I've added a paragraph to the Foreword to Variation On A Theme, Book 1. It reads:
One important note: I'm telling the story of many people's lives, seen through the eyes of my main character. Bad things happen along the way, sometimes to good people. If they're outside the story codes, I'm not going to add extra warnings. That seems consistent with many other stories. I don't want to say 'X happens to someone at some point' and have everyone wondering to whom X happens and who the bad guy is who does X. I apologize if someone is upset by something that happens. I'm personally upset by some things that happen, but the story is richer for them, I think. There's lots of happiness and love, but all happiness and love all the time makes for a bland story.
I've considered the caution tag, but I don't really think it's appropriate. This is a slow, coming-of-age story filled with what I hope are relatively realistic people. Bad things will happen. How bad is partly in the eye of the beholder. If you have something that is a particular concern, you're more then welcome to ask me if X happens. I'll let you know (and ask you to not share that).
Please don't ask me "what happens that's bad"; I can't answer that. I don't know what someone's particular sensitivities might be and I might miss one.
There's nothing here that's designed to creep people out or upset them, hence my deciding against the 'caution' tag. They're much more in the category of 'life happens', and 'sometimes bad things happen to good people'.
If something happens that is covered by a code, it will be mentioned. Period. I'm not using this to cover a surprise incident for which there's a code.
If you have comments, please let me know. I don't want to cause someone distress by taking the story to a place they're not comfortable going.
One last comment: 'this' (bad things happening) isn't 'imminent'. There are specific things I'm thinking of; don't expect them in the next week or two. I just want to let people know well in advance that not everything will be happiness.