Frequently Asked Questions:

How long does it take to do a comic strip?

I don't create one strip a day from start to finish. I like to make sure the content of an entire month's worth of strips balances out. I think this stems from my limited experience editing a few card lines and having to balance different types of gags.

With that in mind, I'll divide up each artistic process. I usually start by writing about two months' worth of strips over the course of two weeks. I often write more than I should so that I can weed out the weaker ones (or save 'em to publish if I get desperate for material).

I then select a month's worth of strips, draw them out in pencil, and ink them in with Micron pens. This takes roughly four days. Then I scan the strips into my computer, add borders and text, and shade and color them in Photoshop. This takes about 1½ - 2 weeks. Finally, I email the strips electronically for syndication. I then render the next month's strips; when they're finished, it's time for some new writing.

What's your favorite part of the process?

  My absolute favorite part of the process is working on the strips in Photoshop. It's actually relaxing.I'll put on the TV or radio in the background and just.color. I feel like I'm in the third grade again.

I enjoy the writing, too, but it's much more intense. Once I get into a writing mode, it's hard to turn it off. My poor kids will be demanding attention, and I'll be thinking of punch lines in my head. That's why I can't suddenly switch gears from writing to illustrating during a typical day.

Are your characters based on you and your family?

  My characters are originally based on us, but they've slowly evolved into their own personalities. In real life, I'm a little introverted. My husband is gregarious. The wife/husband characters are reversed - Jill is definitely more outgoing, and Rob's the quiet one. Ways that we're similar: the character Jill and I are both incredibly antsy, type A people. The character Rob and my husband are both laid-back, logical thinkers.

The child characters aren't much like my own children, but that may change as the characters age. The older character, Amy, is pretty mischievous and rambunctious. Younger Jess is really more of a tag-along who does whatever Amy does. Their personalities will develop more as time goes on. The strip is mainly about Jill rather than her kids (or her viewpoint of them), so I've really only focused on Jill's interactions with them, not on the kids alone.

The Grandma character is actually derived from my own grandma-in-law, but only from one aspect of her personality. In real life, she is a sweet individual, a constant worrier. The character, Grandma Sophie, is more of a pill.she likes to complain and pick on Jill a lot. My real grandma-in-law doesn't do that, but she does worry that I don't cook ten-course meals for my family.

Who is Perfectville derived from?

Perfectville is a conglomeration of different families I have secretly admired or envied even as I've proclaimed not wanting to be anything like 'em. They represent Jill's internal struggle between opposing forces: wanting to be the Happy Homemaker vs. wanting to be the Independent Working Woman.
Deep, I know.

How many papers are you in?

Somewhere between not quitting my day job and having my cartoon characters suction-cupped to the inside of a minivan.

Do you believe in the "Mommy Wars"?

  Yes and no. I know there are some people out there who can be self-righteous and proclaim that being a stay-at-home mom or being a working mother is the best way. But most women I know are open-minded and have done both to different degrees.

I think women should do whatever makes them happy. But I also think that many women (regardless of "job") take on much more than they should which can ultimately make them unhappy and stressed. I think that's our nature. My comic strip deals with this type of stress a lot.tempered with humor.

Are there female characters in the strip that aren't working moms?

I've introduced side characters who are friends of Jill's to represent different facets of motherhood. Nanci works part-time. Deb home schools her kids. Lisa left a high-profile job to be a stay-at-home mom. And Jill left her part-time corporate job to work as a full-time freelancer at home. I'd also like to introduce a single working mother into the picture at some point.

Where do you get your ideas?

I always think this question really means: Where do you get your inspiration? In that case, I glean a lot of ideas from my family and friends. The strip is about a coping working mother, so the ideas come very naturally. My husband and friends have actually provided me with some very funny concepts, and my kids have unwittingly provided quite a few punch lines.

I usually keep a set of post-its on me wherever I go so that when the muse strikes, I can write down ideas before I forget 'em (which happens too often).

Where did the name "Pajama Diaries" come from?

  Twofold: It stems from Jill working from home, which means she can theoretically work in her pj's.

I also think the term "pajama" suggests an air of intimacy.

What are some things about you that most people would never know?

I used to be a Star Wars fanatic. Yes, I fully admit this.

I once had a cat named "Bubbelah." When I had to give her up due to my husband's allergies, I gave her to a friend who shortened her name to "Bubbles" -- thereby going from Jewish feline to stripper.

I minored in art history.

My husband proposed to me in a driveway with an empty jewelry box -- meaning he wanted me to pick out the ring -- and asked, "You wanna?" Good thing he's cute.

I'm an avid jogger.or used to be before syndication. I've run 5K's, 10K's, and enjoy nothing more than being outside listening to my MP3 player and the sound of my own wheezing breath.

As I said, I'm type A, which means I've probably gone over each strip ten times before it's published
(and still manage to offend people on occasion).