We chat with author Zac Hammett about See You at the Finish Line, which follows heartthrob George who wants to prove he’s smart enough to graduate and nerdy Lucas who wants to finally ask his crush out. They strike a deal to get what they want . . . but they may accidentally splash into a row-mance together in this queer, sports rom-com.
Hi, Zac! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I’m a British writer who has just published his debut romance novel! Prior to this I have had an eclectic writing career, including being in the writer’s room for the Disney Plus series Rivals, and writing a verse for Luis Fonsi on the Clean Bandit single Baby. I grew up on the south coast of England with three siblings and two teachers as parents. Oh, and I have a cavapoo puppy called Snufkin.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I wrote my first book aged 3, which was called “The Butterfly’s Pidpe.” Nobody knows what I meant by “Pidpe”, then or now. By elementary school I was for some reason being allowed to write plays and perform them to the class. God knows what they thought of me. My parents were encouraging but in a very low key way which I like to think prevented me from turning into more of a monster. Although I did have a huge falling out with my friend when I attempted to mount a production of Mary Poppins and we both wanted to play the title character.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
- The one that made you want to become an author: Matilda by Roald Dahl
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Geek Love by Catherine Dunn
Your debut novel, See You at the Finish Line, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
I’m going to cheat and use seven words, but a Goodreads reviewer described it as “If Legally Blonde was a gay himbo”, which is better than any advertising slogan I could have come up with.
What can readers expect?
It’s an enemies to lovers queer sports romance set in the world of the Oxford v Cambridge boat race. Lucas and George are two rowers on the same Cambridge University team who can’t stand each other, but strike a mutually beneficial deal to help George pass his exams and Lucas seduce his crush.
In many ways, it’s a classic rom com that hits a load of familiar tropes, but as my background is in screenwriting, it has a cinematic feel and some fun plot twists that you don’t see coming! But don’t worry, there’s a happy ever after.
Where did the inspiration for See You at the Finish Line come from?
I studied in Cambridge for undergrad, although I never stepped foot in a rowing boat. I was in the chapel choir, and my first boyfriend was the organ scholar… the puns write themselves. Although very different from rowing, we rehearsed six times a week, so I can relate to the experience of falling in love within that very intense, high pressure setting.
More specifically, the idea for the story came to me from the image of a cox and stroke, who sit opposite each other in the front of a rowing boat. I just loved the idea that they start out hating each other, but are forced to gaze into each other’s eyes, and eventually fall in love. To my delight, that image made the front cover of the US edition.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I absolutely loved writing from the POV of George, the wholesome American himbo. There’s something so fun about a character who is completely earnest, where the humour comes from that, rather than a character who is very quippy (as my other main character is), and reader, writer and character are more aligned. Ditto a character who tries to put a positive spin on all the bad things happening to them, rather than air their anxieties. I find that so fun to write.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
I think I struggled with keeping my characters consistent in their actions and reactions while crafting an exciting plot around them. A question all authors have to ask themselves is: are my characters acting this way because that’s how they’d react in that situation, or because I need them to act that way to make the plot work. That’s something I learned the hard way.
This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
The road to becoming a professional writer has been long and full of ups and downs, but my publishing journey was relatively straightforward. In fact, two of those downs led directly to my success with See You At The Finish Line—around the same time in 2023, I was let go from a screenwriting job, and I also abandoned a literary novel I’d been trying and failing to crack for around a year. Once I decided to write a romance novel, I sold it in the UK within six months and the US within a year. But a lot of things had to go wrong for that to fall into place in the way that it did.
What’s next for you?
I’m hard at work on my second romance novel, while starting work on the third! The third one is more ambitious and a very fun mash-up of genres, so I really hope I get to publish that. I’ve also very excitingly sold the screen rights to See You At The Finish Line, so we are developing that as a TV series. It’s still a long road to getting a green light, but a very fun process.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?
I absolutely loved Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone—she nails character like no one else. A brilliant fellow UK debut is The Friendship Fling by Georgia Stone, a very funny writer with the best chapter titles. As for queer romance, Winging It With You by Chip Pons is a swoony and spicy rom com which taught me a lot as a writer. Finally, I’ve already read it but people should look out for The Open Era by Edward Schmit, a gorgeous queer tennis romance that is coming next year. I’m also so excited to read The Boyfriend Academy by J. S. Strange, a dystopian queer romance that looks like nothing else I’ve read.
I will be borrowing it from my local library!