Congratulations, Debbie!

Our very own Debbie Ridpath Ohi has a book on the New York Times "Notable Children's Books of 2012" list !!!!

Check out I'M BORED and all the other great books that made the list HERE.

We're so proud of you, Debbie! (Don't forget us little people. :-) ) 

I'M BORED Giveaway Winner!!

Thanks to everyone who commented on our posts about potatoes, boredom and other things to commemorate the release day of illustrator Debbie Ridpath Ohi's picture book:

We've tallied up the entries and we're excited to announce the winner:

Jaye Robin Brown

 

 

 



If you want to get in on more I'M BORED fun, MiG Writer Christina Farley has an interview with Debbie Ridpath Ohi over on her blog, Chocolate for Inspiration, with another chance to win! (Entry deadline is September 19th).

 



Day 4: I'm Bored Celebration

I don't know about you, but I've always thought potatoes were kind of a boring vegetable. So how surprised was I when I went into my kitchen on the release day of I'M BORED, only to find....a potato celebration party!

I think seeing a fellow potato illustrated in a picture book went to their heads...or their hats, anyway.

These two had a lot to say:

So I was wrong. Potatoes are not boring. Still don't believe me? You'd better check out I'M BORED, and see for yourself.

Even better, you can win a copy of I'M BORED by commenting on this post. For even more chances to win, comment on all of our MiG Blog posts this week:

 Day 1: Happy Book Birthday to I’M BORED

Day 2: I’M BORED Celebration

Day 3: The Celebration Contest Continues (and is not boring)

Or tweet about our celebration and mention it in your comment.

 

 

 Our contest closes Sunday September 9 so make sure you get your entries in!

 

To find out more about I'M BORED and Debbie Ridpath Ohi's illustrations, visit her I'M BORED Scrapbook.

Day 3: The Celebration Contest Continues (and is not boring)!

Look at how expressive Debbie's illustrations are! This is the most fun looking bored kid ever. Don't you wish you could give this book to a bored kid in school?

If you win our giveaway contest, you can give I'M BORED to that kid suffering through long division. Or keep it for yourself, which is what I'd probably do. I mean, school is such a unique combination of boredom and enforced sitting and staring. Who'd want their kid to miss that feeling?

Things to do in school when you're bored and you're short so the teacher makes you sit up front:

1. Draw scribbles while you look at teacher. Make scribbles into portraits when your teacher looks away. Someday you may be as good as Debbie!

2. Recite the states in your head, along with what you'd rather be doing in them. Alabama: eat barbecue. Alaska: see a glacier. Don't forget to eat a potato in Idaho.

3. Give your teacher a potato name. Like Mr. Russett Spuds or Ms. Frenchie Eyesprout. Uh, keep it to yourself.

Unlike the news about our giveaway contest. Spread that everywhere like magically non-caloric butter on a baked you-know-what!

Just comment and you're entered for a free copy of I'M BORED, written by celebrity author Michael Ian Black. Tweet about the contest and tell us in your comment, and your entry counts double.

So check out I'M BORED on Debbie's website...
Or follow her on Twitter at @inkyelbows...
Or read about her in Publisher's Weekly...

I promise, you won't be bored. Congratulations, Debbie and Michael!!

Day Two - I'M BORED Celebration

I’m so excited to be a part of the celebration for Debbie’s first book, I’m Bored!! I remember when Debbie first started working on the illustrations for this book and I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy. Too bad I can’t win our contest, but YOU can, all you have to do is comment on our blog sometime this week. If you tweet the contest and tell us, we’ll give you another entry.

To help celebrate Debbie’s exciting news, I’d like to do something a little different today. I’m going to share something my kids and I love to do with a POTATO. Make chips! (Potatoes know about fun - read the book. :-) ) 

Making potato chips is a bit time consuming but so worth it. Nothing like a warm, salty chip...cue Homer Simpson drooling 

You’ll need:

1 to 2 large potatoes (we use baking potatoes)

Potato slicer

Vegetable oil

Deep fryer and slotted spoon

Sea salt 

Paper towels

Slice potatoes as thinly as you can. If you don’t have a slicer, just do your best to keep the slices uniformed. 

Rinse slices with cold water and pat dry. This is an important step so don’t skip it.

Fill fryer about half way with vegetable oil and heat. (We don’t have a temperature dial on our fryer so we just keep testing the oil until a small potato slice begins to fry and float.)

Working in small batches, add potato slices to oil and heat until golden brown. Use the spoon to occasionally flip the chips so they are evenly cooked. I know from experience you’ll be tempted to start making bigger batches but resist that urge. Bigger batches won’t cook as evenly.

Carefully spoon out chips (let oil drip out of slotted spoon) and lay them in a single layer on paper towels. 

While chips are still warm, sprinkle with salt. You can also experiment with other spices. We’ve tried pepper, vinegar and salt, and cinnamon. 

Tip: it helps to have an assembly lines of sorts. My kids and I set up a system where I cook, my son sprinkles the salt and my daughter carefully pours the batch that’s ready into a bowl. 

So there you go - a good thing to do with a potato! Now, while you’re munching on your homemade chips, check out more about Debbie’s book here:

Check out what Publisher's Weekly has to say about I'M BORED here.

Follow Debbie on Twitter: @inkyelbows 

Check out Debbie's website: http://debbieohi.com/

Happy Book Birthday to I'M BORED!

Today is a big day here at the MiGs. I'M BORED, written by Michael Ian Black and illustrated by our very own Debbie Ridpath Ohi, is released today!

To celebrate the release of I'M BORED, all week here at the MiGs we will be talking about what makes us bored or something related to I'M BORED.

And for every comment you post, you will automatically get entered to win a copy of I'M BORED! Tweet about this contest and tell us you did so to receive an extra entry. You can comment every day for more entries.

Check out what Publisher's Weekly has to say about I'M BORED here.
Follow Debbie on Twitter: @inkyelbows
Check out Debbie's website: http://debbieohi.com/

My story about being bored:

The other day, Debbie released her homemade book trailer (which is totally awesome) and I watched it while my boys were in their rooms finishing their homework. After I watched it I knew my boys would LOVE it.

So I had it all set up and I waited. Because I knew, KNEW what my youngest would tell me the moment he walked out of his room (because he's been saying all the time lately). Sure enough, he shuffled out and said, "I'm bored."

I said, "Really? That's great!" That was when he looked at me oddly. "Because I have the perfect video for you to watch."

And he loved it. In fact, both boys liked it so much we had to watch it over and over and over again.

Check it out!

So, what makes you bored? (and don't you just love that potato?) 

 

~Christina

Celebrate Your Writing Milestones

Writing is such hard work, it's important to celebrate the milestones along the way. Some things I celebrate during the writing process:

1) Getting a great idea for a story

2) Finally writing something doable for a tricky section that didn't seem like it was EVER going to work

3) Finishing a first draft

4) Finishing revisions to a draft

and

5) Getting to see my words in print

This is what I got in the mail this week:

I celebrated by posting about it on my blog and showing the books off to anyone who happens by (thanks for indulging me).

Coming next week MiG Writer Debbie Ridpath Ohi has a big milestone to celebrate too! The picture book she recently illustrated, I'm Bored, written by Michael Ian Black, will be available in bookstores on Tuesday! I'm going to celebrate that by reading a copy to my kindergarten students! Yay, Debbie!!!

I hope you had some writing-related success to celebrate this week too! What milestones do you like to celebrate? What's your favourite way to applaud your writing accomplishments?