Debbie Ridpath Ohi (Work-Only)
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work.debbieohi.com
Debbie Ridpath Ohi (Work-Only)
@work.debbieohi.com
260 followers 1 following 53 posts
This is my work-only broadcast acct with updates about what I'm working on. Not all kidlit. Also see https://debbieohi.com/newsletter/ 🇨🇦

For my main feed w/ ALL my nerdy interests, replies: @DebbieOhi.com

https://linktr.ee/inkygirl
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6/ He's asked me NOT to get it critiqued or run it by beta readers, that he's happy to provide feedback.

Goal: to get it into good enough shape to warrant a contract.

So now I'm just WRITING. ❤️💛💙💚🧡

Wish me luck, eh?
Four-panel comic of a writer at her laptop. Panel 1: She smiles and thinks, “I’m having a good writing day,” with a blue angel saying “Good for you!” and a red devil saying “So what?”. Panel 2: The background fills with red, self-doubting thoughts while the devil whispers more negativity and the angel looks worried. Panel 3: The writer yells “STOP! I know that things may change tomorrow. But right now…” as both the angel and devil react. Panel 4: She calmly returns to writing, thinking again, “I’m having a good writing day,” with only the blue angel remaining. Art by Debbie Ridpath Ohi.
August 18, 2025 at 2:42 PM
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I'm using my @work.debbieohi.com acct for work-related updates. I promise NOT to post daily wordcount updates etc. 😜 Will aim for a post a week, I think, & will try to include tools/resources I am finding useful.

If you're interested in what I'm working on, I encourage you to turn on notifications.
Screenshot of a Bluesky profile for “Debbie Ridpath Ohi (Work-Only)” with a large red arrow pointing to the bell icon. The arrow indicates where to click to manage notification settings for the account. Screenshot of a notification settings pop-up labeled “Keep me posted.” A large red arrow points to the toggle switch for “Posts,” which is turned on. The “Replies” toggle is off. A blue “Save changes” button is visible below.
July 7, 2025 at 11:53 PM
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Wrote a longer post about gratitude, @jpchanda.bsky.social, and embracing my next career challenge:

www.instagram.com/p/DLh5JJBuggH/
#Gratitude #KidLit
Two people sit across from each other at a restaurant table, smiling at the camera. The table has drinks, a glass teapot, and a water bottle on it. The restaurant is busy, with diners and waitstaff in the background.
June 30, 2025 at 3:27 PM
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This is the first time since 2011 that I've had no book contract in the wings. This is on purpose. After much angsting, I've decided to take a break from picture books so I can focus on writing middle grade.

I'm both terrified and exhilarated.

PLEASE WISH ME LUCK.

#KidLit
A real-life paintbrush tip appears to pour rainbow-colored paint down onto a joyful girl with arms raised. The paint flows over her body and splashes outward. Illustration by Debbie Ridpath Ohi.
June 20, 2025 at 1:26 PM
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My go-to fountain pen is still my Pilot Falcon with a Soft Fine nib. The flex nib enables me to get a slight variable line width, and the pen is a reliable starter (e.g. even if I don't use it for weeks but pick it up, it still writes with no problem). I just wish it had a bigger ink capacity.
A fountain pen rests on a blank sheet of paper, with its ink forming a drawing of a barefoot girl in a flowing dress. The girl appears to be tugging on the end of her dress, which connects directly to the pen tip. Illustration by Debbie Ridpath Ohi.
June 20, 2025 at 1:16 PM
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I resisted for a while, but I've been lured to the side of Team #OxfordComma.
Cartoon of a woman speaking to a group of commas on the ground. She says, “I’m sorry, but I just can’t keep you all in my manuscript. It’s nothing personal!” The commas respond with speech bubbles: “Don’t listen to those Oxford comma haters,” “Pick on the semi-colons instead,” and “You serial comma killer!” The artist’s signature and website (Debbie Ridpath Ohi – DebbieOhi.com) appear at the bottom.
June 4, 2025 at 3:47 PM
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So much is about learning how to really LISTEN.

#FoundObjectArt
Ink drawing of a dog sitting and listening to a phonograph, with a real purple petunia flower used as the horn of the phonograph. Signed “D. Ohi” with the copyright noted as ©2014 Debbie Ridpath Ohi.
June 4, 2025 at 3:35 PM
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This week is first in a long time where my creative work focus is solely WRITING books for young people (current: a spooky middle grade), have no contracted deadlines, don't feel pressured to be actively promoting a just-released book, and I am not travelling.

Enjoying this moment while it lasts.
Found object illustration of a smiling girl with long dark hair surfing on an orange surfboard. The wave is represented by a piece of curly kale, and the background is a plain white textured surface. Artist credit: Debbie Ridpath Ohi.
June 2, 2025 at 3:30 PM
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Comic: First Things First.

#DebbieOhiComics
Four-panel comic titled "First Things First" by Debbie Ridpath Ohi. A character lists all their book promotion efforts: setting up social media accounts, compiling media contacts, and planning a blog tour. In the third panel, another character asks, “Finished writing the book yet?” The final panel shows the first character blushing and saying, “Darn. I knew I was forgetting something.”
May 26, 2025 at 5:18 PM
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Woohoo! Handed in final art for I'M BUSY, the newest in the I'M... picture books written by @michaelianblack.bsky.social and illustrated by me. Cover not yet public.

There will likely be a few more tweaks, but the bulk of the art is done. 🎨🥳 #KidLit
Four children’s book covers with bold text and cartoon characters: Top left: “I’M BORED” – girl leans on the word, looking bored. Top right: “I’M SAD” – girl and slumped and sad-looking flamingo with a concerned potato. Bottom left: “I’M WORRIED” – anxious potato between the words I'M and WORRIED. Bottom right: “I’M SORRY” – girl holds an angst-ridden potato, with an angry-looking flamingo sitting on the word SORRY.
April 17, 2025 at 12:09 PM
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Hi! This is my work-only feed where I not only post JUST news & updates about what I'm working on, but where I also post comics, art, & art expts that are NOT necessarily kidlit-focused.

If you're looking for my main EVERYTHING acct where I post #BlueSkyTips etc, see @debbieohi.com.
Illustration of a young girl in a simple dress speaking to a fairy godmother with a magic wand. The girl says, 'I appreciate the offer of a party dress, but any chance I could get a book contract instead?' A mouse looks on from the side. The artwork has a whimsical, hand-drawn quality with a watercolor texture in the background.
March 28, 2025 at 3:51 PM
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Another Procreate animation I did several yrs ago, sent to a young friend of who was pursuing sound engineering as a career. #Animation #Procreate
March 2, 2025 at 6:27 PM
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Playing around with adding sound effects to an animation I created on my iPad (Procreate). I still haven't had time to learn Procreate Dreams yet.

#Animation #Procreate #CreepyCute #DarkerArt
February 27, 2025 at 1:49 AM
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You never know what will come out of a broken crayon.

#BrokenCrayon #FoundObjectArt #Beavers #KidLitArt
Found object art featuring a beaver crawling out of a broken brown crayon. The beaver is drawn in loose digital brown lines. The crayon is a real-life brown Crayola crayon, with the color name showing as "beaver." Art by Debbie Ridpath Ohi.
February 26, 2025 at 4:35 PM
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Early experiment with paper collage, from my archives.

#Collage #PaperCollage
A collage artwork featuring torn pieces of Japanese newspaper arranged on a textured yellow background. A black pen is outlining a figure that appears to be a girl, with visible Japanese characters on the paper pieces. The composition includes a red artist seal and a signature in black ink. The image credits "Debbie Ridpath Ohi" and her website, DebbieOhi.com, are visible in the corner.
February 24, 2025 at 1:25 PM
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Broccoli romance.

#FoundObjectArt #FoodArt
A found object art piece features two hand-drawn characters with broccoli florets as their hair. The character on the left, wearing a striped shirt and pants a running shoes, stands with a thoughtful pose and a small heart floating above his head. The character on the right is wearing a tunic with a frilled hem and pants. Line art is done in loose black ink lines on white paper. Art by Debbie Ridpath Ohi.
February 23, 2025 at 6:45 PM
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At some point, you just have to let go.

#FoundObjectArt
A small ink-drawn figure dangling from a real-life giant paintbrush, clinging to a few bristles. At the bottom of the paper is blue watercolor, representing water. Art by Debbie Ridpath Ohi.
February 23, 2025 at 1:09 PM
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Radish bird.

#FoundObjectArt #BirdSky #FoodArt
A radish has been placed on a piece of white paper with ink lines added to resemble a cartoon-like bird with a long tail. Green radish leaves form the tail, and two cartoon eyes. have been added on top of the red radish. Visible nearby: slices of radish and a couple of whole radishes, a black drawing pen. Art by Debbie Ridpath Ohi.
February 23, 2025 at 12:31 PM
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"And then she opened the book..."

Created with Procreate. #Animation #Procreate #Reading
February 23, 2025 at 12:26 PM
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Punctuation breakup.
#DebbieOhiComics
Two people sitting at a table with drinks. One to the other: "You over-use exclamation marks!" he told me! And then walked out!!! Can you believe it?!!!??!!!"
February 13, 2025 at 10:13 PM
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Valentine's rejection.

#DebbieOhiComic #ValentinesDay
Cartoon of a sad, round-headed character in a blue dress holding a rejection letter, with another envelope tucked under their arm. Above them is a typed letter that reads: "Dear Sam, Thank you for your recent submission. However, I regret that your Valentine is not suited to my current needs. Sincerely, Linda" The signature "Linda" is handwritten in blue with a heart dotting the "i." Illustration by Debbie Ridpath Ohi.
February 12, 2025 at 1:50 PM
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Radicchio smile. #FoundObjectArt

I only learned recently I've been mispronouncing "radicchio" incorrectly in my head all my life.
Found object art consisting of a whimsical face illustration using pieces of radicchio for the outline of the face and neck. The eyes and mouth are drawn with black ink on white paper, signed "D. Ohi" at the bottom right corner. Art by Debbie Ridpath Ohi.
February 11, 2025 at 7:31 PM
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Punctuation nerd rejection.
#DebbieOhiComics
Comic showing one figure rejecting a stricken-looking figure's offer of a diamond ring. Caption reads, "I'm sorry, Kevin, but I could never marry someone who dangles his modifiers as recklessly as you do." Art by Debbie Ridpath Ohi.
February 11, 2025 at 2:53 AM
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One reason I created this separate account is so I could post pieces like this one without having people ask me if I'm feeling ok. 💙 Going to use #DarkerArt tag as a way of categorizing this kind of art when I share, to make it easier for me (or others) to find/browse later.
Black-and-white illustration of a young girl sitting on the ground with her arms wrapped around her knees, head hunched over her knees. Her long, messy hair falls over her face. She leans against a wall in the shadows. Background is textured, and the digital ink line is etched, creating a woodcut-like effect. Artwork by Debbie Ridpath Ohi.
February 10, 2025 at 5:06 PM
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A comic for fellow punctuation nerds.
#DebbieOhiComics #Punctuation
A cartoon shows a support group meeting at the "Punctuation Misuse Support Center." The group leader says, "I've tried using semicolons instead, but it just isn't the same!!" A member replies, "...And then she called me a drama queen!! Can you believe it?!!?" Another adds, "How insensitive!!" while another says, "I'm totally with you!!!!!" A sign reads, "Exclamation Mark Group!! Wednesdays 7-8 pm." The characters sit in a circle, emphasizing exaggerated use of exclamation marks in their dialogue.
February 9, 2025 at 7:25 PM