Lilly Lu

BIO

Lilly Lu (she/they) is an educator with a PhD in Literature and an author represented by Hannah Todd at Janklow & Nesbit UK. Her fantasy book deal is to be announced (so stay tuned!!), and her MG debut under a pen name is forthcoming with Simon & Schuster in 2027. When Lilly's not writing, they're probably talking about vampires. They live in southern California, where they teach college and graduate classes on Gothic literature and queer studies. 

Lilly is excited to be returning to RTM for a second year as mentor for YA/NA/Adult, and has mentored authors who have gone on to sign with agents and obtain book deals. Her tastes lean speculative and romantic, but she is open to any book that grabs her by the lapels with an engaging voice and character-driven, genre-blending narrative. Bake in some queer BIPOC rep (especially acespec), found family, and/or disability rep, and you're golden! 

In a mentorship relationship, Lilly is looking for collaboration, reliable communication, and conversation. She is keen to accommodate various feedback styles and mentee needs, agree upon a method that works well for both, and help her mentee get the book query-ready in a way that aligns with editorial vision and feels right to the author. 

MSWL

Send me your YA, NA, or Adult fantasy and/or romance! I am open to alt-historical or historical as well, as long as there is some speculative/magical realism/twisty element. I am particularly open to genre-blending, including horror romance, though more Gothic than slasher is my cup of tea.

I'd love to see: 

--romance and fantasy, especially with marginalized (queer, disabled, BIPOC) rep

--Gothic horror/romance with anti-colonial themes

--found family 

--vampires or D&D-inspired fantasy with a unique twist

--quests!!! character-driven quests!! 

--cozy fantasy with an edge 

--acespec stories about finding your people

--dark academia with a twist (like BLOOD OVER BRIGHT HAVEN) 

--workplace speculative fiction (like MAGICAL GIRL RETIRES) 

--romance with a message (various levels of spice okay, but I love character-driven, healing novels like DEEP END)

--did I mention queer romance?

What I might not connect with: 

--horror that is explicitly violent, especially featuring sexual assault or child endangerment

--literary fiction with no speculative element

--beach reads

--zombie fiction

--strictly space-set sci-fi, unless it has fantasy elements like GIDEON THE NINTH 

Comps I vibe with: 

--Freiren: Beyond Journey's End or Sailor Moon or Spy x Family 

--Babel 

--Buffy 

--Blood Over Bright Haven

--Ali Hazelwood

--T Kingfisher 

--Andrew Joseph White

--Clare Osongco 

--Tamsyn Muir