Please help me figure out the best order to put front and back matter in

[Kathryn]

Please help me. This is the third novel in a trilogy that began in the 80's (traditional publisher for first two books). I am ready to send the ms. for conversion to online formats, but don't know the best order to put everything in. Or if I have too many things. Or need more. I plan to publish both Kindle and Smashwords versions. Here is my tentative order:

Front matter:
Blurbs (2 short ones from famous authors)
Title & Copyright
Legal notices
Credits (design, including cover)
Table of Contents
THE NOVEL
Back matter:
About the trilogy
Acknowledgments
About the author
Other available books by me
How to connect with me
Critical Praise for book #1
Excerpts from book #1

Any suggestions? Thanks, if so!

[Lorna]

It's really a matter of choice. (There used to be 'rules' about this, but now you see items in different places.)
This is the order we usually use:
Cover image for ebook only

Title (without author name)
Copyright information, disclaimer, ISBN(s), ec. legal notices, credits, list of other titles (this can go at the end if there are numerous ones) - all on one page in smaller print
Title with author name
A FEW short complimentary blurbs for THIS book - limit to one or two pages at most
Dedication
Acknowledgements (although this can also go in the back)
Table of contents
NOVEL

Back Matter:
Author's Afterward where we explain anything special about the book based on our research
About the Series - including praise for the first book and perhaps a SHORT excerpt
About the author (including contact information, photo and descriptions of other published works and future books) Be sure to include Buy links for the other books here

If you already have one book in the series published, be consistent with the second.

[E.G.]

For ebooks - keep in mind that a lot of readers will read the preview before buying. So it's a good idea to get to the actually story as quickly as possible. Consider short testimonials in the blurb - one or two lines each.

[Kathryn]

Kathryn wrote: "Please help me. This is the third novel in a trilogy that began in the 80's (traditional publisher for first two books). I am ready to send the ms. for conversion to online formats, but don't know ..."

Thank you. That is VERY helpful!

[Kathryn]

E.G. wrote: "For ebooks - keep in mind that a lot of readers will read the preview before buying. So it's a good idea to get to the actually story as quickly as possible. Consider short testimonials in the bl..."

I'm not sure what you mean about the preview... the short synopsis we are asked to produce? Thanks for your answer.

[E.G.]

@Kathryn, if you go to amazon and check any kindle book - there is a 'look inside' feature that actually provides the first 20 or so pages of the book. It can also be downloaded as a 'free sample.' Nook and ipad do the same. I'm not sure about Smashwords. A lot of readers either read the 'look inside' or download the 'sample' before buying.

Amazon link to one of my novels as an example. http://www.amazon.com/Cartel-Apprenti...

[Kathryn]

E.G. wrote: "@Kathryn, if you go to amazon and check any kindle book - there is a 'look inside' feature that actually provides the first 20 or so pages of the book. It can also be downloaded as a 'free sample...."

Got it. Thank you. Pretty cool, actually. I have two very short blurbs for my book by famous authors. Everyone says don't use blurbs, but these are impressive, or at least I think so. Is there some way I could put them in so they would show up before the sample pages?

[Kathryn]

I just realized that I could put them anywhere in the front... just looked inside the first two books in my series. But would anyone READ the blurbs? Boy, this stuff is very iffy!

[E.G.]

I'd put them in both places if they are well known names. Some folks read blurbs. Some go straight from cover to sample.

[Kathryn]

One of them is VERY well-known. I like the idea of both places--at the top and before the excerpt. Thank you again!