I'm an American writer based in Geneva, Switzerland, where I work full-time for a nonprofit organization. My debut novel, The Plans I Have for You, will be published by Simon & Schuster.

I grew up in Beijing and Atlanta but consider Washington, DC the closest thing to a hometown. I lived there for over six years, during which I worked for both international development organizations and NGOs on issues like climate change and Indigenous land rights. I have a master's degree in international affairs from The George Washington University and a bachelor's in business from Emory University.

My first name is pronounced like the English words 'lye' or 'lie'. (Et pour les francophones : Lai se prononce comme l'ail.)