Soothing Diaries: June 2014

14 June 2014

Absolution Blog Hop - Stop 6

Hey Everyone, Welcome to the Absolution Blog Hop!

This is to celebrate the upcoming release of book 3 in the Cursed Trilogy, Absolution by Georgina Hannan!

Snippet: Daisy was nervous as she stood at the front door, waiting to be let in. She had already been there a week, and now was time for action. She had the photocopies of the articles and the letter in her bag. The maid who’d been at the café answered the door and welcomed her in. Daisy waited by the same door for Julie to finish her call. “Oh a visit would be lovely, it’s been such a long time. . . . Anyone strange? No, we’ve had no one strange.” Daisy frowned as she listened to Julie’s side of the conversation. Someone strange? The call ended, and the maid walked in, introducing Daisy once again. She greeted Julie politely and sat on the same sofa as before. "Lovely to see you again, child," Julie said as she briefly glanced in her direction. She won’t be saying that for long. “I’ve been looking in the library for information on my family and your family history—” Daisy started. "Oh yes, I was going to show you around the house. Follow me," she said. cutting Daisy off and striding into the hall. Daisy sighed but quickly followed her out of the room. Gives me a chance to nose around, I guess, she thought. “This is and always has been the main entrance hall. All the paintings you see on the walls are originals of my ancestors. The décor for this room has remained much the way you see it now, incredibly grand.” Daisy fully looked around. Julie was right—there were a lot of portrait paintings that Daisy had first taken little notice of. “Do you know the names of everyone in the pictures?” Julie laughed. She had a similar cruel laugh to Mary. Or was that Mary who laughed? “My child, of course I know. This is my life, my past. Unlike yourself, I know where I came from,” she replied before striding away to one of the doors nearest the front door. And yet she couldn’t name any specific person from her past when prompted. “Actually, Julie, I do know. I’ve done a lot of research. That’s how I know your family was briefly involved in my family history.” If she knew to what Daisy was referring, she didn’t let on. She just smiled a fake smile and opened the door to the kitchen. “This is the kitchen. Our maids have been working this kitchen for centuries. Unlike the hallway, this room has been updated and refurbished.” The room was impressive. It was the size of Daisy’s whole house, with a large island in the middle, two large basins by the front windows, and a door leading to a pantry and then to the garden. The other walls were taken up by cupboards, shelves, and two large stoves and ovens. I would not want to keep this clean, Daisy thought as she remembered her own kitchen. A maid entered through the back entrance and faltered slightly when she saw them in the doorway. “Sorry, ma’am, can I get you anything?” she asked, looking directly at Julie. She just shook her head and left the room. Daisy smiled at the woman she recognized from the café. Julie took Daisy to a few other rooms of very little interest. She wanted to see bedrooms, past information, secrets. Daisy had had enough of being nice to this lady. “Thank you for the tour, but other than to see the house, this hasn’t really helped me,” Daisy said. Julie smiled, but there was no warmth there. “Of course not, child. You have no idea what it’s like to live like this.” “Ah, but I do. I’ve been told exactly what it is like: confining, destroying, and heart breaking.” Julie didn’t respond, saying only, “Why don’t I show you the library, and then upstairs?”

Blurb: Daisy was pushed to the limits and finally agreed to end the curse surrounding her family. However, her agreement forces her to face some of the hardest choices of her life, and she stands to lose more than just her sanity. Can she handle the choices? Can she end the curse without ruining someone's life-or her own?