Hi, I’m Debbie Ridpath Ohi. Once upon a time, I was a computer programmer and systems analyst for a bank. Now, I write and illustrate children’s books for a living. Life is crazy and wonderful.

I am mainly on Bluesky these days.

Why subscribe? What is Inkygirl about?

Inkygirl focuses on writing and illustrating for young people, with practical tips and behind-the-scenes peeks into the process. I’ve been writing and illustrating books for kids since 2010, and have worked with Simon & Schuster, Random House, HarperCollins, Little Brown, and other publishers. My illustrations have appeared in books by Judy Blume, Michael Ian Black (who is on Substack!), Linda Sue Park, and others.

I am also on the SCBWI Advisory Council (SCBWI = Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) as well as Illustrators Committee.

Selection of some of my most popular posts:

My Picture Book 101 series, in which I talk about the basics of writing and illustrating picture books for young readers.

How a rejection helped me get me my first children’s book contract (and advice I wish I could tell my younger self)

On illustrating Judy Blume’s covers, and what I learned

Playing with collage, investigating copyright issues when using print text in collage

My other Substack newsletter:

The Red Balloon - My personal essays and non-kidlit art.

If you enjoy my Substack newsletters, here are some ways to show your support:

• Buy one of my children’s books. If you can’t afford to buy, then borrow one of them and if you like it, tell others about it.

• Spread the word about my work not only on this platform, but other social media.

Thank you for being here!