel watched as she took it all in. The Light within her glowed brighter and her eyes gleamed with a violet hue again. The Light was taking control and she was becoming the vessel the world needed.
“Your Light must remain true. Through your compassion, you will have the strength to bring the Light into the darkness. You will be tempted through your compassion. Choices have been made, Mary.” He couldn’t say more. The rest would be left to God’s Will.
“Am I going to face the darkness alone?” She trembled as she said the word darkness.
He sensed her fear returning and frowned.
“You have nothing to fear. You have the power of the Light within you. You are never alone. The Lord is always with you—along with several leagues of angels. I will always be near.” Gabriel realized that some of what he was saying she may not be ready for yet. “Think of me like your coach,” he explained. “I’m here to help train you for whatever comes. I will teach you how to use your Light to help others and I will never be further away than the side lines. All you need to do is focus on the goal: André.”
“Who is André anyway?” Mary glanced at her Bible. She appeared fearful that it was a story she had forgotten.
“André is a man without a place to call home.”
“What’s so special about him? Just the fact that he’s homeless?”
“The Lord favored André and thought him to be a good soul. He had aims and goals in life that pleased God. Unfortunately, André became strongly tempted by a demon. Mortals must all make the choice to come on their own. The love for God cannot be forced.” He paused. “That’s where you come in, Pr— Mary. Plant the seed and God will help it grow. You must defeat the chaff so the wheat can grow.”
“Oh.” Confusion and resolve fought each other across Mary’s face. Gabriel had said enough. The rest was up to her.
“I will explain in more detail tomorrow. For now, all you need to know is that you are the Princess and the Lord knows you can do this. I know this is a lot to deal with. All the Lord asks is that you continue to be faithful and put your trust in Him. Listen to His voice. Trust Him to guide your footsteps.”
Mary asked simply, “Tomorrow?”
“Yes, I will meet you tomorrow afternoon and we will have our first training lesson. Get some rest and listen for the Lord’s commands. Everything you need to know is in that book beside you.”
Gabriel stood and unfurled his wings. “If you need my help, you only need to say my name, and I will appear.” He took her hands in his and looked her squarely in the eyes. “You will encounter many ups and downs, Mary, but know that the universe is filled with angels—angels that follow and worship the Lord. You are truly not alone.”
Gabriel bowed his head, like in prayer, extended his wings, and seemed to glide effortlessly up to Heaven.
Mary fell back on her bed and wept.
Buy Links:
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/469480
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/princess-of-the-light-nn-light/1120170709?ean=9781502438454
Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Princess-Light-N/dp/1502438453
Amazon Canada: http://www.amazon.ca/Princess-Light-N-ebook/dp/B00N19FDKO
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Princess-Light-N-ebook/dp/B00N19FDKO
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/princess-of-the-light-1
iTunes/ iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/princess-of-the-light/id913013798?mt=11
Paperback: https://www.createspace.com/5008419
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23009005-princess-of-the-light
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Author Bio: N.N. Light was born in Minnesota, lived in Southern California only to move to chilly Ontario, Canada to marry her beloved husband MR N. She is blissfully happy and loves all things chocolate, books, music, movies, art, sports and baking. She has been telling stories since the age of five and her mantra is to spread the Light. Most of the time you can find her on Twitter or getting new ideas on how to spread the Light on Pinterest. She is a proud member of ASMSG, Independent Author Network and Marketing for Romance Writers.
Part of the proceeds of Princess of the Light will go directly to food banks in order to feed the hungry and help those in need. With only 7,500 books sold, N. N. Light will be able to set up a monthly endowment for the local food bank.
I’d love to connect with you either via email or via these various social media sites:
Website: http://princessofthelight.com
Blog: http://princessofthelight.wordpress.com
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/nnlight
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/NNP_W_Light
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/nnlight
Facebook: www.facebook.com/PrincessOTLight
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/n-n-light/90/1a7/902
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/118060034268079734144/posts
Triberr: http://www.triberr.com/nnlight
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/nnlight
Independent Author Network: http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/n-n-light.html
iAuthor: http://www.iauthor.uk.com/princess-of-the-light:10294
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