I sent the proposal to my editor at Harlequin and asked if she thought we could turn it into a romance. Still, I really wanted to write Claire’s story. I really liked my story of a single mother’s struggle with PTSD and her fight to keep her son, but my agent didn’t feel it was strong enough to break into the women’s fiction market. When I finally had a proposal ready for what I’d hoped to be my first women’s fiction novel, I sent it to my agent, then waited with bated breath. Nothing can clarify a story better than a roomful of creative minds.Īfter the brainstorming, I wrote. I, in turn, got to hear about some of their projects and share my thoughts with them. I was very fortunate to have Sandra Chastain, Nancy Night, Haywood Smith, Berta Platas and Michelle Roper step forward with all their wonderful insights and ideas for this story. Once I had sprouted the seed of that story I invited some of my writing buddies to brainstorm with me. No, they actively participate in occasional brainstorming sessions with me. Their eyes don’t glaze over when I drift into rants on character growth and goal, motivation and conflict. My girls are always fundamental in the growing of all my stories. I developed the seed that sprouted this story while talking with my daughters one day.

I once had a friend with PTSD and was so moved by that friend’s struggle I wanted to write a character who battled this disorder. It was a legitimate gift and well appreciated to this day, but this, my very first blog ever (not just on my squeaky new website), is about the making of my December 2012 Superromance release, Espresso in the Morning.Įspresso in the Morning was originally born during my quest to expand my writing muscles by breaking into the women’s fiction market. True, I wanted it for me, but my kids wanted it just as much.

No, this isn’t a recipe for a great cup of coffee or the story about the time I bought the espresso machine as a “family” Christmas gift.

Espresso in the Morning by Dorie Graham