Lily Traina is Seeing Stars
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lilytrainaauthor.bsky.social
Lily Traina is Seeing Stars
@lilytrainaauthor.bsky.social
78 followers 130 following 370 posts
Queer romance writer, lifelong fangirl. Lover of happy endings, nice boys, and evil women. Kpoppie, sports liker (KC & BOS + Ferrari).
Mount Holyoke 2019
she/her.
lilytraina.com
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lilytrainaauthor.bsky.social
Poor August, her love interest is so much hotter than she is...what ever will she do... #WIPSnips #WritingCommunity #WriteSky
Black text on a white background, reading: She leaves my room in a swirl of golden skin and pink silk, and I spend at least two minutes with my head in my hands contemplating what I’ve gotten myself into. Then I get my ass up and get dressed in the most amusement park-appropriate attire I have at my disposable: periwinkle bike shorts, a baggy t-shirt I thrifted that says LEGALIZE GAY in bold rainbow font, and my pristine white sneakers. I braid my hair in two pigtails and pop my UF baseball cap on my head, which does nothing for the outfit—curse you, orange and blue—but will at least protect me from the sun. It feels like a fun outfit until I see Kenna in the lobby. Her leonine figure stands out against the cheap furniture, all long limbs and golden aura. Her white sneakers are almost identical to mine, but that’s where the similarities end. She’s wearing a pale pink sundress, a matching visor with a high ponytail, and chunky white sunglasses. She looks like Sunshine Barbie, while I look like the mom sweatily searching for it in Target.
August 13, 2025 at 7:27 PM
lilytrainaauthor.bsky.social
this is so stupid but i love it. they're in their optimistically nihilistic (aka, nothing matters so we might as well party) era of being stuck in a time loop and the sexual tension is starting to become unbearable. Oh, and August still thinks Kenna is straight. #SnippetShare #WriteSky
A screenshot of black text on a white background that says: “We’re out,” I say, walking backwards while Kenna gets the door. “Thanks for having us!” Marigold stands halfway out of her chair. “You’re—excuse me?” “Dropping out,” I clarify. Kenna sticks a finger through a belt loop in my jeans and tugs. “Bye!” When I turn, Kenna’s finger stays stuck in my belt loop so that her arm wraps around my waist and our chests collide. She looks breathless, and I feel much the same, but for very different reasons. She’s so much taller than me, it would be easy to press my mouth to her throat. Her tits press against my collarbones, and I stifle a pathetic whine.
August 13, 2025 at 6:38 PM
lilytrainaauthor.bsky.social
i love when my mc gets mean
A snippet of black text on a white background reading: Her blonde hair is teased so high it’s practically standing on end. She must use a whole can of Aussie every day to keep that rat’s nest structurally sound in this humidity. Either that, or it’s a wig. I wonder if it would be worth it to spread that rumor, but I can’t imagine what I would get out of it. I’m too old to enjoy making things up just for the fun of it now, and the idea of making poor old Marigold sad on the one day a year that she has any real purpose anymore is too mean, even for me. But I bet Kenna would do it.
August 11, 2025 at 11:39 PM
lilytrainaauthor.bsky.social
ok so it’s not the face and it’s also not really a caress, but i do love this semi-accidental neck touch from literally the second time Addie and Jacob meet. #RomanceWriters #WriterSky
A screenshot of black text on a white background that reads: ““Thanks.” I take him in, too—he’s dressed in a simple black suit with a crooked black bowtie. “You look nice, too.” It’s rude to adjust his tie, isn’t it? Or would it be ruder to leave it crooked when we’re about to go to an event where it’ll be photographed? Jacob’s Addie would be aware of our image, I decide. As soon as I reach out to tweak it, Jacob tips his chin up to make space for my hand, not questioning what I’m doing. I wonder if it’s a holdover from his boy band days, when he would have had people adjusting his hair and makeup and clothing constantly, or if he’s naturally pliant. Probably the former. My knuckle inadvertently brushes his neck and for one brief moment, I feel the jump of his pulse under my skin. Is it possible that he’s just as nervous as I am? “All fixed.” I reluctantly pull my hand away. “Now you’re perfect.””
August 8, 2025 at 4:26 PM
lilytrainaauthor.bsky.social
i'm am good writer
July 24, 2025 at 11:14 PM
lilytrainaauthor.bsky.social
a bit more than one line, but some context is needed. this is from the current middle of my #WIP, so about 25k in. August and Kenna are in a time loop and know that Madison is walking off to be murdered. #HumpDay
An excerpt of text reading: As Madison walks by, I brush her wrist with my hand. “Madison! Do you want to wait with us?” Her nose crinkles patronizingly as she smiles. “Oh! No, thank you. I need to go get something in my dressing room.” I can’t tell her that the only thing she’s going to get back there is a knife between her ribs, so I look to Kenna for assistance. All she offers is a thin smile. “Hurry back!” “Oh of course,” Madison coos, head tilted like she’s talking to toddlers and just finds us sooooo cute. “Wouldn’t miss this for the world!” She struts away then, and all I can think about how the blood is going to stain her light blue dress and make it purple.
July 23, 2025 at 7:08 PM
lilytrainaauthor.bsky.social
In Seeing Stars, Jacob is a former member of the disbanded boyband driVe, and Addie is a former fangirl—still would be, if they still existed. Now Jacob is a semi-successful solo artist, and Addie is a hater. Here’s a glimpse at their Spotify profiles:

#A #Q #R #UnhingedPit
A mock spotify profile for the boy band driVe. They have 35 million monthly listeners, and their most popular songs have between 900 million and 1.9 billion streams. The band’s profile picture is an image of five men jumping, silhouetted against a sunset. A mock spotify artist profile for soloist Jacob Prizer. He has 900,000 monthly listeners. His most popular song has 20 million streams, and the others in his top five have between 1.1 and 2.8 million streams. All the songs but one are from the same album; the outlier is from a film soundtrack.
July 9, 2025 at 5:32 PM
lilytrainaauthor.bsky.social
Seeing Stars is not fanfiction—I swear. But it is inspired by a decade and a half of fangirling over groups like One Direction and Seventeen. So what if, in the world of the story, it was fanfiction?

#A #Q #R #UnhingedPit
A mock AO3 listing for Seeing Stars as if it was a fanfiction within the world it is set—so, as if I had written a fanfiction about the real boy band driVe and a female character. Tags include: Post-disbandment, romcom, fake dating, idol x fangirl, grumpy x sunshine, plus-size oc, and jacob prizer needs a hug. The summary reads: Music journalist Addie inadvertently people-pleases her way into an interview with Jacob, her least-favorite member of the boyband she once obsessed over. With his manager pressuring him to start a PR relationship, he’s charmed enough by Addie to ask her to be his fake girlfriend. As they get to know each other over weeks of public outings, both realize that faking it isn’t as easy as it seems. Addie dreads what will happen if Jacob finds out she used to be a fan, while for Jacob, a relationship with Addie might be his first shot at something genuine in years. Between Addie’s lie, Jacob’s tumultuous career, and both reckoning with the lingering effects of fandom culture, they’ll have to decide between who they really are and who they pretend to be. The work has 89,000 words and 24 chapters. The readership stats are 120 comments, 395 kudos, 144 bookmarks, and 10,783 hits.
July 9, 2025 at 3:34 PM
lilytrainaauthor.bsky.social
evening weeding because it’s the only time working outside is bearable
A wheelbarrow full of weeds at dusk.
July 8, 2025 at 3:53 AM
lilytrainaauthor.bsky.social
For the snippet, a little about JJ, a character I hardly ever talk about here. She hits the boxes for a character who is an immigrant and (spoiler alert) a queer character. Hoping to one day write her story as a follow-up to Seeing Stars!
Black text on a white background that reads: JJ—real name Jiwon Jeon, dance captain of girl group EVEREVER and Jacob’s ex—is shorter than me, but the chunky boots she’s wearing put us almost at eye level. She’s wearing a sheer black shirt over a sports bra, showing off her abs and a silver belly button piercing. Her long black hair is swept back over her shoulders, and her dark eyes sparkle at Jacob. “Jiwonnie!” She raises her fists and shadow boxes at his stomach. “Do not fuckin’ call me that, or I’ll steal your girlfriend.” She manages to toss a grin my way between fake punches.
July 8, 2025 at 12:43 AM
lilytrainaauthor.bsky.social
SO close 😅 this is all for Seeing Stars, my fangirl x idol romcom that I’m currently querying! #WriteSky
July 7, 2025 at 5:36 PM
lilytrainaauthor.bsky.social
very obsessed w my new dnd character i think she is CYUTE!!
A digital painting of a blue-skinned girl with bobbed dark blue hair and large round gray eyes on an orange background. She’s wearing a cropped white tank top with visible hot pink bra straps, very short dark blue shorts, and brown cowboy boots. She is posed with leg bent at the knee and pushed in front of the other leg, one hand slightly outstretched down and to the side, and her other hand doing a peace sign by her face.
June 22, 2025 at 6:26 AM
lilytrainaauthor.bsky.social
#QueerPrompts i am a Humidity Hater, as is my main character, August:
A screenshot of black text on a white background that reads: Humidity smacks me in the face like a wet towel off a locker room floor the moment I step outside. Today is the second of July, near the peak of hellish weather. The sun’s been out a couple hours now, and while the sky is clear now, there’s no telling what kind of storm will sweep through later. It’s a hallmark of a Florida summer: sun in the morning, rain in the afternoon, and always humid enough outside that it’s hard to tell the difference. I’ve lived in Florida my whole life, and yet the soupy air steals my breath every time.
June 21, 2025 at 11:50 PM
lilytrainaauthor.bsky.social
Happy birthday to one of my favorite movies ever made! I have this shark tattooed on me! Ask me about the homoeroticism of showing your homies all your scars and having an emotionally vulnerable conversation while drunk on a boat late at night 😍
June 21, 2025 at 12:50 AM
lilytrainaauthor.bsky.social
i’m not super great at graphic design-y stuff, but here’s my collage for Queens of the Sun! once again the Tsuki x Lilly toxic lesbian meme is my favorite part #LGBTQWriteAThon
June 20, 2025 at 10:09 PM
lilytrainaauthor.bsky.social
Hit 30 books on the year! Well ahead on my goal of 50 💪 #BookSky
A log of all the books I’ve read so far in 2025, with columns for number, title, author, rating (which has been covered by a marker) and dates read. Every other line is lavender, and line 50 is gold to represent the goal line.
June 11, 2025 at 6:49 PM
lilytrainaauthor.bsky.social
we’re on our way
A photo of a word document with 10,027 words in it.
June 7, 2025 at 9:28 PM
lilytrainaauthor.bsky.social
Do you love cozy, lighthearted romances that give you the courage to plant your feet and say “I am who I am and I don’t care if you like it!”? Then you’ll love Seeing Stars, the romcom I #amquerying.

All that, and it’s had one full request ;) Agents, check her out!

#JoyPit #A #CR #RC
An orange background with an array of gray-green buildings and light yellow stars. Text in the center reads: agent’s guide to Seeing Stars by Lily D’Anieri. Adult, contemporary romantic comedy, 89,000 words. Text on an orange background reading: PITCH When people-pleasing music journalist Addie DiMarco is assigned a last-minute interview with pop star Jacob Prizer, she plans to keep it quiet that she used to be a megafan of Jacob’s now-defunct boy band. After a flop of a solo debut, Jacob’s manager wants him to enter a PR relationship to make him desirable again. Allured by Addie’s personality, Jacob convinces her to be his date to a gala. When the public responds well, one date becomes a 4-month contract. As they get to know each other over weeks of public outings, they realize that faking it isn’t as easy as it seems. Addie dreads what will happen if Jacob—or the whole world—finds out she used to be a fan. Jacob is still struggling to find himself in the wake of his boy band days, and a relationship with Addie might be his first shot at something genuine in years. Between Addie’s lie, Jacob’s tumultuous career, and both reckoning with the lingering effects of fandom culture, they’ll have to decide between who they really are and who they pretend to be. The headline reads TROPES & COMPS Below are five book covers each pointing to associated tropes that it shares with Seeing Stars. The tropes are: 1. Critique of celebrity culture 2. Fan X Idol 3. Black Cat MMC X Golden Retriever FMC 4. Dating in the spotlight 5. Fabulously Fat Heroine 6. Whimsical fake dating 7. “You’re the only person I let my guard down for” The books (and each trope it represents): The Comeback by Lily Chu (1, 2) Love and Other Conspiracies by Mallory Marlowe (3, 4) Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey (2, 3, 4) The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood (4, 6) Take a Hint, Dani Brown (5, 6, 7)
June 6, 2025 at 3:40 PM
lilytrainaauthor.bsky.social
me when jacob, my ostensibly heterosexual romance mmc, started talking about his old bandmate in an extremely bisexual manner (to be clear: this thrilled me)
A two paneled meme. Panel one: a shrimpy looking guy labeled “me, the author” saying “I’m in charge.” Panel two: the batman villain Bane, labeled “Characters in my books who i literally wrote into being” saying “Do you feel in charge?”
June 4, 2025 at 4:08 AM
lilytrainaauthor.bsky.social
PALM SPRINGS X BOTTOMS

They’ve hated each other their whole lives. Now they have to work together to escape a time loop. And win Miss Florida. And deal with their growing attraction. And glass closets. Oh, and maybe they should solve that murder, too…

#WIPPIT #NA #PN #R #LGBT #OWN #amwriting
A film poster promoting the novel in progress Queens of the Sun by Lily D’Anieri. It is bright pink and has a cartoon image of a pageant queen with her eyes Xed out in red. It conveys the following info top to bottom: Tropes: enemies to lovers, forced proximity, girlypop nihilism Title: Queens of the Sun Description: a sapphic timeloop romcom murder mystery disastacular Directed by Lily D’Anieri Tagline: if at first you don’t succeed, try again…and again…and again…and again…
May 23, 2025 at 8:42 PM
lilytrainaauthor.bsky.social
Two closeted Florida lesbians. One crown. Seemingly infinite attempts at the pageant. Mutual lust disguised as loathing. One dead body, but that’s not really the priority. Hello, the crown, remember?

Only one can win, but they both have everything to lose.

#WIPPIT #NA #PN #R #LGBT #OWN #amwriting
A collage of images giving the vibes of Florida, pageant queens, lesbians, and enemies to lovers. Images include: An anime screenshot subtitled, “Don’t fall in love with me, okay? Because you know I hate myself. And I can’t be in love with someone who likes things I hate, right? I want to keep loving you.” Another anime screenshot subtitled, “I loved the look in your eyes when I hurt you.” A screenshot of two female kpop idols smiling cutely that says TOXIC LESBIAN A cutout of two pageant finalists holding hands and waiting to hear winner. A barbie doll being kissed on the cheeks by two other female barbies. Text that says, “Love language: glaring” Some cutout red stars. A mossy sign reading “Do Not Feed Alligator” Two pairs of pink safety scissors tied together with link ribbon. Several cutouts of femme women making out.
May 23, 2025 at 4:53 PM
lilytrainaauthor.bsky.social
Two rival pageant queens get stuck in a time loop, forced to relive the Miss Florida pageant over and over again.

In this snippet, our MC August lays out what’s at stake before she even ends up in the loop:

#WIPPIT #NA #PN #R #LGBT #OWN #amwriting
A screenshot of the following text: If I win: a year’s worth of funding and a very shiny new accolade to add to my second year of med school applications, not to mention the possibility of winning Miss America. If I lose: be evicted from my Gainesville apartment, return to work the register in my aunt’s boutique in Ocala, continue to get rejected from every med school on planet Earth, eventually die in a swamp—whether to alligator, water moccasin, or good old fashioned drowning, I don’t much care.
May 23, 2025 at 3:43 PM
lilytrainaauthor.bsky.social
#WIPPITStickyNoteQuestions Queens of the Sun takes place mostly in Orlando, with occasional visits to other parts of Central Florida. But my MC, August, grew up in Ocala and has lived in Gainesville, so theres a lot of NCF flavor in there.
A photo of an algae-covered sign nailed to a tree. It reads “DO NOT FEED ALLIGATOR.”
May 21, 2025 at 11:58 PM
lilytrainaauthor.bsky.social
🤩Seeing Stars🤩

A fake dating idol x fan romantic comedy for fans of:

🎧 2000s romcoms like How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days
🎧 One Direction (in particular, Made In The A.M.)
🎧 fat women who are confident in their bodies
🎧 people pleaser x guy who loves her for her

Now querying!

#questpit #Q #A #R
An orange background with an array of gray-green buildings and light yellow stars. Text in the center reads: agent’s guide to Seeing Stars by Lily D’Anieri. Adult, contemporary romantic comedy, 89,000 words. Text on an orange background reading: PITCH When people-pleasing music journalist Addie DiMarco is assigned a last-minute interview with pop star Jacob Prizer, she plans to keep it quiet that she used to be a megafan of Jacob’s now-defunct boy band. After a flop of a solo debut, Jacob’s manager wants him to enter a PR relationship to make him desirable again. Allured by Addie’s personality, Jacob convinces her to be his date to a gala. When the public responds well, one date becomes a 4-month contract. As they get to know each other over weeks of public outings, they realize that faking it isn’t as easy as it seems. Addie dreads what will happen if Jacob—or the whole world—finds out she used to be a fan. Jacob is still struggling to find himself in the wake of his boy band days, and a relationship with Addie might be his first shot at something genuine in years. Between Addie’s lie, Jacob’s tumultuous career, and both reckoning with the lingering effects of fandom culture, they’ll have to decide between who they really are and who they pretend to be. Tropes and Comps. An array of book covers and tropes, with arrows connecting the books to the tropes they represent. Tropes: 1. Critique of celebrity culture 2. Fan X Idol 3. Black Cat MMC X Golden Retriever FMC 4. Dating in the Spotlight 5. Fabulously fat heroine 6. Whimsical fake dating 7. “You’re the only one I let my guard down for.” Comps (and the tropes they represent): The Comeback by Lily Chu (1, 2) Love and Other Conspiracies by Mallory Marlowe (2, 4) Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey (2, 3, 4) The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood (4, 6) Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert (5, 6, 7) Text on an orange background. The headline is in and says EXCERPT. Below, the excerpt reads as following: “Are you familiar with the group driVe? They’re defunct now, but they were quite big a few years ago. My daughter was obsessed.” My palms itch. “I’m familiar with them.” A massive understatement. driVe had been the band of all bands to me for a solid five years when I was in college and in my post-grad haze. I was a diehard Passenger and saw them in concert more times than I’d like to admit, thanks to the D.C. to New York to Boston Amtrak. I had an anonymous Twitter account dedicated to them that I only closed a few months ago when the random bot notifications got to be too annoying. When I started my music blog, it had taken a concentrated effort to review their releases unbiasedly when I so badly wanted to give them all perfect ratings. I remember the day they announced their hiatus better than my college graduation. I was distraught. I still have Alec’s goodbye tweet memorized: “We hope you’ll wait a little for us.” Liar. They could call it a break or a hiatus all they wanted, but we all knew what it really was—the end. One Direction called it a break, too, and look where that’s left us. I listen, hair on end, as Helen tells me about the band I once contemplated getting a tattoo for. “Well, they’ve all started going solo, and one of them lives in New York. He released an album, though it was a couple of months ago now.”
May 7, 2025 at 12:53 PM
lilytrainaauthor.bsky.social
lovely word count moment while editing tonight
May 6, 2025 at 2:06 AM