Two track and field athletes find an unexpected but powerful love in James Acker’s unapologetically blunt and unforgettably real YA debut, The Long Run.
Hi, James! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hello back! I am a screenwriter and author from South Jersey who loves to write queer coming-of-age stories and first romances.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
My parents would say I’ve always been writing. My first novel was written on the family computer, maybe age 10, in our old basement. It was a Star Wars parody called The Phantom Meatball and it was accompanied with some very fine pictures, courtesy of MS Paint. There is no surviving copy of the tale.
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
- Either the Bible or Amelia Bedlia. I always get those two mixed up.
- Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. All-timer for me.
- The Song of Achilles. I love dead gay love.
Your debut novel, The Long Run, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Loud, sweet, tender, gross, salty
What can readers expect?
A lot of flirting, a lot of jock talk, a lot of f-words, pit hair and A LOT of discussions about sandwiches. And underneath all that, a lot of falling in love.
Where did the inspiration for The Long Run come from?
I always wanted to tell an unlikely senior year love story and figured I might as well set it in a world I knew. I was once a shotputter who hated shotputting, sweating my face off in New Jersey. Why not take that kid and let him fall in love?
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Honestly, I was so excited to tackle “locker room talk.” That toxically masculine, hyper macho, deeply insecure high school talk. Because I think we’re so often shown examples of it at its extremes, only there to highlight how cartoonishly bad some guys can be. I wanted to show the levels to it. Not condone it but take a grounded approach and try highlighting something deeper. How pervasive that energy can be at that age, how it can even seep into our characters we know to be good.
Can you tell us a bit about your journey of getting The Long Run published?
I wrote the initial manuscript while chained to a desk working reception at a company that never had visitors. I had hours alone in front of an ancient computer that only had Word and Solitare and I got bored of cards so I figured I’d make better use of my time. I finished TLR on that desk and heard about #DVPit on Twitter. I made my pitch, found my current agent, and we edited the manuscript for submission. Within the year, we found our lovely home at Inkyard Press and they picked us up for a two-book deal. And I thank God every day that I got so bored of Solitare.
What’s next for you?
I’ve got another book out with Inkyard Press coming out this time next year (details still under wraps) but it’s a story very in-line with The Long Run. A bit of a companion read tackling a very different kind of high school love.
Lastly, are there any 2023 book releases our readers should look out for?
Your Lonely Nights Are Over by Adam Sass. If you liked Scream but thought “Eh, could’ve been gayer,” I highly recommend keeping an eye out.
