“Writing Chinese Food Into My Stories” (online*)

CRIMEREADS, SEP 2024

“I grew up loving mysteries—I can still picture those yellow-spined Nancy Drew books that were integral to my childhood—but it wasn’t until much later that I began reading thrillers. There’s something so delicious about picking up a book that mashes together fast pacing, an intriguing mystery, and the rush of danger. I love flipping pages as my heart beats wildly…”

ESSAY, 1000 WORDS

“Here in the After” (online*, ebook, print)

APPARITION LIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 27, JULY 2024

“It was November 2020, and Poppy—nicknamed for being the size of a poppy seed, once upon a time—was supposed to be ten weeks grown. Thanks to the virus raging across the world, my husband, toddler, and I had seen no one (other than my stepson) for ages. We had our announcement planned...”

ESSAY, 1000 WORDS

“Kelsea Yu’s YA Thriller Recommendations” (online*)

NERD DAILY, July 2024

“When I first set out to write the idea that would eventually become my debut novel, It’s Only a Game, I picked up every young adult thriller I could get my hands on. I was initially reading to understand the genre and to find comparable titles for pitching, but that quickly turned to reading for enjoyment. There’s something so inherently accessible about thrillers…”

ESSAY, 1500 WORDS

“All the Missing Mothers” (online*, ebook)

NIGHTMARE Magazine issue 136, JANUARY 2024

“Once upon a time, there was a girl who lived with her father in a village at the edge of the woods.

She might have siblings, cruel or kind, and a neglectful father wooed by the most wicked of stepmothers. Perhaps she’s a princess stuck in a castle, her father the king. Maybe she has jealous stepsiblings or a host of suitors ready to swoop in as soon as she’s of marriageable age. What she doesn’t have is a mother to keep her safe…”

• Featured in: Maria Haskins’ SFFH Roundup for January 2024

ESSAY, 900 WORDS

“The Gateway Back to Gothic” (online*)

PSYCHOPOMP, June 2023

“The first gothic story I remember falling in love with was The Phantom of the Opera. At the time, we lived in San Francisco. My dad was a surgical resident, my mom newly turned stay-at-home, having quit her job at an architecture firm to care for me and my younger brother. We didn’t have many indulgences, but one thing my parents did, when they could afford to, was take us to…”

ESSAY, 1700 WORDS

“Huoguo” (online*)

STONE SOUP PERSONAL CANONS COOKBOOK, Jan 25, 2023

“In my family, the only traditions that matter involve food—and if you ask any of us for our favorite holiday, the unequivocal answer is New Year. We’re not fussy about which turn of the calendar we celebrate: Gregorian, Lunar, or somewhere in the vicinity. All that matters is that it’s cold outside and everyone’s in town…”

ESSAY, 1000 WORDS