In the first version of her debut story collection, (Tin House, August 2023), Cleo Qian focused on girlhood while writing coming-of-age narratives about teenagers and early twentysomethings. As Qian wrote more pieces, though, her characters became older, and the book’s themes shifted to loneliness, fear, and technology. “There were more adult concerns about work, success, aging, keeping up with your peers, the consequences one starts to face, emotionally and physically, for choices and patterns from your youth,” she says. “The book became a
