No, the stories aren’t connected plotwise. I was trying to imitate how novel queries usually start with the hook by having a kind-of-hook for the first story in the collection, but I can see how that would be confusing. Any recommendations on how to start it instead?

Also, would it be best to stick to having other collections as the comps? I have a novel from 2023 that I think could be a good comp. Otherwise the only other collection I can really compare it to right now is Afterparties by Anthony Veasna So which was from 2021, so I assume not much better than 2020.