How did you get started with drawing? Was it always a passion of yours?

Drawing people, especially moms and kids, has been a hobby for as long as I can remember. Here is a drawing from the early 1990's that I did. The peach marker has faded, but it's pretty similar to my current style.

I love how your illustrations highlight universal truths about motherhood. Was there a moment when you realized they were resonating with people?

When I was starting to share comics about mom life I still thought a lot of aspects were idiosyncratic to my kids. Bedtime: the boardgame resonated with so many people which I was surprised by. Now it lives in my book Mom Milestones.

Can you tell me about your path to becoming a published author and contributor to Cup of Jo (among others)? Was it always your goal to become an author/illustrator?

I didn't ever envision becoming an illustrator, but I wish I had! I think if there had been graphic novels for kids the way there is now, I might have considered this. I loved Archie comics growing up, and the first graphic novel by a woman that I encountered was La Perdida by Jessica Abel. My career plan was to become a physician. In college (for fun) I took a few classes at the art school RISD in their Illustration Department. The people in these classes were really talented, and I never thought that I would become an illustrator since I was already planning to go to med school. Once I was done with my medical training my boss at my first hospitalist job had seen on my CV that I had written a comic strip in college (why was this on my CV?!) and suggested I start making medical comics, which was a new trend called "Graphic Medicine." I ended up writing this comic. I started sharing comics on Instagram in 2018 and I made a comic about attending Mari Andrew's book launch, which is how I first connected with Joanna I think. Around that time Netflix Family asked me to make some comics for their Instagram and I remember thinking that this was not something I ever expected to do, but it was thrilling to have this opportunity.

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You have an extremely demanding day job as a doctor. How do you find time to create art?

I work as a hospitalist (a doctor who takes care of patients in the hospital) and I see adult patients who are hospitalized. My schedule these days is usually a week at a time working with the residents and med students, or a couple evening shifts here are there, so I have some time to work on my creative projects during school days. I enjoy having a creative outlet--it is a huge privilege.

I'm very excited about your forthcoming graphic memoir. Can you share anything about your process for creating it? When is it anticipated to be released?

My graphic memoir is called See One Do One Teach One, and follows my life from the beginning of med school through residency. It was much harder to make than I originally thought. I definitely embarked on this project thinking it would just be straightforward, and I totally underestimated the kind of narrative “shaping” and pruning you need to make a memoir. I also tend to be a sunny person who papers over the darker moments of my life, and to go back to some of the times in med school and residency was emotionally more fraught than I realized! This period coincides with me meeting my husband, so he is in a lot of it too which is nice to return to! It should be out in March 2026.

I'm incredibly jealous that you saw Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. If you had to pick one TS Era that best represents you, what would it be and why?

My sister and I went and it was so nice to go with her! Such a special sister trip. It's so hard to commit to a favorite era! Maybe folklore, I love world-building and story-telling.

We bonded over our shared love of romance novels. What would you choose if you had to pick your top five romance novels?

This is almost as hard as choosing my favorite era. Some of my favorites: The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory (love all of her books, but this is my fave), Anchored Hearts by Priscilla Oliveras (love this Key West series! This book made me cry!), A Wicked Game by Kate Bateman (love all of her books), Intercepted by Alexa Martin (I love the whole series--very hard to pick a favorite), The Ex-Vows by Jessica Joyce (a recent love!) [editor’s note: these are flawless picks!]

Do you have a favorite romance trope? One that you dislike?

Yes, hands-down second-chance romance. I love the pretzel the author has to navigate to have the original break-up or separation happen, but not have it be so grievously bad that the reconciliation is impossible! And it sets up such a swoony rekindling.

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What are you currently working on?

I'm finishing up See One Do One Teach One and finalizing the cover on a picture book that comes out in January called More than a Million.

Anything else you'd like to share? Where can readers find you?

Currently reading: Just finished Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley, which was terrific, and halfway through Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis, which is also excellent. You can find me on Instagram @coupdegracefarris, on Substack

Grace Farris

, and on my website farrisgrace.com.

Thank you, Grace!