After much thought and getting just a bit more constructive criticism, I've decided to expand the content of the first two books. I am nearly done rewriting the first story, which more than doubles the content. In fact, the length is greater than book three (though both are still just novellas). The extension of book two plays off of the content in the first story, but likely will not be of similar size. There is no way to tell yet.
At the moment, I have just two more scenes to complete before the first book is finished. The additional content really fleshes out the characters used and even introduces more. Some also play an indirect part in book six. There is legitimate character growth over time, and for those who have read the earlier version of the story, the timeline has been condensed considerably. The first edit improved the poetry in the book and the narration, but now the events themselves are less sporadic and include a hefty dose of much-needed dialogue.
Overall, the beginning story should be more enjoyable. I am hoping my improvements to the second book will be just as good, though it will no doubt be challenging because of the story structure. One of the time skips will be tricky to maneuver around, and when the fate of a particular character is known ahead of time, it can be difficult to make their actions appear relevant or engaging. The first story should be complete in a few days, and the second will likely take a few more weeks. After that, everything is slated to be republished.
