The Atlas Series, Book 1
Olivie Blake
ABOUT ME
BIO
Novelist and screenwriter,
Purveyor of internet romance,
Village witch.
Alexene Farol Follmuth, also known under the pen name Olivie Blake, is a lover and writer of stories, many of which involve the fantastic, the paranormal, or the supernatural, but not always. More often, her works revolve around the collective experience, what it means to be human (or not), and the endlessly interesting complexities of life and love.
Alexene tripped and fell into writing after abandoning her long-premeditated track for Optimum Life Achievement while attending law school, and now focuses primarily on the craft and occasional headache of creating fiction. Under her Olivie byline, New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling The Atlas Six released 2022 from Tor Books, followed by its sequel The Atlas Paradox and the re-release of her viral literary romance Alone With You in the Ether. She has also been published as well as the writer for the graphic series Clara and the Devil and a variety of other books. As Alexene, her debut YA novel My Mechanical Romance released May 2022 from Holiday House (US) and Macmillan Children's (UK).
Alexene lives and works in Los Angeles with her husband and goblin prince/toddler, where she is generally tolerated by her rescue pit bull.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
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March 4-5, 2023 as both Olivie Blake and Alexene Farol Follmuth: In Person Festival Attendance - Tucson Festival of Books, University of Arizona, AZ
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April TBD in-person (Southern California) and virtual events to celebrate hardcover release of ONE FOR MY ENEMY - (details TK)
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April 11, 2023: In Conversation with Emily Tesh to celebrate the release of SOME DESPERATE GLORY - Vroman's Books, Pasadena, CA (details TK)
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April 12, 2023: TICKETED EVENT In Conversation with V.E. Schwab to celebrate the paperback release of THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE - Mystic Galaxy Books, San Diego, CA
CURRENTLY WRITING
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UNTITLED HOLLYWOOD GOTHIC, a young adult romance featuring the noble sport of pigeon seduction and some demonic Santa Ana winds.
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GIFTED AND TALENTED, The Royal Tenenbaums meets Succession meets hot magic nerds in a family dramedy about three magical siblings on the prodigies-to-clinical depression pipeline.
FORTHCOMING RELEASES
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ONE FOR MY ENEMY, revised hardcover and audio with new illustrations from Little Chmura and end pages by Lasq Draws coming April 4, 2023 from Tor.
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MASTERS OF DEATH, revised hardcover and audio with new illustrations from Little Chmura and end pages by Polarts coming August 8, 2023 from Tor.
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IN THESE HALLOWED HALLS, dark academia anthology coming September 12, 2023.
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THE ATLAS COMPLEX, Book III of III in The Atlas Series. The final installment of The Atlas Six is forthcoming and currently in production! Releasing January 9, 2024, in what is a very standard lead time (The Atlas Paradox had only 6 months and I nearly killed everyone in production, so, you know. An achievable release this time.)
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TWELFTH KNIGHT, a YA homage to Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. Another dual POV rom-com, this one features the gender politics of fandom, RPGs, and gaming. Coming 2024 from Tor Teen under my Alexene Farol Follmuth byline.
CURRENTLY READING
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PROMISE BOYS by Nick Brooks. This month I'm featuring books by authors I'm on panels with at the Tucson Festival of Books, March 4-5! This one is a really interesting YA thriller that combines a murder mystery with social commentary on schools as well as coming of age as a young Black or Brown man. I found myself discussing it a lot with Mr. Blake, who is a public school teacher. There are a lot of flaws with schools as institutions, but arguments for "unschooling" or homeschooling (suggested by the essay Brooks himself quotes to begin his story) are frequent tools of dangerous conservative and evangelical dogma. It's an interesting conundrum and a propulsive narrative.
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GOING DARK by Melissa de la Cruz. I am unfamiliar with de la Cruz's work and had no idea she was a prominent Filipina author in the YA space for both film and TV. This was seemingly a riff on the Gabby Petito story that dominated social media for a time (for me, it also had social elements you'd find in Celeste Ng's work) and like PROMISE BOYS, it is extremely propulsive. I finished it in a single sitting.
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LEECH by Hiron Ennes. I've had LEECH on my TBR for a long time, 1) because it has an extremely persuasive blurb from Gillian Flynn and 2) because it is pitched as a sort of sci-fi WUTHERING HEIGHTS. It's a very weird book, extremely creative, all within a Gothic setting that seems at times to be purposefully mystifying. It rewards the patient reader, for sure, so it's for those who love a story being reeled out gradually, with great and painstaking care.
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THE SPITE HOUSE by Johnny Compton. This is the only one I have yet to finish for reasons that are mainly logistical (it was sent to me in a file that my Kindle can't show in dark mode for some reason, and since I do all my reading from nap jail whilst my bébé sleeps, this is a Problem) but I'm really excited for it. I trust Nightfire, which is definitely my go-to for complex, dynamic horror, and I've got a real taste for Gothic at the moment.
CURRENTLY LISTENING
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Desire, I Want to Turn Into You by Caroline Polachek. I have previously been obsessed with the song "So Hot You're Hurting My Feelings" by Caroline Polachek, which is lyrically hilarious, very relatable, and also a bop, so I have had this on in the background of quite a few tasks recently.
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Trustfall by P!nk. Last year at the Tucson book festival I met David R. Slayton, who writes the Adam Bender books (WHITE TRASH WARLOCK, TRAILER PARK TRICKSTER, DEADBEAT DRUID). Now, no shade to the title/cover situation, but you might not expect to find a very ethereal second world involved in these incredibly wonderful queer fantasy books. If you like TJ Klune and Tolkien, pick these up. But anyway, David tweeted that he couldn't stop listening to this P!nk album because it slaps so hard, and he is absolutely right. I love dancing to "Never Gonna Not Dance Again" with my goblin prince, "Hate Me" is perfect for the campiness of the Atlas playlists, and the opening ballad for her father is lovely.
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Tales from the Backseat by The Academic. Remember how catchy "Bear Claws" is? No? Now you do, you're welcome. (They also have a new album, Sitting Pretty, which I have somehow missed, oops. Just hit play and "Pushing Up Daisies" is just as fun.) Anyway, I think by now we all know I will always choose a bop over a ballad, and I've obviously given up on providing you anything musically highbrow for the month. Live deliciously!
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The My Mechanical Romance playlist. I put this on for some reason (I think I was driving to the doctor's office) and discovered I'd forgotten how packed full of bops it is. Enjoy!