Feeling Fragile

I'm tired of being fragile.

And when, pray tell, did this happen? One day I'm a hellion carving my way through the world, the next, I'm this ephemeral... thing.

And just how did this happen? Is it a function of aging, compounded by letting go of my day job and relying on Social Security to pay my way? Or is it the breaking down of my body compounded by my shitty diet and lack of exercise these days? Thank God for the healthy smoothie packed with fifty fruits and vegetables I consume daily.

I'm trying to do better. I am, I promise. But the truth is, I'm fragile, y'all. And it ain't a laughing matter. 

As I free write, I seem to be reverting to my native Southern. I'll likely leave it here. I hope you don't mind.

As usual, today I woke early and had my shot of cacao, followed by my tall cup of White Peony Tea, while checking my KDP dashboard to see if the ads I'm paying for are bringing in sales. Then, perusing social media, there's a tickler message on Facebook about two books I keep forgetting to mail. Dang.

So, rather than dressing right away for the library, I trudged downstairs and looked at/around/into every box in the basement, trying to locate the large box of envelopes I special ordered from Uline to mail my signed books to readers. Y'all, we have a lot of boxes. But these two books need to go out, don'tcha know. I found nada. The envelopes refused to be found, and I'm wondering if they made it here from Idaho.

So, now I'm frustrated. Plus, there's a weather alert beeping on my phone (they're like amber alerts, y'all, and my first EVER!). A snowsquall's coming.

Huh. Really? It's sunny and beautiful outside, so I decide it'll likely pass us by, and I'm about to change for the library where I plan to write, and SHIT!!! There's that freaking snowsquall! A minute earlier, the sun was shining. Literally. 

I wished I'd taken a picture. For ten minutes, maybe longer, the wind howled, howled, I tell you. HOWLED. And it was white outside. Not solid white. That would be crazy scary. But sideways white—fine ice crystals mixed with snow, blowing and blowing and blowing—white air blowing twenty-five miles per hour. Then it petered out and stopped. Then, the sun came back out. But my plans to go to the library didn't.

See, y'all. I told ya I'm fragile. And it ain't no laughing matter. It's keeping me from writing. From living. From having a life.

Oh, poor baby. People would kill to have your life. Sitting at home day after day watching movies and eating ham sandwiches and watching tv and drinking Coca-Cola and Perrier and loving on Rambo.

Most days, the only exercise I get is letting the dogs and cat out and in, out and in. Oh. And trekking to the bathroom and back. And the kitchen, 'cause Lord knows I need to keep pushing food and drink into my mouth. Why is that, y'all? Why? Why?

Because it's comforting, baby. And when you're fragile, comfort is the thing you seek.

Just ask me. I know. I'm fragile.

That Rebel, Olivia J. Herrell, writing as O. J. Barré.

P. S. With any luck at all, I'll toughen up. But wait. Why? After sixty-five years of kicking and screaming and bucking the odds, did I not earn the right to be fragile?

P.P.S. David at Davissa Ranch (Northeast of Cheyenne) caught the snowsquall on film and posted the video to Instagram.

P.P.S.S. Check out this really cool inspirational website I found called "I'm Fragile."

P.P.P.S.S. Ooo, when I entered the labels for this post, "I'm Tore Down" popped up. Yeah. That fits too. And here's my old flame Calvin B. Streets performing Tore Down.

O. J. Barré is the author of the Awen Trilogy, a fun, fast, and epic urban fantasy set in 2042 Atlanta. Steeped in current, ancient, and future history twists, Book One, Awen Rising, debuted July 2019. Book Two, Awen Storm, released May 2020. Book Three, Awen Tide, will release in late 2022 or early 2023. All are (or will be) available in both paperback and ebook, and the hardback versions will be available soon.

Free For Subscribers

O. J.'s Awen Prequel novelette, The Druids of Marduk, Part I, is also available as an ebook - for purchase on Amazon (or free by signing up for her newsletter). The second installment, The Druids of Marduk, Part II: UnderEarth, is an ebook novella on Amazon. Part III: AboveEarth, is scheduled for a 2022 release.

Looking Forward to Spring

Hello, March! It's almost Spring!

In the Southwest corner of Idaho, Spring comes late. But its first signs are everywhere.

Nampa, ID - March 4th - Sap Rising

The sap is rising in the trees and bushes, coloring their branches yellow, red, and other hues of spring. And some have even pushed out leaf buds, like the Roses of Sharon in the downtown lot where I park for work.

Yesterday, I searched our backyard and found the hyacinth bulbs and daffodils planted last summer are beginning to stick their distinctive green heads above the ground. And last year's crop of long, skinny cones has begun dropping from the Weeping Norway Spruce trees guarding the front of the house.

Weeping Norway Spruce at NE Corner

Now, this morning, I spotted my first two robins of the season perched on the neighbor's roofline. Robins rarely visit bird feeders, but they were eyeing ours, so I suspect they had come to see what all the fuss was about.

And while I am enjoying the warmer weather and the signs of coming spring, I am also a bit apprehensive. Heck, I may even be in pre-mourning for my sister and my writing partner, both of whom are leaving me (and Idaho) behind for a spell. My sister (and roommate) will be gone for two months; my writing partner, a whole year.

Rare Selfie with Rambo

Meanwhile, I'll stay behind in Nampa, where I will finish Awen Tide, then move on to complete Part III of the Awen Prequel, The Druids of Marduk, AboveEarth.

And then?

Hmm...

Should I tell you about that? It's not really a secret. Should I? Shouldn't I? Should I? Shouldn't I?

Hmm. Alright. I will.

Once the trilogy and prequel are completed and published, I plan to explore a new skill. 

SCREENWRITING. 

Yup, dear Rebels. You read that right. Yours truly is going to try her hand at writing a screenplay.

And if/when I get good enough at it, I plan to turn the Awen Trilogy into a screenplay. Starting with Awen Rising. Who knows how long that might take. But in the not-too-far-out-there-distant future, you will be able to see the Awen Universe at the theater or on TV!

Can I get an amen?

Y'all keep reading, and I'll keep writing!

That Rebel, Olivia J. Herrell, writing as O. J. Barré

O. J. Barré is the author of the Awen Trilogy, a fun, fast, and epic urban fantasy set in 2042 Atlanta. Steeped in current, ancient, and future history twists, Book One, Awen Rising, debuted July 2019. Book Two, Awen Storm, released May 2020. Book Three, Awen Tide, is on preorder and will release in 2022. All are (or will be) available in both paperback and ebook, and the hardback versions will be available in 2022.

O. J.'s Awen Prequel novelette, The Druids of Marduk, Part I, is also available as an ebook - for purchase on Amazon (or free by signing up for her newsletter). The second installment, The Druids of Marduk, Part II: UnderEarth, is an ebook novella also available on Amazon. Part III: AboveEarth, is scheduled for a 2022 release.

The Winds They Are a-Changin'

 My last post was in desperation. I could no longer continue beating my head against a brick wall—trying to promote my books with success.

Yes, I garnered seventy-eight reviews with an average rating of 4.40/5 for Awen Rising. That is no small feat and an excellent rating, especially for a new and unknown author. I am proud of that. But the sales have not followed.

My Amazon KDP free promos were modestly successful. But only if I poured money into ads to get the promo in front of prospective readers. Even coupling that with discounting Awen Storm to $.99 during the same periods, I nowhere near recouped my expenses.

Not even once.

Photo by Stefan Keller

As an entrepreneur, I know that every new business takes time and money to get off the ground. But I've been spending so much time on marketing and promos, learning Amazon ads, building a platform, creating a website and a newsletter, keeping up with social media... it's exhausting!

So much so that there is little time and energy left to do what I love most—WRITE! And I've been told by the experts that the best way to sell books is to write more books. I have a trilogy to complete. A prequel to finish. And many, many, MANY more stories to write.

Lately, the universe has been telling me that "the grey clouds covering my life are about to be sent away by a warm and vibrant spiritual wind." 

I believe it has arrived.

Yesterday, after seeing patients and attending our office holiday luncheon, I sat down with my laptop to once again research book promotion companies. Lo and behold, I found mine.

Photo by Stefan Keller

Through their (modern and up-to-date) website, I "chatted" with a fellow named Michael in Dallas, Texas. For two hours, we talked, me asking questions, him answering. He sent me Amazon links to current clients' books, links to videos the company had created for their books, newspaper and online articles they'd garnered for books they were promoting, and more.

I perused the links, including the TrustPilot one with positive reviews for the company. I watched the excellent book trailer videos they created. I researched their authors on KDP Rocket and found that a couple are bestsellers in my genre. And I kept going back to that guaranteed ROI (return on investment) which states that if my results do not meet the guarantee, I get my money back.

That clinched the deal. I pulled the trigger. I invested heavily in my business.

Photo by Enrique Mesequer

Now it's time to sit back and let a team of WAAAAAY more qualified people manage my book SELLING business so that I can get back into the book WRITING business.

My marketing strategy meeting with an assigned project leader will be sometime on Tuesday. After that, I'm not sure of the timeline. But I should start seeing resulting sales within the month. 

And that is something, isn't it?

Y'all keep reading, and I'll keep writing!

That Rebel, Olivia J. Herrell, writing as O. J. Barré

O. J. Barré is the author of the Awen Trilogy, a pre-apocalyptic urban fantasy set in 2042 Atlanta. Steeped in current, ancient, and future history twists, Book One, Awen Rising, debuted July 2019. Book Two, Awen Storm, released May 2020. Book Three, Awen Tide, is on preorder and will be released in 2022. All are (or will be) available in both paperback and ebook.

O. J.'s Awen Prequel novelette, The Druids of Marduk, Part I, is available as an ebook for purchase on Amazon (or free by signing up for her newsletter). The second installment, The Druids of Marduk, Part II: UnderEarth, is an ebook novella also available on Amazon. Part III: AboveEarth, is scheduled for a 2022 release.

I Give Up

I give up.

It seems that no matter what I do or say, my ads don't work.

People don't click or buy my book/s, even when the deals are sweet.

So I give up.

No more ads.

No more social media.

No more schmoozing.

No more wondering why.

My books are well-written, well-researched, well-edited.

They get good reviews.

People tell me they love them.

And I do get a few sales here and there.

But not enough to warrant the massive amount of time (and money) I spend on marketing.

So I give up.

For the foreseeable future I shall focus on writing the next book/s.

Then revisit this marketing issue after the trilogy is complete.

After the prequel is complete.

Until then, you'll hear crickets instead of my voice.

If you want to hear me, please subscribe to my blog or my newsletter or both. I'm not abandoning those. I promise.

via GIPHY

Sayonara, Olivia/O. J.

O. J. Barré is the author of the Awen Trilogy, a pre-apocalyptic urban fantasy set in 2042 Atlanta. Steeped in current, ancient, and future history twists, Book One, Awen Rising, debuted July 2019. Book Two, Awen Storm, released May 2020. Book Three, Awen Tide, is on preorder and will be released in 2022. All are (or will be) available in both paperback and ebook.

O. J.'s Awen Prequel novelette, The Druids of Marduk, Part I, is available as an ebook for purchase on Amazon (or free by signing up for her newsletter). The second installment, The Druids of Marduk, Part II: UnderEarth, is an ebook novella also available on Amazon. Part III: AboveEarth, is scheduled for a 2022 release.

Bloody Head? Open a Window.

How many times do you beat your head against a door before you give up and open a window?

If you're like me, the answer is MANY.

For the last two weeks, or however long it's been since I wrote that last scene for Khenko Blitherstone, I have been fiddling with the Awen Tide manuscript to no avail.

It all started when I went back to the beginning and read Chapter One and spit-shined it. That experience was so awesome, I just knew I had devised a new plan. Remember?

So, I kept going in that direction. But as I approached the end of Chapter Two, the shiny wore off. Since then, I keep showing up at the page, according to plan, but I'm getting exactly NOWHERE.

The new plan is not working. And I'm frustrated.

Once again, I find myself crying out in astonished aggravation, "Uncle, dammit, UNCLE!" (Oooo look, a squirrel! Where did that saying come from anyway? I'll find out in a bit and report back to you.*)

Today, in the hopes of salvaging my entry into NaNoWriMo, I am changing gears. Because this writer is stuck. And I've shared with you in the past that stuck - for me, anyway - always means my Muse has applied the brakes and is reeling me in.

So, why (OH WHY!), did it take me two weeks to GET THAT? I know this is my process. Sheesh.

But now, instead of dangling and dancing at the tip of the rod, I shall relax and let go. Like Hermione, Harry, and Ron, I shall slide through the devil's snare, pick myself up off the dusty floor, and proceed through the door I'm being pointed towards—MY NOTES.

Let's just hope I've picked the right door.

So for the rest of today, I will gather my copious notes together, read through them to see where I am (and where I am not), then decide what needs to be written between here and The End.

Then tomorrow, my Muse and I will brainstorm, sketching out the titles for the remaining chapters and scenes.

This will be my NaNo outline. NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month, starts in two days - on Monday, November 1st - and runs through the 30th. 

SOOOO, in a little over a month, my first draft (and the trilogy) will be complete.

Ahhh. I like the sound of that!

Y'all keep reading and I'll keep writing!

That Rebel, Olivia J. Herrell, writing as O. J. Barré

*P. S. Even Wikidpedia doesn't know where the Uncle saying originated. Do you?

O. J. Barré is the author of the Awen Trilogy, a pre-apocalyptic urban fantasy set in 2042 Atlanta. Steeped in current, ancient, and future history twists, Book One, Awen Rising, debuted July 2019. Book Two, Awen Storm, released May 2020. Book Three, Awen Tide, is on preorder and will be released in 2022. All are (or will be) available in both paperback and ebook.

O. J.'s Awen Prequel novelette, The Druids of Marduk, Part I, is available as an ebook for purchase on Amazon (or free by signing up for her newsletter). The second installment, The Druids of Marduk, Part II: UnderEarth, is an ebook novella also available on Amazon. Part III: AboveEarth, is scheduled for a 2022 release.

Face Plant Central: Obey the Muse, Or Else

I fell on my face. Literally.

It happened two days ago, on Saturday afternoon. I worked that morning at the day job, and ran home to eat a bite before leaving for a friend's wedding. At sixty-nine, she met a wonderful man. I had been looking forward to watching her walk down that plank aisle.

It was not meant to be.

That morning, a nagging about Covid and being in close quarters with other people surfaced. I am hoping this was the likely culprit behind the fall. My being was freaked out, and this was its last-ditch effort to keep me home.

It worked.

OR ELSE...

Fortunately, I've been around long enough to know that when we don't listen to our inner promptings, they get louder. More intense. I wonder how many previous signals I ignored. You can't get much louder than a fall on the face.

After my last significant fall, which thankfully happened a long time ago, I had no idea how it occurred. One minute I was walking out of a café, the next, I was scrambling upright in the parking lot.

Sooo graceful.

This time, when the toe of my UGG boot caught the concrete seam, I was VERY aware of what was going on. It happened fast, in the blink of an eye. And, because of my forward momentum, there was no dance I could do to stop myself. No twist to throw my body weight sideways.

Nope. All I could do was go with it. And the only way to keep my head from slamming into the concrete (and possibly save my life or avoid being a vegetable) was to extend my arms. My hands contacted first, and they, along with my wrists, arms, and shoulders, acted as shock absorbers, doing everything in their power to save my gray matter and avoid a nasty splat.

Thankfully, it worked.

My face and knees smacked the concrete at about the same time. But by then, my momentum had slowed from deadly to ouchy. I ended up extended lengthwise on the driveway with my hands beneath my shoulders, arms folded under, and my lips kissing the concrete.

Sofie and Masie, the two Shih Tzus, were out front with me. They stayed by the house and never moved. I could hear neighbors talking. But when I finished taking inventory and lifted my head, there was no one in sight. 

A Photo Valarie Texted to Me

In shock, I hauled myself up and went inside. I could tell my teeth were not injured (hallelujah!), but I had two blood blisters—one on the bottom lip, the other on the top. They're both sore; the top is painful. My wrists, elbows, and arms are still sore, as are my shoulder and chest muscles. The heels of my palms are tender and sore, but not scraped because I didn't slide.

Bottom line? I am okay.

But I didn't make it to Valarie's wedding, which sucks big time. I had to text her instead. And though I'll eventually get to give her the fun gifts, I really, really wanted to be there. To support Valarie. To share in her joyous occasion. And to get out of the house and meet some new people.

But honestly? The fall could have been WAY worse. I pray I am interpreting the signal correctly.

If not? Holy crap.

When was the last time you fell? Did you hurt yourself? Was your Being trying to get your attention?

That Rebel, Olivia J. Herrell, writing as O. J. Barré

P. S. Here's Chumbawamba singing one of my favorite songs from the 90's, I Get Knocked Down.

O. J. Barré is the author of the Awen Trilogy, a pre-apocalyptic urban fantasy set in 2042 Atlanta. Steeped in current, ancient, and future history twists, Book One, Awen Rising, debuted July 2019. Book Two, Awen Storm, released May 2020. Book Three, Awen Tide, is on preorder and will be released in 2022. All are (or will be) available in both paperback and ebook.

O. J.'s Awen Prequel novelette, The Druids of Marduk, Part I, is available as an ebook for purchase on Amazon (or free by signing up for her newsletter). The second installment, The Druids of Marduk, Part II: UnderEarth, is an ebook novella also available on Amazon. Part III: AboveEarth, is scheduled for a 2022 release.

Dump and Burn

 I.

Am.

Angry.

There. I said it. I'm angry.

It is a righteous anger. A better-than-this anger. A get-out-of-my-way anger. A white-hot, searing, eff-you-and-your-horse anger.

That burns no one but me.

I suck it up rather than spitting it out. Then it rots my insides, eating away at my creativity, my motivation, my drive.

So I sulk.

Hide.

Mumble curses beneath my breath, calling things and people who don't conform to my expectations lovely names that would make a hardened criminal blush.

Click to read

I need space.

Quiet.

Alone time.

You get none of these when you live with someone. Which is all well and good, until it's not.

Yes, I love the not-being-alone part, and not having to be solely responsible for every little detail around the house. The feeling of belonging. Kinship. Family. And, love.

But I need to be able to spread out, to have room for all my (quite limited) stuff, to be slovenly for a day or two or five if I choose. Then there are the days (weeks, months) when I'm in writing mode and need total silence. To withdraw from all but my characters and their world.

Talking and/or listening to the living interrupts my process. And no, it doesn't matter whether the interaction is in person, online via email or social media, or by phone. ANY interaction flubs the dub.

Bottom line, I create better when left alone, when I am allowed to live in the world I'm creating. Each and every this-world interaction I have whilst in creation mode kicks me out of my fictional worlds.

And, THAT, dear rebels, is the root of my anger.

My life is in turmoil. I have a tiny writing area that is also my bedroom and my evening relaxation/TV-watching space, which is bad, bad, bad for productivity; and the outside of the house is being painted by a one-man crew so it seems to be taking forever.

On top of these daunting distractions, Covid renders writing in restaurants and coffee shops unsafe. My local library is noisy (don't even get me started on their lack of a no-noise policy). And wah, wah, wah, wah, WAHHHH!

THIS is the garbage going on in my head.

Click to Read

Invariably, I give up and watch one of our many streaming services, taking solace in other writers' creations. I like to call this research, and it usually is, but there's that little thing called the Awen Trilogy that is clamoring to be finished. And I was recently reminded, not too subtly, that my readers are impatiently waiting for Book Three.

AND WAIT! Let's not forget the yet-unfinished Part III of the Awen Prequel, The Druids of Marduk: AboveEarth. Yes, let's throw that on the pile too.

So the push-pull, yank-tug is a real thing. One that has been kicking 'me arse' and setting off all sorts of passive-aggressive anger issues, mostly, thank God, between me and me. 

But y'all know this scallywag rebel writer. Something always happens to pull my head out of 'me arse'. Let's just hope that something happens soon.

Y'all keep reading and I'll keep writing!

That Rebel, Olivia J. Herrell, writing as O. J. Barré

P.S. While this post is entitled "Dump and Burn", the term is normally used to describe: "a fuel dump in which the fuel is ignited intentionally, using the plane's afterburner. A spectacular flame combined with high speed makes this a popular display for air shows or as a finale to fireworks. Dump-and-burns are also referred to as "torching" or "zippos" ~ courtesy Wikipedia.

O. J. Barré is the author of the Awen Trilogy, a pre-apocalyptic urban fantasy set in 2042 Atlanta. Steeped in current, ancient, and future history twists, Book One, Awen Rising, debuted July 2019. Book Two, Awen Storm, released May 2020. Book Three, Awen Tide, is on preorder and will be released in 2022. All are (or will be) available in both paperback and ebook.

O. J.'s Awen Prequel novelette, The Druids of Marduk, Part I, is available as an ebook for purchase on Amazon (or free by signing up for her newsletter). The second installment, The Druids of Marduk, Part II: UnderEarth, is an ebook novella also available on Amazon. Part III: AboveEarth, is scheduled for a 2022 release.

The Birth of a Trilogy

Readers often ask how I came up with the storyline and characters in the Awen Trilogy. This post shall attempt to answer that question. But be forewarned - it may run long. If it's too long, I will likely chop it into bite-sized pieces.

Readers ask me, "Why Druids"? "Why those god-awful Reptilians?" And, "Why do they live inside of Earth? What's that about?"

My friend, the artist Vonder Gray, recently encouraged me (not for the first time) to expound upon these subjects. So here I am, doing just that. Thank you, Vonder. This undertaking is dedicated to you.

Me and Vonder in SoCal, the early 2000s

I once read that ideas float upon the wind. They present themselves to many people, but most don't give them another thought. Even fewer act upon the ideas. And since everything begins with an idea, why would a story be any different?

When the inciting idea for the Awen Trilogy struck in 2011, I was living in a small cabin in the woods of North Georgia outside Dahlonega. If you're not familiar, Dahlonega is an adorable, once-gold-mining town just shy of the Appalachian Mountains near the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail.

Street-View of Dahlonega Cabin

It is a gorgeous area, but I had landed there after leaving my heart home on the Southern California coast. Then, the relationship I had upended my life for didn't work out, leaving me and my cat, Bugsy, trapped.

So there we were in Georgia - with no job, no money, and no way back—or out. A blanket of depression settled upon me, along with the anxiety and occasional panic attacks I had begun having while still in SoCal. Yet, my time in NoGA was not without fruit.

I was honing my writing chops, churning out regular blog posts here at That Rebel, and connecting with other writers. And I was writing a sassy women's fiction novel set in the surrounding area. While the story ideas for that book had flowed easily, at this point, they had mostly dried up.

Now, I have practiced meditation since getting sober in 1991. On that particular morning, I settled in a chair on the back deck. Behind me, the cabin acted as a shield against the outer world. Before me lay a sun-dappled forest of hardwoods - oak, birch, beech, elm, dogwood, wild azalea, and more. 

The Backyard of Dahlonega Cabin

In preparation for meditation, I took several deep breaths as I had been taught twenty years earlier. Then, to anchor, I sent energetic roots down into Mother Earth. Somewhere around here, a thought popped into my head:

"What if something hitchhiked up my roots, into me, then escaped into the world?"

I know, I know. If you think I'm weird, you're in good company. People have been telling me that my whole life.

You may or may not know this, but the point of meditation is to empty the mind of all thought. If a thought does occur, you're to simply notice it, then turn back to the silence.

But the thought persisted.

For the next many days, it nagged at me, forcing me to consider the odd question and others that caromed from it.

What if something DID live inside Earth?

What would that something be?

Would it be friendly? Evil?

Why would it want out?

If it did travel up my energetic roots, how would it get out of me?

Through a sneeze or cough, like germs?

And if it managed to escape into the world, what would it do?

Wreak havoc?

Control minds?

Take over the world?

I'm not sure how long I pondered this notion. Days? Weeks? More? After all, I was depressed. And writing a book. And blogging MUCH more frequently than I do today.

But I DO remember realizing at some point that I was at a standstill. No matter how much I allowed myself to ponder, agonize, and lollygag about the women's fiction novel, those bright, shiny story ideas were no longer coming.

I now know that this is my process. I am a pantser, which basically means I write by the seat of my pants. And when the ideas stop flowing, the story is done. But at the time, I had no clue this was happening. And I couldn't get that root idea out of my head.

So, I decided to give it more thought.

Could I work the idea into a story? If so, what type of story would it be?

The root idea is probably not something one would stumble across in "real world" fiction. No, it would have to fall into a metaphysical realm. Or a fantastical one.

But, a friend in SoCal had written a metaphysical novel, then hit a wall trying to sell it in a then-limited market. So, if I were to write a story using the root idea, it would have to be a fantasy.

And fantasy means magic.

Which opens up new worlds.

Castle Falaise - courtesy Enrique Meseguer - Pixabay

So, at this juncture, I have an inciting idea. And the notion that I could use it as a springboard for a fantasy novel. But that's all I had. Nothing more. Except for plenty of time to ponder.

This missive is running long, and we seem to be at a good stopping point, so I'll wrap it up for now. In my next post, I will share how the Druid idea originated and reveal the William the Conqueror connection. Then, if brevity permits, I will also share about the Reptilian brainstorm. But for now, I believe that's all, folks!

Have a fabulous weekend!

That Rebel, Olivia J. Herrell, writing as O. J. Barré

O. J. Barré is the author of the Awen Trilogy, a pre-apocalyptic urban fantasy set in 2042 Atlanta. Steeped in current, ancient, and future history twists, Book One, Awen Rising, debuted July 2019. Book Two, Awen Storm, released May 2020. Book Three, Awen Tide, is on preorder to be released in late 2021/early 2022. All are (or will be) available in both paperback and ebook.

O. J.'s Awen Prequel novelette, The Druids of Marduk, Part I, is available in ebook on Amazon or by signing up for my newsletter. The second, The Druids of Marduk, Part II: UnderEarth, an ebook novella, is available on Amazon. Part III: AboveEarth, is scheduled for a 2022 release.

Two (New) Must-See Christmas Movies

I woke this morning to a gentle rain falling outside my bedroom window. Here in the Treasure Valley the temperature has climbed into the high 30's, and the rain melts the weekend's snow and Tuesday's ice. Rambo sits on the sill batting the cords of the blinds. He wants to go out, but knows he can't.

It is a week before Christmas 2020, the last major holiday before the new year. Most will be happy to see 2020 end, but a flip of the calendar won't wipe away our ills. Even with vaccines for Covid-19, the experts are predicting the virus will continue to wreak havoc and claim lives well into 2021.

In the midst of the madness, our hearts and eyes turn to anything that will lift our flagging spirits. The local Christian station KTSY 89.5FM has been playing Christmas music since November 1st. My Facebook and Twitter feeds displayed gorgeously-decorated trees well before Thanksgiving. Until 2020, this practice was frowned upon. But if it brings us joy, who cares about convention?

Many of us began watching Christmas movies early, those light-hearted clips of love and a belief in something bigger. Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime rolled theirs out early. The other stations may have too, but those are my three go-tos. We all have our favorite Christmas movies, and there are many from which to choose. But I prefer romantic comedies, and have invested in the DVDs and/or bluerays.

Until last year, my top two favorite Christmas movies were Love Actually and The Holiday. But one day in December 2019, I ducked into our local $3.00 movie house, Reel Cinema, and took a chance on a film called Last Christmas. I had watched the trailer on Fandango, but other than that, I'd heard nothing about this little gem.

I loved it so much, I went back a week later to see it again. Then I rented it from Redbox a couple weeks after that.

And yes, it spiraled to the top of my Most-Loved Christmas Movies list. And it was the first Christmas movie I watched this year. Here is a post I wrote on Facebook after watching it on November 16, 2020:

"This year I started my Christmas-movie watching with Last Christmas. If you love romcoms and haven't seen this movie from last year, don't wait any longer. Especially if you have an intimate knowledge of depression and/or addiction. Or are a George Michael fan.

Last Christmas is a romcom with a twist, starring the amazing Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding. Written by Emma Thompson, who also plays a great role as Emilia's mother, and her husband, this movie has a LOT of heart.

As Emilia's character slides deeper into her own personal morass, she meets the unlikely character played by Henry Golding. The lovely Michelle Yeoh plays a spicy "Santa", the owner of a year-round Christmas shop in London, and Emilia's boss.

I won't tell you any more. But if you love romcoms and/or Christmas movies, don't miss Last Christmas. Btw, I recently found the blueray at Walmart for $12, and I'm hoping one of the big players - Netflix, Prime, or Hulu, offers it for free."

Recently, one of my patients told me about a Netflix Christmas movie, an animated film called Klaus. I watched it yesterday and - WOW! I now have another new favorite.

In the beginning, the main character, Jesper, is none too likeable. The son of a rather severe and wealthy Postmaster General, Jesper is lazy and selfish and full of himself. Fed up with Jesper's entitled shenanigans, his father sends him to Smeerensberg in the far, far, faaaar frozen north. He must either turn the zero-mail being sent from that island-town around—or he will be cut from the family purse strings with not a cent to his name.

Read Roger Ebert's Review of Klaus

For the sake of honesty, I admit that I nearly stopped watching this film. The people of Smeerensburg were even more awful than Jesper. But when Jesper meets Klaus, a disillusioned toymaker and isolated giant of a man, things begin to turn around.

Here's IMDB's blurb, which captures the heart of the story in a nutshell:

"A simple act of kindness always sparks another, even in a frozen, faraway place. When Smeerensburg's new postman, Jesper, befriends toymaker Klaus, their gifts melt an age-old feud and deliver a sleigh full of holiday traditions."

That first line - a simple act of kindness always sparks another - is key to the remainder of the movie. And to life, I might add. This charming film has now been added to what has become my Top Four Favorite Christmas movies. Below those are movies like Scrooged, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, White Christmas, occasionally Die Hard, It's a Wonderful Life, and Miracle on 34th Street.

I also watched a few cute ones on TV - The Dog Who Saved Christmas, Small Town Christmas (both with Dean Cain), and others whose names aren't coming to me now. But each and every one of them lifted my spirits. And made me forget about Covid and what it's done (and doing) to our world for a while.

What are your favorite Christmas movies? Did you start watching early this year?

Have a safe and happy (Covid-free) holiday. Stay well and be safe!

That Rebel, Olivia J. Herrell, writing as O. J. Barré

P.S. I will be sending the first prequel to the Awen trilogy (A New Home) to my newsletter subscribers on Christmas Eve. If you're not already registered, enter your email address to join my mailing list (Muse & News). You will NOT be spammed and you WILL get this nice little Christmas present in your virtual stocking on Christmas Eve.

O. J. Barré is the author of the Awen trilogy, an urban fantasy with an alien invasion set in 2042 Atlanta. Steeped in current, ancient, and future history twists, Book One, Awen Rising debuted July 2019. Book Two, Awen Storm, released May 2020. Book Three, Awen Tide, arrives Summer 2021.

The Awen Universe - An Update

Jump on over to Awen's Porch for the newest UPDATES as of August 3, 2025.

Now for the original post:

The other day we talked about my new favorite writing hack - Word Hippo. You can read about Word Hippo here. In that post, I originally included an update for the Awen Universe, but decided it deserved an article of its own. Here it is:

The first draft of Book 3, Awen Tide, is now over one-third complete. I participated in NaNoWriMo, and though I did not "win" it with 50K words, I did break my writing slump, adding about 25K and pushing the manuscript total past 40K.

Now it is up to 44K of 120Kish.

We're getting there!

I've also written the initial draft of my first novelette. The working title of this first prequel to the Awen trilogy is A New Home. It is heavier on scifi than fantasy, though both are intertwined—as they are throughout the Awen Universe. A New Home tells the story of how the Druids and the Reptilians ended up on Earth.

The second novelette will be entitled UnderEarth, and the third AboveEarth. Once the three are complete and published individually, I will put them together into a novella or a novel, depending on the final length of the three parts and the whole.

The ebook of A New Home will be offered for sale for $.99—or free to newsletter subscribers. If you haven't already, go ahead and sign up for my newsletter here. I promise I won't spam you and will likely only email you now and then, mostly about new releases, giveaways, free books, and special promotions like newsletter swaps in which other authors' books will be offered to you for free.

I would love to release A New Home around Christmas time, but that's likely a bit optimistic. I'm slogging away at Awen Tide and as I'm not great at multi-tasking—I lost that ability back in 2007 when I suffered from an adrenal meltdown—I'd have to turn loose of it for a while to get A New Home ready.

But never say never. It may happen yet. At least to my newsletter subscribers.

So go ahead. Enter your email address to join my mailing list (Muse & News), and you just might get a nice little Christmas present in your virtual stocking. If not then, by New Year 2021!

Have a safe and happy (Covid-free) holiday. Stay well and be safe!

That Rebel, Olivia J. Herrell, writing as O. J. Barré

O. J. Barré is the author of the Awen trilogy, an urban fantasy with an alien invasion set in 2042 Atlanta. Steeped in current, ancient, and future history twists, Book One, Awen Rising debuted July 2019. Book Two, Awen Storm, released May 2020. Book Three, Awen Tide, arrives Summer 2021.