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To get set the record straight, I have already completed first, second and third drafts on the first novel: Into the Fog, Dawn of the Tiger; Into the Fog, Raven's curse; and Final conflict. I've already completed first and second drafts of the prequel (either to be named "Consecrated Ground" or "the Puppeteer). The entire saga has been laid out. And I write stream of conscious- I'm too unorganized for the outline method- though, I do use a timeline. It's necessary when a story stretches over several generations and sometime alcohol is involved- that's when I find a lot of creative spelling. The two first novels initially were just one "Into the Fog" that I had to split apart because of word count. So, word count- the first one is 197,799 words. Raven's curse is now 219,224. So, yes, I need to reduce word count. When I said I already cut some action scenes, it was just most of the running around Maggy did when Joe was missing-and other scenes that didn't further the story along. I think cutting "tags" will help to reduce word count without messing up the storyline.
Don't get me wrong, I like the action scenes too. Build up, then follow through, like a spring letting loose. My novels are very complicated. I have several plot threads stretching through them. Especially difficult was cutting these books apart. There was closure that had to happen at the end of the first one. For this one, I'm told to go back and re-explane who all the characters are, without bogging down the action or info dumping.
I was considering chopping the truck stop scene, though some other reviewers thought it helped to characterize Chief. Though, as we go on, that his character continues to develop.
As far as chapter size- I'm not necessarily uploading "chapters" to the website. More like chunks. I have yet to decide how to break them up. Currently I have the first novel all printed out and am rearranging things on the floor to see what flows the best and still keeps the reader reading.
I'm purposely leaving Huey's POV out of it. For the most part, where you are in the story is about as far as Huey goes. He'll come back in the third, though, transformed. Literally. But that's another story. In this book he is a minor character and the reader shouldn't give him more thought than the tiger does.
I'm hoping by hearing my reviewers I'll be better able to determine what is working and what is not, and which scenes are weak and can be sliced.
Thanks, both of you for your sharp attention!

The way I work is to combine everyone's reviews into one and make the changes at once- I don't plan on reposting- once I get to the end, I'll send it to a proofreader and be done with it. I've found a new way to review- and if everyone changes their chapter as soon as a nit is pointed out, my way may not be as effective. I've been pulling chapters into Pages (the program finds misspellings I'd normally miss) but this allows me to search previous chapters for consistency- something I couldn't do during inline without having to open every individual chapter. It also helps me keep track of the plot arch. Once I get to the end of the novel I'll delete the file. But its been a great help with all of Cobber's chapters, I could review on my iPad and not have to sit at the computer for hours. As for redundant nits, I find that helpful- if all the reviewers point out the same nit, then maybe its something that should be changed. But sometimes I'll get competing opinions. One reviewer will think a certain passage is exceptional, whereas another feels it doesn't work.
I guess we should all find a way things work best for us.

I must apologize as well. A writer I review for another group was getting closer to publication and needed reviews on his later chapters. Anyone that knows me, knows I can't jump to the end and give a meaningful review, so I've read and reviewed from Ch14-63 in the last two weeks. Doesn't help this group, I know, but thought that process I discovered a better way to review. So I'll be catching up soon.
I owe Sheriff Norm a big batch as well as the rest of you.
Hope to do a lot of reviews this week and weekend. If the deadlines at work don't clean my clock!
CJ

Hi Jeanne, welcome back, I have not read you, but will visit your novel.
And C. E., I'm glad to see you back, I've been wondering what happened to you! You get one published and fall off the face of the Earth! Looking forward to your new stuff too.

Completed compound review of chapters 14-40. Inline review of 41-45; of Cobber's "State of Vengeance"

Cobber,
I tried to do a review for Ch 41 and was completely lost.
I've printed out all the chapters between 41 and where I left off and plan to read through them so I at least know what I'm talking about. I'll leave you one review (here) for the plot arch- I won't have time to do the line edits etc.
How long will you leave the rest of the chapters up?

That's great, Jube, NJC is welcome here. He's always been insightful and exceedingly helpful when reviewing my work.

Me too.

Finished Matt's
"The Girl Who Lost the Earth" chpts 11 and 12.

whoops!

I think as writers we're allowed to take some liberties. Can one feel himself turn "beet" red. Probably not necessarily the beet kind of red- but who cares? When written this way, the reader knows exactly how the character feels. So much more poetic than "blood rose into Joseph's cheeks." Dull!
Unless you want to leach the fun prose out of your writing and have it sound like a manual on how to define the stock-market (or something equally boring) using beet red is fine! As long as you get the point across to the reader.

I think you should just call it Spike