Latest news with #TimmyFailure
Entrepreneur
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Entrepreneur
'Timmy Failure,' 'Pearls Before Swine' Creator Stephan Pastis on Creativity
The author of the hilarious "Timmy Failure" book series and longtime cartoonist of "Pearls Before Swine" dives deep into his creative process. Ever get so absorbed in your work that you forget to eat? That's nothing compared to best-selling author and cartoonist Stephan Pastis who told me, " I kid you not, when I'm coming out of a writing session, when I walk out the front door of the studio, I don't always do it, but I will often look down to make sure I have pants on. That's how lost in my own brain I get." Pastis's pants-optional procedure is peculiar, but it is productive. (Try saying that five times fast.) The man has written eight books for his hilarious children's series "Timmy Failure," he co-wrote the script for the film adaptation, and at last count, has written, drawn, and published 41 collections of his Pearls Before Swine comic strip. I spoke with Pastis for our show How Success Happens, because, well, he's pretty damn successful in two markets that are insanely hard to crack. And while his achievements should give him license to live a my-poop-don't-stink existence, he is down-to-earth, thoughtful, curious and has just the right amount of gleeful madness you want in a comedic genius. A few things I was delighted to learn during our conversation: His career is based on a burning desire to quit his career. " I was a lawyer for 10 years, and I didn't want to be a lawyer. So in the early days, success for me meant making a living by doing cartooning and being able to quit the law. In that, I succeeded." Creative success is all in your head. " Rick Rubin wrote the best book I've ever read on creativity. He gives this definition of creative success: When the work you can hear in your head is executed to the best of your ability and you're satisfied with it. When you reach that point, that's it. Everything that happens after that, commercially, critically, whatever, you can't control that. So he shifts that point of success, and I love that. That has sort of been my thing ever since I read that." Forcing it never works. "Finding an idea or a joke is kind of like you're trying to pet a cat in a room. If you run at that cat and say, 'Come here, cat!' that is not gonna work. The muse is like that cat, you have to sit there still in a room, relax, and in her own time, that cat will come to you." Speed Round!
Sharjah 24
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Sharjah 24
Expose kids to diverse disciplines: Author Stephan Pastis at SCRF
Armed with nothing but a sketchpad, a marker, and a beautiful sense of humour, Pastis guided his audience through the art of cartooning, showing how a simple tweak of the eyebrows could conjure up a world of emotion. 'Want to draw a grumpy face? Bring the eyebrows together and point them upwards. For a bored face, angle them down. That's all there is to it,' he quipped, as beanbag-bound children followed along, giggling. Pastis, who left behind a career in law to pursue his first love—cartooning—marks 25 years of Pearls Before Swine next year. His signature character, the hapless detective Timmy Failure, has become a global phenomenon, with the series now translated into 37 languages and delighting readers across continents. Yet for all the acclaim, Pastis's core message to parents and educators was quietly profound. 'My theory is that children should be exposed to as many different disciplines as possible—music, art, drawing, whatever sparks their interest. You never know which one will light their fire,' he reflected. 'For me, it was the Peanuts comic strip. My parents gave it to me when I was young and it was love at first sight—I knew instantly what I wanted to do with my life.' This is Pastis's first visit to the UAE, and he is visibly moved by the curiosity and energy of his young readers. 'The kids have been super-fun and enthusiastic. It's been a pleasure,' he said, his words echoing the festival's ethos of creativity and open exploration. Now in its 16th edition, the Sharjah Children's Reading Festival organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) is a sprawling celebration of stories and ideas, drawing families into a world where literature meets technology, science, and the arts. Running until May 4 at Expo Centre Sharjah, this year's festival invites children to 'Dive into Books' with more than 600 workshops and activities spanning pixel art, chemistry, robotics, storytelling, and beyond. For more information on the programme and visiting details, check
