Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
O.E. Tearmann is a pen name for a writing duo: Olivia Wylie and E.S. Argentum. Together, we have produced five books in the Aces High, Jokers Wild series.
So, why the pen name?
Both Olivia and E.S. study the Irish language. In Irish, ‘tearmann’ is defined as: noun. A refuge, place of asylum, home or sanctuary. When these two authors decided to write a series centering healthy social bonds as the best way to deal with traumatic events, and giving agency to marginalized characters, it seemed only fitting to use a name that means ‘a sanctuary’.
The O. in O.E. Tearmann, Olivia Wylie (she/her), is a professional horticulturist and business owner who specializes in the restoration of neglected gardens. When the weather keeps her indoors, she enjoys researching and writing about the plant world, the future, and the complexities of being human. Her solo work is in illustrated non-fiction works of ethnobotany, intended to make the intersection of human history and plant evolution accessible to a wider audience.
As the “E” in the O.E. Tearmann writing duo, E.S. Argentum (they/them) brings to a life a cast of eccentric, loveable characters. They bring the same passion for diverse, character-driven stories seen in Aces High, Jokers Wild to their solo work. E.S Argentum’s fantasy and scifi romances center on GLBTQ+ relationships with the emotional comfort of your favorite puff piece, layered with rich, unique twists. They have short stories published in multiple anthologies under the pseudonym of Emily Singer, including Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers’ Crossing Colfax and Ultimate Power, from Northwest press. When they’re not writing, they’re generally found playing video games, having existential crises, or napping with their cat.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The most recent book in the Aces High, Jokers Wild series, Draw Dead, has been inspired by a great many things. The seed of the story was the wish to explore our world through the eyes of a character who’s often been on the page, but whose point of view we haven’t written from before. Up around it we built all sorts of trouble for our rag-tag team of lovers, fighters and dreamers. We wrote this one partly as a Pandemic-coping project, as writing our characters’ struggles and their fear was great catharsis for us.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Our writing style is definitely outside the usual! We wrote the first drafts for all 8 books in the series in one long and playful writing binge that stretched several years. Now we have a process for each one: it starts with Olivia saying ‘oh this one won’t need much cleaning up, it’s almost ready to go!’ and E.S. laughing at her quietly. Olivia takes the first draft and polishes it up, then E.S. checks it over and gives it a good polish. After that, we send out to our first round readers. Then our sensitivity and expert readers get it. Finally, it goes to the press for final edits and cleaning up.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
E.S. was influenced by all sorts of things, but they’ll always make a nod to Tamora Pierce. Olivia gives a tip of the hat to Charles DeLint, Anne Block, and the writers of the TV show MASH 4077.
What are you working on now?
Currently, E.S. is working on their first solo novel. Olivia’s banging out the second draft of Aces High, Jokers Wild Book 6 and biting her nails over the details of what trade unions might look like in 100 years.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
We’ve had great luck working with Creative Edge Publicity, an organization that has gotten us introduced to some amazing people. Other than that, Goodreads is a solid place to connect with readers, so is Bookbub, and we’ve enjoyed using StoryOrigin to get reviewers connected with our works.
What we really appreciate using is Buffer; Olivia is a landscaper by trade, and in the middle of April, May and June she works between 12 and 14 hours a day. She doesn’t like to make E.S. do all the social media work, so they work together to schedule all the social media posts for the next year in January via Buffer. It’s an absolute lifesaver!
Do you have any advice for new authors?
We’ve got three pieces of advice.
1: Write the story you needed when you were young.
2: Some kind of scheduling program like Google Calendar is your best friend. Put all the dates for your releases, deadlines and events in it, and you’ll have a lot fewer terrible moments of ‘oh no, what did I miss?’
3: You’re on your journey. Not anyone else’s. Don’t compare yourself to others; compare your work to your own past. And keep moving forward.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it.
What are you reading now?
Olivia is currently reading ‘Go Big: How To Fix Our World’ by Ed Miliband and ‘While Justice Sleeps’ by Stacey Abrams. She usually reads a nonfiction book and a fiction book at the same time.
E.S. isn’t reading a lot these days, they’re writing, but they are in love with the TV show ‘Hilda’.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Next spring, the fourth audiobook in the Aces High, Jokers Wild book will come out, along with the sixth book in the series. In the meantime, E.S. will have their first solo novel, ‘Heart Trick’, coming out this year, and Olivia will be releasing an illustrated book of Old Irish history in the fall.
What is your favorite book of all time?
Olivia’s book is ‘War For The Oaks’, though she’s a bit shocked by the idea that somebody can choose one favorite book.
E.S. adores all the Tamora Pierce books, and refuses to choose one of them.
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