In Vitro
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.
Author Interview
At what point did you decide to be an author and what was your path to publication?
I’ve always enjoyed being a storyteller. I wrote my 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.
When I was preparing to retire, a colleague asked me what I was planning to do with all my free time. Without any real thought, I said, “I’m going to write a book.” She asked me about the plot, and on the spot, I gave her my pitch. She looked intrigued and said, “I’d read that book.” Four months into retirement, I began taking writing courses at our local college and met some great people, including one outstanding teacher who has been a wonderful mentor to me. We formed a critique group, and with their help, In Vitro was “born.”
Just as I finished my first draft in 2024, I was fortunate to attend the Kauai Writers Conference. I took a Master Class with Ruth Ware, author of The Woman in Cabin 10 and many other best-sellers. The class was memorable because not only did I gain priceless insight into the craft of writing, I also sat next to Holly Krammier, co-owner of Acorn Publishing, a hybrid publishing company located in San Diego, CA. After interviewing two other hybrid publishing companies, I decided Acorn was the best fit for me. The actual publishing process has many steps, and I found myself on a steep learning curve. Acorn provided me with a lot of resources, and I’m thrilled the book is out and people are reading my story.
Have you been able to incorporate your previous experience in [jobs/education] in your writing?
I’m a retired Obstetrician/Gynecologist, and I’ve had the basic plot of In Vitro in my head for a while. Right after I completed an OB/Gyn residency, I did a one-year fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology at UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical College. While working in the IVF clinic, I was struck by the immense sacrifices these couples endured. The process of becoming pregnant goes from being a highly intimate and personal endeavor to being a tightly controlled medical process. The physical and mental stress was palpable in that clinic environment. I knew right away this was the story I wanted to tell. At the time I was writing my first draft, The #MeToo movement was also very much in the news, so I decided to include that in the story line. I had great fun creating a hand-roving amoral villain—who by the way, is definitely fictional.
What have you found to be most challenging about writing in [genre]?
As a first-time novel writer, I’ve found writing the middle of the story most challenging. The first chapter was easy to write in terms of plot line. It took a lot of editing to make it succinct and intriguing, but I’m really pleased with how it turned out. I also knew how the story ended, and when I finally got there, I had a lot of fun writing it. The middle was hard for me because I didn’t plot the whole thing 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 go back and add some details so the ending was plausible.
Who is your favorite character to write, and why is that person your favorite? If picking a favorite character would be like picking a favorite child, which character seems to be the most demanding or your attention and detail as a writer?
My main character, Dr. Joyce Porter, was the most demanding. She is intelligent, ambitious, and wants to make a name for herself in the world of academic medicine. She struggles to balance her work life with her personal life, and she worries whether her long-distance marriage is going to survive. Her patients are desperate to conceive, and she feels each cycle failure keenly. In the early drafts of the book, she was “too perfect,” and of course, humans are not perfect. So I had to figure out how to show her challenges early on, not just at the end. Through her internal dialogue and her external actions, readers had to be able to watch her struggle and grow.
When I began the book, I thought Joyce would be my favorite character. It turns out, she was not, but don’t tell her that!
What is your favorite line from your book?
I love this question. My favorite line in the whole book is actually the dedication:
This book is dedicated to children who’ve come into the world through the miracle of in vitro fertilization. You are a blessing.
Is there anything you would like people to take away from your book?
I’d like people who are not familiar with infertility to develop an understanding of the costs the treatment exacts from patients—emotional, physical and financial. I’d also like them to gain insight into the complex ethical questions inherent in these types of advanced technologies.
About the Author
before shifting to a career in higher education, first as an assistant
professor, then as a college dean, and finally as a vice president.
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.
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