From the basement office of her Omaha home, Lynn Painter is in the early chapters of a second career: best-selling author. “It took a really long time,” she said. “It wasn’t until I was married with kids that I was like, ‘I should try writing,'” Painter said. Painter wrote book after book, but never saw much success. She had a normal 8-to-5 job doing administrative work for a local company in Omaha. In her free time, she wrote.After about 15 years, she got an agent. In 2018, she released “Better Than the Movies.””I said to my sons once — it’s like if you got paid to do PlayStation — it’s my happy place,” she said.Painter called “Better Than the Movies” a slow release, but it didn’t take long before the book took off on TikTok or “BookTok.” Millions of social media views later — Painter no longer has an 8-to-5. And in the last six years, several of her books have found their way to the New York Times Bestseller list. “I don’t know how I’m so lucky that I get to have this relationship with readers,” she said. “I’m so lucky.”Some of her most widely known characters include Wes Bennett and Liz Buxbaum, whose love story unfolds like a curveball through her novels “Better Than the Movies” and its sequel “Nothing Like the Movies.”Not to give too much away, but Wes is a pitcher for UCLA baseball who finds himself in Omaha at the College World Series. Painter knew very little about the life of a college baseball player in Los Angeles, but she knew a little something about social media. So, she direct messaged several baseball players for some insight on her character. Some ignored her. Jack O’Connor responded. “She wanted to know simple day-in-the-life activities,” he said. “She asked about dining halls, where we ate, who we lived with, practice times, lift times, anything a student-athlete goes through.” O’Connor is a right-handed pitcher for UCLA. Their collaboration turned into a friendship. “I kind of wondered why it was me, but I’m glad it was me,” he said. “I think it helped her a lot, and it was special to see it turn into a book.”Painter used O’Connor’s answers and advice to chart a path in college for her character, Wes Bennett. “I sent that man so many questions,” she said, jokingly. “I lucked out because he ended up, this random person I bothered, to being the most generous, kind, and polite young mind.”The two had a chance to meet at the 2025 College World Series and met again at the 2026 B1G Baseball Tournament. “We go to the College World Series every year anyway,” she said. “So I got to meet Jack, and he met my family ‚ it’s so fun.”If Painter’s not in her Husker red, you’ll find her in Bruin blue. “It was super great to see her,” O’Connor said. The connection between Painter, O’Connor, and Wes is a unique blend of reality and imagination. “They’re totally different, but they’re combined,” Painter said of Jack and Wes. “He’s kind of similar in characteristics to this fictional character, and he pitches for the same team — so it’s a really fun ‘is this real life’ sort of thing?” UCLA, the No. 1 team entering the NCAA College Baseball Tournament, was upset in the regional round. But Painter promises to be first in line to get tickets the next time they come back to Omaha. Painter’s books have been so successful that two of them are now being developed into movies — one by Netflix and the other by Sony. And, yes, one of the movie deals is for “Better Than the Movies.”

OMAHA, Neb. —

From the basement office of her Omaha home, Lynn Painter is in the early chapters of a second career: best-selling author.

“It took a really long time,” she said. “It wasn’t until I was married with kids that I was like, ‘I should try writing,'” Painter said.

Painter wrote book after book, but never saw much success. She had a normal 8-to-5 job doing administrative work for a local company in Omaha. In her free time, she wrote.

After about 15 years, she got an agent. In 2018, she released “Better Than the Movies.”

“I said to my sons once — it’s like if you got paid to do PlayStation — it’s my happy place,” she said.

Painter called “Better Than the Movies” a slow release, but it didn’t take long before the book took off on TikTok or “BookTok.”

Millions of social media views later — Painter no longer has an 8-to-5. And in the last six years, several of her books have found their way to the New York Times Bestseller list.

“I don’t know how I’m so lucky that I get to have this relationship with readers,” she said. “I’m so lucky.”

Some of her most widely known characters include Wes Bennett and Liz Buxbaum, whose love story unfolds like a curveball through her novels “Better Than the Movies” and its sequel “Nothing Like the Movies.”

Not to give too much away, but Wes is a pitcher for UCLA baseball who finds himself in Omaha at the College World Series.

Painter knew very little about the life of a college baseball player in Los Angeles, but she knew a little something about social media.

So, she direct messaged several baseball players for some insight on her character.

Some ignored her. Jack O’Connor responded.

“She wanted to know simple day-in-the-life activities,” he said. “She asked about dining halls, where we ate, who we lived with, practice times, lift times, anything a student-athlete goes through.”

O’Connor is a right-handed pitcher for UCLA.

Their collaboration turned into a friendship.

“I kind of wondered why it was me, but I’m glad it was me,” he said. “I think it helped her a lot, and it was special to see it turn into a book.”

Painter used O’Connor’s answers and advice to chart a path in college for her character, Wes Bennett.

“I sent that man so many questions,” she said, jokingly. “I lucked out because he ended up, this random person I bothered, to being the most generous, kind, and polite young mind.”

The two had a chance to meet at the 2025 College World Series and met again at the 2026 B1G Baseball Tournament.

“We go to the College World Series every year anyway,” she said. “So I got to meet Jack, and he met my family ‚ it’s so fun.”

If Painter’s not in her Husker red, you’ll find her in Bruin blue.

“It was super great to see her,” O’Connor said.

The connection between Painter, O’Connor, and Wes is a unique blend of reality and imagination.

“They’re totally different, but they’re combined,” Painter said of Jack and Wes. “He’s kind of similar in characteristics to this fictional character, and he pitches for the same team — so it’s a really fun ‘is this real life’ sort of thing?”

UCLA, the No. 1 team entering the NCAA College Baseball Tournament, was upset in the regional round. But Painter promises to be first in line to get tickets the next time they come back to Omaha.

Painter’s books have been so successful that two of them are now being developed into movies — one by Netflix and the other by Sony.

And, yes, one of the movie deals is for “Better Than the Movies.”