We're in New York City for the 35th anniversary of the RWA annual conference. Today's post is a photo post of all the great people and place and things we've seen so far. So join Seekers, Mary Connealy, Janet Dean, Debby Giusti, Missy Tippens and myself as we bring the conference to your living room.
Photos will be added all day long! Enjoy and don't forget to comment for a chance to win conference swag. Winner announced in the Weekend Editon!
And at 2pm I'll be pausing for my workshop! (photo from the RWA Conference App)!
New York City!
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| Freedom Tower |
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| 9-11 Memorial Pool |
From the Literacy Signing
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| Julie Hilton Steele & Mary Curry aka Cate Nolan |
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| Missy Tippens |
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| Mary Curry, Debby Giusti, Julie Hilton Steele |
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Debby Giusti and Piper Hugely
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Faith, Hope & Love Meeting
Congrats to Glynna Kaye who won 1st place in short contemporary category of IRCS for Pine Country Cowboy & 2nd in the same category for High Country Holiday.
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| Debby Giusti, Mary Connealy, Hallee Bridgemen, Janet Dean, Leanne Bristow, Missy Tippens. |
Love Inspired Author Dinner
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| L-R Larry and Jane Choate, Lisa Jordon, Susan May Warren, Michelle Karl, Maggie Black and Debby Giusti |
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| Katy Lee, Carol J. Post and Jolene Navarro |
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| Debby Giusti, Mary Giusti, and Missy Tippens |
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| L-R Lenora Worth, Jean Gordon, Dana Lynn, and the entire Carter Clan with Lisa Carter! |
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| L-R Rachel Dylan, and Alison Stone |
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| Cannoli and brownies at John's Pizzaria |
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| The ceiling of John's |
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| Mary Connealy, Missy Tippens, Janet Dean & Debby Giusti |
Love Inspired Author Meet and Greet
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| Carol J Post, KD Fleming, Assistant Editor Giselle Regus and Tina Radcliffe |
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| Tina Radcliffe having fan girl moment with author Laura Griffin |
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| Tina Radcliffe & Tanya Agler at AGM |
KOD Death by Chocolate Party and the Daphne Awards
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| L-R Irene Hannon, Debby Giusti, Tina Radcliffe, Mary Curry |
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| Tina Radcliffe & Gwen "Scrivener" Hernandez |
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| Debby Giusti wins the Inspirational Category of the Daphne |
Harlequin Pajama Party
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| Dana Corbit |
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| Jolene Navarro, Danica Favorite McDonald, Belle Calhoune |
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| Holly Jacobs, Alison Stone |
Missy with Gold Statue Guy in Times Square... He's alive!
From the Harlequin signing!!!!
Mindy and Mia!!!!
The Teenster and Missy!!!!!
Jo Ann Brown, Renee Ryan, Winnie Griggs and Regina Scott
Daphne Winner!!! Our own Debby Giusti!!!
Katy Lee, Shirlee McCoy (with new hair!!!) and Jennifer Hayward
Laura Scott and Debby Giusti
Lynette Eason, Lenora Worth (Elnora!!!) Terri Reed and Katy Lee
Join us in the Weekend Edition for photos from the Harlequin Black & White Ball high atop the Waldorf Astoria Starlight Roof!
TID BITS FROM THE #2015 RWA CONFERENCE!
"When the business sucks, go back to the craft." Keynote Speaker Barbara Freethly.
Vivian Stephens Award Winner Mary Theresa Hussey now freelance edits wither her company Good Stories Well Told.
Centennial Award Winners: Deborah Webb, Marion Lennox and Lindsay McKenna.
Barbara Freethy has sold 5 million books, making her the best-selling KDP author of all time.
Love Inspired Editors looking for Amish!
From RWA AGM:
There are 1150 Members in RWA in 41 countries.
Romance has 1 billion in annual sales.
There are 2400 registered guests and industry professionals at this conference making it the largest conference EVER.
RWA PAN authors, in conjunction with the Nora Roberts Association and industry professionals have given 850 thousand dollars to Pro Literacy World Wide.
RWA Board approved Milestone Pins for the following milestones:
5 books
10, 25, 35, 50, 75 and 100.
More news tomorrow.
Have a great Friday! Remember to watch the RWA RITA & GOLDEN HEART AWARDS streaming LIVE at rwa.org
Looks like you all are having a blast! I'd love to attend an RWA signing someday... :) Please put my name in the hat for some swag! ;)
ReplyDeleteDEBBY, Congratulations! Was so thrilled to see that news scroll up my Twitter feed!
ReplyDeleteThanks TINA!
So many wonderful photos.It looks like everyone is having a blast! Looking forward to more news and more awards for our Seekers and Seeker community!
YAY!
Thanks for all the fun pics. I'm glad you're all having such a great time. Love the good news Seekers and Seekervillagers are receiving.
ReplyDeleteLoving all the pictures thank you.
ReplyDeleteDebby! Congratulations on your win!!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting all the pictures. Looks like everyone is having a wonderful time! Please put my name in the drawing for some conference swag...I would love it!
Smiles & Blessings,
Cindy W.
What a party, five days long! Love the pics, have so much fun!!!!!
ReplyDeleteFor us stay-at-homes who don't get to indulge in those desserts... Sigh.... I'm bringing you virtual chocolate layered pastries with no calories!!! (BONUS!!!!) and jump in and join me in whacking out pages this weekend.
ReplyDeleteI'm here, I've cleared my weekend calendar, I'm ready to RUMBLE (WORK!!!!!!) so if you're around this weekend, join me! Please!
I've always found the best way to fill the longing of not being at the fun spot, is to work harder to get to the fun spots.
Tina and all, thank you for the pictures!!!! We shall live vicariously through you!
Where's the gold guy? You should post a picture of the gold "statue" in Times Square!!! Come on, girls, he's so cool!!!!
Congratulations, Debby!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the pictures and scoop from the conference. I would love some of the swag. I will keep checking in throughout the day for more pictures.
Congratulations Debby and Glynna!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteCONGRATULATIONS ON THE WIN, DEBBY! Well deserved!
ReplyDeleteAnd SHAME ON YOU TINA for sharing all the great photos and info that are distracting me from my WIP this morning as I forge onward to my looming proposal deadline! (Monday! And THEN I have to write Wednesday's blog post!)
Thank you for the congrats, Tina! Wish I could have been in NY to celebrate the win with all of you! I LOVE seeing Seekers and Seeker Villagers having a wonderful time! Can hardly wait to hear all about it when you all return!
Tina, thanks for sharing the pictures and thanks for the updates.
ReplyDeleteDebby, congratulations on your win!
Congrats to Glynna! And congrats to all the winners!
Have fun everybody!
Look like your all having a GREAT time! Enjoy yourselves. Can't wait to see more pictures.
ReplyDeleteApplause, applause for Debby and Glynna's well deserved awards!
ReplyDeleteI'm enjoying the NYC visit and the pictures with all of you. Thanks for posting Tina!
Thanks for sharing the experience with us. It looks like everyone is having a great time. Congrats to all the winners!
ReplyDeleteI look forward to seeing more pictures.
Please enter me in the drawing.
It's exciting even watching from afar—so keep the photos coming! :-)
ReplyDeleteHave fun girls, and congratulations on your wins!
YAY for our own Debby & Glynna!!!!!! WooHOOOOOOO!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the great pix, Tina! Hope your workshop is a roaring success!
Ladies congratulations on your wins! Have a FABULOUS time celebrating. Thanks for sharing these fun pictures.
ReplyDeleteTina, may your workshop bring a standing ovation!
Tina, great pictures! And congratulations to Debby and Glynna!
ReplyDeleteTina, great pictures! And congratulations to Debby and Glynna!
ReplyDeleteI love seeing Debby's win all over facebook and twitter!!!! #happy!
ReplyDeleteGlynna, huge congrats on a double final and a win! So proud of both of you!!!!
We need celebratory food:
CHOCOLATE CREAM PUFFS and CHOCOLATE STUFFED CROISSANTS.
Celebrate good times!!!
WOOOO HOOOOOO!!!!! GLYNNA AND DEBBY SUPER CONGRATULATIONS!
ReplyDeleteAnd GLYNNA a double win. wow girl, you are cooking. I'm so excited for you.
And you too Debby.
Love all the photos. I'm not jealous. I'm not jealous. I'm not jealous.
ReplyDeleteLOL
Have fun all of you. I know you are.
ReplyDeleteIts so fun to connect with friends we've been in touch with online. I love seeing a face to the name. Thanks again Tina for all the photos.
Oh just noticed the chocolate cream puffs RUTHY brought. That helps. A little.
ReplyDeleteYUM
Thank you for all the congratulations!
ReplyDeleteRuthy -- step back and no one gets hurt -- I'm diving into those chocolate bakery goods you brought to celebrate RIGHT NOW! :)
Congrats Debby and Glynna!!!
ReplyDeleteThere's a man at the Love Inspired dinner...and it's not me. (Very sad.) Will I ever see the words "Love Inspired looking for Asian history"? I can only hope.
What fun! Loving all the pictures, and those cannolis and the Death by Chocolate party.
ReplyDeleteOh.My.
Debby Won A Daphne -- That Should be a Headline!
ReplyDeleteGreat Post!
Keep it up!
Please do the same thing for the Writer's Police Academy!
Everyone Looks so Happy -- No forced Smiles!
Dana Corbit -- PMA Needed. Think of Joe Namath: "I Can't Wait for Tomorrow. I get more handsome every day!"
Ruth: Did you see those Cannoli? How come we never have cannoli at Seekerville?
Great pictures. Almost as good as being there, and about as close as I'll ever get to NYC. You guys are doing us Christian writers proud.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Debby and Glynna!! I love this time of year with all the 'award shows' Its especially good when people I know win :)
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like everyone is having an awesome time at the conference! I need to start saving up for next year's conference.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your Daphne, Debby!
Can't wait to see what else is in store. Please add me to the drawing for conference goodies.
Whoo-hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS DEBBY AND GLYNNA! I echo SANDRA's words. I'm not jealous. I'm not jealous. I'm not jealous. Okay, I cannot tell a lie. I'm a little bit jealous. We need to pray for each other that we'll all be able to attend next year.
ReplyDeleteNow hand over that chocolate, Ruthy, before somebody gets hurt. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI loved this! Yay Debby! More, please. It looks like so much fun!
Congratulations, Glynna and Debby!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the excitement with smiling faces, views of NYC, and CHOCOLATE desserts!
Debby and Glynna!! Congrats!
ReplyDeleteTina, the pictures are wonderful for those of us attending vicariously! Thanks for taking the time to share them with us :)
I'll keep checking back for more news and photos today! And I definitely want to hear about the ball this weekend :)
Please please add me to the drawing for conference swag!! 'Tis my dream to someday go to one!
Happy Friday all!
Ruthy! Calorie free chocolate goodness is simply brilliant :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Debby and Glynna. I enjoy seeing the photos, Tina, and will return throughout the day to see more. So happy you can be there. Have a great time this evening everyone.
ReplyDeleteNew pics just added!!!! Thank you folks for sending me your pictures!!!!!
ReplyDeleteBARBARA you are more honest than I am. LOL
ReplyDeleteOkay I'm just repeating those words to convince myself. Good luck with that. chuckle
Okay VINCE, I'm on my way to the bakery and I will bring us a selection of cannoli.
ReplyDeleteDo you prefer the chocolate ones like they have there? I'll get a variety. smile
Vince, don't I ever make you cannolis???? I'm so sorry, I actually make homemade cannolis... with ricotta cheese filling (old-fashioned amazing goodness) and custard filled.... and chocolate cream filled.
ReplyDeleteI usually make them at Thanksgiving and Christmas Vince, but today I will make an exception!!! Summertime chilled cannolis to celebrate victories in New York!!!!
I love cannolis, but the word will forever remind me of The Godfather.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like SO MUCH FUN!!! Congratulations, Debby! Thanks, Seekers, for sharing so many photos, both here and on FB and Twitter.
ReplyDeleteHi Ruth: Can you spell S W E E P? Time for some celebratory cannoli!
ReplyDeleteHi Sandra: Love cheese cannoli. Chocolate for me is like gilding the lily.
Tina: Having a monotasker teaching a class of ADD/ADHD writers is pure genius. Let us know how it goes. My iron rule in such a class was "YOU MUST RAISE YOUR HAND BEFORE YOU ASK A QUESTION!" If you let them blurt out questions, you're busted!
Hi Debbi: Which book won? Congrats & is Mary Giusti a budding writer?
Vince
Vince, you're right, as always.
ReplyDeleteTina, have you done a blog post on mono-tasking? One that really focuses (pun firmly intended!!!) on just that?
Because that would be an awesome example for folks with ADD.... And I don't see being a little frenetic as a disorder, I hate that label. It is a very non-smart moniker. Look at Edison and Einstein, and all the folks whose brains like to jump synapses and pull random facts together in some kind of rhythmic style.
Just because some folks either learn differently, or less or more methodically, does not a disorder make.
Write this way, you will do, be disordered, you will not.
(Yoda, on writers and ADD)
But then I'm not a label person, I don't label kids and I rarely label anything else. Why ruin the surprise for others? :)
Looks like you are all having a wonderful time.. Love all the pictures! I can pretend I'm there and enjoying the good time!
ReplyDeleteI love attending the conference vicariously. Thanks for posting all the pictures. Congrats to Debby on her win!
ReplyDeleteI almost forgot--congrats to Glynna too! Great day for Seekerville!
ReplyDeleteLOVING the pictures. I love seeing Seekers and Seekervillagers. So cool. And huge congrats to Debby and Glynna (wow, double nom and winner - impressive). I love a peek into a conference and only wishing to be there because I'd love to meet each Seeker lady live and in person.**adding a bucket list item**
ReplyDeleteRuthy: So laughing over this comment. But then I'm not a label person, I don't label kids and I rarely label anything else. Why ruin the surprise for others? :) Hah! Ruin the surprise? Never. lololololol...
Count me in for conference swag (yeah, little miss greedy here ;) )
Tina, will you Periscope your workshop?! Watch out for the conference monsters. :)
ReplyDeleteVINCE, cheese cannoli coming up but you might want to wait for RUTHY's homemade cannoli.
ReplyDeleteMy bakery is good, but homemade? Can't beat that. Thanks Ruthy. You just saved me a trip to the bakery. Now I can get more writing done.
WALT, Its good to see you. I remember meeting you at RWA in Atlanta. One of the highlights of that trip. There are so many seeker friends in Georgia. Yay.
ReplyDeleteDoes it make you want to go? Actually seeing friends sounds fun, but its nice and peaceful and quiet here. chuckle
All that activity is wearing me out just to hear about it. But its a fun kind of wearing out.
I thought I commented earlier, but I'm not seeing it. How fun to see you all at RWA! :) Tina, I hope your class went well. Loved the title. :)
ReplyDeleteDEBBY, a huge congratulations on your Daphne win! SO, so exciting!
Looking forward to seeing more pictures. :)
Thanks for the great pics, Tina - glad all of you are having so much fun. Always good to collaborate with cohorts. Drooling at the pics of the chocolate party. Congrats to Debby and Glynna!!
ReplyDeletePlease add my name to the drawing for conference swag!!
Sandra, glad to do what I can!
ReplyDeleteNow, I would love to go to Moonlight and Magnolias sometime. That's one I've never been to. We should all go! HOW MUCH FUN WOULD THAT BE???? A SEEKERVILLE GATHERING AT M&M??????
MAY I HEAR A VOTE??????
Or Desert Dreams, in AZ, and Glynna, Sandra and Tina could show us what Arizona's all about. I could be talked into that one, too.
And I might hang out in Nashville next fall, the annoying kid in the lobby during the ACFW conference time just to see folks. I love seeing my Seekerville buds, so I'm hoping for that.
M&M is a fun smaller conference. I went for the first time last year. Great workshops, nice people, Georgia hospitality!
ReplyDeleteTINA, how was your workshop? I saw a photo of you on FB a few minutes ago.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun everyone is having!!! The pics are great so PLEASE keep them coming. Congratulations to Debby and Glynna. I cannot wait to go to Nashville next year to learn new things and meet all you nice people:))))) I have to say that this time around, I might be more jealous of Ruth's homemade cannolis rather than the trip. I cannot bake. At all. It's a sad sad thing lol. Have fun in NYC!
ReplyDeletePat W, do you know that bakery departments SELL fresh cannoli shells? Then all you have to do is make the filling!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnyone can do that, my friend!
I've made homemade shells, but honestly, I think the store-bought ones are just as good! Depending on the bakery, of course....
RUTH!!!
ReplyDeleteJ. A. Jance, my wife's all time fav author, is speaking at the "Desert Dreams Conferance" in 2016!
April 7th - April 10th!
Conference reservations are being taken right now! Great special room rates!
We love the desert! I lived in Tucson for four months in the summer and still loved it. I also did the publicity for two furniture store grand openings in Tempe and Mesa. We want to take the train from Williams to the Grand Canyon. (A bucket list item for both of us!)
Desert Dreams!
A Great idea!
We may go anyway!
Love to see y'all!
Looks like lots of fun!! Love the photos...and the tidbits!!
ReplyDeleteCongrats to winners...
Can't wait to see & read more!!
Vince, when's Easter next year? I can't mess up Holy Week.... IT'S EARLY!!!!
ReplyDeleteMarch 27th!!!!
So that might be a possible trip for me and hubby to make and maybe catch a cactus league pre-season game!!!!!
Hi Ruth
ReplyDeleteThe Yankees play in Tampa not Tempe!
I think the Cactus League ends their games in the first week of April. Of course, I'm an old Giant fan from the Polo Grounds to Candlestick Stadium (I've not been to the new park) and I was in LA for the Angles first season at Wrigley field where Bill Rigney began using four pitchers a game and opened a new era in baseball. They said at the time that he'd have no pitchers with arms by the end of July but he had an amazing first year team record!
I think the real baseball season will start around the 5th of April -- so the Seekers might be able to go to a regular season game.
Vince
Congratulations Glynna and Debby!! Wonderful accomplishments.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the photos. Looks like everyone is having a good time and lots of chocolate :-)
Nancy C
VINCE AND RUTHY Come to Desert Dreams. Please come. Yes, the room rates are terrific. And Embassy Suites is getting a makeover this summer. I was just there. They are going to be all brand new. You will love Arizona in April.
ReplyDeleteOh please please come.
MYRA, I'm glad to hear about Moonlight and Magnolia. Just the name alone sounds so enticing.
ReplyDeleteYes, we should all meet at one of those smaller conferences. They are so much easier for visiting with friends. The big national conferences are so big its like being on a cruise ship. You might run into a friend if you're lucky.
I'm so, so jealous of all of you! I really wish I could be there and meet so many of you! Looks like all of you are having so much fun!
ReplyDeleteLooks like so much fun! I love seeing all the pictures!!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Glynna and Debby!
ReplyDeleteI love seeing all of the smiling faces and NYC pics!
Popping back in here this evening to thank everyone for celebrating my Inspirational Reader's Choice Award win! All day long, every time I thought about it or thought about Debby winning that Daphne, it made me smile!
ReplyDeleteI'm enjoying all the pics that were added while I was out-of-pocket today, Tina! SOMEDAY I want to go to RWA National -- AND New York City! :)
Is anyone planning to go to RWA in SAN DIEGO next year? I LOVE San Diego!! If you've never watched the sun set over the Pacific from a beach, you're really missing something special, right, Sandra??!
Thanks for posting photos and updates - - feel like I'm there "in spirit"! :)
ReplyDeleteCONGRATULATIONS to Debby and Glynna!!
Looking forward to more photos and viewing the RITA ceremony live tomorrow!
Hugs, Patti Jo
OOOHHH....just read Glynna's comment about RWA in San Diego next year!
ReplyDeleteMy middle daughter and her hubby just visited friends for a week there and loved it. Hmmm....maybe I'll be able to attend that one. :)
Patti Jo - I bet your daughter and her husband DID have wonderful time there. I haven't been to San Diego in ages, so I'll need to count my pennies and see if I can go next year. Such a beautiful place--beaches, marinas, Sea World, fantastic zoo, Coronado Island, palm trees... If I can talk my editor and agent into going that would make it REALLY worth my while!
ReplyDeleteCongrats, GLYNNA! A DOUBLE win! Just re-read the blog and saw your name. Slow to process, lol!
ReplyDeleteBeen following adventures on Twitter and FB. Looks like everyone is having a wonderful time. Party on!
Thanks for sharing all the pictures and tidbits of information. It makes me feel like I'm there. Not really, but almost. :) It looks like so much fun.
ReplyDeleteLOVE the pix from RWA!!
ReplyDeleteSUPER CONGRATS TO GLYNNA FOR HER DOUBLE WIN IN THE IRCS AND TO DEBBY G. FOR HER DAPHNE WIN -- I AM SOOOOO PROUD OF YOU GUYS!!
Missy, LOVE the statue pic, and Tina, BLESS YOU for all the wonderful RWA pix -- we soooo appreciate them Thrilled everyone is having a great time!
LOVE San Diego, so attending RWA next year sounds enticing. But I also love Nashville, and that's where ACFW is next year, so that will probably be where I spend my conference dollars ...
Great WE, Teenster!!
Hugs,
Julie
Oh, Vince, you're right, spring training is over the week before. Dave has a bromance going with Mike Trout, he's his new "Jeter" and I was thinking he could see Mike play with the Angels....
ReplyDeleteBut that doesn't mean this is impossible! :)
But if Dave comes, someone has to keep him busy while his wife plays at conference.
You know how men are.
Laughing!!!
Sandra, isn't that a great idea? A few days in Arizona, seeing you, Tina and Glynna and a fun conference and time away????
ReplyDeleteI'm kind of in love with this!
It might mean this instead of Nashville, though. I don't know if I can swing both, but I would love to hang out in AZ with you!
Thanks for all the great pictures! It's almost like being there, but not quite. Wish I could see all of you in person.
ReplyDeleteMoonlight and Magnolias is a wonderful conference!!!
Congratulations to Debby and Glynna! Yay! Thanks for sharing the terrific photos, Tina.
ReplyDelete