Inkygirl - Debbie Ridpath Ohi

I met Debbie Ridpath Ohi a couple years ago.  She is a fellow Toronto children's book author (and illustrator - so she one ups me on that score . . . I shake my fist and cry out: "Ohi!!!!!!"), and one of the founding members of a Toronto based children's book author group . . . social gathering club . . . I don't know what you'd call it.  Well I know what we all call it.  We call it: TorKidLit.  And it recently celebrated its 2nd anniversary!

For the past two years we have gathered once a month at various pubs around the city (they never know what hits them) and chat about what we're working on, on the joys and frustrations of being an author, and also just about life stuff.  But it goes beyond that.  We also go to each others' book launches, do writing retreats, and share good news about each other on the interwebs.  It's in general a brilliant supportive group. 

So that's how I know Debbie.

I also know her through twitter, where she is known as InkyElbows.  If you are a writer and on Twitter, her feed is a must follow.  Daily she posts extremely helpful links about the publishing world, and writing in general.  She's on the ball, my friends, on the ball.

She also has a website called InkyGirl, and this is what I would recommend to all of you today to check out.  Aside from her wonderfully witty comics which you simply must read, she is insightful, generous in posting about others' achievements, and a total technophile.  She is the first to try out the latest tech stuff out there, one of the first people I knew to get an iPad, one of the first to join Google+ and she lets you know her thoughts on it all.

Also she has her first children's book illustration project out next year with Simon & Schuster called I'M BORED, which you all must purchase the moment it hits the shelves.

So here's a link to her website:  InkyGirl.com (from which you can then find her personal website, blog and all manner of goodness).

And here's a picture of the two of us.  And vegetables.