Hello!

Welcome to Life of O’Brien.

I’m Anna-Marie O’Brien, but most people just call me AMO.

I’m a “rocker chick” that worked in the music industry back in the day, and then I spent almost 20 years working as a public librarian. A few years ago, I released a book called Adventures of a Metalhead Librarian, about surviving the Los Angeles metal scene in the early 1990’s.

Now, I’m writing a memoir about surviving my somewhat frustrating and slightly bewildering library career, called Library Confidential. I was documenting that process on this Substack, but it’s gotten to the point of a rewrite, so I’m evolving this newsletter into something more serviceable.

For the past seven years, I’ve worked as a writing coach and creative consultant. Although I’ve helped all kinds of writers, it’s the memoirists who are my passion. Writing a memoir is a particularly hard and unique experience (ask me how I know) and writers attempting a memoir absolutely need support. I love the genre - and the transformational power - of memoir.

As an extension of that passion, I started Bibliozona Books - a small little imprint offering a place for unique books. My vision for it is to specialize in publishing memoir, essay, and narrative nonfiction books - with a rock n’ roll twist. First project is on deck and ready to launch in May of 2024 - Garage Sale Vinyl, by Christopher Long.

With this newsletter, I’ll talk about all of this.  All the projects. All the things.

But not all the time - maybe once or twice a month. 

I’ll share excerpts from my own book projects, updates on publications and other newsworthy tidbits, essays on creativity and the never-ending battles of resistance and blocks, as well as explorations on navigating a creative life. 

I’m as logical as they come and I can be be very blunt and straightforward and sometimes a little edgy on the humor BUT I do have a good dose of the woo-woo, and a mystical orientation in terms of energy and connection and living my life as a creative, compassionate person.

It’s just my Life of O’Brien.

Thank you for being here! Your support is appreciated.