Ivy Lin | Querying Author
LightNews LightNews
banner
ivy-lin.bsky.social
Ivy Lin | Querying Author
@ivy-lin.bsky.social
1.1K followers 1.6K following 460 posts
Autistic writer currently querying THE LOVE IN YOUR WORDS! Published in SOMEONE LIKE ME, avail in bookstores: https://linktr.ee/ivylinwrites

DM me for serious queries only.
Posts Replies Media Videos
ivy-lin.bsky.social
I am officially querying THE LOVE IN YOUR WORDS, a YA Romance complete at 70,000 words! Here is my up-to-date Agent Guide.

#ya #romance #neurodiverse #ownvoices #agentguide #agentsguide
Title: “The Love In Your Words” Genre: YA Romance Word Count: 70,000 words A picture of Lena and Alistair walking underneath an umbrella together, wearing blue and grey school uniforms. The Royal Liver Building is in the background as red paper lanterns float in the sky. Pitch Sixteen-year-old Lena Mei has always felt like an outsider — too “Western” to be Chinese, too “weird” for everyone else — until Alistair Wong, an autistic polyglot, helps her reclaim her heritage by teaching her to read a Mandarin poem her late mother left behind. As their connection deepens, a devastating family secret threatens to uproot their budding love, forcing Lena to choose between family loyalty and a future with the boy who accepts her for who she is. Comps “Something More” by Jackie Khalilieh (Autism & Neurodivergence) “Never Thought I’d End Up Here” by Ann Liang (Language, Heritage & Chinese Diaspora) “Komi Can’t Communicate” (Overcoming Loneliness & Communication Difficulties) Opening Words don't come easily to me. Before they reach my lips, they fade like the smoke rising from a joss stick in front of my mum's shrine. My lighter brightens her portrait's uncanny youthful beauty, gazing out as if she's still alive, inviting me to speak. But when I extinguish the flame, the image slips back into shadow, a reminder that she's gone. I kneel and clasp my hands, wanting to say what I should've said before she passed almost a year ago. Words that weren't, "I wish I had more friends." But my teeth close like gates, keeping my thoughts captive, even when I'm alone in my tiny, brick garden, surrounded only by a bin and a rusty barbecue. For now, all I can do is wish, so I bow and whisper a message in my mind. I want Mum back, as impossible as it may seem. If I can't have that, then I want someone like her to enter my life—someone to sweep away the loneliness and help me speak... or even accept me when I'm silent.
October 30, 2025 at 8:15 PM
ivy-lin.bsky.social
I'm officially a #PUBLISHED (but still unagented) #writer!! SOMEONE LIKE ME, an anthology of #autistic experiences, is now available online and in stores. Thank you so much VERVE Books, @waterstones.bsky.social and @waterstoneslpl.bsky.social for sharing our stories with the world.
October 6, 2025 at 8:17 AM
ivy-lin.bsky.social
#DVParty Day 2: First Line

Missed day 1, but I'm here for day 2! Here are the first two lines of my YA Romance. It's about a selectively mute girl who falls in love with an autistic polyglot through learning Chinese!
Words don't come easily to me. Before they reach my lips, they fade like the smoke rising from a joss stick in front of my mum's shrine.
October 4, 2025 at 5:11 PM
ivy-lin.bsky.social
TO ALL THE BOYS x KOMI CANT COMMUNICATE

16yo Lena Mei discovers her neurospiciness while learning Mandarin with a cute autistic polyglot

#UnhingedPit #YA #R #W
2 autism creatures communicating. Autism to autism communication. Autism to autism conversation.
September 23, 2025 at 10:10 AM
ivy-lin.bsky.social
Selectively mute 16yo Lena Mei wants to read a Chinese poem to honour her late mother, but she can’t read it. A charming autistic polyglot offers to help—not only with her speech but also in discovering love and her own autism.
#YA #R #PosterPit #W
Imagined Movie Poster for The Love In Your Words, featuring Jay Chang as Alistair Wong, Xiaotung Guan as Lena Mei and Anita Yuen as Ms Tao The characters are surrounded by roses and lilies. An illustrated image of the Liver Building is in the background (art by People Will Always Need Platse). Genre: YA Romance Tropes & Themes: Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn Romance, Autism & Neurodivergence, Chinese Diaspora
August 16, 2025 at 7:00 AM
ivy-lin.bsky.social
I am so excited to speak with Sarah Cook, Lucy Rose and Dr Clem Bastow about our anthology! Please RSVP on EventBrite if you'd like to listen or join in on our discussion about #autism & #neurodiversity. 🙂

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/someone-li...
Someone Like Me Virtual Launch Join us to celebrate the publication of Someone Like Me with Sarah Cook, Ivy Lin and Lucy Rose, chaired by Dr Clem Bastow When: Friday 12th September 7PM - 8 PM (UK time) Where: Online (Zoom)
August 13, 2025 at 3:18 PM
ivy-lin.bsky.social
(1/4) Since writing this essay, my life has changed dramatically. Reading it is like uncovering a letter in a time capsule; its message rings truer to me now more than ever.

#writing #books #autistic #actuallyautistic #neurodiversity
August 11, 2025 at 8:44 AM
ivy-lin.bsky.social
IT CAME!! Thank you so much VERVE Books for the opportunity to contribute to this moving and important anthology!! 🥹

If you're like me, SOMEONE LIKE ME will make you shed tears of joy! Preorder here: www.vervebooks.co.uk/bookpage.php...
August 8, 2025 at 4:38 PM
ivy-lin.bsky.social
SOMETHING MORE x KOMI CANT COMMUNICATE

When 16yo Lena Mei befriends an autistic polyglot to learn Mandarin, she doesn’t expect to fall in love or learn that she, too, is on the spectrum.
#YA #R #QuestPit #W
A picture of Lena and Alistair walking underneath an umbrella together, wearing blue and grey school uniforms. Romance tropes: Friends to Lovers, Forbidden Romance Character tropes for Alistair: Rich, Mentor, Infodumper, Sunshine/Golden Retriever, Fake Confidence, Speaks more than ten languages Character tropes for Lena: Poor, Mentee, Selectively mute, Grumpy/Black cat, No confidence, Barely speaks one language
August 6, 2025 at 9:00 AM
ivy-lin.bsky.social
With her aging grandma visiting from China—maybe for the last time—16yo Lena Mei enlists an autistic polyglot for help learning Mandarin so she can speak to her. As their bond deepens, she overcomes speech problems and questions whether she is autistic too.
#YA #R #QuestPit #W
Quote from The Love In Your Words: “If this year has taught me anything besides how deeply one can feel heartache and pain, it’s that time spent nurturing love can heal sorrow.” Top row, left to right: the Liverpool Chinatown arch, floating red Chinese lanterns, the Royal Liver Building lit up in red in front of the night sky Middle row, left to right: The Royal Albert Dock, the quote from The Love In Your Words, cranes on a shipping dock lit up at night Bottom row, left to right: candles and flowers on gravestones at night, a couple standing underneath an umbrella on a rainy night, fairy lights shaped like stars and moons hanging from trees
August 6, 2025 at 8:00 AM
ivy-lin.bsky.social
Selectively mute 16yo Lena Mei wants to read a Chinese poem to honour her late mother, but she can’t read it. A charming autistic polyglot offers to help—not only with her speech but also in discovering love and her own autism.
#YA #R #QuestPit #W
Title: The Love In Your Words Genre: YA Romance Word count: 66,000 words Comps: “Something More” by Jackie Khalilieh (Autism & Neurodivergence) “Never Thought I’d End Up Here” by Ann Liang (Language, Heritage & Chinese Diaspora) “Komi Can’t Communicate” (Overcoming Anxiety & Communication Difficulties)
August 6, 2025 at 7:00 AM
ivy-lin.bsky.social
Waterstones is launching a 25% off pre-order campaign for Someone Like Me!

From Mon, 28 July - Thurs, 31 July
Enter promo code SUMMER25 to get your 25% off discount on the Waterstones website and app!

waterstones.com/campaign/jul...

@Waterstones #WPreorder
July 28, 2025 at 8:00 AM
ivy-lin.bsky.social
I’m thrilled to share that I'll be featured in the anthology Someone Like Me! Huge thanks to VERVE Books for the opportunity to tell my story as a late-diagnosed autistic woman. Our voices need to be heard now more than ever. Preorder here: shorturl.at/ufSkx
Editors Clem Bastow and Jo Case showcase the wide-ranging experiences of Autistic gender-diverse and women writers – and explode long-held stereotypes With new contributions from... Fergus Murray, Ivy Lin, Julie Farrell, Lucy Rose, Naoise Dolan, Sarah Cook Perfect for readers who enjoyed Strong Female Character by Fern Brady, Girl, Unmasked by Emily Katy and Odd Girl Out by Laura James Pre-Order Now! 25/09/2025 (25 September 2025)
June 27, 2025 at 6:53 PM
ivy-lin.bsky.social
KOMI CAN'T COMMUNICATE x TO ALL THE BOYS

Selectively mute 16yo Lena Mei wants to read a Chinese poem to honour her late mother, but she can’t read it. A charming autistic polyglot offers to help—not only with her speech but also in discovering her own autism.

#SEAsianPit #W #YA #CR
Quote from The Love In Your Words: “If this year has taught me anything besides how deeply one can feel heartache and pain, it’s that time spent nurturing love can heal sorrow.” Top row, left to right: the Liverpool Chinatown arch, floating red Chinese lanterns, the Royal Liver Building lit up in red in front of the night sky Middle row, left to right: The Royal Albert Dock, the quote from The Love In Your Words, cranes on a shipping dock lit up at night Bottom row, left to right: candles and flowers on gravestones at night, a couple standing underneath an umbrella on a rainy night, fairy lights shaped like stars and moons hanging from trees
May 31, 2025 at 12:01 PM
ivy-lin.bsky.social
SOMETHING MORE x NEVER THOUGHT I'D END UP HERE x KOMI CAN'T COMMUNICATE

Selectively mute 16yo Lena Mei falls for an autistic polyglot teaching her Mandarin, but uncovers a secret that could silence their love forever.
#YA #R #QuestPit #W
A picture of Lena and Alistair walking underneath an umbrella together, wearing blue and grey school uniforms. Romance tropes: Friends to Lovers, Forbidden Romance Character tropes for Alistair: Rich, Mentor, Infodumper, Sunshine/Golden Retriever, Fake Confidence, Speaks more than ten languages Character tropes for Lena: Poor, Mentee, Selectively mute, Grumpy/Black cat, No confidence, Barely speaks one language Art by Joy Ling
May 7, 2025 at 1:58 PM
ivy-lin.bsky.social
With her aging grandma visiting from China—maybe for the last time—16yo Lena Mei enlists a charming autistic polyglot to help her overcome her speech problems and learn Mandarin. As their bond deepens, she begins to question whether she might be autistic too.
#YA #R #QuestPit #W
Title: “The Love In Your Words” Genre: YA Romance Word Count: 65,000 words A picture of Lena and Alistair walking underneath an umbrella together, wearing blue and grey school uniforms. The Royal Liver Building is in the background as red paper lanterns float in the sky. Pitch Sixteen-year-old Lena Mei has always felt like an outsider — too “Western” to be Chinese, too “weird” for everyone else — until Alistair Wong, an autistic polyglot, helps her reclaim her heritage by teaching her to read a Mandarin poem her late mother left behind. As their connection deepens, a devastating family secret threatens to uproot their budding love, forcing Lena to choose between family loyalty and a future with the boy who accepts her for who she is. Tropes & Themes Autism & Neurodivergence, Language & Identity, Chinese Diaspora, Immigration, Grief & Healing, Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, Forbidden Romance, Grumpy/Sunshine, Found Family Comps “Something More” by Jackie Khalilieh (Autism & Neurodivergence) “Never Thought I’d End Up Here” by Ann Liang (Language, Heritage & Chinese Diaspora) “Komi Can’t Communicate” (Overcoming Anxiety & Communication Difficulties)
May 7, 2025 at 12:55 PM
ivy-lin.bsky.social
Selectively mute 16yo Lena Mei wants to read a Chinese poem to honour her late mother, but she can’t read it. A charming autistic polyglot offers to help—not only with her speech but also in discovering her own autism.
#YA #R #QuestPit #W
Quote from The Love In Your Words: “If this year has taught me anything besides how deeply one can feel heartache and pain, it’s that time spent nurturing love can heal sorrow.” Top row, left to right: the Liverpool Chinatown arch, floating red Chinese lanterns, the Royal Liver Building lit up in red in front of the night sky Middle row, left to right: The Royal Albert Dock, the quote from The Love In Your Words, cranes on a shipping dock lit up at night Bottom row, left to right: candles and flowers on gravestones at night, a couple standing underneath an umbrella on a rainy night, fairy lights shaped like stars and moons hanging from trees
May 7, 2025 at 11:52 AM
ivy-lin.bsky.social
When 16yo Lena Mei turns to an autistic polyglot to learn Mandarin, she doesn’t expect to fall for him—or uncover a painful connection between their families that could uproot their growing love.
#YA #R #QuestPit #W
A picture of Lena and Alistair walking underneath an umbrella together, wearing blue and grey school uniforms. Romance tropes: Friends to Lovers, Forbidden Romance Character tropes for Alistair: Rich, Mentor, Infodumper, Sunshine/Golden Retriever, Fake Confidence, Speaks more than ten languages Character tropes for Lena: Poor, Mentee, Selectively mute, Grumpy/Black cat, No confidence, Barely speaks one language Art by Joy Ling
May 7, 2025 at 10:49 AM
ivy-lin.bsky.social
An agent’s guide to The Love In Your Words: a YA Romance set in Liverpool, where a selectively mute girl falls for an autistic polyglot who helps her embrace her Chinese heritage and neurodivergence.
#YA #Romance #writingcommunity #litagents #agentguide
Title: “The Love In Your Words” Genre: YA Romance Word Count: 65,000 words A picture of Lena and Alistair walking underneath an umbrella together, wearing blue and grey school uniforms. The Royal Liver Building is in the background as red paper lanterns float in the sky. Pitch Sixteen-year-old Lena Mei has always felt like an outsider — too “Western” to be Chinese, too “weird” for everyone else — until Alistair Wong, an autistic polyglot, helps her reclaim her heritage by teaching her to read a Mandarin poem her late mother left behind. As their connection deepens, a devastating family secret threatens to uproot their budding love, forcing Lena to choose between family loyalty and a future with the boy who accepts her for who she is. Tropes & Themes Autism & Neurodivergence, Language & Identity, Chinese Diaspora, Immigration, Grief & Healing, Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, Forbidden Romance, Grumpy/Sunshine, Found Family Comps “Something More” by Jackie Khalilieh (Autism & Neurodivergence) “Never Thought I’d End Up Here” by Ann Liang (Language, Heritage & Chinese Diaspora) “Komi Can’t Communicate” (Overcoming Anxiety & Communication Difficulties)
May 6, 2025 at 5:42 PM
ivy-lin.bsky.social
I'm obsessed with this animation @emmacarelli.bsky.social made of my character, Mia!! The vibes, the expression, the hair-twirling, THE CODE!!

#art #animation #writing #python
Mia sitting in front of a terminal while twirling her hair. The terminal displays an infinite loop in Python that prints out "I love you".
March 23, 2025 at 2:29 PM
ivy-lin.bsky.social
SOMETHING MORE x TOMORROW (x3)

When 2 awkward teenagers fall for each other during a coding competition, one must help her mother afford rent, confront a toxic ex-relationship, and come to terms with the possibility that she might be autistic.

#YA #LuckyPit #PopUpPitA
An illustrated image of five characters from The Syntax of Your Heart. From left to right, they are Mia, Owen, Ryan, Kiera, and Dmitriy. Mia is smiling and wearing a David Bowie shirt. Owen is wearing an Atari hoodie. Ryan is smiling, making a "peace" gesture with his hand, and wearing a Notorious B.I.G. shirt. Kiera is rolling her eyes, smiling, folding her arms, and wearing a Keith Haring shirt. Dmitriy has a subtle smirk on his face and is wearing a NASA shirt. There is an outline of a floating satellite in the background. Artwork by Joy Ling.
March 17, 2025 at 2:16 PM
ivy-lin.bsky.social
SOMETHING MORE x TOMORROW (x3)

To win a $100k coding competition, Mia Pan teams up with an autistic coding prodigy, who she’s crushing hard on. But falling for him makes her wonder: is she autistic too?

#YA #LuckyPit #PopUpPitA
Mia and Owen sit in a dark room illuminated by a TV screen. Owen is holding an Atari controller while looking at Mia, who is eating garlic bread. Art by Joy Ling.
March 17, 2025 at 1:34 PM
ivy-lin.bsky.social
SOMETHING MORE x TOMORROW (x3)

When 16yo Mia Pan learns her mom can't afford rent, she must win a $100k coding competition to stay in NYC—her childhood home—while navigating feelings for her autistic teammate and wondering if she's autistic herself.

#YA #LuckyPit #PopUpPitA
An illustration of Mia, the female lead, and Owen, the male lead, sitting together on a desk. Owen is typing on a keyboard and focused on his work. Mia is looking towards Owen and twirling her hair with her index finger. Artwork by Joy Ling.
March 17, 2025 at 12:02 PM
ivy-lin.bsky.social
SOMETHING MORE x TOMORROW (x3)

When 16yo Mia Pan learns her mom can't afford rent, she must win a $100k coding competition to stay in NYC—her childhood home—while navigating feelings for her autistic teammate and wondering if she's autistic herself.

#YA #CR #MCR #Cupit
Two-panel comic featuring Owen and Mia sitting next to each other on their laptops. Panel 1: Owen: "Are you ready to commit?" Mia: "We're already committed." Panel 2: Owen: "I mean your code." Mia, blushing: "Oh..." Art by Joy Ling
February 14, 2025 at 4:20 PM
ivy-lin.bsky.social
SOMETHING MORE x TOMORROW (x3)

When two awkward teenagers fall for each other during a high-stakes coding competition, one must help her mother afford rent, confront a toxic ex-relationship, and come to terms with the possibility that she might be autistic.

#YA #CR #MCR #Cupit
Mia and Owen sit in a dark room illuminated by a TV screen. Owen is holding an Atari controller while looking at Mia, who is eating garlic bread. Art by Joy Ling.
February 14, 2025 at 2:10 PM