+TYPED OUT-

+CHAPTERS OF HER-

Monday faced another trial. She drafted a new story in a genre she never wrote, and the story's central theme had nothing to do with love.

When an author wished to write out of their realm, Charles reunited writers and editors of different genres to do the first reading. They usually noted the plotholes and improvement points, but they could also classify the manuscript as rubbish and send the writer back to the starting blocks. Monday submitted it to her publisher and waited for the feedback.

Dagmar was among the selected writers, and Monday expected the worst from the woman who hated seeing loose ends in stories.

The thriller author always said one's story had to make a complete circle, and smaller circles also had to close within it.

Monday had a lot of loose bits in her first stories. She sometimes related events she never returned to or introduced characters who finally never appeared. Neither did they do anything for the story. In this book, Monday tried to write something coherent and inspired herself from history. The door to the meeting room opened. Mina Yamamoto, a lover of poetic prose, patted her on the shoulder as she passed while Thomas Fillon stopped to ask her if she was sure about publishing the manuscript.

"You know your fans won't follow you on this. Why change? You sell thousands of copies with romance. I mean, if you want to treat yourself to a genre, write it on a platform and publish the stuff people like."

"I'm sorry, Thomas. I'm not inspired to write what readers are sure to like. I wish to write about subjects that are dear to me these days."

"Then keep a journal like everyone else. Honestly, I don't believe in this," Thomas added.

"Monday," Charles said from the meeting room's door. The woman passed Thomas without adding a comment though she just wished to say, why are you such an asshole?

The editor was a traditionalist whose sourness had Monday wondering why Charles hired him till that day. Thomas was against everything new and audacious. Not once did he encourage anyone to step out of their comfort zone. A rigid grammar freak, Thomas detested Mondays' writing style, which the editor considered poor, but readers had mediocre taste considering the books that became bestsellers according to him. Also, he hated the concept of woman's lit and regularly shunned the term saying people would scream scandal if there were a subgenre called men's lit. The editor was unbearable.

Only Dagmar, Charles, and a surprise visitor remained in the meeting room.

"Kadija, oh my God. I thought I'd never see you again."

"Sorry, darling, you won't be seeing me back here anytime soon," Kadija replied.

"What?" Monday exclaimed. She was looking forward to having her editor back.

"Kadija is taking the three-year maternity leave."

Mondays' lips drooped, "oh, I understand, but I'm just so sad."

"I know, that's why I came. I wanted to announce it to you myself, and also Charles asked me to participate in your new manuscripts' reading."

Mondays' eyes swept the room, "so what do you all think of it?"

Her heart pounded full regime as she waited for the answer.

"It's different, but it's good," Kadija said.

"Really?"

"We all agree it's not what readers expect. It's poignant, and authors don't risk writing about such themes. Those who do are directly concerned, but your story remains fiction so go for it," Charles said.