Got a minute? Read a short-short story. Each tale is a world in just 1,000 words.

In "Better Late Than Never," you'll follow a young woman from the Great Depression through World War II, marriage, entrepreneurship, and a lifelong love affair with her favorite soap opera. A little girl reveals a very peculiar superpower in "Good With Names." (There is an Elvis sighting.) "Magpie Girl" is the perfect story for anyone who haunts estate sales and thrift stores. You never know when treasures will find you. A sensible woman encounters an impossible product in "Lotion." Is voodoo real? "Daisy's Masterpiece" is proof that diamonds are a girl's best friend-at any age.

Paula Johnson is a copywriter and graphic designer who helps authors, performers, experts, and companies of all sizes with all things marketing. Outside the office, she writes fiction, takes improv classes, and hosts a stand-up comedy open mic. Clearly, this schedule leaves very little time for laundry.