What do I mean with an Author’s Note?
For me it is the bit at the end of the novel that tells you why I wrote this specific book. It includes a thanks to everybody who helped me, and asks my reader politely to leave a review.
Looking at an old style Preface, this could span multiple pages. But I don’t want it to be that long. I will not expect people to read it if it is. So, this is my first attempt at drafting something I can get right later.
Why did I write The Seventh Kill?
The main reason was to prove to myself I can actually start and finish a novel. However, the start bit is not the problem, the finish is.
I have been writing for more than 20 years. I have started more than forty novels. I have finished one. Okay two, but the first one was more of a novella that have since just been expanded to become a novel. The Seventh Kill was the first novel I started and completed in as much of one push as can be possible.
The first ideas for the novel was put together by the end of June 2024. By September I had what I thought was a complete novel and I published it under my pen name I.M. Gerhi. But, by December I was uncomfortable with the quality of the finished work.
I pulled it from publication and did a complete structural revision which is now done. One thing I worked with in my structural edit was to eliminate too many side characters and stories that did not add to the main plot. While the book is in pre-order and ARCs are available I am doing a final proofing.
In writing the novel I wanted to have an ensemble cast of characters and something of a fantasy mystery or thriller. The final novel is more a thriller than a mystery. And, I am very happy with my ensemble cast.
Who helped me?
My main helper has always been my wife, Petro. She has gone through the novel as many times as I have. While I finished the first draft I sent her audio files that she could respond to one by one. Before I published the first version in 2024 she did a complete edit. And with everything since she has been closely involved with the completion of the writing.
I had one first reader, Kay Solomon, and old and dear friend who read an early draft and gave valuable feedback. There are others who also had a look but who asked not to be mentioned.
For the most part I very much put the self into self-publishing. I have used as many tools as I can, combined with careful attention and persistence, to make the novel the best it can be.
Why should you leave a review?
One unfortunate aspect of publishing is that books need reviews to look legitimate. On a platform such as Amazon nothing much happens unless there are some reviews on the book. Readers are very wary of paying for a novel without knowing what to expect, especially with and author that has no track record.
Getting reviews means that somebody must already have read your book. ARC copies help but it is not a simple or cheap process to get books into people’s hands.
So, the only thing remaining is to ask anybody who reads the book to leave a review. Anywhere where a review can be left. Eventually things aggregate and others might become aware of the book and give it a go.
An Author’s Note, or not?
That is what I have to say about the novel at this point and maybe what I want in the Author’s Note at the back of the novel. This it is only a rough draft so far, so, if you were the reader, does that answer your questions, or do you want to know more?