I never thought Cathy would get married in the comic strip. And I also thought I would never get married in real life. So both are shocks to me.
I love comics, and I can't imagine life without them. I love newspaper comics.
The best strips are the most honest. That's just the truth of it.
I wasn't intending to create a comic strip to begin with. So I think I wasn't aware that when the strip started, there had never been a woman's voice quite like this in the newspaper.
Generally, I liked feeling able to connect with millions of women on a very deep level. It felt special that women especially would cut out my strip and place it on a refrigerator.
I'm most proud of having created something that men never completely get.
A lot of married people certainly have wonderful relationships with their dogs, but when you're single and your dog is the only other living thing in your house, it's a really special relationship which I wanted CATHY to have.
I had such a close relationship with my dog, and my dog so filled the need in my life to have children that I just wanted Cathy to have that experience.
I'd love to see more equal representation of female and male cartoonists on the comics page.
I have an office in my house and one about five minutes from my house. I worked solely out of my house for many years, but find, with children, that I have to be in a different ZIP code to think.
Otherwise, my whole career has just been flinging myself at whatever is most overdue first and letting everything else stack up.
I'm married, which means that instead of occasionally wondering about men from afar, I actually live with one and can be constantly astounded by the strange male brain.
I'm more financially successful, but it just means the shopping blunders I make are bigger now.
Animal welfare issues have always been important to me.
The specific story line that people have responded to the most has been the horror of bathing suit shopping.
I never thought Cathy would get married in the comic strip. And I also thought I would never get married.
The specifics of Cathy's and my life are different now, but the basic life challenges are exactly the same.
My dog was with me all the time. I talked to my dog. She was my best buddy. I shared all my secrets with her, but I don't think I every really tried jokes out with the dog.
I wanted Cathy and Irving to actually say 'I do' and be pronounced husband and wife on Feb. 5, which is my mom's birthday.
Cartooning is a wonderful career, and I'd like more women to get to have it. I can't think of any reason why we won't see more syndicated female cartoonists in the future.
