Michiel Kolman (MK): Let’s start with the basics: you are a freelance editor: what does that role cover?
Mackenzie Walton: As a freelance editor I provide both developmental edits (which cover overarching themes, such as plot, characterization and pacing) and line edits (which are sentence by sentence revisions that may focus on readability, repetition, and other stylistic choices), but on a contract basis. Publishers reach out to me to edit books where a staff editor may not be available for any number of reasons, and authors who self-publish their books do as well.
MK: The Crave/HBO series is based on the 2019 gay sports romance novel by Rachel Reid, which is part of the Game Changers book series and published by Carina/Harlequin. Tell us some more about the series and the author. Who is the main readership?
The Game Changers series follows queer men who also happen to be pro hockey players, along with the men they fall in love with. These books are wonderfully written by Rachel Reid a Canadian author and lifelong hockey fan, with a lot of heart and a sense of humor than balances the continuing thread of examining the harm toxic masculinity in sports culture can cause athletes. These are genre romance novels, which traditionally have a readership that’s majority women, but over the course of my career I’ve noticed a steadily growing readership among men and nonbinary people as well.
MK: Can you please explain how you were involved in Heated Rivalry.
I was the editor who worked on Heated Rivalry, and in fact all of Rachel Reid’s books so far. Again, I was contracted to edit these stories on a freelance basis, and I really appreciate having a good working relationship with Carina/Harlequin so I’ve been able to provide a consistent editorial voice for Rachel over the years.
MK: The success of the Crave/HBO series is phenomenal. What is your take on the reasons for this success?
I think the fans of Heated Rivalry the show are hungry for the same thing longtime fans of genre romance want: a love story where things may get tense for the main characters but ultimately ends happily. The world is stressful and being able to sink into a romance can be a much-needed relief. Of course, it also helps that the actors on the show are all incredibly talented and so compelling to watch!
MK: One major question that comes to mind is the potential impact on sports like hockey, football (both soccer and American football), baseball, and basketball, which all tend to be culturally “heterosexually dominant.” In most of these sports, non-straight athletes still rarely speak openly about their sexual orientation, or do so only after retirement. Could a book—and now a series—like this help open some of those closets? In other words, do we need more books like this to help break the taboo?
It would mean the world to me to know this series helped athletes feel more comfortable in their own skin, let alone be able come out of the closet. I’ve seen a few out athletes such as Olympian Gus Kenworthy discuss the parallels between the story and their own experiences; I’m sure there are many, many more who are unable to speak about it yet. But of course Heated Rivalry is just one story and one perspective—more love stories challenging toxic masculinity and cultural taboos about queer athletes widens the impact. Luckily, the Game Changers series is far from the only series focusing on queer athletes and I hope there are many more to come!
I would like to thank Lawrence Schimel and Simon de Jocas for their help with this blog post.