Meet Chloé LaFleur
She might not be a real skater, but she might also be my favorite skater ever.
As I mentioned at the very end of my introductory post to this Substack (shoutout to the six of you who made it all the way to the bottom of that post!), I’m currently writing a romance novel set in the world of figure skating. Well, “writing” isn’t technically accurate, since it’s written. I’m going through one additional round of line edits, then hoping to get it in the hands of a couple more beta readers next month, then eventually diving into the querying trenches.
But I did want to welcome you into my ongoing process by introducing one of the main characters of the book, Chloé LaFleur.
Chloé is a 25-year-old singles skater from Montréal, Canada, who was the 2022 and 2023 Canadian national champion. She competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, where she became one of the few women ever to land a triple Axel at the Olympics, winning bronze in the process. She’s been on the podium at multiple Grand Prix events, reached the Grand Prix final, and was in second place after the short program at the 2023 World Championships in Saitama, Japan.
Sadly, however, her competitive career ended there, when she suffered a devastating knee injury during the free skate at Worlds. Two years later, she reluctantly decides to enter the world of show skating, joining a touring production called “Seasons on Ice. That’s where the story picks up, as we follow Chloé on her journey (she’s not calling it a comeback) after she’s been dumped and kicked out of her apartment by her now ex-girlfriend.
In addition to being an out and proud gay woman, Chloé is also a little spicy with her language (she says “fuck” a lot — like way more than you’d expect from a 5-foot-4 figure skater), a lot obsessed with pizza, and totally stans Carly Rae Jepsen.
I had so much fun creating and writing Chloé, getting feedback from skaters along the way, and I truly hope I get to share her complete story with the world someday soon. For now, I’ll leave you with her year-by-year program music from her singles career (yes, I went this deep in creating her lore, even though only a couple of these are specifically referenced in the story).
2016-17 (Ninth at nationals)
Short: I Put a Spell on You - Annie Lennox
Free: Suite from Phantom of the Opera
Gala: Got ‘Til It’s Gone - Janet Jackson f/ Joni Mitchell
2017-18 (Sixth at nationals)
Short: Tonight I’m Getting Over You - Carly Rae Jepsen
Free: Pour Que Tu M’aimes Encore - Céline Dion
Gala: It’s All Coming Back to Me Now - Céline Dion
2018-19 (Fourth at nationals; 35th in short program at Worlds)
Short: Medley - Carly Rae Jepsen (This Kiss/Good Time/Call Me Maybe)
Free: The Power of Love - Céline Dion
Gala: It’s All Coming Back to Me Now - Céline Dion
2019-20 (Bronze at nationals; Worlds canceled due to COVID)
Short: Girlfriend - Avril Lavigne
Free: All By Myself - Céline Dion
Gala: It’s All Coming Back to Me Now - Céline Dion
2020-21 (Silver at nationals; Withdrew from Worlds due to COVID)
Short: You Learn - Alanis Morrisette
Free: Where Does My Heart Beat Now - Céline Dion
Gala: It’s All Coming Back to Me Now - Céline Dion
2021-22 (Gold at nationals; bronze at Olympics; fifth at Worlds)
Short: Ya Soshla S Uma - t.A.T.u
Free: It’s All Coming Back to Me Now - Céline Dion
Gala: Man! I Feel Like a Woman! - Shania Twain
2022-23 (Gold at nationals; Withdrew from Worlds due to injury during free skate)
Short: Man! I Feel Like a Woman! - Shania Twain
Free (all except Worlds): You’re Still the One - Shania Twain
Free at Worlds: It’s All Coming Back to Me Now - Céline Dion
Gala: Set My Heart on Fire - Majestic, The Jammin Kid & Céline Dion
For more frequent updates on The Ice Between Us, including regular snippets and character insights, follow me on Bluesky.