Helena Halme

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About Helena Halme
Helena writes Nordic fiction with a hint of both Romance and Noir. Her latest series, Love on the Island, is set on the quirky and serenely beautiful Åland Islands filled with tourists in the summer and covered by snow and ice in winter.
Prize-winning author, former BBC journalist, bookseller, and magazine editor, Helena Halme holds an MSc in Marketing and an MA in Creative Writing. Full-time author and self-publishing coach, Helena also acts as Nordic Ambassador for The Alliance of Independent Authors and has published twelve Nordic fiction titles and three nonfiction books.
Apart from writing stories, Helena is addicted to Nordic Noir and dances to Abba songs when nobody's watching.
You can find more about Helena and her books on www.helenahalme.com, Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/HelenaHalmeAuthor/), Twitter (@helenahalme) and Instagram (@helenahalme)
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Author Updates
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Blog postAs the last instalment in the Love on the Island Series, my new book, An Island Heatwave, was always going to be a little harder to write, but I think there have been other factors at work too.
End of Lockdowns It’s crazy how quickly you get used to a new way of doing things. During the past two years, and various lockdowns because of the Covid pandemic, I increased my writing speed and productivity in general. At first, it was difficult. The world, it seemed, was becoming unhinged. E3 months ago Read more -
Blog postAre you interested in books about Finland? You’re in the right place. As well as writing books about Finland, I try to read every translated book that comes out of there. Firstly, because I’m Finnish and secondly because it’s such an interesting country, situated as it is between East and West.
Finland has been in the news a lot lately. The war in Ukraine has such frightening parallels to the history between Finland and Russia. Soviet Russia attacked Finland during WW2, but we m3 months ago Read more -
Blog postToday I’m delighted to interview Jane Davis, an award-winning author of several literary fiction novels. As well as a friend, Jane is an excellent writer, whose books I eagerly wait to read as soon as they are out. I’m lucky to have received an advance copy of her latest novel, Small Eden, which is out tomorrow. A review of the novel will follow shortly here and on my Instagram feed.
Q: Where do you live and how does that influence your writing? I grew up close to Wimbledon, best know3 months ago Read more -
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Blog postRecently, with the terrible events in Ukraine, I have begun to wonder if I’m obsessed with Russia.
A Child of the Cold War When I was growing up in Finland during the Cold War, I was taught to be afraid of the Big Russian Bear next door. We had to be careful not to offend the Soviet Union.
Me chilling in our summer cottage in Kangasala, near Tampere wearing my favourite Marimekko shirt All the TV programmes, newspapers, and even comedians were using carefully constructed4 months ago Read more -
Blog postYou have an idea for a book, or you’ve already completed a whole manuscript. What’s next? Where to start the self-publishing process? This is a question I have been asked so many times, I decided to start a new series here, called A Guide to Self-publishing. This, the first post is all about where to start.
5 months ago Read more -
Blog postIf you’re subscribed to my newsletter, you’ll know that my recent holiday in Cabo Verde turned into a bit of a ‘Nightmare on the Island of Sal’.
An Escape for a Bit of Sun Like many others, the Englishman and I were craving a break in the sun and decided to take a gamble to book a week away in January in Cabo Verde, where sunshine is almost guaranteed year-round. Miraculously, in spite of COVID and issues with family, we managed to get away.
Beware of the Island Surf On Day 1,6 months ago Read more -
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Blog postI’m having such fun writing An Island Heatwave, Book 6 in the Love on the Island series, that I thought I’d share a sneak peek into the new book with you today.
Frida You may remember Frida from the first book in the series, The Island Affair? In this short clip from the novel, Alicia, who is still reeling from the loss of her 17-year-old son, Stefan, some six months earlier, meets Frida for the first time. Alicia has just begun working for the local paper in Mariehamn, on the Å6 months ago Read more -
Blog postNew Year means new reads and, for me, 2022 has so far proved to be very productive in that respect.
Those of you who read my newsletter know that I’ve recently returned from quite an eventful holiday in the sun, where in spite of the drama, I had a lot of time to read.
Below are the best reads form my holiday. They are, as usual, in various genres, including Nordic Noir, Thrillers, Historical, Psychological and Women’s Fiction. A mixed bag, you could say!
The Second6 months ago Read more -
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Blog postIn the New Year, you can hardly miss the many posts on writing blogs about setting new goals for the twelve months ahead.
Why Set Down Your Goals? Setting down your goals for the year is a good reminder of what you want out of life.
Thin
7 months ago Read more -
Blog postThe Island Child is out today, but why do I have publication day blues?
This is my 14th fiction title and you’d think thatI’d be used to the whole publication routine. The writing, editing, deciding on the cover and making plans for the launch. But you’d be wrong.
The publication process is alwys equally demanding. It also seems that even though I think the feelings I’m having are unusual and unique to this title (I’m calling it Publication Day Blues), it has happened before.8 months ago Read more -
Blog postWould you like a sneak peek into my new novel? Well, you’re in luck!
The Island Child, a story set on the Scandinavian Åland Islands during Christmastime, will be out next week, on December 9th. But I thougth you migth like chance to read not one, but two exclusive chapters from my new novel before other readers.
The Island Child A Christmas baby should give hope and joy to everyone on the starkly beautiful Scandinavian islands …
While Brit awaits the arrival of8 months ago Read more -
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Blog postMy next novel, The Island Child, a seasonal story set on the stunningly beautiful, but sparsely populated Åland Islands, will be out early next month. Today, I can reveal a little more about the plot, but there are no spoilers, don’t worry.
Love on the Island Series I’ve long wanted to set a story on the Åland Islands, where I spent many years as a ‘summer islander’. However, I couldn’t quite decide what the books would be about. When I found Alicia, the main character, I9 months ago Read more -
Blog postPlotting is always a hot topic when authors get together. Some like to write off the seat of their pants (often called ‘pantsers’) while others cite plotting as crucial to their writing process.
It’s certainly easier to write every day
1 year ago Read more -
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Blog postDuring the Covid lockdowns, the things that I missed most were hugging my children and granddaughter, visiting my home country of Finland, and attending live conferences and seminars.
Authors spend most of their time at a desk be it in a
1 year ago Read more -
Blog postIt may be that after finishing your manuscript the last thing you want to do is start a new writing project. However, I argue that this is the perfect time to start a new book.
Your Craft Is At Its Peak Finishing a manuscript is a tough t
1 year ago Read more -
Blog postJoin me and other indie authors this Wednesday for the Indie Author Twitter Chat.
The Indie Author Twitter Chat is organized by the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) and hosted each week by Tim Lewis. This week, I will be in the hot
1 year ago Read more -
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Blog postIn the previous blog posts in this series on how to write every, we talked about scheduling your writing time. Today, I’ll talk about how to set targets.
Word Count One of the most important targets you need to set is a word count for th
1 year ago Read more -
Blog postThe first step in making sure you create a sustainable writing routine is scheduling your writing time. This may sound simple, but setting up a writing schedule is the most important thing you can do.
When can you write? To begin the process of scheduling your writing time, ask yourself the question, ‘When do I really
2 years ago Read more -
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Blog postWrite Every Day: Motivate Yourself to Success in 10 Easy Steps is now out in both eBook and paperback.
This is my third nonfiction book on writing and the one I had the most fun with!
A New Career? As this fateful year of 2020 comes to a close, I see many people changing their careers. Many have asked me about my writing, and how I began my author journey.
I found my writing routine through trial and error (more the latter). In Write Every Day, I share my experiences. I2 years ago Read more -
Blog postDid you know that you can have your book listed in a total of ten categories on Amazon in addition to the two you chose when publishing the title? You have to contact Amazon to add the additional eight categories. It’s not complicated, but there are certain steps you need to take to insure your book is in as many categories as possible on Amazon.2 years ago Read more
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Blog postAre you planning to increase your ebook sales with a free offer but are afraid it won’t work? I’ve been pricing the first novel in my series for free (on and off) for a while now, so I know that you can increase your book sales with a free offer. But, you need to have a strategy.
First, you need to decide whether to ma
2 years ago Read more -
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Blog postIf you want to be a successful writer, you have to write. Nothing else matters. So why, then, aren’t you writing?
Ask Yourself Why Since you are reading this blog post, you must struggle with the process, but have you ever asked yourself the actual question? Why didn’t I write today, yesterday, this week, or month? What
2 years ago Read more -
Blog postIf you’ve heard any famous author talk about their process, nine times out of ten, they say they try to write something every day. But is this the only way to succeed? And why should you write every day?
Do You Want to Be a Writer? If you wish to become a career writer, you need to sell books to sustain your lifestyle.
2 years ago Read more -
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Blog postRegister for SelfPubCon 2020 Now Registration for the 2020 Tools and Tech SelfPubCon is now open! The Self-Publishing Advice Conference, #SelfPubCon is running again on the 17th/18th October – and the theme this time is Tools and Tech f
2 years ago Read more -
Blog postA book launch can be an exhausting experience, especially after all the effort that you’ve put into getting the book out in the first place. Although book launches aren’t as important as they once used to be, it’s still preferable for the long term sales, if your title has a good start. With preferably a top ten ranki
2 years ago Read more -
Blog postMany writing gurus and successful authors talk about how important it is to write every day. But why is it so important? Should every writer do it? In this, the first of a series of blog posts, I share with you how my writing career (eventually ) led me to a daily writing routine, and with that to publishing success.
W2 years ago Read more -
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Blog postIn my previous posts on how to turn your life into fiction, I’ve talked a lot about what you should not do and what you should think about when turning your life story into fiction. Admittedly, when writing fiction, there are a lot of things to consider.
If you haven’t seen the other posts, you
2 years ago Read more -
Blog postFreddie P. Peters is the author of three spy thrillers. Her fourth novel, SPY SHADOWS, is out next month, so I thought I'd interview Freddie and ask her a few pertinent questions about the new release, her writing process, and any advice she has for new writers.
What can you tell us about your new release, SPY SHADOWS?2 years ago Read more -
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Blog postDialogue is a literary technique where two or more characters are engaged in conversation with one another. In a novel, it’s the oil that lubricates the cogs of the story to turn. When I was younger, I’d sometimes skip whole sections of a book just to jump to the dialogue. I did this especially if the book was grippin
2 years ago Read more -
Blog postGood news! You can now easily sell books directly to your readers. I’ve been wanting to set up a new online shop for some time and, finally, this week, I managed to complete the task. (The things you achieve when you can't get into your usual writing routine...)
Make Your Books Availa2 years ago Read more
Titles By Helena Halme
It’s the height of the Cold War and Finland is the playground of the Russian KGB. A former Royal Navy officer Iain is asked to work undercover. He’s to investigate Vladislav Kovtun, a violent KGB spy, dubbed The Red King of Helsinki by the Finnish secret service. This is Iain’s first assignment, and when he discovers the bodies left in Kovtun’s wake, he quickly gets embroiled in danger.
Young student Pia has two goals in life: she dreams of a career in gymnastics and she wants Heikki, a boy in her class with the dreamiest blue eyes, to notice her. But when her best friend, Anni, the daughter of an eminent Finnish Diplomat, goes missing, Pia begins to investigate the mystery behind her disappearance. Unbeknown to Pia, Kovtun, The Red King of Helsinki, is watching her every move, as is the British spy, Iain.
Will Iain be able to save Pia before it’s too late?
The Red King of Helsinki is a Cold War spy story set in Finland during one freezing week in 1979. If you like Nordic Noir, you will love this fast-moving Nordic spy story by the Finnish author Helena Halme. Perfect for readers who like William Boyd's Restless or Helen Dunmore's Exposure.
Pick up The Red King of Helsinki to discover this chilling Nordic spy tale today!
Do you immediately know when you meet THE ONE?
It’s a snowy day at Uppsala University in Sweden where Alicia is studying English. A migraine is threatening to ruin her day, and the last thing she expects is to meet the man of her dreams.
Liam, a recently qualified British doctor is in Uppsala attending a medical conference when a beautiful leggy blonde chooses to sit at the same table as him in the busy student canteen. She's not the first woman Liam has been attracted to, but there's something beguiling about this young student and he cannot take his eyes off her.
Get this charming story of love at first sight in a cold climate now!
Now with updated content!
This inspirational book shows you in 10 easy steps how to turn your life into a novel. It shows you how to:
- Research your own life
- Find the right genre for your life story
- Create an engaging plot and story arc
- Shape strong characters out of ‘real’ people
- Use dynamic dialogue
- Stop worrying about what people might think of your book
- Write regularly and with confidence
Helena Halme is a bestselling author of 15 fiction and three nonfiction titles. She is a former BBC journalist, a translator, and a magazine editor, and began writing fiction after gaining an MA in Creative Writing. Her true love story, The English Heart, is a bestselling novel and has been downloaded thousands of times on Amazon.
In Write Your Story, Helena shares her experience in using her life as the inspiration for her books and shows you how easy it is to turn your life story into a fiction title.
Now with added writing tips and new advice on the process of turning your life into fiction.
Get this inspirational book and start writing your life story today!I am so glad I got to read this wonderful book – Chells and Books Blog
This would make a great summer holiday read – Hinton Hits the Books Blog
A grieving mother. Secrets at the heart of the family. A love affair that could destroy everything…
After the tragic loss of their 17-year-old son, journalist Alicia and surgeon Liam struggle to keep their marriage afloat. During their usual holiday to Åland, the Nordic islands where Alicia grew up, the rift between the couple deepens.
Enter tall, blonde Patrick, with the most piercing blue eyes Alicia has ever seen. When Patrick confides in Alicia about the near loss of his daughter and the breakdown of his marriage, Alicia is surprised to feel an affinity with the Swedish reporter. He’s the only person who understands her.
But secrets held by people close to Alicia give her life another surprising turn and she finds there is a new reason to live – and love – again.
The Island Affair is perfect for fans of Debbie Macomber, Katie Winters, Jo Jo Moyes, Elin Hilderbrand, or Liane Moriarty.
Read The Island Affair, a family drama chock-full of mystery and passion, set in one of the most captivating holiday islands in Scandinavia, today!
A heatwave on the beautiful Scandinavian islands brings relationships to the verge of breakdown.
Alicia is happily reunited with her husband, surgeon Liam, but her ex-lover, Swedish reporter Patrick, can't accept their affair is over.
Young single-mom Frida, on the other hand, is trying to convince her Romanian lover to leave his home country and settle with her on the islands. There are many obstacles in the way, not least her recent inheritance which Andrei thinks is tainted.
The unwelcome reappearance of an all-too-familiar Russian fugitive brings more trouble for the islanders.
As the heat rises, secrets are unravelled, and one woman's life takes an unexpected turn.
Preorder An Island Heatwave, the page-turning Book 6 in the ‘sensational’ (NetGalley) Love on the Island Series now.
LOVE ON THE ISLAND SERIES:
The Day We Met (Prequel short story)
The Island Affair (Book 1)
An Island Christmas (Book 2)
The Island Daughter (Book 3)
Love on the Island Boxed Set (Books 1-3)
An Island Summer (Book 4)
The Island Child (Book 5)
An Island Heatwave (Book 6)
All the books in the series can be enjoyed as standalone reads. Travel by book to these stunningly beautiful Scandinavian islands and get lost in the drama and intrigue of the Love on the Island Series.
A moving novel of newfound love and old passions rekindled.
Three women, three love affairs at the crossroads:
One is betrayed, again.
One falls for the wrong guy.
One for the right one, but 40 years too late.
After taking over her late stepfather’s farm, Alicia finds shocking evidence of a crime. After she confides in her lover, the Swedish journalist Patrick, he realises what a scoop she’s given him. Will he sacrifice her happiness for his personal ambition?
Frida could not have found love with anyone more unsuitable than Andrei. He’s come to the islands to find out the truth about the demise of his younger brother Daniel. And he’s likely to find out the truth about what happened between Frida and Daniel.
As the summer on the islands heats up, Alicia’s ex-husband, Liam makes an appearance. Alicia's mother, Hilda, also finds romance, but can she trust a man she vowed never to see again some forty years earlier?
Set on the Åland Islands which lie between Finland and Sweden, An Island Summer has true intrigue, grown-up love stories, and stunning Scandinavian scenery.
An unmissable holiday read for 2021!
After her dear stepfather has a fatal heart attack, Alicia returns home to the Åland Islands to support her mother, Hilda. She leaves behind a new life with her lover, Patrick, in Stockholm.
But when her lover’s ex, Mia, the daughter of the local property magnate, makes moves to rekindle her relationship with Patrick, Alicia is torn between duty and her own happiness.
Alicia’s hopes of a brighter future are further dashed when deeply buried family secrets surface. How can she forge a new life when everything she believed to be true about her past is a lie?
Meanwhile, Alicia’s best friend, Brit, has her own problems. After a life spent footloose and fancy-free, traveling the world working on cruise ships, she’s both horrified and delighted when she sees the thin pink lines on a test tube. But how can she have a baby with a man she’s only known for a matter of months?
The Island Daughter is the third novel in Helena Halme’s Love on the Island series, but it can also be enjoyed as a standalone read.
Join Alicia’s small island community for another installment in the “captivating” new series set on the most picturesque of Scandinavian islands. Once you enter her world, you’ll never want to leave.
Transport yourself through ‘sensational fiction’ to the fascinating and serenely beautiful Åland Islands between Finland and Sweden!
Love on the Island series by the ‘brilliant author’ Helena Halme is a sweeping saga set on a small group of Nordic islands filled with tourists in the summer and snow and ice in the winter. This boxset combines the three first full-length novels in the 'must read' series with Alicia, a journalist raised on the islands, her British surgeon husband, Liam, and a Swedish reporter, Patrick, who makes Alicia's heart beat a little too fast...
The Island Affair (Book 1)
After her son’s tragic death, journalist Alicia and her husband Liam travel to the Nordic Islands where Alicia was raised. As they struggle to keep their marriage afloat, secrets are revealed which threaten to end their relationship, but at the same time give Alicia hope for the future. Enter tall, blonde Patrick with the most piercing blue eyes Alicia has ever seen. As the summer heats up, can Alicia find a way to embrace life and love once more?
An Island Christmas (Book 2)
It's time for Alicia to enjoy her first winter back on her beloved Islands with her family. But her estranged husband, Liam, springs an unwelcome and devastating surprise and her ex-lover, Patrick, tempts her with an altogether different kind of future, making Alicia face an impossible choice. With her world crashing around her, can Alicia create the idyllic Island Christmas she’s always dreamt about?
The Island Daughter (Book 3)
Alicia returns home to the islands after a family tragedy, leaving behind a new life in Stockholm with Patrick. But when Mia Eriksson, Patrick's ex, makes a move to rekindle her relationship with him, Alicia is torn between duty and her own happiness. Alicia’s world is further upended when deeply buried family secrets surface. How can she face the future when everything she believed to be true about her past is a lie?
Join Alicia’s small island community in the captivating new series set on the most picturesque of Scandinavian islands. Once you enter her world, you’ll never want to leave.
On the windswept Scandinavian Åland Islands, the festive season is snowy and chilly—yet breathtakingly beautiful.
It's time for Alicia to enjoy her first Christmas back on her beloved Islands with her family. There’ll be traditional dancing around the tree and sipping mulled wine in front of a cozy fire. But peace is broken by Alicia’s estranged husband, Liam, who springs an unwelcome and devastating surprise, while her ex-lover, Patrick, tempts her with an altogether different kind of future. Alicia faces impossible choices to keep her family together.
With her world crashing around her, can Alicia create the idyllic Island Christmas she’s always dreamt about?
Meanwhile, Brit, Alicia’s best friend, returns to the Islands to lick her wounds after a particularly bloody break-up with an Italian chef. When she meets her new boss, the Captain of a Baltic cruise liner, sparks fly. Brit can’t help but fall quickly in love with Jukka, but when she discovers his murky past, she fears her heart is about to be broken yet again. Are the rumors about Jukka true, or just typical small island gossip?
Join this quirky Scandinavian island community for a Christmas you’ll never forget!
An Island Christmas is a sequel to Helena's first novel set on Åland, The Island Affair, but it can also be read as a standalone book.
A Christmas baby should give hope and joy to everyone on the starkly beautiful Scandinavian islands …
While Brit awaits the arrival of her first child, a visitor to the islands threatens to reveal an uncomfortable secret from her past. To add to her woes, her partner, Sea Captain Jukka, runs his cruise liner aground the night before Christmas, just as the baby decides to be born.
Meanwhile, Alicia’s ex-husband, Liam, has made the leap of faith and moved to the islands from London to rekindle their relationship and start an exciting new business venture with her. However, a small part of Alicia’s heart still belongs to the Swedish journalist, Patrick. Two years ago, they began a passionate affair.
Alicia knows she can’t trust Patrick – his betrayals have been heartbreaking and destructive – but when Patrick is rushed to hospital in Stockholm she races to his side. Liam fears this means she still has deep feelings for the journalist.
But unbeknown to Liam, a threat hangs over Alicia and everyone she loves. With Patrick in hospital, her best friend, Brit, alone and vulnerable, how can Alicia say no to an offer made by an old and powerful nemesis?
Talk about impossible choices ...
Read The Island Child, the page-turning Book 5 in the ‘sensational’ (NetGalley) Love on the Island Series now.
LOVE ON THE ISLAND SERIES:
The Day We Met (Prequel short story)
The Island Affair (Book 1)
An Island Christmas (Book 2)
The Island Daughter (Book 3)
Love on the Island Boxed Set (Books 1-3)
An Island Summer (Book 4)
The Island Child (Book 5)
All the books in the series can be enjoyed as stand-alone reads. Travel by book to these stunningly beautiful Scandinavian islands and get lost in the drama and intrigue of the Love on the Island Series.
‘Coffee and Vodka is a rich story that stays with us….with moments of brilliance.’ - Dr. Mimi Thebo, Bath Spa University.
Eeva doesn’t want to remember, but a return to Finland where she grew up forces her finally to confront her past.
‘In Stockholm, everything is bigger and better.’
When her father announces the family is to leave Finland for a new life in Sweden, 11-year-old Eeva is elated. But in Stockholm her mother finds feminism, Eeva’s sister, Anja, pretends to be Swedish and her father struggles to adapt.
One night, Eeva’s world falls apart.
Fast forward 30 years. Now teaching Swedish to foreigners, Eeva travels back to Finland when her beloved grandmother becomes ill. On the overnight ferry, a chance meeting with her married ex-lover, Yri, prompts family secrets to unravel and buried memories to come flooding back.
It’s time for Eeva to find out what really happened all those years ago …
Coffee and Vodka has it all: family drama, mystery, romance and sisterly love.
If you like Nordic Noir, you’ll love this rich Nordic family drama by the Finnish author Helena Halme.
Review:
‘The descriptions of the difficulties of childhood, sisterhood, relationships, and parenthood transcend national borders.’ - Pauline Masurel, editor & writer.
Review:
‘Like the television series The Bridge, Coffee and Vodka opens our eyes to facets of a Scandinavian culture that most of us would lump together into one. I loved the way the narrative wove together the viewpoint of Eeva the child and her shock at arriving in a new country, with Eeva the sophisticated adult, returning for the first time to the country of her birth, and finding it both familiar and irretrievably strange.’ Catriona Troth, Triskele Books.
Review:
‘I loved reading this. After picking it up (or opening it on my Kindle I should say) it was hard to put it down; I even missed my stop on the bus to carry on reading.’ Goodreads reader.
Pick up Coffee and Vodka to discover this brilliant, heart-warming Nordic family drama today!
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