Larissa Lai

About the Author

Larissa Lai is an acclaimed Canadian author, poet, and scholar whose work explores the intersections of race, gender, sexuality, and technology in innovative and provocative ways. Born in La Paz, Bolivia, to Chinese parents, she grew up in Newfoundland and now resides in Vancouver, where she teaches creative writing at the University of British Columbia. Lai's fiction often blends speculative elements with cultural critique, challenging dominant narratives around identity and belonging. Her debut novel, Salt Fish Girl, a dystopian tale set in a future California rife with corporate control and bioengineered humans, established her as a bold voice in contemporary literature. Through her writing, Lai draws on her experiences as a queer Asian woman to interrogate power structures and envision alternative futures, earning praise for her lyrical prose and incisive social commentary.