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Carmen Deedy
Catching up with Carmen Agra Deedy
The beloved children’s author has three new books on the way
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By Collin Kelley
Decatur children’s author Carmen Agra Deedy spent the pandemic like most people: watching everything on Netflix, reading, doing jigsaw puzzles, and cooking.
Deedy spent an inordinate amount of time on Facebook, hosting a nightly virtual dinner in character as a downhome, bosomy waitress named Rita. She would tell a story, post a recipe and photo, and encourage others to do the same at “Rita’s Virtual Diner.”
“This went on every night for a year,” Deedy said incredulously. “It really took on its own life and became a real community. There were hundreds of people posting, and they went on to private messaging, creating a cookbook and making plans to meet up in real life.”
Deedy actually got COVID-19 before the virus got a toehold in Georgia, forcing her to cancel appearances to promote her last book, “Rita & Ralph’s Rotten Day.”
“The book came out from Scholastic in early 2020 just before the world shut down,” she said. “Six-hundred tickets had been reserved for the launch at Decatur First Baptist Church, which was being hosted by Little Shop of Stories. The church had sponsored me as a refugee from Cuba, so it was going to be really special. It was also the first reading and signing I’d ever missed.”
Of course, all the schools, libraries, and bookstores closed soon after, so all her appearances went out the window. But ever the storyteller, Deedy cooked up a way to not only connect with kids but help publishing houses promote their books
“I was the reading champion for public libraries,” she recalled. “I couldn’t go to any schools or libraries, so I held ‘Picture Book Fridays’ on Zoom all summer during 2020 and read old and new children’s books.”
Luckily for fans of the multi-awardwinning writer, Deedy also found time to work on three new books.
The first is “Wombat Said Come In,” her 15th book, about an Australian wombat who opens his borough to animals seeking shelter from a fire destroying the woodland.
Coming in October from Peachtree Publishing, “Wombat” features gorgeous illustrations from Newberry Awardwinning artist Brian Lies. “I’ve had an author crush on him for years, so I was thrilled when they told me was doing the illustrations,” Deedy said.
A voracious news reader and researcher – “I love researching more than writing”
