I spoke with A.A. Duhern on her up and coming YouTube channel, The Indie Shelf.
If you have time to listen to my BIG AUTHOR MOUTH, by all means, check her out! She’s on the lookout to interview other Indie Authors as well.
In this episode of The Indie Shelf, we sit down with P.S. Barlett to explore the emotional depth, scientific intrigue, and romantic tension that make her novel Hiro-J so compelling. Set in a near-future research facility and centered on a summer internship gone wildly unexpected, Hiro-J follows Lana Delaney—a psychology student and competitive swimmer—who finds herself face-to-face with a classified subject that isn’t human.
Together, we unpack the origins of this story: from the ethical gray areas of scientific experimentation, to the challenges of writing a romantic bond between species, and the power of telepathic connection and memory as narrative tools. We explore themes of isolation, trust, and vulnerability, the use of first-person POV to enhance immersion, and how P.S. Barlett approached worldbuilding with both logic and wonder.
We also talk craft: her process, character development, inspiration, and the balance between writing romance and suspense. Whether you’re a fan of sci-fi with heart, emotionally driven characters, or just love hearing authors talk about the stories they were born to write—this one’s for you.
Author P.S. Bartlett 