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Welcome to Plans Are Booked, a podcast for every reader, hosted by Molly Galler, Stephanie Blackburn, and Kaitlin Mattison. We're three friends who love to read, swap books, and count down until the film and TV adaptations of our favorites are released. Follow us on Instagram, @plansarebooked, or reach out to us directly at plansarebooked@gmail.com.
Molly Galler (00:05)
Welcome to Plans Are Booked, a podcast for every reader. I'm Molly Galler, and today I have the extreme privilege of being joined by JK MacLaren, the author of Full Throttle. Welcome to the pod!
J K MacLaren (00:20)
Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited.
Molly Galler (00:23)
I am so excited that you're here. We're going to dig into so many things. We're going to talk about your book. We're going to talk about the phenomenon that is Netflix F1 Drive to Survive. We're going to talk about all the things that we've learned as a result of being fans. We're going to talk about your book that's out now and the books that are coming. I am psyched to dive into all of this with you, but I wanted to start at the very beginning, which is did you as a little girl feel like you were a big reader?
J K MacLaren (00:32)
yes, but
Molly Galler (00:51)
You were a big writer of your own stories. How did you get into the storytelling universe? What was the beginning of that journey for you?
J K MacLaren (01:00)
I was such like a scholastic book fair kid. Like I was obsessed with books. I would come home with the catalog. I was that kid that circled literally every single fiction book and was like, can we just have 50 of them? and bless my parents, they did indulge me. So we were constantly going to the library. I was reading through everything and requesting more books. ⁓ I was also a little Harry Potter nerd. So
Yeah, so I was absolutely obsessed with Hermione Granger. My mom always tells this story about my first day of kindergarten where I came home and I was bawling my eyes out and she was like, what like what's wrong? Did you not like it? Were you nervous? Did you not make friends? And I was like, They didn't give us any homework. Like I really, I really wanted to be Hermione studying. So yeah, I'd say books were definitely a huge influence growing up. Like I was such a little nerd. Yeah.
Molly Galler (01:48)
Okay, I love that. That's amazing. I feel like there are so many strong women for whom Hermione Granger is part of their origin story. So I love that you share that. And for those who don't know, your most recent book, which we're talking about Full Throttle, is about two F1 drivers. I want to know how did you come up with this idea? What was the kernel that said to you, like, this is worth pursuing? And
Were you an F1 aficionado before or was this the catalyst for something where you went deeper into the fandom?
J K MacLaren (02:25)
Yeah, so I'm a new F1 fan. I'm not somebody that grew up with it. ⁓ for context, I'm from Calgary, Alberta. So very much the homeland of ice hockey and ice skating. And it's basically eternal winter here. So I feel like we have like two months of summer. There's not enough time for cars to be driving around. ⁓ so yeah, I definitely wasn't super familiar with Formula One growing up. And then much like a lot of other people, it was during the pandemic when Drive to Survive came out on Netflix that I first kind of heard about it.
And I was so resistant to it at first. I was like, ⁓ 20 men driving in circles around a like track. Like, what's so exciting about that? And it was my friend Josie, bless her, who was so persistent. She was like, You have to watch it. Trust me, you'll be sucked in. And I was like, go on then. I'm I'm I'm at home. Like, I'm not doing much else. Like, what else am I gonna do with my life? So I just started watching the first episode and then they got me. Like, it was all the behind-the-scenes drama, the rivalries, the politics, and
Suddenly before I knew it, I kind of just blew through all of the I think there were two seasons at that point. So I binge them all within like a weekend. And then I had to sheepishly text her and be like, Okay, you were right. Turns out it is actually fun. Yeah.
Molly Galler (03:33)
It's funny, you and I have a similar story of how we came to become F1 fans. So I used to be a religious listener of this podcast called Forever 35. And one of the co-hosts, Doree Shafrir, during the pandemic, said, I'm about to say something really off-brand, but I think I'm in love with Netflix F1 Drive to Survive. And her co-host was like, What? And she said, everyone kept urging me to watch it. I'm not normally into racing, but I decided to give it a shot.
And I fell in love with this also during the pandemic. I didn't really understand that unlike, let's say, here in the states, like the National Football League or the Major League Baseball, where there's like sometimes dozens of people on one team, there's only 20 people in the world that get to sit inside well, more now, but at the time, 20 people who get to sit in these seats.
J K MacLaren (04:28)
Yeah.
Molly Galler (04:32)
For the whole season, and it's so competitive, it's so ⁓ high risk, and it's also one of the most well funded, well-sponsored sports in the world. They're traveling to all these glamorous places like Monaco and Azerbaijan and like all of these places, and they have you know, Rolex is a sponsor, all these things. I got so into like the relationships and the competition between the drivers, the competition between the team principals.
J K MacLaren (04:49)
Okay.
Mm-hmm.
Molly Galler (05:00)
The spouses of the team principals. And I heard you on another podcast describe it as a real housewives-like dynamic, and I could not agree more.
J K MacLaren (05:07)
It's so true. Yeah, you know what? I think the glamour is part of the like big draw for me. It's the fact that they're going to all of these, you know, really international places. There's yachts or champagne. Like it is, it's like Real Housewives. It's like Gossip Girl. It's like all of these things that all Formula One drivers would be like, please don't compare me to this. But I'm just saying there's so much behind the scenes juicy drama. And that is the draw for me. Okay, can I ask, do you have do you have a team you support?
Molly Galler (05:32)
And
what an important question. So in the early years, I was rooting for Max Verstappen. And I was kind of just behind him. And I he has always been at Red Bull at least the whole time that I've been a fan. But then there started to be new drivers on different teams. And now I would say, I kind of like the duo for Ferrari. I feel like if I had to put my chips on one team, that's who I would choose.
J K MacLaren (05:38)
Ha ha
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah. I mean Charles Leclerc is such a sweetheart, isn't he? I feel like he's just the universal universal like Disney prince of the paddock. Like everybody loves him.
Molly Galler (06:09)
He looks like Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid.
J K MacLaren (06:13)
Yes! Okay, I said this to my friend. I feel like there's not enough comparisons made between Charles and Prince Eric. They look identical.
Molly Galler (06:20)
They look identical, the facial expressions, the hair. And then also when he's carrying around his tiny dog, I'm like, just kill me. ⁓ I can't, I can't resist it. I can't resist it. And also when it comes to team principles, I'm biggest fan of Toto Wolf. So I love him and Susie, which we're gonna talk about. And ⁓ it's rough because I don't necessarily love the driver lineup, but this Kimi Antonelli resurgence.
J K MacLaren (06:27)
I don't know.
Mm-hmm.
Yes.
Mm-hmm.
Molly Galler (06:50)
Or emergence, I guess is actually a better word, is really exciting to see a super young driver performing so well, coming after someone like Max, who's just been dominant for years. And I remember last season of the Netflix show, the most recent one, when they talked about Kimi I was like, they're putting a toddler behind the wheel of this Mercedes. This seems like a really bad idea. And then he started winning. And it was like, I take it all back.
J K MacLaren (06:50)
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
⁓ Jadon.
Yeah, and I think I know. This is what's so crazy. I could have this wrong, but I'm pretty sure he was seventeen when he sa signed with Mercedes. So so he couldn't eat he legally couldn't even drive in his home country. That's what's insane. He's driving this super fast car like 200 miles an hour around corners, but legally can't just drive to his local supermarket. I'm like this this sport is bananas.
Molly Galler (07:22)
I think that's right. I think that's right.
It is bananas. Is it that is it watching the Netflix show that gave you that initial spark of an idea for something?
J K MacLaren (07:46)
Yeah, so I I should say, sorry, though that was such a side tangent. You'll have to just cut me off because yeah, I'm like, when I get going on Formula One, there's no stopping me. but yeah, so I I initially was very resistant to the idea of writing a Formula One novel because I was like, look, I'm a new fan. I number one don't know anything about cars, but number two, like, I would just have to do so much research to kind of do this justice. And so initially I was like, I'm not gonna do it. And then you know what? It was watching Drive to Survive, where initially I was like,
Molly Galler (07:49)
my god, I love a tangent.
J K MacLaren (08:14)
Like it would be interesting to kind of have a female driver as a teammate because what would that sort of look like? Like, you know, I think what's so unique about the sport is that your teammate is not only the person that you're trying to support, but also your biggest competition because they're the only person driving the same car as you, you know, they're the person that everybody will directly compare you to. So I think that dynamic, I already kind of had a little, I was like, that's like a little curiosity, like something to play with.
Molly Galler (08:18)
Mm.
That's right.
J K MacLaren (08:43)
And then it was only when I heard about F1 Academy, which is Susie Wolff's ⁓ baby, ⁓ and was kind of hearing about all of these young women that were getting into the sport that something kind of just clicked in my brain and I was like, no, like now I'm actually gonna have to research cars and learn about them. ⁓ so yeah, I think things just kind of spiraled from there, honestly.
Molly Galler (08:47)
Mm. Yes.
I think it's so real to have imposter syndrome about setting a story in a universe where you are new to it, because so much of the best books that we read is they say, you know, authors write what you know. And something will have a deep sense of place or a deep sense of authenticity and let's say like a family drama dynamic. But I also think there's something to be said for when you love something, following that feeling, right? That's why fan fiction is so popular. You experience something.
J K MacLaren (09:10)
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Molly Galler (09:34)
Then you want more of those characters. And I think it sounds like as you were getting to know that universe in the real world, learning about F1 Academy, understanding this goal of more female drivers on the grid, you just leaned into that, which I think is very cool to say, like, this is new to me, but I really am interested and I want to try to build a world inside this universe. I think that's very brave.
J K MacLaren (09:52)
Yeah.
Thank you. Yeah, as much as I kind of joke about it, I mean, obviously when you're really interested in something, that's all you can think about. Like I was reading Susie Wolfe's biography, I was watching Drive to Survive, I was watching the Netflix Formula One Academy series, like I was listening to podcasts about Formula One. I think as a writer, when you kind of find that thing that you become obsessed with, you really can't write anything else because your entire just world is about that anyway. So it kind of makes sense to lean in, as you say. But yeah, there was a lot of ⁓
Pressure I would say that I put on myself because obviously when you're joining this community, you want to do everything justice and you want people in that community to kind of not be taken out of it because you've messed up, you know, a a pit stop strategy or whatever and they're reading this book and then Yeah. And then they get to the point and they're like, mm, like and it's also ⁓ yeah, but it's it's also that balance of like, you know, what
Molly Galler (10:33)
Mm.
Yes, right.
Like that would never happen.
J K MacLaren (10:57)
what can you kind of change for the purposes of the plot or story that wouldn't necessarily be the case in an actual race or Grand Prix ⁓ and kind of get away with. So I I had some fun playing around with that too.
Molly Galler (11:10)
Totally. I also want to say you mentioned reading Susie's book. So Susie Wolff's book is called Driven, which is about being one of the first female drivers in F1. I listened to her on a podcast for over two hours talking about her experience coming up and her dad being sort of a daredevil racing enthusiast and the way he encouraged her and her brother. And ⁓ it's interesting because she was talking about how because of Drive to Survive, she became more known than she had been from.
just racing fans because Drive to Survive became so popular. And when the decision came to do F1 Academy, she was like, well, now I have a platform like never before to help bring more women into racing. And I think the fact that this chapter of her career is focused on that is so incredible. And, you know, she experienced a lot of discrimination because there was no one else like her. And what I loved about what you included in this book, and we're going to get way more into it.
Is that one of your main characters, Juliette, experiences very similar kind of disrespect and diminishing of her talent just because she's female. And while that is true inside the rules of F1 racing and the way that people behave and what they think they're entitled to, I think that is a highly relatable experience in any male-dominated field. It's not just professional sports, it's not just racing. What you captured.
And what Susie shares about her own life is really this, I think, for professional women, a universal experience of being doubted because of your gender. And that people think you can't possibly compete on that kind of elite level as a woman. And I loved that Juliette's character was like, are you kidding me? ⁓ watch me go. You ⁓ go ahead, bet against me and see what's gonna happen. And I loved that spirit throughout the entire story.
J K MacLaren (13:01)
Mm.
You know what? And it's thank you so much, first of all, for your kind words. It's so so lovely to hear. But I I think it's funny because Juliette very much showed up on the page that way. she was stubborn, she was resilient from day one. I knew that she was going to have a tough time breaking into, as you say, this very traditionally male-dominated space. And I think what was really surprising writing her was just how determined she was throughout the novel. You know, I I had initially kind of anticipated making her
Molly Galler (13:16)
Hmm.
Hmm.
J K MacLaren (13:36)
a bit more vulnerable and soft, and she for sure still has those moments throughout the novel. But I think she really showed up with just this ferocious resilience from day one. And it's interesting because I didn't read Susie Wolff's Driven until after I'd written Full Throttle. Yeah. So ⁓ that was also interesting to kind of see what I had imagined being the first female racer to be in that reading Susie's actual experience of being in that position. And she kind of Susie in her autobiography, which is brilliant,
Molly Galler (13:48)
Mm. ⁓ okay.
Hmm.
J K MacLaren (14:06)
speaks about what it was like to be a woman wearing a pink race suit on track and how that sort of drew this attention to her and how she ultimately, and I could be getting this wrong, but I think I'm hopefully remembering correctly, how she ended up switching the race suit color because she wanted to blend it. And I think Juliette has that instinct as well, which I think is interesting. You know, throughout the book, she is kind of navigating, okay, how do I bring my feminine energy into this male space, but also
Molly Galler (14:11)
Yes.
Yeah.
J K MacLaren (14:35)
not so much that I ⁓ stand out in a way. So I think women are kind of expected to walk this really weird tightrope when we do go into these male spaces of not being too feminine, but also, you know, having a certain amount of internalized or external pressure to still show up in a feminine way. So it's a really weird dichotomy that they kind of have to navigate. And I hope that that came through with Juliette. It certainly does in Susie's autob autobiography, which again Thank you.
Molly Galler (14:56)
Totally.
It absolutely did. It absolutely did. And for those who d I'm skipping ahead a bit because I I do know, but for those who don't, will you just share what the premise is for the story in your own words and then I can go even further into my geekdom about everything I loved about it?
J K MacLaren (15:05)
Yeah.
thank you. Yes, of course. ⁓ so Full Throttle is a spicy Formula One rivals to lovers. It is about Juliette, who we were just talking about. She grows up, her twin brother Capulet is a race car driver, and she very much believes that whatever Capulet can do, she can do too. ⁓ sorry, I think you might be frozen. are you? Sorry, your video is frozen. ⁓ can you see me? Is that okay? Okay.
Molly Galler (15:37)
Still here. That's okay.
Yes, you sound great.
J K MacLaren (15:44)
good. Okay. I will talk about it and do my little spiel again. okay, so okay, that sounds good. ⁓ okay, so Formula One is a spicy rivals to lovers Formula One romance, but Juliet, who we were just talking about, she is the twin sister of Capulet, who is already a race car driver in his own right. and she very much believes that whatever he can do, she can do even better.
Molly Galler (15:48)
Yeah, feel free to start over if you want. We can snip it.
J K MacLaren (16:10)
So she's very stubborn from a young age, wants to get into racing, wants to compete with the boys. And the book kind of starts out when she gets this incredible offer to join a team in the Formula One big leagues. It's the worst team on the grid, but she doesn't care. She's just happy to be there, just happy to finally make it. And then she finds out that her new teammate is Dominic Hastings, who not only is the former instructor at her academy, but also the man who broke her heart two years ago. So
We sort of pick up it's ⁓ like a second chance rivals to lovers, a little bit of force proximity, romance.
Molly Galler (16:46)
So Enemies to Lovers is my favorite trope. Plans Are Booked listeners know this. If I know that something begins from that point, I'm already in. But what I loved about this is that so in their past, you have sort of the student-teacher dynamic. And then when they become basically peers on the grid, there's so much tension from the way that their relationship has evolved over time that it fuels.
J K MacLaren (16:50)
Yeah.
Yeah, me too.
Molly Galler (17:15)
the rivalry that should already exist and gives it a just vitriol that can only come from a woman scorned. And I loved it. And I also felt like the tension between them from the before times and also the present day was so well written. You could picture every eye roll, every like muttering under the breath. It was so
J K MacLaren (17:21)
Yeah.
Molly Galler (17:41)
Clear the way that they were interacting with each other and everything that it was based on. And I think people will find that very relatable. And I loved her dynamic with her brother because this is a person who loves you unconditionally, but is also your competitor and is trying to stand out in the academy and be seen in a certain way. And I have to know if you named them Inspired by Romeo and Juliet. You must have. Okay.
J K MacLaren (18:07)
Yes, I did. Yeah. So ⁓ yeah. So for those who haven't read the book, Juliet comes from ⁓ her parents are ⁓ theater directors of a Shakespeare theater company. And I just thought it'd be fun if all the kids were named after Romeo and Juliet characters. So you have from oldest to youngest, Benvolio, Capulet Juliette, Rosalind. ⁓ which I just had loads of fun with. I was like, God, imagine growing up like that and all your siblings are you have to explain every time you meet somebody new.
Molly Galler (18:22)
I love it.
J K MacLaren (18:34)
Especially if your name's being like Benvolio, you're like, I'm really sorry, my parents are just nerds.
Molly Galler (18:39)
Totally. I know. Like in present day to be named Benvolio would be quite eye-catching, I would think, anytime you introduce yourself. I also love Dominic slash Dom as the name of the sort of like aggressive, hyper masculine person. You know, obviously Dom sub is like it it just works. It just works. And I think their tension mounts. ⁓
J K MacLaren (18:43)
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Molly Galler (19:06)
For so long that if I didn't know that every romance is required to have a happy ending as it went along, I would have been, I think, very concerned that they were not going to find their way back to a good place because you keep the reader guessing about whether or not they can overcome all the things that are put in front of them. And some of the things they've, you know, created their own drama, but other things are totally out of their control, whether it's a team principle decision or an injury decision or
J K MacLaren (19:08)
Yeah.
Molly Galler (19:34)
Whatever the case may be, which I think is very true. We know this as Drive to Survive fans. Sometimes it is totally out of your control, but it keeps the reader very hooked because you're unsure if they're going to be able to resolve it. And I also wondered, we're having this great moment where there are a lot of F1 romances coming out and also being adapted, which is awesome. And I hope that that continues. A lot of the
titles that people have given their stories are very cheeky. And I want to hear the story behind how you decided on Full Throttle.
J K MacLaren (20:05)
Yes.
you know what? I just love a pun. ⁓ I think this is I just am that friend that will give very punny birthday cards. Or ⁓ I have friends that just got engaged. So I had this card that I gave them being like, you make a great pair with two pairs on the front. ⁓ that is just that is my humor through and through. So I think I knew that I wanted all the titles to be a little bit punny. ⁓ you know, I toyed with the idea of like breaking point. ⁓ but ultimately I thought Full Throttle, it's quite a sexy novel. So I was like, you know, I think.
Molly Galler (20:23)
So cute.
J K MacLaren (20:38)
Full throttle. I did a survey like 10 friends and they were like, I think that one has the kind of like spice to it. ⁓ so yeah, that's how I came up with the title. But thank you so much for you know, it's saying it like you enjoyed the slow burn because I think I very much enjoy slowburn, but you know, you like I really push it to the limit. Like I really test how long the readers is willing to wait. Yeah. And I think yeah, and what's funny for me is like I like a lot of tension and angst and books. Like I want men to yearn. Like,
Molly Galler (20:56)
You did. You You totally did.
J K MacLaren (21:08)
I want him to have the graft. I want him in agony. I want him in pain. ⁓ and I was actually speaking to a friend about this because we were talking about third act breakups the other day. And I was like, I love a third act breakup. Like I actually, controversial take, think they're the best part of the whole book because that is when the characters are suffering the most and they have to kind of come out of it and fight for it. So I often have the characters at odds until that third act breakup. Like they almost have no happy time together.
Molly Galler (21:35)
Mm.
J K MacLaren (21:37)
Because I want them to suffer and really, really want each other, but be fighting these internal battles. And in Juliette and Dominic's case, it's all of this history that's happened that's initially unclear to the reader. And even unclear to Juliette to some extent, she doesn't quite fully know why they broke up all those years ago. And it's this unraveling of tension and mystery. And then what I love about a third act breakup is when they're at their lowest, you as the reader are rooting for them the hardest. You're like, I really want them together.
Molly Galler (21:55)
Right.
J K MacLaren (22:07)
And then, you know, I often wrap it up quite quickly because I'm like, okay, once they're together, like bing bang, bosh, they're happy. Like that's the end of it. So I think interestingly with the second book, I've had to work on that just slightly more is like kind of leaving them to be happy at the end. I don't know why my instinct is to just have men suffer, but I can't seem to not do it. So
Molly Galler (22:20)
Mm.
So funny. I have to tell you that. So one of the formative movies of my teenage years was Ten Things I Hate About You, which is also inspired by a Shakespeare play. And that third act breakup nearly destroyed me. Like I couldn't accept that they might not be together. And I feel like that feeling that I had as a teenager watching that movie persists when I read these kinds of books.
J K MacLaren (22:46)
Yes.
Molly Galler (22:53)
And when I get to that moment where it's all falling apart and I'm not sure if it's gonna come back together, it throws me back to when it happened in that movie. And then Julia Styles character Kat is like on her sad little tire swing out front, listening to the song Your Winter, and she's like crying. And I feel like I know it's coming every time, and I am not prepared every time.
J K MacLaren (23:17)
Yeah, I know what you mean though. Like I think like, ⁓ it's just one of those things where it's like I I don't know how to describe it. It's I think that's what I love about romance is you know it's going to end happily. Like you have that guarantee for the most part. ⁓ but I think like that's what makes the suffering okay because you know you're gonna get a happy ending.
Whereas this is why I always I'm so nervous reading literary fiction or mil mysteries or thrillers, because you don't know. Like you get to that tension point and you're like, Well, this could just be the end. Like I could turn the page, it could be done. So
Molly Galler (23:36)
Yes.
Totally, totally. I know that's really true. That's really true. You do have a ⁓ almost like safety net as you're reading along, knowing that it has to come back together at some point. I would love to hear, we have a lot of aspiring authors that listen to this show and who really enjoy these conversations because they learn so much about the process. When you came up with this idea.
J K MacLaren (23:57)
Yeah.
Molly Galler (24:11)
Were you in a situation where you already had representation? Were you doing query letters? Like what was your path to this becoming real and traditionally published?
J K MacLaren (24:21)
that is such a good question. So I am a Wattpad writer. I wrote I was doing the math the other day. I think I wrote like 10 to 13 novels on Wattpad before I wrote Full Throttle. So I didn't query any of those, but I definitely count them as like a learning process for sure. Because I think anytime you post work online and kind of ask readers for feedback, they are brutally honest in a nice way. Like they, you know, they'll tell you if they like it and they'll tell tell you what they think you can improve.
Molly Galler (24:25)
Okay.
J K MacLaren (24:50)
And I think that for me was great. So I always recommend like if you're an aspiring writer, you know, even if you don't feel comfortable sharing your work on a platform like Wattpad, like give it to friends, give it to family, give it to people you trust, ⁓ and just see what they think because I think that's such a good way to learn. So I'd say I sort of learned over five or six years that way. And then yeah. And then when it came to Full Throttle, I had the idea and I sort of knew.
Molly Galler (25:10)
Sure.
J K MacLaren (25:17)
I wanted to give querying a try. I'd never kind of looked for representation before, never submitted to agents. So I thought, you know, I might as well give it a try. And then if it doesn't work out, I'll just publish it on Wattpad that way. And I basically looked at all the authors I admired that wrote in my genre, went flipped to the acknowledgement sections of the book and looked for who their agents were. And then I just made a dream list of like 10 of them. I was like, these are my agents that I'm going to submit to.
And maybe it's delusional, but we'll just see. And for about three to four months, I just worked on my query letter. there is a write a writing podcast called The Shit No One Tells You About Writing that's run by two literary agents and all they do is review query letters. Like they just go through, they tell you what's good, they tell you what's bad, they tell you how it should be formatted. so yeah, I basically listened to that. And then, gosh, it's a while ago, I'm trying to remember.
And then I think I basically just came up with this query letter and then just sent it out to those 10 agents. And then I think it was probably a month or two before I started receiving ⁓ the, you know, the usual rejections, which is so demoralizing. ⁓ so if there's any writers listening, like everybody goes through that. That first one is so gut-wrenching. You know, you put your heart and your soul into something and then to hear no, ⁓ like it just it it is, it sucks. But then, you know, you get that.
Yes. And that was so so exciting. So I was really lucky that like my top top agency ⁓ got back to me. I was actually on holiday with my mum and I remember like getting this email that's like, you know, we want the full manuscript, like please send it over. And that was just the best feeling. And then yeah, I think I signed with them two weeks later, maybe. ⁓ yeah, which was crazy. Like, and yeah, I I was back in London at that point living with my
Molly Galler (27:02)
What?
J K MacLaren (27:09)
fiance and I just remember getting an email that's like we'd love to represent you and it was just nuts. ⁓ honestly, I I thought it was a practical joke. I was like, what is going on? Yeah, I know. It was just, it was just insane. Like I feel like I was just in that place where like the stars aligned and yeah, it just worked out. So yeah, I have the most brilliant agents, Stuti and Pete, shout out to them. ⁓
Molly Galler (27:18)
my gosh, I would burst into tears, I think. If someone from the top ten on the list was like, Yes.
J K MacLaren (27:37)
And yeah, they went on submission with it in February, I think, in of twenty twenty four, maybe. Is that right? Or twenty twenty five? I can't even remember now. ⁓ yeah. It yeah, it was either last year or the year before. It's bad I can't remember actually. my god. It's all blurred together.
Molly Galler (27:46)
Seems right. If it came if it wound up coming out Yeah, that sounds right.
Well, you're so w you're so further into the process, which we will discuss, which is why it's hard for you to remember.
J K MacLaren (27:58)
⁓ I also have like a memory, like a sieve. Like I'm one of those people that like has extensive iPhone notes and like takes like loads of little sticky notes that I put everywhere because I'm like, if you tell me something, I will forget it by tomorrow. So Yeah.
Molly Galler (28:15)
Okay, so then you get this publishing situation locked in and with that first contract, did you already know you would write more than one?
J K MacLaren (28:19)
Yeah.
So I had initially shopped it round to agents as sort of the first in what could potentially be a trilogy of like interconnected standalones. ⁓ but quite transparently I'd completely forgotten that I'd said that to my agents. So then So then when they went to submit to publishers, they were like, just so you know, like we might try and sell this in a three book deal. Like, what are your ideas for book two and three? And I was like, Oh, right, like my ideas. ⁓ so then I went away and I went on this really long walk.
Molly Galler (28:33)
great.
J K MacLaren (28:53)
plugged into my like Taylor Swift music and came up with some ideas. And ⁓ yeah, I was really, really lucky. Like I kind of, you know, had pitched these ideas, being like, maybe one day. But then my agents managed to sell it in a three book deal to Penguin Random House, which was like a beyond my wildest dreams, especially as a debut. So I think at that point I was like, my God, like I'm actually gonna get to write these. So yeah, I've now finished book two, like finished writing it and on to book three, which is madness.
Molly Galler (29:07)
So cool.
Wow. Wow. Okay, so they're all gonna be in the F1 universe. Okay. Okay.
J K MacLaren (29:23)
Yeah.
Yes, yeah. So each one follows a different driver ⁓ and their love interest. So yeah.
Molly Galler (29:33)
I cannot wait. I'm sure you're not allowed to say anything about two or three, but I'm very excited. And then of course the listeners always wanna know if you have a film rights agent, if that's a thing that's being discussed.
J K MacLaren (29:47)
Yeah. Well, I think as you say, it's very exciting that we're kind of seeing all these adaptations now. So I'm so excited by the throttled adaptation by Lauren Asher. I'm like, I will be sat front row, like ready. ⁓ yes. So I I'm lucky enough that I do have a film agent. He is currently shopping around, so you never know. ⁓ but the problem with F1 adaptations is that they are so expensive to produce and it's
Molly Galler (29:56)
Yes.
Same.
Totally.
J K MacLaren (30:12)
Yeah, like you look at how much Brad Pitt spent on the Formula One movie, which was brilliant. I really enjoyed it. But I think he must have got in with the mindset that like it doesn't matter if he doesn't break even because to fly around to all these different races and actually film with them, I'm like, I I don't even want to imagine what he dropped on that film. Like it is just nuts.
Molly Galler (30:31)
Just gonna put this out into the ether because I believe in manifestation. If you were to be able to get a deal with Netflix, since Netflix is already on the track for all of these races, if they could also bring their production crew for the adaptation of Full Throttle to a place where they are already filming, that seems like a logical way to save money to me.
J K MacLaren (30:42)
just.
I mean
Yeah.
I'm like Netflix, if you're listening, drop me an email.
Molly Galler (30:57)
I'm just saying you already had such good luck getting the dream agent, why not get the dream film distributor?
J K MacLaren (31:03)
That's true, actually. You never know. I I wish I like could remember what I was doing to manifest the manifest this three book publishing deal because I clearly need to do it again. And I'm like, we're in witchy season. Maybe it's time to be doing some like, you know, lighting candles and throwing things into bonfires.
Molly Galler (31:18)
This is what I'm saying. So we're in the middle of Libra season. I am a Libra. I just celebrated my birthday. And I think it's the most powerful four weeks of the entire year. I really do. I really do. And I think you have to ask the universe for what you want and you have to delusionally believe in the dream. And I think the more people that know about the dream, the more people can help put the brain power and the like good energy behind it. So I fully support all of that. And I would I would love.
J K MacLaren (31:26)
I can ⁓
Molly Galler (31:48)
To see this movie come to screen. And I hear you on all the budgetary things that someone has to consider in order to green light it. But I do think places like Netflix and others, they are now aware of how much interest there is in F1. And they've seen as these romance books are getting adapted, the way that they are climbing to the top of the charts and shows too, of course, like Heated Rivalry and Off Campus and ⁓
There have been some just in the last six months that have really popped off, but even like Love Hypothesis just came out. I think there's a lot of proof that the viewers are there and not just that they'll watch it once, that they watch it over and over and over again. So hopefully the Lauren Asher story can be like the proof point that makes way for these other things.
J K MacLaren (32:37)
Yeah, well, I think as you say, I feel like it's like I'm so happy that I am alive right now and writing because I think this is the time where we're seeing the resurgence of the romance genre, not just romance, but specifically sports romance. ⁓ you have the Heated Rivalry, you have the Off Campus, it is just so good. They are feeding us content and I'm loving it. So listen, if you're if you're listening to this a year from now and Full Throttle has picked up, it's because we've manifested it right here. we're it's happening right now.
Molly Galler (32:51)
Yes.
God.
I agree. I agree. If there was such a thing as acknowledgements for films, you can just put Plans Are Booked at the end.
J K MacLaren (33:11)
Yeah. Yeah. That'll be that'll be as the as the credits are rolling, it'll just be a special thanks to ⁓
Molly Galler (33:14)
I love that. I love that.
I love that. And you mentioned earlier, you know, growing up in Canada, hockey being such a huge part of the Zeitgeist. Did you ever have any desire to explore or maybe you I'm not familiar with all the Wattpad novels, but maybe you did already explore romance in the hockey realm?
J K MacLaren (33:34)
You know what, that's one area I never have. And I don't know why that is. I think I think it's because like maybe it's because I'm like a very like I'm like a sort of hockey fan where you go to bars and you like have some wings and you know, you have a glass of wine, you watch it there with friends. I'm not like a like it's 6 p.m. and I'm sitting down to watch the Calgary Flames, like it's go time. ⁓ whereas I think Drive to Survive because I got sucked in via like a docu series.
Molly Galler (33:36)
Okay.
Sure.
Yeah.
J K MacLaren (34:02)
I knew a bit more about the behind the scenes. So whilst there was research involved when it came to like, this is what would happen if the car was crashing, like this is how much it would take to kind of repair the damage. Like I kind of had a basis. Whereas I think for a hockey my poor brother, like I would be calling him all the time because he used to play being like, So, like, how much would a helmet cost? Like he would be so sick of hearing from me, he'd be like, I'm blocking your number, stop calling.
Molly Galler (34:24)
Right.
It's so funny. That's so funny. ⁓ I always like to ask authors, because I know a huge part of continuing to be great at the craft is also to consume things that inspire you. What books have you read this year that you loved or adored or you think more people should be reading?
J K MacLaren (34:45)
right now I'm almost finished. The Poison Daughter by Sheila Masterson. Have you read it? Okay, it is definitely the spiciest book I've ever read. ⁓ and I'm just gonna lead with that. First of all, my mother recommended it to me, so I know she's already read it. I'm like, my god. But ⁓ it is so good. It's a standalone, I would say dark romantasy. Like I'm not a dark romance girly, but it's probably the darkest I would go. ⁓
Molly Galler (34:50)
Okay, no, not yet.
Okay.
Boy.
J K MacLaren (35:12)
And it's basically about this female vigilante who is in an arranged marriage to her enemy. And so it's very enemies to lovers. She's sort of forced to go live in his yeah, she's sort of forced to go live in his like fortslash castle. ⁓ but very much like spying for her family. Like it's very y it is like true enemies to lovers, like they hate each other.
Molly Galler (35:23)
You've piqued my interest already.
Okay.
J K MacLaren (35:38)
She tries to kill him within like the opening chapters. Like it is very much like they are not, there is no trust, there is no alliance. ⁓ so I am ripping through that right now. Like I am like, like I I am staying up till 3 a.m. to read this thing. And it's a standalone, so you don't need to commit to the whole series and just burn right through it. It's good. I yeah, very, very good.
Molly Galler (35:47)
Hey.
Wow.
Love that. I love that. So I would say for me, the book that I've been recommending to everyone since I got my hands on it in the spring. ⁓ did you read Into the Blue by Emma Brodie?
J K MacLaren (36:09)
No, but you know what, I actually just listened to her podcast interview with you and I was like, I have to read this book. I keep seeing it everywhere and it's like it just looks incredible.
Molly Galler (36:16)
So here's what I'll say. So I read her other book, which is called Songs in Ursa Major. And I love tortured musicians. Like if that's part of the premise I'm in, which is the basically Songs in Ursa Major. But Into the Blue, it's so singular and specific. It's about people who meet through improv, which is like a certain kind of premise.
J K MacLaren (36:22)
Mm.
Molly Galler (36:40)
And are cast into a reboot of a basically Star Trek like show that has super fandom. So they wind up going to all these Comic-Con type things, which is not a universe I really know at all. And that's hyper-specific. And then they wind up in a situation in which they are improvising off of a script that was unfinished. So they have a starting point, but then it's up to them to finish it. The back third of this book destroyed me. I rarely cry while reading a book. I'm a big crier like.
with friends and family, but when it comes to reading, I usually can keep it together. The final fifty pages of this book, I couldn't breathe. Like I had the tissue box on my chest, my hands shaking holding the book. And when it ended, I was like, I needed like a mental health day to recover from this. It was so emotional and so beautiful and so specific. It's just like no one else
Could have written this story except for her, based on all the life experiences that she had, how much of her own lived experience is in the story. And then she told us that when she finished the draft and it was like final, ready to go, she was basically in mourning because she felt like she had spent all this time with these characters. And it was like sending them off to college, like not to be seen again. And she didn't know how to move on from them because she was so embedded in their story.
J K MacLaren (37:54)
Yeah.
I mean, is it wrong that you've really sold me with this level of masochism? I'm like, I too want to be in pain for the last 50 pages. Like add to cart. Sold. Yeah.
Molly Galler (38:08)
You have to do it. You have to do it. It's so beautiful. I've gifted it to several people this year. And that's saying a lot. If you're willing to spend your own money on new hardcovers to give to other people. ⁓ it's great. And I just, you know, she's also a local Massachusetts girly. So we also love that. she lives on Martha's Vineyard, which is pretty rare. Most people don't live there year round, but she and her husband do. ⁓
J K MacLaren (38:20)
Yes.
⁓ wait.
Molly Galler (38:33)
And she's done so many incredible local events here in Massachusetts, which has been so fun to see. And ⁓ obviously when people fall in love with a story, the chance to get to meet a writer and ask questions is, you know, such a gift. ⁓ which I also wanted to ask you for people who are new to you in your writing, but hopefully after listening to this will want to hear more, where can people connect with you and follow and sort of see where you're gonna be and opportunities to to meet you and hear more about your work?
J K MacLaren (38:44)
Yeah.
So you can find me on Instagram at JK MacLaren. You can find me on TikTok at the same handle. I'm sort of diving into the world of TikTok. I just sort of discovered it. I'm so late to the game, but I joined it last month. So I'm figuring out how it works. ⁓ and then yeah, I also have an author website also at JK MacLaren. So those are probably the best places to find me.
Molly Galler (39:12)
All good.
That's awesome. And what is the hopeful timing for book two? When might it come out into the world? Next year?
J K MacLaren (39:28)
Yes, we're hoping summer twenty twenty seven. ⁓ we're doing the cover reveal in the next few months, which is exciting. And then yeah, hopefully we'll actually lock down a date. I feel like so much of it is like trying to figure out the best time to release it around the F1 season. ⁓ so we did Full Throttle in August during the summer break as kind of like ⁓ you know, to tide you over before the season restarts. So I imagine my my marketing team is so brilliant. Like they'll have already thought of like 50 dates that would be perfect around the F1 season. So
Molly Galler (39:32)
Okay.
Exciting.
Right.
Right.
J K MacLaren (39:58)
I leave it in their very capable hands.
Molly Galler (40:00)
Okay, amazing. That's amazing. I'm so excited. Anything else you would want to share before we wrap?
J K MacLaren (40:07)
think that's everything. I just wanna say thank you so much for having me. This has just been like the most lovely chat.
Molly Galler (40:12)
my gosh, our pleasure. It's very easy when you're a super fan of the book. So it's always fun to have these conversations with someone who you genuinely admire. And I was so into this story. And I texted Stephanie and Kaitlin. I think I was maybe 50 pages in, and I was like, this book is so good. And people who don't even know anything about F1 are going to want to start watching the show and become fans as a result of reading this story. And I think.
There have been a few other books I've talked about here on the pod that are in the F1 category. And I'm always encouraging people because I think it is more accessible than you think. Even though we've talked about some of the luxury elements of the sport, I do think the dynamics are so relatable. And the way that some people sort of feel like found family and some people feel like arch rivals and some people feel like true enemies. Like it's all
Very relatable. So my hope as more and more of these books are celebrated and given great press tours, that people will get over the intimidation maybe of not understanding the sport or not knowing how it works and come in the same way we did for the personal dynamics and for all the backstory and the drama. And obviously, also the lot of them are so handsome. It's like it's really not so hard to become a fan of a sport where they all look like vogue cover models, honestly.
J K MacLaren (41:33)
Yep. I know.
Yeah. At first I was like, sorry, is this a prerequisite to drive around this track? Like, do you need to look like a Burberry model? But also, yes, to everybody Yeah. To all the listeners, I'm like, join the call, join us.
Molly Galler (41:47)
Hundred percent.
Totally join us in F1 land. We promise you won't regret it and you will start to understand so many inside jokes that you probably hear in the zeitgeist that you don't really know are connected to F1, but you will. But you will. Yes. And listeners, if you want to see the full list of all the books that we mentioned during this conversation, that will be available on our Instagram. We are at Plans Are Booked. You can also watch this full conversation on YouTube, youtube.com backslash plans are booked. If you liked what you heard today, please find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
J K MacLaren (42:03)
Yes. Yes, you will. You will.
Molly Galler (42:22)
Leave a five-star review. It really helps people find the show. And until next time, our plans are booked.
J K MacLaren (42:29)
Bye.