End Of Book Question

Okay, so I'm editing a novel at the moment. I'm getting close to the end, and something's been bugging me.

Now, this novel is intended to be part of a trilogy. So with that in mind, when I wrote the first draft, I included an epilogue that foreshadows book 2.

My question is this: Would that bug anyone?

It's not exactly a cliffhanger. It's more just setting the theme of the next book (all about the Undead) by having some zombies and skeletons and stuff start showing up in the city. No real plot stuff there - just a casual, "Oh look, there's a zombie!" sort of thing at the end of book 1.

If it helps your answer, the books are probably going to be released 6 months apart from each other.

Should I ditch the Undead references and just wrap up story 1 (which is also already in the epilogue)? Keep the foreshadowing?

Any comments would be appreciated. I want to have a good think about this before it comes time to edit the epilogue.

Yup, self-e-pubbing this series.

So that's one vote for "foreshadowing can be good". *takes notes*

Hmm. I'll keep that in mind. Good marketing strategy...

I'm with you on not liking cliffhangers at the end of books, which is pretty much the main reason I'm agonising over this decision (even though it's not a cliffhanger).

Dgullen: *adds 1 for foreshadowing* Unfortunately, however, book 2 will need heavy edits at a point after book 1 is released, so I won't want to release the first chapter of 2 with 1... If I was more prepared, I probably could, but yeah - edits required on the whole book, which might change that first chapter. (Book 2 isn't finished being written yet either.)

m-a-m, plus 1 for foreshadowing.

Buffy and Kuwi, +2 for "wouldn't read it".

Canotila, I'm pretty sure I have mentioned the Undead in passing in book 1. It wouldn't be too hard to add it in if I hadn't. I'll put that as +1 for foreshadowing.

xC, I'll take that as -1 for foreshadowing in the epilogue.

BabySeal, same as Canotila, +1 for foreshadowing.

Myrealana, it won't be crucial information by any stretch of the imagination. So I'll put that as +1 for foreshadowing.

...

So how's the tally coming? Adding the 2 I saw last night before going to bed...

+6 for foreshadowing, +2 for wouldn't read it.

Hmm, good information to have. Thanks to everyone who has posted so far. I really appreciate it.

Mmm, if I recall correctly, it was only a paragraph or two. I'll keep the length thing in mind though.

Thanks both. Things to keep in mind.

Mmm, well, initially I had used the epilogue to show things returning to a kind of normalcy after the final chapter saw the heroes solve the main conflict. So it was sort of an "extra tidbit" for the novel at hand.

It was just that I then added the bit about the Undead, because I realised what I wanted to happen in book 2.

...

Okay, so I'm leaning toward keeping the foreshadowing, but maybe tweaking it very carefully, keeping some of this stuff in mind. There haven't been many of you jumping out and saying, "No, I'd hate that!" which is what I was originally worried about.

It's still a ways off, but yeah.

Thanks for all the replies.

Robert, sounds like an interesting tactic. That's what I was sort of hoping for - that there'd be just enough, "Hang on a minute..." to draw readers into the second book.

Whistle, they'll be released about 6 months apart, or at least that's the plan. The epilogue isn't a cliffhanger, but it does raise a few questions. Mainly, "Wait, why are there a bunch of Undead coming into the city?" It doesn't give any real plot points of book 2. As in, you don't need to have read the epilogue to know what's going on in book 2. And the epilogue won't have everyone going, "Tell me what happens now!" Or hopefully not... Mild intrigue is the goal, not a cliffhanger.

Thanks both.