June 15, 2000
Volume 1 No. 6
ISSN 1530-5287
E-Book Ecstasy
Welcome to another issue...with some really great articles. Of
course we have Eva and Tracy who without them this newsletter
would be just another newsletter, but they make it so much more.
So my heartfelt thanks to both ladies.
I would also like to announce that beginning September our
newsletter will become a monthly newsletter instead of bi-
monthly. Issue's will be released the 15th of each month.
This week we have:
Joyce Lavene is multi-published in print and electronic format,
writing romance, mystery, sci-fi and non-fiction. This lady is one
extraordinary woman.
We also have another article from Silke Juppenlatz. I give her my
special thanks for supplying me with yet another fantastic article.
This woman has one terrific sense of humor.
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Content:
Special Announcement
Sponsors
Featured E-Author
Featured E-Publisher
Eva's Cooking with Passion
Tracy's Book Corner
Readers' View
New Release
Q & A
Advertisements
Classified
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SPECIAL ANNOUCEMENT:
Millennial Milestones: A Celebration of Change:
Eighteen celebrated authors have come together to
celebrate the changes of a century and to aid the cause of
diabetes education and research. (100% of the proceeds
of this book will be donated to that cause.)
(Available in download formats only)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Net horror writers take on the 'King' with multimedia eBook
format..
CONTACT:
Cyber-Pulp Houston\USA eBook Publishing
13430 Whitchurch Way, Houston, Texas 77015
(713) 451-3568
Seven established and newbie horror/fantasy writers who publish
on the Internet have teamed up to introduce the concept of web-
enabled multimedia eBooks to the world with the release on June
15th of "Deep in the horror of Texas' from Cyber-Pulp
Houston\USA eBook Publishing.
Writers featured in the eBook are R.A. Cox, Joe De Rouen, Joni
Latham, Mark Troy, Don Williams and Bob Gunner. The front and
back cover of the book are by popular artist Brian Blair, and
featuring an introduction by horror/fantasy writer Bill
Purcell, a member of the Horror Writer's Association (HWA).
This eBook has been produced in Cyber-Pulp's 'Digital
Paperback' eBook format (but will also be available in a non-
web-enabled edition formatted for the GemStar RocketBook as
well), an executable file that can be read on any desk top PC,
Laptop, or pocket computer, with Windows and IE Explorer also
installed on it, and an Internet connection for the hyperlink
feature.
It can also be downloaded to a pocket pc via the sync cable and
if the user has wireless capability on their device, taken
anywhere to read as well as access the web functionality.
Along with ten tales that will make you experience the dark
side of the Lone Star State, hyperlinks within the book will
guide the reader to a number of multimedia resources via the
web. Among these are feeds of MP3 tunes (specially recorded for
this eBook) and an audio file of one of the featured
stories "Sucking the life..." read by the author (Bob Gunner).
Websites related to the Christmas story "How the angels got
their wings", and the option to purchase the country music
source albums via a secured eCommerce transaction are also
offered in the package.
The file can be purchased for $5 at
the Cyber-Pulp homepage bookstore at http://come.to/cyberpulp
as well as the homepages of Cyber-Pulp associate partners. It
will soon be available at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.
Contact Information:
Company Name: Cyber-Pulp Houston/USA eBook Publishing
REF URL: http://come.to/cyberpulp
POSTED: Tuesday, June 13, 2000
RELEASE NUMBER: 15479
Cyber-Pulp Houston/USA
"We are the future of electronic publishing!"
Author's Home Page "Dark Dreams"
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SPONSORS:
Subscribe to BEAMINGS!
"Beamings" is the official newsletter of Wordbeams, the
brightest star in electronic publishing. Our books offer
top-quality fiction and nonfiction in electronic format via
download (e-mail attachment) and on diskette.
Subscribers will learn all about our new releases; get the
latest news about Wordbeams authors; and find out about
Wordbeams contests, special offers, and promotions.
Beamings is free and is sent to subscribers approximately
once each month. Subscribe to our newsletter and
find out why we're beaming!
Subscribe: Beamings-subscribe@egroups.com
Unsubscribe: Beamings-unsubscribe@egroups.com
List owner: Beamings-owner@egroups.com
URL to Beamings page at egroups:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TracysBookReviews: Is a place where authors, publishers,
reviewers and readers can all get together to discuss
and promote books and things around books. Everyone is
free to post promotions, reviews, new releases, etc, as
long as it pertains to books. Authors and Publishers can
promote their sales or contests they may be having. We
can discuss books, reviews, how we feel things are going,
things we would like to see happen, help people network
with new ideas, share experiences and support each other.
Email volume changes on a daily basis, sometimes it is quiet
now, but on occasion we do post quite a bit. Everyone is
welcome to join by simply sending a blank email to:
TracysBookReviews-subscribe@egroups.com and if you need help
in changing from regular emails to digest format, please
email me and let me know. If you have any questions about
this group, please feel free to contact me at:
mailto:teastgate2@home.com and I will get back to you as
soon as I can. Thank you, Tracy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LOVE to read? Feel naked without a BOOK?
Subscribe to WORD OF MOUTH--free book review
newsletter! The place where regular people share their all-
time favorite reads and a little about themselves so that
you can decide if you share their taste. SUBSCRIBE at:
word_of_mouth-subscribe@egroups.com or learn more at
our website: http://www.egroups.com/group/word_of_mouth
******************************************************
FEATURED E-AUTHOR:
E-Book Romance
By: Joyce Lavene
A lot of people ask me why I'd bother selling a manuscript to an E-
publisher. Mostly, print published authors. Many of them don't
have web sites. They see the Internet as a kind of problem child
they don't really want to deal with. Because I still belong to RWA,
I get a lot of questions about legitimacy and sighs about books that
won't ever be recognized in RWA's hallowed quarters.
I certainly don't want to add to the whole RWA controversy. I've
heard and read all the arguments about establishing guidelines and
protecting authors. I'm sure they're all legitimate.
But the sad truth is that the publishing business has been in need of
an overhaul for some time. Numbers are up in some sectors but
let's face it, the industry is dead unless it can grow. There are only
so many clinch covers. There are only so many contests.
Publishing exists in a vacuum. It needs need fresh air and an
overhaul.
Enter electronic publishing. Bastard child of hardcover and soft
cover alike. They're the pesky mouse to the elephant; tiny but
frightening. New York publishers are sitting in their guarded
castles, saying they don't care. Except that so many works won't be
properly edited and not all writers deserve publication. The
Internet doesn't offer discernment. They are quantity without
quality. They are the rabble, full of enthusiasm and fresh ideas but
no staying power.
Yet, what romance writer hasn't heard from fans wondering why
all the romance books are the same? What happened to
paranormal? What happened to Regency? What happened to plots?
How many cowboys are there who want to father a woman's
illegitimate child?
E-publishers deal with raw talent. Sometimes, they're raw and a
little rough around the edges themselves. This is all new to many
of them. They're just running with a dream and a feeling that they
can make it. They don't have all the answers yet. But they have
something that the major publishers lack. A spark of desire. A need
to succeed against the odds. And a passion for what they're doing.
E-publishing isn't the only mouse nibbling on the hunk of cheese
that readers have become to the industry. Editors are leaving the
big houses and forming their own small presses. Authors are
getting together and publishing books that readers have told them
that they want to see but can't find in the annals of the 'accepted'
houses. Bootstrap operations are popping up at an alarming pace.
Maybe part of making the publishing industry grow is reaching
those readers who have stopped reading because they can't find
what they want to read. And maybe part of it is being able to read
under the covers with a Rocket Reader. Is it a gimmick? Or is it a
new way of thinking? Either way, it's a breath of fresh air in a stale
room full of too many long burning cigars!
The movie making industry was terrified of video players a few
years ago. Does anybody remember that? They complained about
the quality of videos. They said that the experience wouldn't be the
same. But videos didn't go away and video rental has become
DVD without taking anything away from going out to see a movie
on the big screen. But the industry has had to change and sharpen
their focus. They've had to rethink what their customers want to
see and how they present it to them. Stadium seating and sound
systems that can blow out your ears began the change for the video
consumer. Who knows what's next?
E-books and print books can exist and thrive at the same time. But
look out! Those might be small presses right now and small
numbers of E-books being sold but if readers like their originality
and their unconcern for stereotyping, they'll be back.
Small revolutions spawn the need to change or die. This is an
opportunity for publishers to really look at their customers, to
listen to what they have to say and make changes. Maybe the
publishing world won't be so elite when it's done. Maybe some
people will think that it was better when there were fewer
writers and fewer ideas. But the future is coming. Whether we like
it or not.
Personally, I like it! And that's why I write E-books AND print
books. Art needs to breathe. It needs to change and grow. And
writing is art. Vive, la revolution!
Joyce Lavene is multi-published in print and electronic format,
writing romance, mystery, sci-fi and non-fiction with her
husband/partner, Jim. Their new book, Save Your Heart for Me, is
a romance, print release from Avalon Books in August 2000. Their
new E-book, Mask of the Stranger, will be available from Awe-
Struck E-Books in November 2000. Write to them at
james_lavene@earthlink.net or visit them at
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FEATURED E-PUBLISHER:
Promotion
Or:
"Aw moo-ooom, do I have to?!"
By: Silke Juppenlatz
"Yes, dear, you do. You will wear that t-shirt to school,
proclaiming that your mother is a successful author. And I won't
have any arguments about it, is that understood?"
Now, I don't want to advocate that you torture your children.
(They will see it that way, trust me.) I'm simply trying to make a
point.
Use everything at your disposal, even your kids, husbands, friends,
dogs, cats, bumper stickers on the mayor's car... you name it. If
you can get your hands on it, slap a sticker on it, cover it in a t-shirt
bearing a likeness of your book, stamp it, make it wear placards,
tattoo it on foreheads if need be. (Remember to use reverse letters,
for when they look in the mirror.)
Just don't get caught. That nice neighborhood cop you just
stickered? Well, he will probably object. So, use caution: Sneak up
on them and run away real fast. I'm kidding, of course. Well, okay,
maybe not entirely, but please don't run out and offend your local
sheriff now. It's hard to promote a book from the county lock-up,
remember? (Family members, pets, relatives and friends chose to
be near you. They knew what they let themselves in for, so all is
fair...)
All jokes aside, here are the things you could do:
Walk into the offices of the local paper and hand them a copy of
the book for review, with a couple of signed disks / copies of the
book for a "Give Away". Drop off a nice printed bio and let them
know that you are available for interviews. Someone asks you for
raffle prizes? Hey, I have just the thing...Promote it. You won't
regret it.
Get out there and put the word out any way you can. One free book
will probably garner sales because the person who reads it will talk
about this "electronic book I just read..." with their friends, who
may well buy it for themselves. It's new. People are starting to
hear about electronic books, but they just don't know what to make
of them yet. The best way to educate them is to make them read
one.
Leave those nice bookmarks you made liberally strewn all over the
library. Any library, that is. One can never have too many
bookmarks. People will pick them up.
How about speaking to the local librarian about giving an informal
talk about electronic books and writing? They often look for
something to offer to their visitors and may well take you up on it.
Offer to show how easy it is to read an electronic book. Most
libraries have computers and they will probably let you use it for
that purpose.
Go to conventions and offer to do signings.
If you have business cards, print the book title and the URL on it.
Use a tag line in your email, alerting people to the fact that the
book is available - and where they can get it.
Enter contests. Yes, I really mean that. Not every award is barred
to ebooks. And if you win, accept the award graciously. Don't gloat
over all the printed books you've just beaten. Be nice.
Make a noise, don't be shy. Join other authors in combined
advertisements if you can. It brings down the cost for all
concerned.
Submit the book for reviews. Contrary to common belief, a book
often gets reviewed faster if the author sends it, than when the
publisher sends it. They will submit them everywhere they can, but
if you find a place that is not on their list - submit.
Did I mention radio stations? Go get 'em, tiger! These guys want
to talk to people. They want to beat TV to the punch. You have
something that's on everyone's lips these days. An ebook. They'll
probably be happy to have you there.
Those are just a few of the things you can do, the possibilities are
virtually endless. Do get out there and promote, don't rely on your
publisher to do it all. It's usually a joint effort and it really works.
So, get that T-shirt on your kid, no matter how hard he struggles.
And if he cries "But they'll laugh at me!" remember:
Kids have memories like elephants... but they will eventually
forgive you.
See you on the bestseller lists!
Silke Juppenlatz
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EVA'S COOKING WITH PASSION:
By: Eva Kende
The dessert on such a special occasion should be memorable. Since
I don't particularly like to bake, I tend to cheat by creating
something attractive in a glass. I have some stemmed shrimp-
cocktail glasses that, for obvious reasons, don't get used much for
their intended purpose, but they look really nice filled with my
"creation". However, you can use a goblet, a nice fruit nappy, a
cocktail glass or even a small tumbler. The main trick is to have
alternating colored layers.
Here are some ideas for the layers:
You can use a cookie soaked with rum or liqueur as the bottom
layer. Follow with a layer of instant pudding or mousse, then a
layer of well drained fresh or canned fruit or berry. Canned
cherries, mandarin slices, fresh strawberries, blue berries or a dab
of good jam will do.
Next more pudding or mousse. This may be a different color if you
like. Top this with a generous dollop of whipped cream. Decorate
with slivers of almond, grated chocolate or more fruit. You can
stick a fresh flower into this mound or buy some little paper
umbrellas to make it look professional in Chinatown.
The layers don't have to be even, but you must add the pudding or
mousse before it sets.
The same idea can be carried to slightly softened ice cream instead
of pudding and you can then call it parfait if you want to be
swanky.
Just use your imagination and creativity! Don't forget to relax and
enjoy!
~^.^~^.^~^.^~^.^~^.^~^.^~^.^
Eva Kende
visit me and my cookbooks at
~^.^~^.^~^.^~^.^~^.^~^.^~^.^
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TRACY'S BOOK CORNER:
By: Tracy Eastgate
Nowhere To Hide
by Joan Hall Hovey
Publisher: Clocktower Fiction
Genre: Suspense/Mystery
ISBN 0743300335
Release date: June 2000 Rocket eBook Format
Cost: $5.00 (US)
***** Outstanding
There are certain thing's that one never knows which will come
when your eyes close and sleep takes over, dreams or nightmares.
For Ellen Harris, she'd had her share of nightmares in her lifetime.
She had also had her share of heartbreak and anguish. As a child
she had to deal with alcoholic and abusive parents while she tried
to protect her younger sister Gail. When both of her parents were
killed in an auto accident, her and Gail were separated for a short
time when Gail was sent to an orphanage. When Ellen became old
enough, she took Gail out of there and raised her. Once Gail went
out on her own, Ellen went back to school and got her degree in
psychology. Shortly after she met and married Ed and all of her
dreams were coming true.
But happiness sometimes comes with a price. First Ed died
suddenly from 'Sudden Cardiac Arrest' with absolutely no warning,
as he was only in his thirty's. Now three years later, her sister Gail
is realizing her dreams of becoming a singer. Gail has signed a
major contract and getting ready to go out on tour, but not before
coming home for Christmas. But the night before Gail was suppose
to arrive, Ellen's life is once again shattered when Gail is brutally
raped, beaten and murdered. How much can one person endure?
Ellen isn't sure how to handle everything, but suddenly things
become crystal clear to her, she will either catch Gail's killer or die
trying.
Myra had finally found the happiness that she had so desperately
searched for and needed as a child and as an adult but never had.
As a victim of more than one form of abuse, it had taken her a long
time to find this but it was finally hers. So why all of a sudden
have the nightmares returned? And this time they have returned
with a vengeance that was so real that the nightmares didn't
disappear when she woke. They felt so very real and they terrified
her. She was also afraid that she held the key to the terror that was
unfolding for Ellen, but could she face the horror behind the truth
of the nightmares to unlock that door in time?
Author Joan Hall Hovey has created a story that will make you
want to leave your lights on in order to finish reading. NOWHERE
TO HIDE is fast paced, well written and will have you sitting on
the edge of your seat in anticipation for the next impact. This book
is filled with suspense and terror, love and anguish. It is a book
that you can't put down until you have turned the final page to find
out what the outcome was. This is definitely a book for your
personal library.
Review by:
Tracy Eastgate
Tracy's Book Reviews
Copyright © 2000 by Tracy Eastgate
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READERS VIEW:
If there is something that you would like to see, please
email me at: ebooksecstasy@yahoo.com
******************************************************
NEW RELEASES:
Four New Titles for June 1 Release:
Title: A WOMAN OF VALOR
Author: Janelle Benham
ISBN: 1-58785-012-5
Genre: Time-Travel Romance
Formats: PDF & HTML
Price: Disk $7.35 (includes s&h) Download $4.55
Publisher: Wordbeams
Book Page: www.wordbeams.com/valor.html
Short Description:
The discovery of an ancient chalice at an archeological dig in
Jerusalem catapults a man and woman back to the Jerusalem of 69
AD. As they battle seemingly insurmountable obstacles and fight
for their lives, their love for each other becomes so intense it defies
time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Title: 'TIL TIME DO US PART
Author: Rose Murray
ISBN: 1-58785-010-9
Genre: Paranormal/Time-Travel Romance
Formats: PDF & HTML
Price: $Disk $7.35 (s&h incl.) Download$ 4.55
Publisher: Wordbeams
Book Page: www.wordbeams.com/til-time.html
Short Description:
Rose Murray deftly draws readers into this rich, haunting tale of a
love so powerful that it reaches through the centuries to conquer
time. Can two unsuspecting strangers who collide in an airport find
the key to their timeless destiny together before it's too late?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Title: A CHANCE WORTH TAKING
Author: Kimberly Roberts
ISBN: 1-58785-016-8
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Formats: PDF & HTML
Price: Disk $6.55 (s&h incl) Download $3.75
Publisher: Wordbeams
Book Page: www.wordbeams.com/a-chance.html
Short Description:
In this enchanting sequel to Everlasting (now available at DiskUs),
a long awaited trip to London proves to be the catalyst for a
scintillating romantic encounter. When friends arrange for Catarina
to be escorted around London by an irresistibly sexy Englishman,
her life is changed forever.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Title: THEY NEVER DRINK ... WINE
Author: Daisy Dexter Dobbs
ISBN: 1-58785-013-3
Genre: Children's fiction/nonfiction
Formats: PDF & HTML (HTML includes animation & sound clips)
Price: Disk $6.55 (s&h incl.) Download $3.75
Publisher: Book Page: www.wordbeams.com/never-drink.html
Short Description:
Billy has no idea what kind of treat Grandpa has in store for him!
A lively mix of fiction and nonfiction focusing on vampire lore
and classic horror. The HTML version has animated pictures and
sound clips. This delightfully quirky book is for "non-squeamish"
children of all ages)
Susan Bodendorfer, Publisher
Wordbeams
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our fears are all the same, only the monsters
change…Book One AKA "The Fears Trilogy" Written by
Bob Gunner and published by Cyber-Pulp Houston/USA
Electronic Publishing. © Copyright 1994-2000 by Cyber-
Pulp Houston/USA® Electronic publishing and software
development services. ISBN number not yet assigned.
This e-Book features eight Horror /Fantasy short stories
written by Gunner and revised from earlier versions for this
book. Some were published in high school and college, and
one was originally written in the second grade and updated
for the times. Several won creative writing awards in
contests and competitions. This book is currently available
in a web- compiled format (a self-executable Microsoft
Windows format file) that requires Internet Explorer 4.0 or
5.0 to be installed also on your computer. It is also
compatible with Microsoft Pocket Internet Explorer
software on Microsoft Pocket Computers.
After purchasing from a secured site
http://come.to/cyberpulp for a $5 charge to your credit or
debit card, this file can be immediately downloaded to the
users Microsoft Windows compatible PC for reading or
printing on your laser or bubble- jet personal printer (for
those preferring a printed copy). You can also copy the file
to your Microsoft Pocket Computer utilizing the sync
cable, and read it anywhere you can carry your device.
Rocketbook/Softbook, Microsoft Reader, and Palm Pilot versions
of this file will be made available soon at the same price. A full
online version is available for review at: http://gonow.to/darkdreams
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
JennaKay Francis:
The Guardians of Glede - is due out in June. It will all be on one
CD. The books are:
The Triskelion
The Dark Prince
The Sorcerer's Pool
No ISBN yet though.
From Starlight Writer Publications.
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Q & A
If you have any questions that you would like to ask
about E-Author's or E-Publishing, please submit
questions to: ebooksecstasy@yahoo.com
******************************************************
ADVERTISMENT:
For a Good Novel to read, check out Luther Butler's Bookstore
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FREE ANGEL: Online Entertainment: E-Books, Music 2000
Halloween and Free Angel's Christmas store. With MP3 Music
samples that you don't want to miss.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jim Farris: The Last God (Book I of the Oerth Cycle):
"Merle Mousefinder, the little Mustie of the Wild Wood,
didn't know what she was getting into when she followed
the strange noise through the forest andfound Xaa, an
enormous carnivorous mouse. Soon, her curiosity would
lead herto follow Xaa through an epic tale of freedom,
slavery, life, death, hate, and love. Set in a science-
fiction/anthropomorphic world, the novel tells the story of
the little mustelid, Merle, and her enormous companion,
Xaa, who learn to care for each other as they master the
secrets of technology long lost, and uncover the dark,
secret history of their own world. The serial is free to
subscribers - for more information, see
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pandora's Box: By Jim Farris
"Join ancient storyteller Aesop as he weaves a tale of
humanity and inhumanity, organic and inorganic
intelligence ..... each reaching for something greater than
itself in a story that spans two millennia of time. Pandora's
Box is a novel in the grand tradition of science-fiction,
telling the epic future of the humans of Mars Colony and
their robotic companions. For more information,
including book excerpts, reviews and a synopsis of the
novel, see http://come.to/xaa The novel is available from
Ebooks, at http://www.ebooksonthe.net/horrorscifi.html
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CLASSIFIEDS:
Rita Hestand: Pretend Mom is on sale now at:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the creator of lbiza Loud (Club Dance):
Comes the erotic/ romantic musical story:
WATER & ICE-THE SPIRIT LOVERS. A story of
two lovers destined to be together from the beginning of
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Storyteller is now open for submissions of short stories
etc. We are a non-paying forum for your work. Teen
works welcome. Take a look at: "Only someone who
loves a child..."
******************************************************
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© Copyright 2000 Glenda D. Tudor
All rights reserved
This site is owned by: Glenda D. Tudor
(c) Copyright 2000