The curse of the Blackwood Manor

A Personal Welcome

The afternoon sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains of Alaina Crawford's city apartment, casting soft, dappled patterns across the wooden floor. Alaina sat curled up on her small couch, a mug of tea warming her hands. The steady hum of traffic from the streets below mingled with the soft strains of classical music playing in the background. Her eyes drifted over the room—cluttered with well-loved books, half-finished paintings, and photos of her with friends at art shows and café hangouts. To anyone else, it might look like the home of someone who had everything figured out. But Alaina knew better.

At twenty-eight, she was no stranger to feeling adrift. Her career as a freelance illustrator had its moments of excitement—emails from international clients, seeing her work published—but there was a quiet ache, a sense that something was missing. It crept up on her in the pauses between projects, when the apartment fell silent, and the world outside seemed too far away.

She ran a hand through her wavy brown hair and sipped her tea, letting its warmth spread through her. A knock at the door startled her out of her thoughts. It was Lila, her best friend and the closest thing to family she had in the city.

"You look lost in thought," Lila said, stepping in and taking her usual spot on the couch.

"Just the usual," Alaina said with a half-smile. "Thinking about what's next."

Lila raised an eyebrow. "You mean besides tea and work? You need an adventure, Alaina. Something that shakes things up."

Alaina laughed, the sound light and familiar. "And what, exactly, do you suggest? A road trip? Quitting art to become a travel blogger?"

"Maybe just saying 'yes' more often," Lila said, leaning back with a grin. "Who knows what could happen?"

Alaina rolled her eyes but couldn't help the flutter of excitement that flickered inside her. Maybe Lila was right. Maybe she did need something more.

Miles away, Elias Blackwood stood at the edge of the estate garden, where wild roses and tangled vines grew unchecked. The sun was sinking behind the trees, casting long shadows that reached across the lawn like dark fingers. The manor behind him was quiet, almost reverent in its silence.

Elias's dark hair was tousled by the wind as he glanced over his shoulder at the towering silhouette of Ravenswood Manor. To most, it was just a house—albeit an imposing one—but to him, it was both sanctuary and prison. The legacy of the Blackwood family weighed heavily on him, tethering him to a place he couldn't leave behind but couldn't fully embrace either.

He ran his thumb over the edge of a worn locket that hung around his neck, the only memento he kept of his mother. The chill in the evening air seeped into his bones, but he didn't move. Moments like these, where the world felt still and empty, were when he let himself wonder what life could be if things were different. If he wasn't a Blackwood, tied to whispers of curses and ghosts of the past.

The sharp bark of a dog brought him back to the present, and he turned to see Samson, the old estate hound, padding toward him. Elias knelt down, rubbing the dog's ears with a small, rare smile.

"Just you and me, Samson," he murmured. "Same as always."

But as the last rays of sun disappeared behind the trees, Elias felt a strange, fleeting anticipation—an unfamiliar flutter, as if the house itself knew something he didn't.

In that moment, hundreds of miles apart, Alaina felt the same pull, a sense of something shifting in the air around her. It was brief, barely more than a heartbeat, but enough to make her pause, looking out over the city as if expecting something—or someone—to appear.

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Every story has its beginning, and this one begins with an unexpected discovery. Alaina Crawford, a woman whose life had always been steady and unremarkable, finds herself holding the keys to Ravenswood Manor—a place where shadows hold secrets, and whispers echo through its grand, empty halls.

Before we step together into those creaking corridors, I want you to know the people who will guide you through this tale. Alaina, with her quiet strength and curiosity, is about to find that the manor's mysteries are more than just stories; they are part of her now. And then, there is Elias Blackwood. His gaze is as deep and unfathomable as the manor itself, carrying the weight of generations and a curse that entwines love with danger.

As we begin this journey, know that the past is never as distant as we think, and in Ravenswood, it waits to reveal itself.

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Hiii,
Thank you for picking up The Curse of Blackwood Manor. I'm Octavia June, and I'm thrilled to welcome you into this world I've created. This story is a blend of mystery, family secrets, and a touch of the supernatural—all things I love exploring. 

I've always been fascinated by the way ordinary lives can intersect with extraordinary events, and this novel reflects that passion. I hope it captivates you as much as it has me.

I've been writing for the past four years, and this is my third time starting over. I began with fanfiction about idols, but now I'm exploring something new—a change I'm really hopeful about.

Thanks for being part of this journey. I'm so excited to share this adventure with you, and I can't wait to hear your thoughts. I hope you enjoy the story as much as I enjoyed writing it!