I’m thrilled to have Debbie Ridpath Ohi with us today. Debbie is a children’s book author and illustrator who has illustrated books for Judy Blume and Michael Ian Black. I’m Busy, the newest addition to the I’m series of picture books, written by Michael Ian Black and illustrated by Debbie, launches on February 24th.
Welcome Debbie, and congratulations on your newest picture book! Thank you for taking the time to chat with me.
Me: Do you have any special plans for the rest of this long, cold winter? Or are there any activities that you participate in related to the season? Do you have a favorite season?
Debbie: My favourite season is autumn. I do love early winter and would definitely miss that season if we ended up having to move somewhere that was always warm. However, winters in Ontario are looooong, and we’re all pretty much ready for it to end by March. 🙂 My plans for the winter: Since I’ve just come back from work travel in NYC and vacation travel in New Orleans, my plans for the rest of the winter consist of cocooning in my cozy basement studio and working on my middle grade novel!
Me: How long have you been writing?
Debbie: I have been writing and wanting to be a writer for as long as I can remember, honestly. I wrote my first chapter book when I was nine years old and was delighted that my teacher liked it and the illustrations I added.
Me: What, or who was the inspiration for this book?
Debbie: I asked Michael why he wrote I’m Busy, and he said, “I wrote I’m Busy as a reminder for the over-scheduled kid (or parent) that even though we’re so lucky we get to do so many amazing things, it’s also important to take some time to hang out with your buddies and just look at the clouds.”
Me: Tell me a little bit about your journey as the illustrator of this book. Were there any bumps and bruises along the way, obstacles you had to overcome, aha-moments? You can share the good, bad, ugly lol, or not.
Debbie: There were definitely some bumps and bruises during the illustration process, at least in terms of challenges to figure out along the way. I’ve learned, though, that this is actually a good thing…it means that the project is pushing me to be more creative, to step outside my comfort zone, that I’m growing as an illustrator. For I’m Busy, the challenge was deciding on how I wanted to draw the background in illustrations that already had a lot of stuff in the foreground. One example: the spread where thegirl is walking away from the “camera”, with a ton of papers, notebooks, scheduling materials, pens, pencils etc. trailing behind her. My solution: to draw the background in a softer and more muted illustration style. That way, it wouldn’t interfere with the foreground elements or making things look too “busy” (despite the title of the book, heh).
Me: What is one piece of advice you can give to writers who are just starting out, or who are still in the query trenches?
Debbie: No matter how busy you are, always make the time to read. On the most hectic days when I barely have enough time to eat, I still always make sure to read for at least 10-15 minutes a day. I read in all formats: print, digital, and audio.
Me: What are your plans for the future? Writing or otherwise, traveling, hobbies, etc.
Debbie: I’m excited about being the cover artist for two Judy Blume titles that are being reissued by Simon & Schuster Children’s! The titles are As Long As We’re Together, and Here’s To You, Rachel Robinson. I’ve been working with Lauren Rille, Hope Kim, and Jin Soo Chun. The new covers are not ready to share yet, but hopefully soon!
Me: I’d love for you to share a recipe with me, I have a collection of recipes from friends and family that goes back many years. I would love to include yours, as well as share it with my readers.
Debbie: I confess that this is the question that took me the most time, because I’m not really a natural cook or baker; I rely heavily on cookbooks. One of my favourite breakfasts is oatmeal with a fried egg on top. Does that count as a recipe? I can also share my current favourite recipe website, which is Just One Cookbook at https://www.justonecookbook.com/. A friend pointed me there when she found out I was looking for simple tasty Japanese home cooking recipes. It’s wonderful!
Thank you for stopping by, it’s always fun getting to know writing friends. I feel truly honored to have interviewed you and want to thank you for all you do for the Kid Lit community on Bluesky and through the resources on your website. And thank you for sharing your favorite recipe website, the Japanese fried noodles recipe looks delicious!
You can contact Debbie here:
Pat Brown Books 