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Shiny new website! Cool!
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Thanks for setting this up Dawn. It may take us a while to learn to navigate around the site but it will give us something to play around with when things settle down after the holidays.
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Woohoo! I managed to get here. Looking forward to using the new forum.
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Hey guys! *dancing around the gym floor* Thank you Dawn!
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Helloooo? echoooo 🙂 Everybody here? How fun is this?! I like our new digs! Thank you, Dawn!
I saw in one of our last threads that “True Blood” is having a re-boot. It’s funny, I never watched the show when it started because I had just been through a c-section to be followed by two more c-sections totaling three children in three and a half years so I had had enough of blood and romance for a while. My husband kept telling me “You would LOVE this! It has a fairy in it! And a vampire!”
“Uh-huh” I’d grunt as I passed through the family room with a dirty diaper. (to be fair, he was a five star dad who would often feed our babies in the night so I could sleep!!)
It wasn’t until my children could get in a car on their own that I could address it– but by then the show was off the air–I think it was the summer of 2015 but I was just as happy to start with the books! And I fell in love!! I just adored Sookie and everyone in the book (Husband: “I told you so!”). Some people prefer to refer to the Sookie Stackhouse series as campy–and they are fun–but I also found them enormously profound. Like Gene Roddenberry, Ms.C has used extraordinary characters to teach us about ourselves.
Since reading the books, I’ve loved Alan Ball’s creative response. He really makes the characters come alive (though mostly undead ;)).
Maybe I missed this info (and right now I feel like Alice in Wonderland finding my way through the new site–sorry-I’m so not tech savvy!) But are you writing books for the series, Ms. C ? Or are they based on the follow up Sookie short stories? In other words, is there somewhere to read first? 🙂
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I am going to miss the old forum page, but I am very happy that we still have one to come to!
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Hi everyone! I’m happy today because I found this new forum. I was on the old one (username was Babbs something, I can’t even remember it’s been so long!). I just wanted to say hi, and that I miss the fan club, the Christmas cards, bookplates, giveaways, and especially how caring everyone was. All of you moderators were so sweet. It was 8 years ago, but I still remember how Michelle (I think it was?) sent me a surprise baby outfit for my son right after he was born. It was so thoughtful and kind, and I’m so glad I’ve been given another chance to say so! Hope everyone is safe during these crazy times! It looks like it hasn’t been used in a while, but I figured I’d write a post just in case 🙂
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Enchanted Rose, it’s good to hear from you again. This board, whether crowded or not, is a great place. We just got out from under the terrible weather here in Texas, and we are so relieved to be able to leave our homes and be warm again. The destruction here was so awful, with so many pipes bursting, so many accidents, so much loss of power in the dreadful cold. Gosh, I thought 2020 was enough! But no, we’ve got more to get through.
Charlaine Harris
Charlaine Harris
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I’m happy to things are finally thawing in SW Ohio. We have been lucky here in the past few years – this February is the first time I’ve had to get out the snow shovel in over 2 years. My heart goes out to those that have suffered through this latest weather disaster.
Enchanted, I remember you! You went by Babbs something and I believe you lived down south (Florida maybe?). I can’t believe that was 8 years ago. Where did the time go? Hope you and your family are well.
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Charlaine, I have a few friends in Texas and couldn’t believe it when I heard how awful the conditions were. I’m used to hurricanes here in South Florida, but experiencing that kind of cold with no power for heat must have been so scary. Glad to hear you are okay despite so much widespread damage, and thank you for writing when you must have so much going on. It’s just one disaster after another, isn’t it?
Sonofnorway, time really flies! I am flattered you remember so much! We are all hanging in. I’m high risk with a heart condition and my son had asthma (makes him high risk as well), so our family has been stuck in the house for a year now. I’ve promised him when this is all over and it’s safe again that we’ll take him to Universal and Harry Potter World because he’s been so spectacular about our situation. It hasn’t been pleasant, but I am grateful we have been able to keep safe. I hope everything is going great for you 🙂
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That’s all good to know, though I’m sorry you’ve had to keep strict isolation. We are so looking forward to busting out!
In other news, my virtual visit with Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego went well last night. Tomorrow, I “drop in” at Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale, AZ, and Friday night I’m at Murder by the Book in Houston, TX. These are all favorite bookstores of mine, and I’m hoping to see some familiar names among the participants.
Charlaine Harris
Charlaine Harris
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I got my first vaccination! No reaction at all. This feels like a big step forward.
Charlaine Harris
Charlaine Harris
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Great news Charlaine! So glad to hear it.
I think it will still be a while until I can get it, but I’m hopeful that things are speeding up.
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Charlaine, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but it is the SECOND shot that delivers the whammy! I had absolutely no problem with the first shot-I did not even have the sore arm that many reported. YAHOO! The second shot was the kicker! I had severe flue-like symptoms for over a week, and muscle aches for much longer than that. Initially muscle pain, some nausea and mild headache. It was the muscle pain that was worse for me. Just have some Tylenol available!
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Lucky me! I’m the one who had a terrible reaction to the first vaccine! It’s just like having COVID all over again. I hope tomorrow is better.
Charlaine Harris
Charlaine Harris
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Oh no! I hope you feel much better today.
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Yes, thanks. My fever broke yesterday, and I had a restful night. Woke feeling just about back to normal.
Charlaine Harris
Charlaine Harris
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Glad to hear it. That’s what I’ve heard from a lot of people who had side effects from the vaccine – a day and maybe night of symptoms and then fine the next day.
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Wow Charlaine, so sorry to hear that. I would think you would be protected by antibodies! Maybe the second one will be easier since you already had the reaction.
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I have a new Book & Blog up! Check out what I’ve been reading. So many books, so little time!
Charlaine Harris
Charlaine Harris
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Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve been on–so sorry to hear about the vaccine trouble for you both, Big Mama and Ms. C–glad you are both better, now! I’ve had my head down researching Anne Boleyn’s early life. I’ve greatly enjoyed it. It’s for an ebook I was asked to do for an event on May 19 (the date of her execution). In my reading, I learned more about Marguerite de Navarre of France. She was the sister of Francis I, King of France in the 16th c,and given the moniker, “The First Modern Woman” by her early 20th c biographer. She was truly fascinating. Among her accomplishments was her “Heptameron.” It is a collection of over 70 short stories. I look forward to reading more about her. I just purchased two very old books–one is her Heptameron, which appears to be over a hundred years old but somewhere in there it belonged to someone named Mariann in Trenton, NJ. I wonder what Mariann thought of it? And a 1936 copy of Marguerite’s biography by Samuel Putnam. I love these old books! And I didn’t break the bank. Together they were less than buying two hardbacks in a bookstore today. And yes, I love how they smell…Here’s to old books and surviving our vaccines!
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Today I am happy, grateful, and just about ecstatic to say that Mystery Writers of America has given me the title Grand Master. Only one or two are named every year, and this year Jeffrey Deaver and I are the recipients of this honor. We have to accept virtually, and it would be more fun in person, but I’m not griping. The ceremony (which includes the Edgar Awards) will be on MWA’s Youtube page in the near future.
This is my fortieth year as a published writer. What an amazing career I have had. I could never have imagined any of this.
Charlaine Harris
Charlaine Harris
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Teehee! Remember-you were an overnight success!
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Congratulations!! That’s wonderful news and well-deserved. *claps*
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It’s certainly been a long and winding road. But it lead to a great place.
Charlaine Harris
Charlaine Harris
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It’s certainly been a long and winding road. But it lead to a great place.
Charlaine Harris
Charlaine Harris
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We’re back up! Dawn had to spend a lot of time on the phone, but finally the website is back on line and running. And we don’t even know why it vanished.
Charlaine Harris
Charlaine Harris
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I am happy today because I am going to DragonCon in Atlanta over Labor Day weekend. I’m anxious, too, because I’m well aware that the Delta Variant is something to be feared. But I will be masked, I’ll social distance, I won’t be staying in a hotel, and I’m limiting my appearances. Above all, I’m vaccinated! I’m just doing a signing and a panel and attending the awards ceremony, because THE RUSSIAN CAGE got nominated for an award (Alternate History). I’m both nervous and excited at doing a public appearance after so long.
Charlaine Harris
Charlaine Harris
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Have a great trip. Congrats on the nomination and good luck! 🙂
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I hope you are having a wonderful time in Atlanta. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has a good feeling about “The Russian Cage!” I’m right here in Atlanta and as much fun as it would be to attend, I have a lot of mom-sponsibilities with school starting, renovating old plumbing (!) but also some Labor Day fun with the whole family attending the first Georgia Tech football game tonight and going together on a whitewater rafting trip tomorrow! But I hope it goes really well and that we hear some good news. Either way, you know we all love what you do and nothing can change that 🙂
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I hope DragonCon went well and that you had a good visit with your family.
I’m happy today because over the weekend, I set up a new account here.
I had forgotten my password for the old account, and couldn’t get the login page to work. When I tried to reset the password, it kept telling me that I was using an invalid link. Well, it was the link the page sent me. So I gave up on that back in the summer because I just didn’t have the bandwidth to deal with it.
Over the weekend, I set it up using a secondary email I almost never use. I’ve also started writing passwords down in my planner, something I never had to do before. There are just too many sites that want them, and I am too paranoid to use the same one for everything. My dad was one of the Navy’s original computer security guys, and he would come back and haunt me if I did that.
Also had to change my FB password over the summer, and then couldn’t remember the new one. That is what we call a Sign. I normally deactivate my account between visits anyway, because FB is a huge black hole of time and energy for me. Next time I go on FB, which will require a new password, it will be to delete my account entirely.
Also finally gave up on Nextdoor. The moderation was too spotty, and trolls were invading. I deleted that account as well. This all sounds like complaints, but it’s not. My daughter says I seem happier since I gave up on social media. I don’t think I’m really social enough for it. I much prefer message boards like this. It’s good to be back.
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Hey Crossfox!
I get everything you are saying. I felt “forced” on social media with my Anne Boleyn book and though I love the community aspect (fellow history geeks), it is a hole for sure and I miss the quiet of this spot right here.
Nextdoor is bedlam. An eloquent post which suggested we respect each other was voted “disprespectful” by one moderator but the rest voted to keep it up.
Sometimes we have to remove ourselves from the madding crowd.
Crossfox, I envision you in a scene like one in a “Wonder Woman” movie and you are determinedly walking away, jaw set and victorious, while stuff is blowing up in the background — cut to scene: it’s a quiet coffee shop. You are with friends, talking about your favorite books, and laughing… 🙂
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Nice to have you back, crossfox! And, yes, Nextdoor is often a center of rudeness and complaints, but we recently had a very fun thread when someone found something underground in his yard and everyone was trying to figure out what it was. Apparently, it was the base of an old bread oven and someone who lived next door while it was there showed up and told the guy that.
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Thanks, abl and Rebecca! Nextdoor had lots of fun threads about local wildlife, but at the end of the day it didn’t make up for the trolls. And nature geeks get tired of explaining why pesticide is not the answer for every insect that appears in your general vicinity. When one woman didn’t want American oil beetles in her yard because she’d read they were toxic, I’m afraid I suggested (politely!) that she tell her kids not to eat them.
As to the coffee shop, in the Before Times, that would have been accurate. Nowadays we mainly talk about books on the trails.
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I know it would be better for me professionally if I were more active on all social media, but I don’t have the time or energy. A wonderful young woman does my posting on Instagram, because I had to draw the line somewhere. I check this site, my professional Facebook page, and Goodreads Dashboard. I privately am on Neighborhood, and it often makes me want to tear my hair out. But there are some queries I feel I can help on. Mixed reviews on that.
Charlaine Harris
Charlaine Harris
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Yes, there have been queries I have definitely been able to help on. There are others out there who can give the same kind of help though, and they are better able to tune out the drama than I am. I’ve made a good friend or two through Next-door, but I’m done with it at this point. Those friends are still on it, and they’re a lot more capable of managing it than I am.
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I have a rescue foster pup. His name is Daniel and he’s very respectful for a puppy. My blue heeler Mattie had Doubts initially, but now that he’s been here almost a full day she’s decided he’s kind of fun in carefully managed doses (heelers manage everything carefully). Daniel is said to be a rat terrier, and I suspect some hound and possibly Carolina Dog involvement as well. He’s 17 weeks and around 17 pounds, so will probably be in the 40 pound range. He’s smart and is picking up commands well. Daniel is not a fan of the crate however, except as a storage locker for toys. He doesn’t bark but he has quite the vocal range otherwise. He did settle down after 10-15 minutes last night, not awful for a puppy, so hopefully tonight will be better.
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I hope your time with Daniel continues to go well. Glad that Mattie decided he can be fun.
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Thanks abl! She needs the social interactions now that my husband is no longer in the house. My marriage basically had a bomb dropped on it a month ago, but this divorce is about thirty years late, and my life is already better. Blood pressure down, energy level up, no seasonal affective disorder yet this year, though we are almost into the darkest days of winter. Eventually a foster pup will fit in well enough that we will make it part of the family.
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Oh my, crossfox! Sorry to hear about the bomb drop, but glad your life has improved afterwards. I hope that continues to be the case. *hugs*
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Thank you so much. The outpouring of support has been really heartwarming and healing.
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Crossfox, you are in my thoughts and prayers. I am sorry I haven’t been around for a while but covid related issues have been the ‘bombs’ in my family but thankfully we all came through and all is now well. My love to all of you and I pray we all have a safe and peaceful holiday!
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Crossfox, we are integrating a new rambunctious kitten into mine and my husband’s household. He unfortunately has a penchant for trash can exploration and other forms of mischief, but he is of endless entertainment to us and is surprisingly very affectionate. we are enjoying him very much and our grandchildren adore him! We are getting lots more attention from the youngest of them! 🙂
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Oh Crossfox, I’ve been thinking of you lately because I saw a cool Christmas tree in Cambridge in our home state. It was created entirely from upside down bushel baskets and decorated with repurposed items. It was beautiful! I wish that kind of beauty for you–that which was worn, will become new and something beautiful–your new life, your new health, and your new furry friend–May all of these things give you joy! Here is a quote from Dickens that seems timely in every way for all of us :“It is a fair, even-handed, noble adjustment of things, that while there is infection in disease and sorrow, there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humour.” Merry Christmas to all of you! I’m grateful for you!
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Thank you all for all the good wishes! Merry Christmas to all who celebrate it, and happy holidays to all who share celebrations in the dark days of winter. And a much better New Year for all of us!
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EEEK! Have a fabulous New Year! My dearest friend-love to you all! Bigmama misses you!
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Same to you BigMama! Have fun with your kitten! They are an endless source of entertainment.
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My kitten is growing by leaps and bounds and we think he has fallen in LOVE! Our “outside cat”, who was bestowed upon me many years ago by my older grandson, is a huge orange tabby with a BAD attitude. He refused to be a house cat and rules the yard with an iron paw. He does have a lady friend who comes around-she had kittens under our house last year and we were not able to catch them before she moved them elsewhere. Well the kitten sits at the window and cries to go out to her whenever she appears near the porch. Unfortunately, the one time he was able to dart out the door to meet her, he met the orange cat and all his dominant fury instead! We were luckily able to rescue him before it became ugly. Kitten still pines at the window.
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Our elderly cat Clover was a feral kitten before we made her an indoor cat. She was indoor-outdoor for several years, but when our dog had to rescue her from a fox – a blood-curdling incident – we put our feet down. She’s always had a dog buddy though. Otherwise I would probably have gotten a second kitten. We don’t think of domestic cats as social animals, but they kind of are. My working student rescued a second kitten after the first one was driving her nuts with his demands for attention. Her life is a lot more peaceful now that the kitties wear each other out.
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I am totally loving my newly fenced back yard. I really, really loved it at 4am, when it was 19F outside, and Mattie decided she had to use the bathroom *right then*. I am scheduled to pick up a foster pup this evening around 8pm when the transport arrives. The pup is 3 months old and a heeler mix, so I’ll be loving my fence even more this week.
I think Mattie will be happy too, because she really enjoyed our last foster pup. She’s been watching out for puppies on our hikes ever since. And the herding breeds recognize each other in general, and play in similar ways. This pup has two prospective adopters interested already, and I get first pick if I decide she’s a good fit for us. We’ll see how it goes. I will continue fostering even if we decide to keep this one, because herders are kind of graduate level dogs and not everyone is ready to take one on. That’s one reason a lot of them end up in rescue.
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My son and his gf were here for several days over the holidays along with our two grandcats. They are brothers and are very close. They like to groom each other and curl up to sleep together. They don’t mind their carrier too much as long as they are in it together. It took them a day or two to get used to being here, but they did surprisingly well overall. They joined the family at the end of last February (so it’s been almost a year) after being rescued from the streets in Mexico.
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Our rescue kitty we got in August had a twin brother and we started to get him also but was afraid two might be too much for us. We are sorry now we didn’t get him and actually went back to the rescue center to see if he was still there but unfortunately he wasn’t. I think we will go back anyway and see what they have because our cat is driving us nuts wanting attention! H needs a playmate!
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You will be glad you did, I think. It takes a lot of the pressure off the humans. Mattie’s having fun with this puppy and Clover is tolerating her well. There’s an adopter interested so I’m looking forward to chatting with her and possibly meeting up. The rescue does the initial vetting of candidates, and the foster advocates for the best potential placement for the individual dog. This pup is a fabulous athlete and the potential adopter is a triathlete and hiker, plus has an adult dog, which this pup will need for confidence.
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My flamenco teacher put me onto the writing of Franklin Habit, Knitting columnist, and I laughed to the point of tears and I don’t even knit (yet). If you need to be happy today, try this out: https://www.moderndailyknitting.com/2022/01/10/a-letter-from-paris-pecked-in-paris/. And there is more where that came from! I’m even reading his knitting book reviews. That’s how entertaining he is!
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Sounds like fun! I’m currently haunting Ilona Andrews’ blog on Fridays for the new Innkeeper serial. Just what the doctor ordered!
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I’m happy today because I only have two weeks left of law school! Ms. Harris: If you’re in the New Orleans area during the third weekend of May, you should come to my graduation crawfish boil! It’ll be a good time with good people (and great food!).
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Congratulations BoomersMama! That is truly an accomplishment. I hope you can use your new powers for good, of course…
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Thank you, Crossfox! I’ll practice patent prosecution, so I definitely think I’ll be one of the good guys. 🙂
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Cool! Good luck to you.
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Crossfox, I am also addicted to Innkeeper. I actually became friends with Ilona years ago when she came to one of the fan club parties Charlaine had during Romantic Times. She and Gordon are such nice people and I love their web site.
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Crossfox, are you a member of the “BDH” (Book Devouring Horde)? 🙂
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I am, but I don’t go by crossfox over there. I am still a little leery of some of the drama we had on Charlaine’s board back in the day, and I know some of the wilder partisans show up on Ilona’s board occasionally (one of them, I am pretty sure, is a regular) and those of other authors. Since I prefer to meet people in the moment, I have different usernames for other author-owned boards.
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