Two of fantasy’s most exciting voices come together for a captivating conversation exploring ghosts, folklore and the stories that shape us.

Bestselling authors Eliza Chan and Sunyi Dean discuss the shared themes running through their acclaimed new novels, from women’s lives and family legacies to memory, identity and generational trauma.

Eliza Chan’s Harbour of Hungry Ghosts is a historical fantasy adventure set in Opium War-era Hong Kong, following a family of demon hunters. Sunyi Dean’s The Girl with a Thousand Faces is a haunting dark urban fantasy set during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong in World War II.

Expect a lively discussion on the folklore behind their fiction, writing across cultures and bringing Hong Kong’s rich past vividly to life. Hosted by Susan Barker.

Eliza Chan is a Scottish-born Chinese-diaspora author who writes across East Asian mythology and British folklore, often exploring identity, reclamation and the power of storytelling. Her novels include Fathomfolk and the sequel Tideborn. She lives in the north of England with her family.

Sunyi Dean was born in Texas, raised in Hong Kong and now lives in Yorkshire. Her work is shaped by her personal and family history, including connections to the original Walled City of Kowloon and stories of survival during the Japanese occupation. Her debut The Book Eaters was a Sunday Times Bestseller.

Susan Barker is the author of novels The Incarnations and Old Soul. She is a Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Co-presented with Waterstones.

Location: Waterstones Deansgate