Debut author Anita D. Hunt has agreed to share an extract from her debut novel, Behind the Curtain with us. It was published in August by SpellBound Books Ltd. Many thanks to Anita and Lynsey Adams of Reading Between the Lines for this.
The Blurb
Two wives:
One dead,
One alive,
One perfect husband
Penny-May cannot quite believe her luck when the handsome and charming Sam is interested in her, especially so soon after the death of his first wife, Lucy.
As the relationship develops and Sam’s true nature begins to emerge, Penny-May believes that it is all her fault for not being perfect, for not doing as she is told, for not being Lucy.
After all, according to everyone else, he’s the perfect gentleman. Isn’t he?
As desperation sets in, Penny-May is stunned to come across the diaries of Sam's first wife.
Will the legacy of Lucy’s hidden diaries finally give Penny-May the strength and upper hand to escape Sam?
The Extract
Prologue
Penny-May
Sunday June 26th 2016
It was a gradual descent. I slid so slowly into the abyss I didn’t know it was happening. Didn’t realise I was falling because he made me feel as if I was flying. Flying so high above the rest, I didn’t need anybody else. I only needed him. He did everything for me. He became my best friend, my family and my soul mate all rolled into one. He was the one who caught me when I fell.
And when I did?
He beat me while I lay at his feet, cowering and begging him for mercy.
‘I’m sorry,’ I cried, time after time. ‘I won’t do it again, I promise.’ I hid my face behind my hands, peering between taut fingers to see his face, puce with anger, fists clenched with rage. He would draw his foot back and I would wait for the sharp sting of pain when he finally launched it into the soft mass of my stomach. I would listen to him berating me for my bad behaviour all the while.
I tried so hard to be the perfect wife. The wife he deserved and demanded me to be. I tried not to cry out, I knew he didn’t like it when I was that weak, it made him angrier.
But it hurt so much I couldn’t help it.
I tried so hard to be just like Lucy. I was her replacement after all. I used to envy her, but now all I feel is sympathy for her weakness. For having to be the perfect woman; the perfect wife.
It was such a high pedestal upon which we teetered.
It was such a long way for us to fall.
The Author
Anita D Hunt lives in the beautiful County of Cornwall. She has a Master of Arts in Creative Writing and is a published poet, theatre critic and short story writer with four of her short stories appearing in the three volumes of Cornwall Writers anthologies. She is also an admin on the Cornwall Writers team.
Anita works in the care industry working with people with dementia and delivering cognitive stimulation therapy sessions for them. She is passionate about equality and accessibility for all. With this driving force, she has several volunteering roles within the County as well as singing and performance signing for Rock Choir Cornwall.
In what spare time she has left, she spends her time with her family, walking her elderly dog and turning her hand to anything crafty.
She has often been known to say that ‘sleep is for wimps…’
Komentarze