This is going to be a short "story behind the story." See, about a month ago I realized I didn't have a story stockpiled for my April Fiction First and, between working 50 hours a week and focusing my writing time on my new novel, I had no ideas for a new story.

Cue the panic.

Enter Twitter.

As if by Fate, a series of writing prompts appeared in my Twitter feed. One of them was about dinner and a divorce. I don't remember the exact words, just the premise that immediately popped into my head: a couple meet for dinner to finalize their divorce, one of them hoping for a last-minute reconciliation. By the end of the dinner, though, that one changes his or her mind. It didn't take me long to decide the hopeful half of the couple would be the husband.

After that, the story came quickly. The agony came during revisions, when I had to cut two of my "darlings," two of my most favorite descriptions I've ever written. (I do have them on sticky notes, though, so I can use them when I find the right time and story.) Without them, though, the story became stronger--much like the main character.

Click here to read "The Dinner."