Press & INTERVIEWS

Photo of smiling Chinese American woman wearing a red blouse and multi-layered necklace with a background of flower petals.

©Katy Weaver Photography

Find Kelsea’s press kit here.

Kelsea’s events are listed here.

Find examples of Kelsea’s essays/articles here.

To reach out about publicity opportunities, see Kelsea’s contact page.


 
 

 
 

Eight Halloween Reading Lists Based on Very Specific Vibes, Themes & Tropes — Goodreads (Sep 2025)

Demon Song: Exclusive Excerpt And Cover Reveal Of Kelsea Yu’s Chinese Gothic Horror Novel — Fangoria (Jan 2025)

“…vicious and dark, biting when you least expect it and clawing deep enough to draw blood…The gothic elements are rich and detailed, the horror gory and satisfying.” — Scream Magazine

6 Books That Speak to the Enduring Appeal of Monsters — The Seattle Times (Oct 2026)

“Fans of updated gothic horror will find much to enjoy in this gritty take on the sacrifices artists are willing to make for fame and fortune. Yu’s off to a promising start.” — Publisher’s Weekly (Jul 2025)

“Rife with body horror and inspired by Chinese folklore, Demon Song is equally bone-chilling and entrancing…Between the captivating setting and formidable narrator, this audio is likely to garner attention from horror fans.” — Booklist (Dec 2025)

9 Scary Reads for Halloween 2026 — The Line-up (Oct 2026)

Mother Horror’s Top 50 Horror Books in 2025 — The Line-up (Dec 2025)

Chilling Books for Spooky Season 2025 — The Line-up (Sep 2025)

“Yu’s latest is both ancient and present, sharply written and infused with rich Chinese folklore. An intrigue-soaked and suspenseful narrative.” — FanFiAddict (Aug 2025)

6 Horror Books to Help You Plan the Perfect Halloween Look — Little Stack (Oct 2025)

“…whilst the story of the demon and her insatiable hunger stitches the story together, it’s Megan that is the heart of it…a confession and a reminder of what possesses us to make the choices we find ourselves taking.” — The Book Beard (Oct 2025)

“a nightmarish quality that shines throughout the novella…a quick and dark read for anyone who likes The Phantom of the Opera, Chinese folklore, and a surreal sense of dread.” — Amanda’s Book Corner (Sep 2025)

“Yu really creates an excellent atmosphere throughout the book, with the opera house really coming to life through Megan’s eyes, as she gradually uncovers the secrets…” — Divination Hollow (Mar 2026)


 
 

 
 

Jumpstart Your Reading Resolutions with the Best Horror Novellas of 2022 — The Line-up (Jan 2023)

The Best Debut Horror Novels of 2022 — The Line-up (Nov 2022)

Creepy Novellas for an October Reading Marathon — The Line-up (Oct 2022)

The best books to capture the feel of autumn horror — Book DNA (Nov 2022)

“Yu’s writing is crisp and ominous all at once. She instills her story with an absolutely peerless sense of foreboding dread.” — Horror DNA (Oct 2022)

…a beautifully told ghost story that upends tropes, peels back hidden histories, and ends with a bold snap.” —Horror Writers Association, Ontario (Mar 2023)

“Yu calls into question the depths of a mother’s love for her child and the lengths she might go to get her child back. It is a meditation on grief…” — Psychopomp (Mar 2023)

“Horror Spotlight: Shelf Edition with J.A.W. McCarthy” — Horror Spotlight (Dec 2022)

Bound Feet: a beautiful ghost story full of folklore (and a 2022 favorite!) — Howling Libraries (Oct 2022)

“A genuinely terrifying and emotionally gut-wrenching horror novella about grief.” — The Library Ladies (Jan 2023)

“…a delightfully dark read, full of thought-provoking themes, strong female characters, and a cautionary tale of how the truth will always come out, eventually.” — Queen’s Book Asylum (Oct 2022)

“Captivating from the start…a story intertwined with folklore, sad realization, friendship, trust, lies, and betrayal…five stars.” — Syn’s Book Nook (Sep 2022)

60 New Horror Books for Spooky Season — Read by Dusk (Sep 2022)

“…one of the best things I’ve ever read.” — Cutthroat Queens [@17:45] (Mar 2024)



 
 

PODCAST

Writer’s Ink, episode 314 [@26:30]— Demon Song interview (Sep 2025)

Writer’s Ink, episode 250 — It’s Only a Game interview (Jul 2024)

Literratunat — interview by the German translator for Kelsea’s short stories (Jul 2024)

Dog-Eared Nightmares — Bound Feet interview (Aug 2023)

Plot Trysts — “My Word As Vorkosigan: Cryoburn” book discussion (Aug 2024)

VIDEO

The Scribbler’s Den — It’s Only a Game + writing craft interview (Jun 2026)

The Pixel Project — Demon Song reading + interview(Mar 2026)

Braille Institute Library — It’s Only a Game reading + interview (Oct 2025)

Nightworms — Bound Feet interview by Sadie Hartmann (Oct 2022)

Cutthroat Queens, episode 6.5 — Bound Feet interview (Jul 2023)

WRITTEN

The Line-up — It’s Only a Game + short fiction interview (Sep 2024)

Reddit — AMA on r/fantasy (Feb 2026)

Horror Writers Association — Asian Heritage in Horror interview (May 2023)

Horror Writer’s Association — Demon Song interview (Jul 2025)

Nightmare Magazine — “In Our Skin” interview (contains spoilers) + author spotlight (Jul 2025)

Space and Time Magazine, issue 142 — panel interview by Frances Lu-Pai Ippolito (Dec 2022)

Haunted Trails (Oct 2023)

UPCOMING

On the Air with Florenza Lee (podcast) — Stormraven interview (TBD Mar 2027)