Steph Cai

I'm Steph Cai, and I’ve spent most of my life obsessed with the way we tell stories to each other. My background is primarily in film, which is probably why I’m so focused on the small details. The way a room smells after it rains, the hum of electronics, or the sound of a footprint on cold concrete.

As a transgender writer, I’ve spent a lot of time navigating the space between how the world labels us and who we actually are. My debut has become my way of channelling the scars of being treated like hardware into something human. I’m a firm believer in the radical power of found families and the act of staying together when everything tells you to leave.

When I’m not writing or thinking about cinematic framing, I’m probably sitting in the mud somewhere, appreciating the petrichor. I write stories that are a little bitter, a little clinical, but hopefully, very honest.