Illustration of an orange leaf drifting down from a branch above. Art by Debbie Ridpath Ohi.

Can't believe it's already mid-October.

Those of who read my Blatherings know about a dear friend who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer early last year and who passed away a couple of months ago. The Celebration Of Life took place recently, and I think our friend Reid would have been pleased with the easygoing dress code (he hated getting dressed up), geeky table center pieces (board games! comics! tech gear!), and the memory tables. You can see some photos here.

I confess it was a struggle to write fiction for a while. Instead, I tried to be kind to myself and read more books instead as well as learning new tech; the latter is what helped keep me sane during the pandemic as well. And I started doing some sketching again, after finding out about and downloading their free reference pack.

Illustration by Debbie Ridpath Ohi featuring two cartoon figures—one smaller child-like character with pigtails singing into a microphone next to a boombox, and one taller character with curly hair holding their hands to their head—alongside a reference photograph labeled #TrueRefDT018 and credit text ©Debbie Ridpath Ohi - DebbieOhi.com.

I love that TrueRef photos are 100% human-made and AI-free, feature a diverse range of models, and the packs include commercial-use permissions. You can read more about enjoying TrueRef in my most recent blog post on (also a caution about translating a photo into art re: copyright issues).

I've also been finding my blogging mojo again. I will still be updating my website blog, but blogging via and is so much more fun for me, feels lower pressure. As a result, I end up doing more writing...and more writing is always a good thing. I used to be primarily a nonfiction freelance writer, once upon a time, researching and writing short pieces for print and online venues.

Anyway, here are just a few of the posts I've made since my last Author Newsletter:

Happy Birthday, Ray Bradbury - Includes a song I wrote, based on one of his stories.

35 years ago today, I married my best friend - Plus a few things I've learned about romantic relationships over the years.

Embracing open social blogging in the Atmosphere (and less traditional social media) - How I'm protecting my creative time and mental health.

Silhoutte of a person dancing on an empty beach, with waves coming in on one side, blue sky with clouds above. Person is wearing a coat and long pants, indicating cooler weather. Photo credit: Jeff Ridpath.

I've also been posting quite a bit in my One Thing I've Learned blog, with topics including DIY travel art kits, Italian progrock, advice from my future self, how sometimes it's better to be kind than prove I'm right, never to presume to know another's grief, and learning how NOT to be a book format snob.

I'm also very happy with the way How Readers Find Books is progressing. Librarians, educators, book bloggers, and educators have been sharing how they discover books! I've been compiling a list of their sources, as well as books they've enjoyed. Thanks to my contributors so far, including and . ♥️📚

Illustration of Debbie typing on her laptop as she floats through the Atmosphere, represented by blue wavy lines.

Overall, I've been pulling back somewhat from traditional social media but ramping up my social blogging, which has in turned helped my writing overall. The more I write in formats that encourage me to think more deeply than 300 characters at a time, the easier it is to write in longer form...which in turn makes me want to spend more and more time writing.

You can find a list of my social blogs at https://debbieohi.com/links/

You can also browse my recent posts across all my social blogs via Standard Reader.

Thank you for reading this far! At a time where people's attention spans are shorter and more prone to digital distraction, I am especially grateful. -- Debbie

Illustration of a person with dark hair and glasses working on a laptop on the left, next to handwritten text that reads "Thanks for reading! Debbie," and a heart symbol. To the right, a row of eight small book covers titled I Want to Read All the Books, Where Are My Books?, Sam & Eva, I'm Bored, I'm Sad, I'm Sorry, I'm Mad, and I'm Busy, with the credit text "© DebbieOhi.com" below.