In this episode of Hong Kong Lit Club, Julia welcomes acclaimed author Xu Xi to discuss her short story collection, Horizon Hong Kong. Spanning six decades of Hong Kong's history from the 1960s to the present, the collection examines the city's drastic transformation through the intimate lives of diverse, memorable characters. Xu Xi reflects on the unique artistic demands of short fiction, her process of shaping narrative scope, and how storytelling captures the complex realities beneath Hong Kong's public reputation as an Asian financial hub.

Xu Xi also opens up about her personal journey as a transnational writer living between New York, Hong Kong, and beyond. She shares insights on writing through the eyes of children versus adults, navigating colonial social divides, and exploring the dark undercurrents of urban life. The conversation offers a compelling look at how literature preserves disappearing landscapes and gives voice to marginalized stories amidst historical shifts.

Useful Links

• Follow Xu Xi: Website | Instagram
• Click here to read an excerpt of TST, the short story discussed in this episode.
• Cha: An Asian Literary Journal has published reviews of Horizon hong Kong by four different critics; you can read them here.
• Do you enjoy the Hong Kong Lit Club podcast? Follow for more episodes: Website | Instagram

"Julie Chan has nothing. Her twin has everything. Except a pulse."

That's the hook of Julie Chan is Dead — and this book is absolutely unhinged. I devoured this darkly hilarious satire about a young woman who steps into her deceased twin sister's influencer life. Think of Yellowface meets Bunny - an immersive, fast-pace thriller with a dash of horror exploring the ins and outs of influencer culture and what it does to your head. I could not put it down.

When I found out Liann Zhang was coming to Hong Kong for the International Literary Festival in March 2026, I had to get her on the show. Despite a packed schedule, she squeezed in time to chat—and she was exactly what I hoped: approachable, funny, warm, and oddly sane for someone who wrote a book this chaotic. As well as going into depth about how she landed her book deal, we talk about the importance of finding a critique group, being on the cusp of Gen-Z and millenial, Liann's real-life stint as a "skinfluencer" and what is next for her.

About Liann Zhang: Second-generation Chinese Canadian author, former skincare content creator, and debut novelist. Julie Chan Is Dead is an instant international bestseller and was longlisted for Canada Reads 2026.

Website | Instagram @theliannz

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In this episode, Julia and Emma Pei Yin continue their conversation about Emma's debut historical novel, When Sleeping Women Wake.

Emma reflects on how readers in Hong Kong have connected with the book's themes in a way that feels different from her Australian audience, and how writing the novel lead her to rediscover a side of the city she'd missed growing up.

She also opens up about her editorial agency, Yinfluence, which she founded to support underrepresented writers, including Asian Australian and queer voices. The conversation explores who gets to tell which stories in fiction, and what happens when the industry leans toward familiar narratives.

On the craft side, Emma shares her writing habits, her unexpected relationship with writer's block (or rather, "option overload"), and what she's learned from working on her second book.

A thoughtful conversation about storytelling, representation, and the stories worth telling.

Follow Emma Pei Yin on Instagram | Website

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