In the mid 1970s, Susann was close friends with Doris Day, and when Day hesitated about writing her autobiography, Susann encouraged her to pursue the project, helped Day negotiate a lucrative contract with publisher William Morrow, and procured Hemingway biographer A.E. Hotchner as a collaborator. Doris Day: Her Own Story ended up being one of the top best-sellers of 1976.