12Nov/18

Earthly Pleasures by Sera Trevor

Review, , , , , , , ,

 

Sera Trevor was a lovely recent guest on our show. To find out more about her and get links to her work, check out Episode 185: Ugh Reality!

There are some books you feel comfortable with right away. After the first page I knew this book and I would get along just fine. It was something indefinable, accessibility to an author’s writing or put another way, this seemed a friendly, approachable book. It welcomes the reader in and assures them that a good story is about to be told.

Prince Paurick is a bit a tool, to be honest. He’s reckless, spoiled, libidinous and vain, with little sense of duty. When he has to be joined with an acolyte to an all-powerful Goddess, to ensure his family’s royal lineage and bring fertility back to a starving land, he does it ungraciously. The monk isn’t to his taste at all, swarthy, shy fellow who he finds desperately unprepossessing.

Brother Laurel is loyal to the Goddess and will do his duty whatever it takes, but he doesn’t have to like it. After Paurick’s unflattering response to him, he just wants to get it over with, but the machinations of the Goddess and his own feelings complicate matters, especially when he finds he is enjoying the luxury the Prince takes for granted.

So that’s the premise, and it’s told with humour, wit and sparky dialogue. Laurel is sweet, and has a bit more about him than his subservient manner would first suggest. There are some comic moments, but also an underlying theme of the damage caused by brainwashing by cults, greed and duty over love. I thought the pace of the story was terrific and not once did I feel the story flagged. It was a joy to read, with Laurel being a perfect foil for the profligate Paurick. Their burgeoning relationship was sweet, the love scenes and language used within them helping to create the atmosphere. It’s a magical kingdom where the prince had to sleep with someone he doesn’t like in order to appease a power-hungry regime, but written with flair and comic timing so it never felt dark and gloomy.

This was a book I could sit back and enjoy, knowing that nothing truly nasty would happen. A bit of angst, some hot sex between two lusty lads, and a feel-good plot verging on the ridiculous (although this isn’t the first time I’ve read a book with magical bodily fluids) and this was a huge amount of fun. It’s well-written too, with a knowing glint in the author’s eye. Yes, I could see where she was coming from with this. I’d definitely read another book by Ms. Trevor.

BLURB

Prince Paurick is a hedonistic degenerate—or at least that’s what his father and the rest of the royal family thinks of him, and he’s happy to live down to their expectations.

But when the crops of their kingdom start failing, the king commands that Paurick be joined to Brother Laurel, a monk, in order to combine Paurick’s royal magic with that of the Goddess, and thus bring fertility back to the land.

The union is only meant to be temporary, but Brother Laurel is so ugly and prudish that it might as well be an eternity. However, as they get to know one another, Paurick realizes he has misjudged Laurel and finds himself falling for the thoughtful and sensitive young man.

The fate of the kingdom relies on their sexual union, but as time goes on, it becomes clear that the fate of their hearts is in jeopardy as well.

 

09Nov/18

Angel Martinez and Freddy MacKay

Featured Guest, , , , , ,

November 9, 2018


It gives us great pleasure to welcome Angel Martinez and Freddy MacKay back as the guests on Episode 189 – There’s Murder Involved!!

Angel Martinez and Freddy MacKay introduce the second book in their Lijun Series: Trysts and Burning Embers. We also delve into writing non-binary characters and ways to bend tropes into something new.

Follow Angel and support her work:

Follow Freddy and support their work:

Books mentioned in this episode:

Bio:

The unlikely black sheep of an ivory tower intellectual family, Angel Martinez has managed to make her way through life reasonably unscathed. Despite a wildly misspent youth, she snagged a degree in English Lit, married once and did it right the first time, (same husband for almost twenty-four years) gave birth to one amazing son, (now in college) and realized at some point that she could get paid for writing.
Published since 2006, Angel’s cynical heart cloaks a desperate romantic. You’ll find drama and humor given equal weight in her writing and don’t expect sad endings. Life is sad enough.
She currently lives in Delaware in a drinking town with a college problem and writes Science Fiction and Fantasy centered around gay heroes.

Freddy Mackay is a bisexual, biromantic, genderfluid nerd and geek who grew up in the Midwest playing soccer, diving, swimming and doing gymnastics, along with running around outside as much as possible–preferably spending that time in swamps and hiking through forests. The haphazard escapades have not changed, except some of them have been replaced with a healthy geocaching addiction and a love for Science Fiction and Fantasy. Freddy likes worms, dancing and being outside… and toll passes, but you’ll have to ask on that one.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
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Or right here:

09Nov/18

Freddy MacKay

Featured Guest, , , , , ,

November 9, 2018


It gives us great pleasure to welcome Angel Martinez and Freddy MacKay back as the guests on Episode 189 – There’s Murder Involved!!

Angel Martinez and Freddy MacKay introduce the second book in their Lijun Series: Trysts and Burning Embers. We also delve into writing non-binary characters and ways to bend tropes into something new.

Follow Angel and support her work:

Follow Freddy and support their work:

Books mentioned in this episode:

Bio:

The unlikely black sheep of an ivory tower intellectual family, Angel Martinez has managed to make her way through life reasonably unscathed. Despite a wildly misspent youth, she snagged a degree in English Lit, married once and did it right the first time, (same husband for almost twenty-four years) gave birth to one amazing son, (now in college) and realized at some point that she could get paid for writing.
Published since 2006, Angel’s cynical heart cloaks a desperate romantic. You’ll find drama and humor given equal weight in her writing and don’t expect sad endings. Life is sad enough.
She currently lives in Delaware in a drinking town with a college problem and writes Science Fiction and Fantasy centered around gay heroes.

Freddy Mackay is a bisexual, biromantic, genderfluid nerd and geek who grew up in the Midwest playing soccer, diving, swimming and doing gymnastics, along with running around outside as much as possible–preferably spending that time in swamps and hiking through forests. The haphazard escapades have not changed, except some of them have been replaced with a healthy geocaching addiction and a love for Science Fiction and Fantasy. Freddy likes worms, dancing and being outside… and toll passes, but you’ll have to ask on that one.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
Apple PodcastsGoogle PlayiHeartRadioSpotifyStitcherTuneIn

Or right here:

09Nov/18

Angel Martinez

Featured Guest, , , , , , , , , , ,

November 9, 2018


It gives us great pleasure to welcome Angel Martinez and Freddy MacKay back as the guests on Episode 189 – There’s Murder Involved!!

Angel Martinez and Freddy MacKay introduce the second book in their Lijun Series: Trysts and Burning Embers. We also delve into writing non-binary characters and ways to bend tropes into something new.

Follow Angel and support her work:

Follow Freddy and support their work:

Books mentioned in this episode:

Bio:

The unlikely black sheep of an ivory tower intellectual family, Angel Martinez has managed to make her way through life reasonably unscathed. Despite a wildly misspent youth, she snagged a degree in English Lit, married once and did it right the first time, (same husband for almost twenty-four years) gave birth to one amazing son, (now in college) and realized at some point that she could get paid for writing.
Published since 2006, Angel’s cynical heart cloaks a desperate romantic. You’ll find drama and humor given equal weight in her writing and don’t expect sad endings. Life is sad enough.
She currently lives in Delaware in a drinking town with a college problem and writes Science Fiction and Fantasy centered around gay heroes.

Freddy Mackay is a bisexual, biromantic, genderfluid nerd and geek who grew up in the Midwest playing soccer, diving, swimming and doing gymnastics, along with running around outside as much as possible–preferably spending that time in swamps and hiking through forests. The haphazard escapades have not changed, except some of them have been replaced with a healthy geocaching addiction and a love for Science Fiction and Fantasy. Freddy likes worms, dancing and being outside… and toll passes, but you’ll have to ask on that one.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
Apple PodcastsGoogle PlayiHeartRadioSpotifyStitcherTuneIn

Or right here:

August 25, 2017


It gives us great pleasure to welcome Angel Martinez back as the guest on Episode 126: A Chart of Jackalopes!

This week Angel Martinez returns to the show to discuss her next Offbeat Crimes release, Jackalopes & Woofen-Poofs, the importance of asexual characters, and the balance of ‘author as friend’ in social media.

Follow Angel and support her work:

Bio:

The unlikely black sheep of an ivory tower intellectual family, Angel Martinez has managed to make her way through life reasonably unscathed. Despite a wildly misspent youth, she snagged a degree in English Lit, married once and did it right the first time, (same husband for almost twenty-eight years) gave birth to one amazing son, (now in college) and realized at some point that she could get paid for writing.

Published since 2006, Angel’s cynical heart cloaks a desperate romantic. You’ll find drama and humor given equal weight in her writing and don’t expect sad endings. Life is sad enough.

She currently lives in Delaware in a drinking town with a college problem and writes Science Fiction and Fantasy centered around gay heroes.

This Podcast Episode is
AVAILABLE NOW!
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Or right here:

October 14, 2016

It gives us great pleasure to announce J Scott Coatsworth and Angel Martinez as the guests on episode 079: Flash Fiction Takes Flight!

This week J. Scott Coatsworth (Moderator of Queer SciFi) and Angel Martinez (of Mischief Corner Books) join us to talk about the art that is the Flash Fiction contest, what they looked for as judges, and to announce the release of the contest’s anthology: Flight. As a bonus, SA “Longform” Collins shares what he learned as a competitor!

Check out the Flight anthology and join the Queer SciFi community:

Connect with and support J. Scott Coatsworth:

Connect with and support Angel Martinez:

Bio:

J. Scott Coatsworth has been writing since 4th grade, when he won a University of Arizona writing contest for his first sci fi story (with illustrations!). He finished his first novel in his mid-twenties, but after seeing it rejected by ten publishers, he gave up on writing for a while.

Over the ensuing years, he came back to it periodically, but it never stuck. Then one day, he was complaining to Mark, his husband, about how he had been derailed yet again by the death of a family member. Mark said to him “the only one stopping you from writing is you.”

Since then, Scott has gone back to writing in a big way, finishing more than a dozen short stories – some new, some started years before. After seeing his first sale, he’s embarking on a new trilogy. He also runs the Queer Sci Fi (http://www.queerscifi.com) site, a support group for writers of gay sci fi, fantasy, and supernatural fiction.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Angel Martinez is the unlikely black sheep of an ivory tower, intellectual family. She has managed to make her way through life reasonably unscathed. Despite a wildly misspent youth, she snagged a degree in English Lit, married once and did it right the first time, (same husband for almost twenty-four years) gave birth to one amazing son, (now in college) and realized at some point that she could get paid for writing.

Published since 2006, Angel’s cynical heart cloaks a desperate romantic. You’ll find drama and humor given equal weight in her writing and don’t expect sad endings. Life is sad enough.

She currently lives in Delaware in a drinking town with a college problem and writes Science Fiction and Fantasy centered around gay heroes.

 

This Podcast Episode is
AVAILABLE NOW!
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Or right here:

August 5, 2016

limegelatinandothermonsters_9781786514691_xlrg-180x288It gives us great pleasure to announce Angel Martinez as the guest on episode 069: Angel Martinez – Now With Bonus Content!

Join us as we discuss her recent blog tour, humor in queer fiction, how to use a convention to extend your audience base, and things you need to consider when you want to re-issue a story with a new publisher!

You can buy Angel’s work here:

Connect with Angel on your favorite social site:

Bio:

The unlikely black sheep of an ivory tower intellectual family, Angel Martinez has managed to make her way through life reasonably unscathed. Despite a wildly misspent youth, she snagged a degree in English Lit, married once and did it right the first time, (same husband for almost twenty-four years) gave birth to one amazing son, (now in college) and realized at some point that she could get paid for writing.

Published since 2006, Angel’s cynical heart cloaks a desperate romantic. You’ll find drama and humor given equal weight in her writing and don’t expect sad endings. Life is sad enough.

She currently lives in Delaware in a drinking town with a college problem and writes Science Fiction and Fantasy centered around gay heroes.

This Podcast Episode is
AVAILABLE NOW!
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Or right here:

June 25, 2015

LimeGelatin-100 TheColorofhisCrest-100
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It gives us great pleasure to announce Angel Martinez as the guest on episode 005: She Came, She Saw, She Made a Mess!
Join us as we discuss Angel’s accidental “sideways” move into Science Fiction, her ire over 2 dimensions and paper dolls. You’ll fall in love with her wry wit as she professes both her vexation and love of multiple genres.Angel’s recent works include:

Follow Angel on your favorite social site:

This Podcast Episode is
AVAILABLE NOW!
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Or right here:

02Nov/18

Sharita Lira

Featured Guest, , , , , , , , , ,

November 2, 2018


It gives us great pleasure to welcome Sharita Lira back as the guest on Episode 188 – I Love Stories That Go Against the Grain!!

Sharita Lira returns to discuss her TWO releases, Push (from Dreamspinner) and Because You Loved Me (Indie Published). We then chat about queer people of color in the media!!

Follow Sharita and support her work:

Books mentioned in this episode:

Queer in Color resource links:

Bio:

Romance and erotica author Sharita Lira believes that love conquers all. Writing sexy stories of people who might be complete opposites, but somehow make a lasting connection that often leads to a happily ever after.

Happily married and mother of two, Sharita never allows complex plots to deter her from writing the story. Inspired by heavy music, attractive people she’s seen in person and on the internet, Sharita always has a tale on her brain.

In addition to being a computer geek and a metalhead, Sharita loves live music, reading, and spending time with family and friends. She’s also a founding member and contributor to the heavy metal ezine FourteenG.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
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Or right here:

March 23, 2018


It gives us great pleasure to welcome Sharita Lira as the guest on Episode 158 – From My Own Crazy Brain!!

This week Sharita Lira, who writes as Michael Mandrake (and a couple others), joins us to discuss her latest books in the Immortals series AND the Protekt series. Additionally, she drops a bomb on Vance when she tells him she’s one of the founders of the Queer in Color resource for authors and readers!!

Follow Sharita and support her work:

Queer in Color resource links:

Bio:

Romance and erotica author Sharita Lira believes that love conquers all. Writing sexy stories of people who might be complete opposites, but somehow make a lasting connection that often leads to a happily ever after.

Happily married and mother of two, Sharita never allows complex plots to deter her from writing the story. Inspired by heavy music, attractive people she’s seen in person and on the internet, Sharita always has a tale on her brain.

In addition to being a computer geek and a metalhead, Sharita loves live music, reading, and spending time with family and friends. She’s also a founding member and contributor to the heavy metal ezine FourteenG.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
Apple PodcastsGoogle PlayiHeartRadioSpotifyStitcherTuneIn

Or right here:

02Nov/18

The Rotten Rancher by Frank W. Butterfield

Review, , , , , , , ,

Frank W. Butterfield was recently a returning guest on WROTE. This prodigious writer has a new novel out, but to find out more about him and get links to all his works, check out Episode 187: My Gay Perry Mason

I rather like this engaging series, with lovable millionaire PI Nick Williams and his hunky sidekick, Carter. Set in the 1950’s, they battle prejudice and bigotry whilst people from all walks of life try to kill them. And despite this, they seem to maintain a surprisingly upbeat approach to life. Of course, money helps, which means Nick really doesn’t give a screw, but he’s a lovely, generous fellow for all that.

The sixteenth book in the series, The Rotten Rancher, reeks of 1950’s America. I was expecting cowboy boots and lariats, but it isn’t quite like that. I can almost smell the gasoline and leather of Nick and Carter’s massive and impractical soft-top as they cruise down Highway 1 to spend some time on the coast, in Nick’s father’s ultra-modern (for the time) cliff top home. You just know it won’t end well.

For a book with a twisty plot, I would have appreciated a bit less tell and and a bit more show. There’s lots of dialogue and some of it kind of gets in the way, causing me to backtrack to remind myself what just happened. That’s really my only niggle.

I can’t fault any of the characters. They were all drawn really well. For a book with a lot of characters, they all seemed relevant and all had a part to play. There was a good sense of atmosphere, sometimes really suspenseful, other times cringeworthy (when one of the characters was spouting their hate, I really wanted to slap them.) The story could also have worked well as a ghost story, and there was a bit of that at the end, which I found slightly confusing when it didn’t seem to go anywhere.

In the end, the book is popcorn entertainment with bite, not shying away from the serious issues of the time (and of now, sadly.) Yes, the plot and dialogue could have been tightened up, which would have given the action a bit more impact, but it was a fun read. Listen to Duayne Eddy when reading it to really get into the mood!

BLURB

Friday, November 11, 1955

It’s Veteran’s Day, and a gorgeous one at that. Parades of flying flags and grizzled old soldiers marching to the tunes of John Philip Souza are definitely in the works.

Meanwhile, Nick and Carter are heading south on Highway 1 for a relaxing week down in Big Sur, just south of beautiful Carmel-By-The-Sea. They’ll be staying at the home of one Dr. Parnell Williams, Nick’s father. It’s a modern sort of thing, made of wood and glass, and perched right on the cliff’s edge with dramatic views of the ocean and the incoming banks of fog.

But when the power goes out late at night and the newly-installed generator kicks on, it’s not long before Carter is dragging a bewildered Nick to the front door because, it turns out, someone intentionally disconnected the vent and the house quickly fills up with deadly carbon monoxide.

As they search for their would-be murderer, Nick and Carter quickly discover all sorts of secrets, hidden away among the verdant valleys and stands of Monterey pines. Secrets that go back twenty years, or more, and stories of wild times that would deeply shock the gawking tourists from Topeka and Des Moines, if they only knew.

Will Nick and Carter uncover the killer before he, or she, strikes again?

To find out, jump into the nearest convertible and follow the narrow, twisting highway that takes you through the land of towering, ancient redwoods and mountains that crash into the bright, blue ocean below.

It’s gonna be a wild ride!

26Oct/18

Frank W. Butterfield

Featured Guest, , , , ,

October 26, 2018

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Frank W. Butterfield back as the guest on Episode 187 – My Gay Perry Mason!!

Frank W. Butterfield returns to the show to discuss adding a series alongside his current series, reconstructing history, and reviewer vs character point of view.

Follow Frank and support their work:

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

Bio:

Frank W. Butterfield, not an assumed name, loves old movies, wise-cracking smart guys with hearts of gold, and writing for fun.

Although he worships San Francisco, he lives at the beach on another coast.

Born on a windy day in November of 1966, he was elected President of his high school Spanish Club in the spring of 1983.

After moving across these United States like a rapid-fire pinball, he currently makes his home in a hurricane-proof motel with superior water pressure that was built in 1947.

While he hasn’t met any dolphins personally, that invitation is always open.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
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Or right here:

November 17, 2017


It gives us great pleasure to welcome Frank W. Butterfield as the guest on Episode 138: It’s All True and Very Silly!

This week Frank W. Butterfield joins us to talk about his latest novel, The Rotten Rancher, the joys (and woes, but mostly joys) of writing a historical fiction series, and suspending belief long enough to let historical figures impact a story without their legacies being impacted!

Follow Frank and support his work:

** Read Jayne’s Review of The Laconic Lumberjack HERE!

Bio:

Frank W. Butterfield, not an assumed name, loves old movies, wise-cracking smart guys with hearts of gold, and writing for fun.

Although he worships San Francisco, he lives at the beach on another coast.

Born on a windy day in November of 1966, he was elected President of his high school Spanish Club in the spring of 1983.

After moving across these United States like a rapid-fire pinball, he currently makes his home in a hurricane-proof motel with superior water pressure that was built in 1947.

While he hasn’t met any dolphins personally, that invitation is always open.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
Apple PodcastsGoogle PlayiHeartRadioSpotifyStitcherTuneIn

Or right here:

19Oct/18

Siegmund Fuchs

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October 19, 2018

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Siegmund Fuchs as the guest on Episode 186 – Why Don’t I Try Creating the World!!

Siegmund Fuchs joins us to talk about his play, In The Closet, why writing a play is different, why everyone should try it, and the reality of getting your work from page to stage.

Follow Siegmund and support their work:

Coming to Baltimore!!!

  • Third Wall Productions is producing the show in January 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland. Their website: https://thirdwall.org/

Help Bring In The Closet to New York:

Reviews of In The Closet:

Bio:

Siegmund Fuchs is originally from Cleveland, Ohio, but now lives in Washington, D.C. His first play, Never Turned Out To Be Four Months, premiered at John Carroll University in 1998. His second play, A Night Out At The Movies, was work-shopped in 2002. He has been practicing law for the last fifteen years and currently works as a trial attorney for the United States Department of Justice. His latest play, In The Closet, completed in 2015, is his first script in over ten years. In The Closet won the Carol Weinberg Award for Best Play at the 2016 Baltimore Playwright’s Festival and was awarded first place at the 2016 Historic Elitch Theater New Works Festival in Denver, Colorado. It also placed as a finalist or semi-finalist in four other national competitions. It has been workshopped twice and had its world co-premiere at Convergence-Continuum in Cleveland, Ohio in 2017, and the Rainbow Theatre Project in Washington, D.C. in 2018.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
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Or right here:

12Oct/18

Sera Trevor

Featured Guest, , , , ,

October 12, 2018

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Sera Trevor as the guest on Episode 185 – Ugh Reality!!

Sera Trevor joins us to talk about her upcoming release, Earthly Pleasures, as well as writing fantasy in M/M, and fantasy that is not set in or inspired by medieval times!

Follow Sera and support their work:

Books Mentioned in This Episode:

Bio:

Sera Trevor is terminally curious and views the 35 book limit at her local library as a dare. She’s a little bit interested in just about everything, which is probably why she can’t pin herself to one subgenre. Her books are populated with dragons, vampire movie stars, shadow people, and internet trolls. (Not in the same book, obviously, although that would be interesting!) Her works have been nominated for several Goodreads M/M Romance Reader’s Choice Awards, including Best Contemporary, Best Fantasy, and Best Debut, for which she won third prize in 2015 for her novella Consorting With Dragons.
She lives in California with her husband, two kids, and a cat the size of three cats.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
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Or right here:

05Oct/18

A. M. Burns

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October 5, 2018

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Andy Burns back as the guest on Episode 184 – A Lot of Grand Adventures!!

Andy Burns joins us to discuss The Arena (the second novel in his The Adventures of Horc series). We also discuss writing with multiple co-authors and juggling multiple pen names!

Follow Andy and support their work:

Books Mentioned in This Episode:

Bio:

A.M. Burns has been writing since high school. He has recently decided to turn his hobby into something more. Crafting brilliant stories with vibrant characters, he brings life to some very interesting and unique worlds. He currently lives in the mountains of central Colorado where he enjoys hiking, horseback riding and hawking. He shares his life with numerous critters and a loving partner.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
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Or right here:

August 7, 2015

It gives us great pleasure to announce A. M. Burns as the guest on episode 013: What’s in a Name?!

Join us as we talk with Andy about researching animals, managing pen names, and his upcoming novel The Kachina Job.

You can find Andy’s novels here:

Follow Andy on the web:

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
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Or right here: