Welcome to my blog (scroll down to see individual posts), which was originally on a separate site at Inkygirl.com. I also have a separate Inkygirl newsletter on Substack at debbieohi.substack.com.
Also see: Inkygirl interviews – Resources
It’s Banned Book Week, an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States. . . .
Thanks for all the crossed fingers about my book projects, all! Much appreciated. 🙂 I know I’ve raved about the SCBWI writers’ conference before, but I must rave again. Since the conference, I’ve been at least twice as productive as usual. Not just because of what happened with the Illustrator . . .
For those interested, I have a new post up on the MiG Writers site: Time Management, Creative Productivity and Multitasking
A children’s book publisher I admire a great deal recently invited me to send them a picture book story. Well, I did…and THEY LIKE IT! They’ve asked for a few sketches, so that’s what I’m working on right now. So if I’m a bit scarce in Inkygirl for a little . . .
One of the many reasons I’m glad I joined Twitter is because I got to meet the Toronto Middle Grade and YA Author Group. The group was founded by Claudia Osmond (above left), and even though we get together once a month, some of us also meet in smaller gatherings as well. Fun . . .
I’ve posted a new comic over on Writer Unboxed: “The Paperless Office.”
I find reading about other people’s work habits inspiring. The Kite Runner author Khaled Hosseini, for example, typically gets up at 4 a.m. Has some coffee and breakfast, reads the paper, then writes for 2-3 hours before going to his other job. He says that reading a few lines from a favourite novel . . .
I’ve recently been enjoying the audiobook version of Kathryn Stockett‘s bestselling book, THE HELP. I tend to listen to audiobooks whenever I’m out for a walk (in a safe neighbourhood) or doing household chores. A post on Dystel & Goderich Literary Management siteabout a NYTimes article points out that Kathryn Stockett’s THE HELP was initially rejected by almost . . .
I met YA author Nelsa Roberto through the Toronto Middle Grade and Young Adult group (a.k.a. Torkidlit). Nelsa’s one of those people who makes you feel comfortable right away. She’s smart, she’s funny, she speaks her mind. Nelsa’s young adult novel ILLEGALLY BLONDE debuted in March and I really enjoyed it. Told with wry wit . . .