Christina Najjar, better known as Tinx, has built a loyal following as a lifestyle influencer with 1.5 million TikTok followers, a hit podcast, a SiriusXM call-in show, and a bestselling self-help book, “The Shift: Change Your Perspective, Not Yourself.” Known for her “Rich Mom Starter Kit” content and dubbed “TikTok’s older sister,” Tinx’s influence has extended into fashion and wellness. But her latest project, a queer romance novel titled “Hotter in the Hamptons,” has drawn attention for an entirely different reason, and not all of it is positive.
A Straight Star Enters Queer Fiction—But Did She Write It?
When news broke that Tinx, a straight influencer, had authored a “spicy” sapphic romance debuting this May, many were curious and some were skeptical. Questions about authorship surfaced after writer and TikTok user Maalvika Bhat (@maaltoks) shared a video pointing out that the book cover appears on the ghostwriting section of Gabrielle Korn’s website. Korn, a well-known queer writer and former EIC of Nylon, was previously head of LGBTQ+ strategy at Netflix and has authored her own essay collection and queer sci-fi novels.
Tinx had previously stated she wrote the novel herself. When asked directly about using a ghostwriter on Jeff Lewis’s podcast, she replied, “No.” Yet, in a follow-up TikTok comment responding to Bhat, she admitted to hiring a “queer collaborator” to help with the story, adding, “It’s not a secret, she’s the first person I thank in the acknowledgments.”
Ghostwriting or Collaboration? The Industry Norms
In the publishing industry, “collaborator” and “ghostwriter” are often interchangeable. While sensitive readers are hired to ensure authenticity around identity-driven themes, ghostwriters typically handle the full scope of writing. Korn’s name is not credited on the cover of “Hotter in the Hamptons,” but the work appears on her professional site, a standard practice permitted by most ghostwriting agreements.
Queer ghostwriter Becca Grischow weighed in, noting that ghostwriting is a primary income source for many working artists. “If you’re confused as to why a successful queer author took on this ghostwriting project even when they have their own name on their own books then you have never been a working artist,” she wrote.
The Ethics of Authorship in a Platform-Driven World
Critics have questioned why a straight influencer would choose to center a queer love story, particularly when relying on someone else to write it. Bhat posed a critical question: “If queerness is not your lived experience and you need a queer ghostwriter to capture the nuances of queer intimacy and joy and identity, why not amplify the writer?”
Tinx’s social media post about the book read, “It’s scary to try something new, but it has been exhilarating and I knew I had you all behind me as I try something different and creative,” further fueling backlash from those who argue she misrepresented her role.
Still, industry experts point out that many celebrity books, including nonfiction, are ghostwritten. Literary agent Gail Ross told Publishers Weekly, “It’s totally respected. It’s also acknowledged by most people [who use collaborators] that it’s the only way they could get their book done.”
Why Make It Queer?
Beyond the ghostwriting itself, many in the queer literary community are frustrated by what they see as the commodification of queer stories. While Tinx’s book was greenlit because of her social media clout, queer writers often struggle for recognition despite telling authentic stories.
And yet, Korn was paid. The work got done. And the publishing world remains as market-driven as ever. The novel has already been optioned by 20th Television for adaptation, indicating that follower counts, not authorship credibility, determine success.
The Larger Picture: A Broken System, Not Just One Author
While Tinx’s handling of the situation has sparked justified criticism, especially for failing to properly credit Korn, the controversy highlights broader systemic issues. The publishing industry continues to prioritize celebrity over craft and visibility over voice. The fact that a queer writer had to ghostwrite a queer book for it to get mainstream attention says more about the system than it does about Tinx alone.
As the drama unfolds, one thing is clear: the person who actually wrote “Hotter in the Hamptons” deserves to be recognized.
