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Lilian Zenzi

@lilianzenzi.bsky.social

720 followers 680 following 180 posts

🏳️‍🌈🪐🦄🪴💖 Writes stories for queer nerds with big hearts and the people who love them. Now living in Ireland. Newsletter sign up: www.lilianzenzi.com

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Lilian Zenzi @lilianzenzi.bsky.social · Sep 1

It's been ages and all kinds of things have changed, so let me re-introduce myself. 📚🌈 💙📚 #queerscifi #indiescifi
vist.ly/45a58 for newsletter sign up.

Background is an ethereal collage of writing-related images in a color wash of violets, blues, and light greens. In pink text: Lilian Zenzi. In purple text: (she/her/hers) writes stories for queer news with big hearts and the people who love them.

Background is an ethereal collage of writing-related images in a color wash of violets, blues, and light greens. In purple text: genre agnostic as a writer and reader, she makes space for comfort, hope, and joy alongside grief, conflict, and big ideas. Her stories are for readers who like when genre rules are a bit fuzzy, and most of her characters are LGBTQIA+, neurodiverse, lovable, and complicated. She creates intricate, immersive worlds that build on the idea that we are all connected and in this together, whether we like it or not.

Background is an ethereal collage of writing-related images in a color wash of violets, blues, and light greens. In purple text: After decades on the edge of the Rocky Mountains, Lilian now lives in Dublin, Ireland with her family and dogs. She spends as much time as she can manage staring at the Irish Sea.

Lilian Zenzi @lilianzenzi.bsky.social · 4d

Spark and Tether, first line: Sacheri woke with a shiver in his nerves trying his limbs like a lit fuse.

Audiobook narrated by Josiah Sweetnam and available everywhere, including libraries and direct from the author on payhip.

Lilian Zenzi @lilianzenzi.bsky.social · 6d

October's Writers Chat Deep Craft with Tamara Jerée on The Flowers I Deserve. WCDC is a monthly series of chat-style interviews where I talk with authors and artists about their work. Newsletter subscribers get the link first–sign up on my website. vist.ly/4c4ag

Light tan text: Feathers, snakes, spirit-imbued stones, mysterious flowers–they've all appeared in my previous poems and short stories with similar themes attached. For this novel, it really felt like returning to a language I'd been unconsciously building for five years.
Background is bright blue to light green gradient with abstract images . Pen nib and touching hands are visible in light shading.

Background is blue green wash over abstract collage. White text: Writers Chat Deep Craft

Lilian Zenzi @lilianzenzi.bsky.social · 10d

Get a free ebook of SPARK AND TETHER (Synchronists 1) when you sign up for the Queer Sci Fi email list this October! along with three other titles. 🌈📚 #queeradultscifi
https://www.queerscifi.com/join-our-maillist/

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Lilian Zenzi @lilianzenzi.bsky.social · 10d

Healing on Instinct, Leaning into Whimsy: Embodying Themes Through Poetic Tension and Turns. October's Writers Chat Deep Craft is live on my website. I talk with @tamarajeree about their latest release: The Flowers I Deserve.

vist.ly/4bkh3

Tamara Jerée in red script beside the book cover image for The Flowers I Deserve. Post Title in light tan text: Healing on Instinct, Leaning into Whimsy: Embodying Themes Through Poetic Tension and Turns. Background is light blue to light green gradient of abstract images with hands touching in the lower corner.

Reposted by Lilian Zenzi

Duchess of Doom @kilagreene.bsky.social · 21d

I dislike sweeping statements about what kind of writing has or doesn’t have real artistic merit. I once read an amazing short story written in future tense with a 2nd-person POV. “Trashy” romance can be deeply insightful about life in specific times and places. YA helped me survive as a queer teen.

Rachel Feder @rachelfeder.bsky.social · 21d

Tell me your most unhinged literary opinion, as a little treat

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Lilian Zenzi @lilianzenzi.bsky.social · 25d

🌈📚 My Synchronists series is queer science fiction about interconnection and building better worlds. vist.ly/49xpp

Title text in white: if you like...
Smaller text: Queer political science fiction with a love story at its core. Philosophical science fiction about interconnection and relationships. Optimistic science fiction because we can build what we imagine.
Covers for Winter's Orbit, The Telling, and A Psalm for the Wild Built under text.
Background: Photo collage of abstract images including purple streaks, metallic blue hexagons, droplets on plant stems, and sparkle paths.

title text in white: "You might like..." with book covers for The Stars Provide, Spark and Tether, and Flare and Bind underneath. Gold text at bottom: Synchronists series is queer science fiction about interconnection and building better worlds.

Background: Photo collage of abstract images including purple streaks, metallic blue hexagons, droplets on plant stems, and sparkle paths.

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Lilian Zenzi @lilianzenzi.bsky.social · 26d

In the next Writers Chat Deep Craft, I talk with Tamara Jerée about their newest release The Flowers I Deserve. Interview posts on my website on October 17; subscribe to my newsletter to get the link first. 🌈📚 vist.ly/49pf7

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Lilian Zenzi @lilianzenzi.bsky.social · Oct 3

Worldbuilding facts from the Synchronists series. SYNCHRONISTS is queer sci fi about interconnection and relationships. Available directly from me or wherever you buy books.

Gold text: 1. The universe contains hundreds of worlds. I wanted it to be large enough that I could tell any story I wanted. I regret this when I'm trying to remember how to get from Planet A to Station Z.
Background: Black with violet and gold lighting abstract swirls.

Gold text: 2. The series is set ~1000 years from now and assumes humans manage to escape extinction. I think of it as optimistic science fiction.

Background: Black with violet and gold lighting abstract swirls.

Background: Black with violet and gold lighting abstract swirls.
Gold text: 3. There are clusters of inhabited worlds, loosely connected by gates. Humans don't understand how gates work, but use them anyway.

4. There are no military or carceral systems in Spark and Tether. In fact, there's almost no physical violence. (I am easily bored by fight and battle scenes. I want different stories.)
Background: Black with violet and gold lighting abstract swirls.

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Lilian Zenzi @lilianzenzi.bsky.social · Oct 1

The first WCDC post is live on my website; the second features Tamara Jerée and posts October 17. Sign up for my newsletter if you'd like the link first. 🌈📚

Top, White text: Writers Chat Deep Craft. Centered, Pale gold text: Dawn Chen, Tamara Jerée. Small purple text at bottom: monthly interview series at www.lilianzenzi.com

Lilian Zenzi @lilianzenzi.bsky.social · Sep 29

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Lilian Zenzi @lilianzenzi.bsky.social · Sep 29

Sundays are for long walks and beach time. I started & art class last week so I took my sketchbook along. The sound of the stones underfoot is one of my new favorite things. I’m not writing much yet. Still adjusting. The words all sound different in my head now. Need more time to settle.🌈📚

Close photo of grey stones with a box of 12 black and grey drawing pencils in the lower center.

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Lilian Zenzi @lilianzenzi.bsky.social · Sep 26

The fungi and (friendly) artificial intelligence are the good guys. People take care of each other. How we show up in the world matters. No weapons or war. Wrongs are meant to be righted. Can you imagine? 🌈📚

(Available direct from me on my Payhip shop, you know where to click.)

Lilian Zenzi @lilianzenzi.bsky.social · Sep 24

The first Writers Chat Deep Craft is up on my website. Thanks so much to Dawn Chen for joining me. The Witch Who Chases the Sun is out September 30 and preorders are open everywhere. 🌈📚https://www.lilianzenzi.com/wcdc-dawnchen/

(reposted with alt text)

Background is blue green wash over abstract collage. Pale yellow text: "The way it develops in spirals is always part of the story because the story is about diving into the past to inform the present."

Background is blue green wash over abstract collage. Book cover for The Witch Who Chases the Sun on upper right; upper left text Dawn Chen in red script. Post title in pale yellow: love can't save you: spiral structure and the lasting wounds of colonialism

Lilian Zenzi @lilianzenzi.bsky.social · Sep 24

Just caught that these images are missing alt text. I don’t know why the alt text was lost in this post when it’s worked before. will pull and repost when I can get to my laptop.

Lilian Zenzi @lilianzenzi.bsky.social · Sep 22

I’ve been making books more than I’ve been writing the last few weeks. And since I gave all of my autumn decor to a beloved neighbor when we moved, I found a new friend and a tiny purple glass gourd for my desk for the season. I think my new gnome friend needs a name…

Lilian Zenzi @lilianzenzi.bsky.social · Sep 19

Oops! Not sure what happened there—my social media scheduler should have caught that. Thanks for the heads up!

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Lilian Zenzi @lilianzenzi.bsky.social · Sep 19

My September newsletter is out today. You can still subscribe on my website and read it there: vist.ly/47e4r 🌈📚

This month's update includes the link to my chat with Dawn Chen @dawn.writesstuff about her upcoming novel The Witch Who Chases the Sun, book promos, and a mutual aid request.

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Lilian Zenzi @lilianzenzi.bsky.social · Sep 17

Love Can't Save You: Spiral Structure and the Lasting Wounds of Colonialism - my first Writers Chat Deep Craft post goes live Friday when my newsletter sends.

Dawn and I chat about structure, symbols, and anticolonialism. The Witch Who Chases the Sun is out September 30–preorders are open!

Lilian Zenzi @lilianzenzi.bsky.social · Sep 15

After a lovely Saturday in Ballinasloe for the Indie Authors Ireland gathering, I spent Sunday back at the shore in a coffeeshop with some poetry and a nice lapsang souchong. The first Writers Chat Deep Craft interview (with @dawnwritesstuff!) posts this week and my newsletter releases on Friday.

Lilian Zenzi @lilianzenzi.bsky.social · Sep 10

I chat with Dawn Chen about her upcoming release The Witch Who Chases the Sun for the first Writers Chat Deep Craft interview. On my website in mid-September–my newsletter subscribers get the link first. Subscribe on my website. vist.ly/469d8 🌈📚

Writers Chat Deep Craft in pale yellow text on top. Dawn Chen in red left center, beside the cover image for The Witch Who Chases the Sun.

Lilian Zenzi @lilianzenzi.bsky.social · Sep 8

Monday mornings are for planning and organizing the week. I seem to have developed a terrific Barry’s habit in the last month. If I get some things done, this afternoon may hold a trip to the bookstore and the beach with some poetry. The card is from my favorite MoLI exhibit. 🌈📚#queeradultscifi

Lilian Zenzi @lilianzenzi.bsky.social · Sep 7

My goodness that cover is stunning

Lilian Zenzi @lilianzenzi.bsky.social · Sep 7

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Lilian Zenzi @lilianzenzi.bsky.social · Sep 5

Marketing bestie says I should re-use content, and it's been ages since I posted this one for Spark and Tether. Should I make one for Flare and Bind, too? 🌈📚 #queerscifi #indiescifi

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Lilian Zenzi @lilianzenzi.bsky.social · Sep 3

Sharing for the feeds 🌈📚#indieauthors #queeradultsff

Lilian Zenzi @lilianzenzi.bsky.social · Sep 3

Writers Chat Deep Craft is a monthly interview series launching in Sept. I chat with authors about hidden symbols, fave techniques, where cultural narratives about stories help or hinder us. Big ideas. Deep craft. Curious? Subscribe to my newsletter. vist.ly/45huw