About Olivie
For an official bio, find my press kit.
Olivie Blake, the pen name of Alexene Farol Follmuth, is the author of internationally bestselling fantasy and sci-fi crossover titles for adults. She 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.
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Olivie 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. Her New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling The Atlas Six released in 2022 from Tor Books, with The Atlas Paradox and The Atlas Complex rounding out the bestselling trilogy in 2024. The re-release of her viral literary romance Alone With You in the Ether was followed by backlist titles One for My Enemy and New York Times bestselling Masters of Death, with brand new titles Gifted & Talented and Girl Dinner to release in 2025. She has also been published as the writer for the graphic series Clara and the Devil and a variety of other adult SFF books. As Alexene, she is the author of young adult fiction (alexenefarolfollmuth.com).
Olivie lives and works in Los Angeles with her husband and son. She has trained in boxing for the last seven years and enjoys dinner conversation, art made by humans, and overindulging her sweet tooth.
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Please note: I will never solicit you via social media, I do not have a Facebook profile, and I do not offer any paid services—all of my writing advice is free.
Author Photo © Michelle Terris​
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Represented by
Amelia Appel, Triada US
Keep in touch
Currently . . .
Writing
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NEWPHORIA, a standalone SFF set three generations in the future of Western technocracy about an archivist, a pop star, a neo-Luddite cult, and clicktivism in the digital dark age.
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STARGAZING IS NECROPHILIA, an Alone with You in the Ether-esque romantic narrative about life, disappointment, desire, and the way love shapes us.
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UNTITLED ASSASSIN WIFE, a '90s inspired SFF action/adventure about a very healthy marriage.
Reading
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THE EVERLASTING by Alix E. Harrow. I'm going to do an annoying thing here and list a bunch of books that aren't out yet, because unfortunately I haven't had much time to read for pleasure (although reading Alix E. Harrow specifically is something I always enjoy). Everything I read this month was an advanced read for a blurb, but I was lucky to do it! THE EVERLASTING is basically everything to love about anything by Harrow, from its lovely prose to its restorative world view. This is someone who understands devotion on so many levels, and this was absolutely the right setting. Lots of lady knight books this year, all different, but the shared draw is so undeniable; those themes of betrayal and sacrifice and the romanticism of what and who you'll die for are simply unparalleled vibes.
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THE SECOND DEATH OF LOCKE by V. L. Bovalino. This is Tori Bovalino's adult byline, and another lady knight book, although this one is giving a very different energy by way of idiots-in-love. There were elements of this one that reminded me of my first OTP, Alanna and Prince Jonathan of the Tortall books by Tamora Pierce. The true ride or die energy is really palpable stuff, and this one comes with bonus found family, if that's your thing (I'm really more known for found nemeses/forced family, but to each their own).
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DEAD WEIGHT by Hildur Knútsdóttir. I'm becoming a real fan of Knútsdóttir's crisp and propulsive novellas, which include THE NIGHT GUEST, a palpably eerie read that I devoured. This one is no different. The atmosphere is always well crafted, but what I also enjoy is the way the themes reveal themselves; what initially seems normal and acceptable to the narrator is contrasted with the abnormal (or paranormal) in such a beautiful, neat parallel. I always read them in one sitting, and so far (2 for 2!) they are always incredibly good.
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IF WE NEVER END by Laura Taylor Namey. This one I'm reading in my YA capacity as Alexene Farol Follmuth, which I'll be honest, is not something I do often, because I don't really know what to make of this generation of teenagers. Not in a "these damn kids" kind of way, more like... technology is evolving so rapidly and, in my opinion, so profoundly adversely to our quality of life that I don't know what their daily lives look like, and I don't know what feels meaningful and relevant as a work of young adult literature should. But reading this book, which I'm about halfway through, reminds me of the feeling of being young, and wanting love and acceptance and adventure and being pushed reluctantly outside my comfort zone. I think teenage me would have really loved this book.
Listening
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Please Please Me by The Beatles. For whatever reason, I started singing "Twist and Shout" to my son at bath time, and he was so taken with it that he wanted to hear the recording (I know it didn't originate with The Beatles but it's the version I'm familiar with), and then he wanted to see what the singers looked like, and then he wanted to know what kind of instrument Paul was playing, and then he said, "Can you play the same song again but different?" so I played him "I Saw Her Standing There," and then he seemed to still be listening so I played him "Yesterday," which he sat through very contemplatively. Since then there have been a lot of 60s dance party playlists, since Mr. Blake and I also love Sam Cooke. But "Twist and Shout" is the current favorite song for the household members under 5.
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Frog and Toad: Season 1 by Robert Francis, Mark Evitts, and the cast of Frog and Toad. I believe I have already mentioned that my son loves the Frog and Toad books and audiobooks, but he also loves the Apple TV+ show, which does have a very nice soundtrack. It's mostly jazzy, ragtime stuff, which is pleasant for all of us. A nice change from Superkitties, though you won't catch me complaining about those bops.
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Contra by Vampire Weekend. I still distinctly remember when my college roommate came home from Coachella and said, "I found this amazing new band, you're going to love this," and played me the song "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" for the first time. I stopped listening to Vampire Weekend after Rostam left—it just didn't hit for me anymore without him; highly recommend his solo stuff, my favorite is "Bike Dream"—but man, I forgot how much I love this album. No skips, but my favorites are "Horchata," "Giving Up the Gun," and "California English." Man, not to get too geriatric, but to me this album sounds like being young. And my son seems to also like it, which as you may have noticed, is an influence on what's going through me sonically.
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Motel California by Bryce Vine. My brother introduced me to Bryce Vine ages ago via "Sour Patch Kids," which is a really excellent song, and I find all of his stuff very listenable (sounds like damning with faint praise? but I mean it the same way Paul Hollywood says something is very "moreish"). Sometimes music sounds designed for driving in the sun with the windows down, and that's the vibe I often get with Bryce Vine. Very suitable atmosphere for an album that begins with "We should run away to the West Coast."