u/Scared_Parsley5297

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I’m curious about your opinion on this preface from my upcoming novel, Black* *Heart (by Péter Fritsi).As an international reader, do you find it helpful? Does it add useful context, or is it something you would normally skip?

After the Second World War, Hungary fell under the influence of the Soviet Union when it became clear that the Russian soldiers arriving as liberators were in fac t occupiers. In the wake of the Soviet occupation, and amid the country’s slow and arduous reconstruction, a communist dictatorship soon emerged . It was in this period that the State Protection Authority (ÁVH, also known as ÁVÓ) was established—an institution most comparable to the KGB (the Committee for State Security)—serving as the secret police Soon, extensive surveillance, wiretapping, and the practice of denunciation became a part of everyday life. Those caught en-
gaging in suspicious activity, or who simply stood in the way of the state, were abducted in the middle of the night by the infamous black Volga cars , and many of them were never seen again.

Although the later decades were characterized by the softening grip of state socialism, the earlier years had already instilled paranoia and restlessness into people. Conditions may have improved somewhat, and the regime may have adopted a more permissive approach, yet one still had to be extremely careful about what was
said, where, and to whom—for a careless word could easily be overheard by the wrong people, resulting in serious, sometimes devastating consequences . Honest opinions could only be whispered behind closed doors, for fear the walls themselves had ears. Life under the system was harsh for all, and women, too, faced its
hardships and cruelties in their own way.

Black Heart is set in the final years of the regime, when the country was still a decade away from political transformation and the return of independence . Though Black Heart is not a histori-
cal novel, I hope this preface will provide context to help international readers better understand the era in which it is set.

My upcoming novel, Black Heart, includes a dedication to my mother and grandmother because the story was inspired by my family’s history.

It made me wonder: do readers actually pay attention to dedications and acknowledgments, or do most people skip them?

Have you ever come across a dedication or acknowledgment that added something meaningful to your reading experience?

I was wondering what the best magazines/blogs/websites are for sending digital or physical review copies of a novel.
I assume most places ignore unsolicited emails, but I’d love to hear your experiences. Have any of you had success with review copies or ARC outreach?

(I have a contemporary/family novel, Black Heart, and I would like to find the best opportunities)

https://preview.redd.it/qn6z0gafng2h1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cb83dcee33a630ca5c84891e2fcc9f194e51f28f

My first English-language psychological thriller is coming soon from Vulpine Press.

The story is set in a rainy Hungarian mining town in 1979, inspired by the history of the place where I grew up. One of the things I wanted to capture was how a collapsing marriage can slowly destroy a person’s life.

I’m curious—do you like thrillers with cold, atmospheric small-town settings?

(I'm going to need ARC-readers soon, I guess)