Stephan Pastis

Stephan Pastis was born in 1968 and raised in San Marino, California. He attended the University of California at Berkeley, where he earned a degree in political science in 1989. Although he had always dreamed of becoming a syndicated cartoonist, Pastis decided to pursue a more practical career and attended UCLA Law School, becoming a lawyer in 1993. He practiced law in the San Francisco Bay area until 2002.

During his time as a lawyer, Pastis continued to pursue his passion for cartooning. He began submitting various comic strip concepts to syndicates in 1996, and in 1997, he created Pearls Before Swine. After facing numerous rejections, Pastis finally signed a contract with United Features Syndicate in December 1999. Pearls Before Swine made its newspaper debut in January 2002, and Pastis left his law practice later that same year. The comic strip has been nominated for the National Cartoonists Society's "Best Newspaper Comic Strip" award in 2003, 2004, and 2007, and won the award in 2004 and 2007.

In addition to his work on Pearls Before Swine, Pastis has also ventured into children's literature. In 2013, he published the first book in the Timmy Failure series, "Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made." The series, which centers around an inept kid detective and his sidekick polar bear, has received critical acclaim and become a bestseller in multiple languages.

Pastis' work is known for its humor, intelligence, and wit. He has a unique ability to connect with audiences of all ages, and his characters have become beloved by readers around the world. He currently lives in Northern California with his family.