I had a wonderful conversation with one of my ARC readers for The Name and the Key, and she put up a great review on Storygraph, complete with content warnings.

I was pretty embarrassed. I’m usually on the ball with adding content warnings to my books–Son of the Siren has them, and so does The Step and the Walk. They’re printed right in the opening pages of the book. But for some reason I completely forgot to add them to The Name and the Key, and the ARC reader thought about warnings that hadn’t even entered my mind while writing, like body horror.

I asked permission to copy her CWs and add them to Goodreads. Now, you can’t add it to the editorial section as far as I know, but I did write a review that listed all the warnings, and hopefully everyone can see it.

I’m also putting them here (these are straight from Storygraph, submitted by my ARC reader):

I’m so grateful she caught all of that!

So, the next thing you may or may not be wondering is, why are content warnings important? There is a sizeable population of authors who believe they aren’t necessary, spoil the work, and that it “babies” their reader.

I strongly disagree. Books can go into dark territory for certain, and content warnings let readers know what to expect so they can make an informed decision as to whether or not to skip a section or the entire book.

Readers carry a slew of personal experiences and memories with them. We don’t want our books to activate something traumatic or cause genuine harm to the reader, as it absolutely possible that books have the power to do so.

As stated on BadRedhead Media,

What is the Main Reason To Include a Content Disclaimer/Trigger warning?

At its core, providing a content warning is an act of kindness and respect. It recognizes that literature can evoke strong emotions, allowing readers to approach your work in a way that honors their experiences and well-being.

Book disclaimers for sensitive content, often called content disclaimers or trigger warnings, are essential in publishing. They help readers make informed choices about their reading experience and ensure they are not blindsided by distressing themes that could negatively impact their mental or emotional well-being.

I think books sometimes are a like a partnership between the reader and writer. While it’s true when I’ve completed the book and it’s published, it’s out of my hands and directly into the reader’s, I think I should care enough about my readers to prepare them for the journey they’re about to embark on. Content warnings let readers decide what they can handle, or at least help them prepare themselves to use their coping mechanisms to deal with difficult scenes.

That’s why it is so important that I fix my mistake and let people know content warnings for The Name and the Key. It’s a pretty egregious mistake on my part, and I’m so glad my ARC reader was open enough to share her warnings with me and that we had a great conversation about it.

I hope people can find my note on Goodreads easily, or that you make your way here somehow to learn about them.

I’ll try not to make this mistake again!