Down The Line
by Raine Gocneal
Released: Mar 02, 2026
Genre: Young Adult / New Adult
Why this book and why now?
As someone who loves reading sports romance, I’ve always been obsessed with tennis, and I’m pretty sure I’ve already read every sapphic tennis book I could find on the internet. It got so rare that I got frustrated enough to just write one myself and while I was at it, I decided to also give some love to another sport that doesn’t get enough spotlight in sapphic sports romance: triathlon. Because yes, I will write the representation I want to see.
Would you and your main character(s) get along?
Yes, we’d definitely get along, probably hang out, chase adventures, and dive into adrenaline-filled sports together.
I actually wrote one character inspired by my own mix of being outgoing yet introverted, while the other was inspired by my pro tennis crush.
What’s one fun fact about your book that most people wouldn’t know?
It wasn’t originally supposed to be about a dual-sport athlete. The plan was just tennis. But then I hit a really bad writer’s block, so I did what any responsible writer would do: procrastinate. I ended up watching a cliff diving livestream, then breakdancing, then BMX, and suddenly my brain went “wait… what if we add more chaos?”
What TV show would your main character(s) most likely binge watch and why?
She would 1000% be the type to binge survival and competition shows, Survivor or anything about being stranded on an island or forced to outlast everyone else. Give her high stakes, endurance challenges, and people fighting to survive, and she’s hooked.
She’d also be into intense, survival-heavy series like Alice in Borderland, post-apocalyptic worlds like Fallout, and anything where strategy, resilience, and physical grit decide who makes it out alive.
Meanwhile, the other main character? She’s definitely at home binge-watching Love Island, rewatching Bridgerton, and probably going through every Jane Austen adaptation and comfort chick flick she can find.
What’s your main character(s)’s favorite book and why?
The other is already obsessed with her Percy Jackson books, she’s reread the entire series more times than she can count. She’s a full fantasy girl at heart, the kind who loves quests, chaos, and heroes surviving impossible odds.
On the other hand, the other leans toward Jane Austen books, though if we’re being honest, she’s not much of a reader. She’ll pick up the classics, annotate a few pages, and casually mention them… mostly so people can say she reads Austen.
Did any of your characters surprise you by developing in unexpected ways?
YESSS! This character was originally meant to be the antagonist, but I ended up falling in love with her chemistry with the main character, so I decided to make her the best friend instead.
And ahem… maybe someday she’ll get her own book too 👀 We’ll see.
What song does your character put on to start your book launch party?
“Dog Days Are Over” by Florence + The Machine hahaha, I think they can really relate to this song as someone else is. It’s a great choice for a book launch party because it feels like a celebration of survival, and new beginnings.
Your characters are throwing a party—what’s the theme?
The theme would probably be a beach party in the Maldives hahaha. I know, it’s where athletes often go for vacation, so it just fits them perfectly.
Do you outline your books in detail, or do you prefer to discover the story as you write?
I know some people may not agree with this, but I prefer to discover my story as I write. Although before starting a book, I always outline it from beginning to end, some decisions don’t always work as I write. So I allow myself to discover new paths along the way, and after finishing the draft, that’s when I go back and edit and refine everything.
Were there any books, movies, or personal experiences that influenced this story?
It’s not really about inspiration, but I watched as many tennis movies as I could, including documentaries. While writing, I also watched WTA matches and triathlon races, pretty much all the categories I could find.
Do you have any writing rituals or habits?
I write best when there’s background noise — usually by putting on YouTube videos, movies, or music while I work. The noise actually helps me focus and stay in the writing flow.
