Queerness is celebrated throughout the story in "It's a Love/Skate Relationship" by Carli J. Corson.
What was your inspiration behind your most recent book?
I grew up spending a ton of time in skating rinks with my hockey player brother where I found myself fascinated by the differences, similarities, and the general relationship between hockey players and figure skaters–along with their intense sport cultures. Also, I loved the 90s adult romcom “The Cutting Edge” and thought it would be fun to write a YA sapphic version!
What does Reading Rainbow mean to you?
To me, Reading Rainbow means reading both comfortably and joyfully–in spite of the stigma by those working to put up roadblocks for us to access the kinds of stories we want to read. Reading with Pride is an act of resistance in and of itself. Let’s keep it up!
Why do you feel representation of a variety of people is so important when it comes to writing books?
I’m a school counselor who loves reading stories as a vehicle to teach perspective taking to students. Exposing children to all types of diversity–and celebrating these differences–increases self-compassion, empathy, connection, and belonging. As my Librarian bestie, Deirdre McKeon, often reminds me: books are magical as they serve as mirrors allowing students to see themselves, windows allowing them to see others, and sliding glass doors encouraging them to experience more of the world!
Tell us a little more about the book and why you decided to write it.
"Love/Skate" centers Charlie Porter, a hothead who must trade her hockey stick for toe picks and pair skate with a snooty ice princess in order to salvage a chance for a scholarship after a disastrous post-game brawl at the skating rink. As a teen in the early 2000s I didn’t find queer representation I related to, so I had a very narrow view of what the queer community looked like and didn’t realize my attraction to women until my mid 20s. I wish I saw myself in stories sooner–so I wrote the book I wish I could read as a sports loving, nerdy teenager who had no idea she’s not straight. It’s an honor to have Love/Skate sitting on shelves among the incredible variety of queer books available for teens today.
What can fans expect from your book?
Readers of "Love/Skate" can expect a story full of heart and humor with intense competition scenes! Queerness is celebrated throughout–and not only through the romance of our main pairing. Expect some well-loved tropes: reluctant teammates to friends to lovers, sunshine masc + icy femme, slow burn/mutual pining, only one bed! Many readers say Charlie is a main character who’s easy to root for both on and off the ice.
What’s up next for you in the bookish world?
I’m currently working on several different projects across age groups and will share more across social media as soon as I can.
