Date Published: December 9, 2025
Publisher: Acorn Publishing
The Hippocratic Oath dictates, “First, do no harm,” but what if success demands it?
The calm and compassionate Dr. Joyce Porter is proud to work at McArthur Fertility Institute, where miracles happen every day. Couples determined to conceive flock to the clinic, drawn by its unmatched IVF success rate and glowing reputation.
But behind the clinic’s shining facade lies a disturbing secret. When another doctor mentions a peculiarity in the facility’s methods, Joyce investigates. What she discovers is worse than she could have imagined. Now, she must decide whether to confront the institute’s renowned director about his unscrupulous deeds or compromise her ethics by turning a blind eye. She knows staying silent could destroy people’s lives, but speaking out could destroy hers.
As the line between healing and harm blurs, Joyce must decide how far she’s willing to go to protect her patients, her integrity, and the future she still hopes to build.
Is There a Message in Your Novel That You Want Readers to Grasp?
One of my goals as an author writing fiction is
to tell stories that entice readers to think about “big questions.” In Vitro
includes a fair amount of detail about the advanced technologies used to treat
infertility. I’d like readers to understand the huge costs of this
treatment—emotional, physical, and financial. I also hope they begin to think
about the ethical questions inherent in these types of advanced technologies.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
As a first-time novel writer, the middle of the
story was the most challenging to write. The first chapter came easily because
I knew the main characters and the plot line. I also knew how I wanted the
story to end, so when I finally got there, I had a lot of fun writing the last
few chapters. The “messy” middle was a challenge because I didn’t plot the
whole story out in advance. I just wrote a chapter at a time and asked my
critique group for feedback. They were very helpful and told me when my
characters weren’t acting consistently, when there was a plot hole, or when the
pacing was off. But that also meant once I wrote the ending, I had to do some
heavy editing in the middle.
How many books have you written and which is your favorite?
Technically, I’ve written two books. I wrote the first “book” in the 6th grade. It was called The Skating Party. My friend did drawings for each of the chapter headings, and my mom typed all five chapters and put them into a cardboard “cover” stapled at the spine.
In Vitro is my first full
length novel, so of course it is my favorite. But I’ll always have a special
place in my heart for The Skating Party.
If You had the chance to cast your main character from
Emma Watson (best known for the Harry Potter series), Kristen Bell (The Good Place, Frozen) or Rose McIver (iZombi, A Christmas Prince movies) would all be fabulous as Joyce. They are relatively short in stature (my protagonist Joyce makes a joke about her height, 5 feet 2 inches), and they project strong and principled characters who have great chemistry with their on-screen partners.
And you haven’t asked, but I’d really like Matt
Bomer (White Collar) to play Dominique DuPage. I’m sure he’d be able to do an
amazing French accent!
When did you begin writing?
As mentioned previously, I began writing in the 6th grade. I took a Creative Writing class in high school, and we wrote some short stories. I was a pre-med major in college, so not much time for writing. Ditto for medical school and residency. Over the years, I did a fair amount of technical writing, and I was always amazed at how time just flew when I was involved in a writing project.
When I thought about retirement, writing a book
was on my bucket list. I took a class at our local community college where I
met some great students and one wonderful instructor. We formed a critique
group, and with their help, In Vitro was “born.”
How long did it take to complete your first book?
Four years to write, and then another year to get
the manuscript ready for publication.
Did you have an author who inspired you to become a writer?
Oh my, there are so many. As a kid, I loved Dr.
Seuss and the poems of A.A. Milne. In grade school, I fell in love with Nancy
Drew and the Hardy Boys mysteries. They’re very formulaic, and after a while,
I’d think up plots for those characters. As I got older, I enjoyed Jane Austen,
the Bronte’s, and Louisa May Alcott.
In my adult years, I’ve gravitated toward action
thrillers and romance novels. I love to be entertained and escape into new
fictional worlds. But I credit my teacher and friend, author Kathryn Mattingly,
with helping me have the confidence to write In Vitro.
What is your favorite part of the writing process?
I love creating characters. It is fun to pick out
names, think about how they look, and create their backstories. And then it’s
amazing to watch them grow and adapt to the various situations. And sometimes
new characters just show up!
Describe your latest book in 4 words.
Compelling, provocative, intimate, and human.
This is a great question that really made me think.
Can you share a little bit about your current work or what is in the future for your writing?
My next book is set 20 plus years after the first
book. It is about some of the young adults whose parents were patients at the
McArthur IVF clinic featured in the first book. I’ve written the first three
chapters. Right now, there are four families whose lives are intertwined. I’ve
become emotionally invested in these characters, so I’ll have to continue
writing to find out what happens. A working title is “The Sins of Their Father.”
About the Author
Her dedication to helping patients and students left her little time to write, but the idea for a novel stuck with her. Inspired by deeply moving stories of couples undergoing IVF, she developed her first novel, In Vitro.
Now retired, M.J. lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and a spicy cat named Simon. She volunteers at a local elementary school, where she reads with kindergarteners to foster a love of books. Tai chi, crafting, and wine tasting are a few of her favorite hobbies.
Contact Links
Posts
0 Comments