Sports romance is a growing sub-genre of romance involving different sports, especially popular games like football and ice hockey. My first experience with the genre was reading a book by Sasha Lace, an author living in the north of England who writes football romance.
Today, she’s here to talk about her publishing journey, the differences between self-publishing and traditional publishing, and to share advice for anyone interested in writing sports romance novels. Over to Sasha!
Hello! I’m Sasha Lace. I write contemporary spicy sports romance. I write for myself and my imaginary friends who become so loud that I have no choice but to commit them to page so they stop bugging me.
What was it like to self-publish sports romance books?
I rapid released my debut series as an indie author. It was a great experience to be completely in control of the process and I was lucky to find some lovely ARC reviewers. All in all, I really enjoyed indie publishing. It’s a great way to connect with your audience.
What is it like to work with a literary agent?
I have two agents at present. One who represents my SFF projects and another who represents my romance. I have a good relationship with both of them. It’s nice to have someone else in your corner who believes in your work. I’ve found it to be a very positive experience. It also means I can get my work in front of editors which I wouldn’t be able to do without them.
Are there any major differences between self-publishing and publishing that surprised you?
The timelines in traditional publishing are a shock. With self-publishing you can go at your own pace, but traditional publishing is a lot of waiting and long lag times. I’ve found it’s good to have other projects to work on in the in-between times.
What advice would you give someone who wants to write sports romance?
I’d say to write about a sport you have some knowledge of. I initially wanted to write hockey romance because it was so popular, but I realized I had zero idea about it. I chose football because I know enough to write about it, and my husband is a huge Leeds United fan so I knew he would be able to fill in any gaps and help me with beta reading.
That being said, I think you can write sports romance without having a HUGE amount of knowledge of the sport because a romance still needs to be character driven and emotionally resonant. I’m a romance fan before I’m a sports fan. But you need to know enough for the readers who are invested in that particular sport not to get mad about it!
Where to read Sasha Lace’s books
Interested in reading spicy sports romance novels by Sasha Lace? Check them out below:
- Playing the Game – Goodreads | Amazon | Bookshop.org
- Playing to Score – Goodreads | Amazon | Bookshop.org
- Playing for Keeps – Goodreads | Amazon | Bookshop.org
- Playing to Win – Goodreads | Amazon | Bookshop.org
- Playing for Possession – Goodreads | Amazon | Bookshop.org
Make sure to follow Sasha on Instagram: @sasha_lace_author