What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Their Human Receptionist?
I wanted to explore what happens when a promotion looks like freedom—but isn’t. Their Human Receptionist started as a thought experiment about luxury, power, and what we’re willing to trade for security, using a dark sci-fi romance narrative to push those ideas to the extreme. This book is very dark. If I included trigger warnings, there would be more than a page of them.
If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Their Human Receptionist, what would they be?
Eve Eden: “Control” — Halsey
Rafe: “The Chain” — Fleetwood Mac
Lorian: “Closer” — Nine Inch Nails
What’s your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?
I read a lot—literary fiction, sci-fi, and dark romance—but I’m most drawn to stories that examine power and agency. Writing dark sci-fi romance lets me combine emotional intensity with hierarchical control. Many people confuse dark romance with erotica, but it’s very different; it questions the power dynamics we have as human beings.
What books are on your TBR pile right now?
Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky, Rose/House by Arkady Martine, and Born for the Marble by Nicci Harris.
What scene in your book was your favorite to write?
The moment when Eve realizes that her “promotion” isn’t freedom—it’s ownership with better branding. From that moment, the book crystallized for me, and I knew where I was headed. I think most of us have been there. We got a great job that turned out to be close to slavery, but everyone on the outside couldn’t understand because the job looked good on paper.
Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)
I write best late at night, in silence.
Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?
If an organization or movement requires your complete obedience to function, it isn’t protecting you—it’s brainwashing you.
If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?
Comfort and captivity look almost identical.
Olympia Black is the author of the new book Their Human Receptionist
Connect with Olympia Black
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