It’s nice to meet you! For those that know me, thank you for always checking my work out! I’m Gato!
Thank you so much for reading this book. It makes me very happy.
It’s been about a year since I won the Grand Prize, the Novelist Award, at the 2nd Novel Up+ Awards. It’s been quite a while, but I believe this book will provide you with some sort of entertainment, even more so than the web version.
There were actually quite a few hurdles I had to overcome while writing Reincarnated as an Apple. I’d like to share a few stories.
As implied, the main character reincarnates as an apple. Reincarnating as a different species isn’t all that unusual, and many writers before me have used this idea. However, the heroine is also a staff, meaning that neither of the main characters are human. The cover’s illustration, then, would be just an apple and a staff, making it look very odd. To tell you the truth, even I occasionally wondered, “Am I screwed?” during the whole thing.
(“Then why did you use the same idea twice?” might be an accurate question to ask here.)
However! Two people saved me: my editors A and S (order doesn’t matter). They took my work in their hands and told me, “This is fine. We’ll make this into a good book!” I almost cried when I heard them say that. I wasn’t even at the starting line—I was in the waiting room before that, and yet they still patted me on the shoulders as if to tell me, “Let’s run this together!” I’m honestly shocked and I think they’re a little insane. I mean—ahem, ahem—apologies, I admire their drive as they gave me confidence and strength to see this work through. I’d like to personally thank them here.
I’d also like to thank Itsuki Mito, who provided wonderful illustrations to this odd and difficult-to-grasp book. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Without your illustrations, I doubt this book would even exist. Thank you so much.
To all the people involved with making this story into a physical book: This was my first attempt at something like this. I didn’t know a single thing, and yet you all patiently worked with me. Thank you so much.
Thank you also to everyone who cheered for me on the light novel website, Novel Up+. Thank you to those that gave me direction and sound advice. I will never forget the kindness that you all have shown me.
Furutsu-san and Grida-chan’s journey is just beginning. I’ll try my best so that everyone can tag along until the end. Thank you very much.