The Fifteen Minute Novel is an attempt to take a single prompt and use the last sentence written each day as a start for the next day. This year I had several prompts circling around a similar story, so I have combined them. However, the story starts the same way each day, with the last line from the day before and a timer set for fifteen minutes. The hope is to end up with a complete, if very rough draft by the end of the year. Some stories are better than others, but I always learn a whole lot about my own writing when I do this so for me it is not only a nice way to work out a story, but it is a tool for helping my writing get better. And so, we continue this story for 2024 with…
Day 168: She dropped her bags on the couch and went back out of the door.
She dropped her bags on the couch and went back out of the door. Janine left the door open and Sophie stepped inside. Janine waved her over and Sophie closed the door and crossed the living room. Janine was fairly bouncing on the couch.
“They started selling and more items are needed,” Janine said. “You are a hit. Well a qualified hit of course,” she corrected. “But people love your designs. Told you so.”
“Wait, they are selling?” Sophie asked.
“Yup went live yesterday with the exclusive limited run notations and orders came in. I wanted to talk to you before I sent the e-mail. They sold many of the items you sent and the money will be deposited in your account Monday. People aren’t charged for the orders until they are shipped out, so once you make them and sent them, they can ship them after reviewing for quality. Which of course you will have.”
“More orders,” Sophie asked feeling slightly shocked. She hoped that a few of the items she sent would sell to make up for the cost of making them all, she hadn’t really expected the need to make more.
“Don’t worry, we put a cap on the possible number created that’s why it is a limited run. They might change the numbers for your next collection, but for this one there is a limited number of orders you will have to fill.”
Sophie thought of the contract and nodded. “Send the e-mail and I will start working on things,” she said. Janine pressed a few buttons on her laptop.
“Done and done,” she said. “And just thing, if this keeps up soon you will be able to simply leave work and let them find someone to replace you instead of looking for another job.”
“I’m not irreplaceable,” Sophie said. “But Eliabeth did seem a little shaken when people called to check on my references.”
“Good,” Janine said. “They should be worried about losing you.”
Sophie nodded and then smiled. “Thanks for everything,” she said.
“No problem,” Janine said. “I am just the middle man taking a small commission for facilitation. You ae the talent. Now go and be talented so I can get my commission.”
Sophie offered herr a salute and smiled. She left feeling a though she was floating. These weren’t generic sleep sets. these weren’t specialty dressing gowns purchased for gifts during the holidays. This was a collection of her own designs. Not copied and adjusted from a magazine, but created by her.
‘How could I not be thrilled?’ she asked herself as she went back to her apartment. She locked the door behind her and moved to her laptop to see what the orders list contained as it would help shape her week. There were more items than she thought, but it was still doable in the time frame she had. ‘Just need to make a schedule and stick to it.’
Sophie got out her notebook and turned to a fresh page. She knew approximately how long it would take to create each item and she knew how long she had to work over the weekends and after work. ‘There will be no more specialty dressing gowns for a while,’ she thought. ‘But I can do it.’
Sophie looked at the schedule she created.
Ten til Midnight 