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Influencer Culture: A Guest Post by Liann Zhang

By Liann Zhang / April 30, 2025 at 1:02 am

An imposing influencer winds up dead — and her twin jumps on the opportunity to get the life she’s always wanted. Sharp, taut and intoxicating, you’ll want to read this one in a single sitting. Read on for an exclusive essay from author Liann Zhang on writing Julie Chang Is Dead.

Hardcover $28.99

Julie Chan Is Dead: A Novel

By Liann Zhang

In Stock Online

Hardcover $28.99

In this debut thriller perfect for fans of Bunny and Yellowface, a young woman steps into her deceased twin’s influencer life, only to discover dark secrets hidden behind her social media façade.

Since childhood, the screen has been my constant companion. This might be a little shameful to admit, but there were days when I spent more time with my favorite creators than with my family. On other days, I felt closer to my favorite ‘internetainers’ than I did with my friends on the playground. While I quickly learned not to form parasocial relationships, their digital company remained a mainstay in my life.

Eventually, I dipped my toes into the influencing world myself. As a sixteen-year-old struggling with cystic acne, I started an Instagram account dedicated to documenting my skincare journey and reviewing products. To my surprise, thousands of people followed. Soon, I would start receiving copious amounts of PR, inking sponsorships, and receiving invites to brand events as a mere teenager. These experiences provided a genuine behind-the-scenes look into influencer culture, which gave me a unique perspective that helped me to write JULIE CHAN IS DEAD.

My journey to writing a thriller/mystery was not straightforward. My first few attempts at writing a “real” book were mostly historical fiction. I loved the idea of exploring cultures and time periods through storytelling. Funny, how I ended up debuting on the opposite end of the spectrum. However, when I look back, many of these training books also had mystery elements braided into the narrative. Some part of me must have desired to write a mystery/thriller! And, if we were to really rewind far enough, we’d unearth my first ever novel: A childhood passion project I co-wrote with a friend in the fifth grade, called The Silence. It was also a thriller/mystery/horror (yes, all three!) similar to JULIE CHAN IS DEAD. So, maybe this genre was written in the stars all along, and I just had to rediscover it.

If it isn’t obvious already, JULIE CHAN IS DEAD is not my first, second, third, or even the fourth book that I’ve written with the hopes of being published—but it is the first one to ever make it past the finish line. And what an adventure it has been! I am so incredibly grateful to my entire publishing team for all their support. I can feel their excitement radiating through me and it’s kept me optimistic throughout the intense and sometimes turbulent journey of being a debut writer. Moreover, I’ve already received so much support from early readers. Their reactions and messages seriously make my day! I am truly overjoyed to see so many people enjoy Julie in all her horrific, funny, messiness as she dives headfirst into the glamorous and sometimes off-putting world of being an influencer.