Obsessed with... my book, Love and Other Scores
I wrote a book and now it's in stores and I didn't even cry once.
This issue of Obsessed is a little different because today, my tennis sports romance, Love and Other Scores was published by Pan Macmillan Australia. It is truly a dream come true.
Those who have followed me for a while will know that I decided to self-publish a novel, More, in 2020. That was followed by two novellas, a Christmas sequel to More, titled More or Less and a standalone novella called The Next Big Thing.
In that time, I’d been working on this book, polishing it and pitching it. An early version of this manuscript was shortlisted for the Penguin RandomHouse Write It Fellowship, and I received really positive feedback on it when I submitted it for a Varuna Fellowship (but just missed out!). In early January 2023, I sent out a tweet about my queer tennis romance while attending the Australian Open and the commissioning editor at Pan Macmillan emailed me - and now we’re here.
So today, I thought I’d share a Q+A about the book, the writing process and what this whole book means to me.
Okay, so what is the book exactly about?
Gabriel Madani is a global tennis superstar and heart-throb. As he eyes his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, the pressure is getting to him. After an intense practice session, Gabriel finds refuge in a bar, where he meets Noah.
Oblivious to sports, Noah doesn't recognise Gabriel, but there is an instant connection. The more time they spend together in the blazing heat of a Melbourne summer, the more their feelings and attraction grow.
Both Gabriel and Noah have their reasons for wanting to keep their romance private, but neither can deny their attraction to each other. So, of course, drama ensues!
Can you tell us what tropes we can expect?
You can expect a friends-to-lovers romance with a golden retriever hero and another hero who channels strong 90s Leo DiCaprio vibes (think the floppy hair of the Romeo + Juliet era). It’s a sports romance, so of course it’s got the sports. Found family, high spice (this is an adult book!), let-me-show-you-around-the-city kinda vibe (I don’t know if that’s a trope but if it isn’t, it should be!).
Where did you draw inspiration for the novel?
Tennis, of course. I love tennis and have loved it since my early teens. I once stayed up late on a Sunday night watching one of the early Rafa v Djokovic finals at the AO. My friend, Bec, and I actively track tennis as it moves across the globe, texting each other match updates or reactions to shock exits.
So I wanted this book to pay homage to my love of tennis, to the celebration of a tournament, to the fun and joy and sweat one experiences at the Australian Open especially.
But I also wanted it to examine the realities of queer representation in sport. There has never been an openly gay male tennis player ever, in the history of tennis. There are many openly gay women playing, but most men decide to ‘come out’ after their professional career has ended. So, I wanted to explore what that looked like for Gabriel, how it impacted his identity, and what he’d have to consider if confronted with a public relationship.
Noah’s bar is based on a small cafe I worked in while living in Melbourne. I used to commute from Footscray to Chapel Street via the 222 bus. To anyone who knows Melbourne, yes it was a nightmare.
Who is your favourite character in this book?
I don’t think it comes as any surprise to say, Gabriel Farid Madani. He is perhaps the most complex, genuinely lovely, challenging and delightful character I’ve ever written. I simply adore him and the fact that I no longer get to write him any more is a little sad.
In the book, you’ll also meet Peaches the Drag Queen, who I also really bloody love. She was so much fun to write and came to me completely fully fleshed out and ready to be written into the story. I also adored researching her fashion; drag fashion is so fun to write about - who knew?!
A close third is another supporting character, Lukas who is your typical cocky, attractive tennis player with a heart of gold.
What was the hardest thing about writing the book?
Without a doubt, the tennis matches. Good sports writing is EXTREMELY difficult. Not only do you have to know the game well enough to, essentially, commentate it, but you also have to consider how the character is feeling and how their body moves, and make sure that the pace is fast and interesting, and that each tennis match is different from the next. IT IS HARD! I just hope I did it justice.
What is your favourite scene in the book?
There’s a very extremely brief scene where Gabriel plays tennis with Noah. It’s probably way too short to even qualify to be my favourite scene, but I adore it.
What are some comparison titles?
Okay, so I pitched this book to my publishers as Red White and Royal Blue meets Carrie Soto is Back, and I still think that’s accurate. I’d throw in the spice level of Icebreaker, with the feels of The Charm Offensive.
Love and Other Scores is out from Pan Macmillan Australia from Tuesday 28 November 2023 across Australia.
