Hector Cantu

Carlos Castellanos

Cantu created his first newspaper cartoon when he was 12. "It was a small-town newspaper that just happened to be owned by my brother, but I think it counts," Hector says. "It's called 'networking.'"

Cantu studied journalism at the University of Texas at Austin and today is editorial director at Heritage Auction Galleries in Dallas. He previously was managing editor at award-winning Hispanic Business magazine in Santa Barbara, CA, and his writing has appeared in Los Angeles Times Magazine and Hollywood Reporter.

He lives in Texas with his wife, Linda, and three kids: Maya, Sofia and Max.

Castellanos was always interested in drawing. "I remember my dad always drawing cartoons for me when I was kid," he says. At about age 7, he recalls watching his first episode of "Bewitched." Watching Darrin Stephens sitting behind a large drawing table and working from home, inspired the young man to do the same.

He began his freelance career as an illustrator in 1981, while still in college. He now keeps himself busy doing work for magazines, book publishers, ad agencies, corporate clients and of course Baldo. To browse through some of his more recent commercial work visit CarlosCastellanos.com.

Carlos lives in South Florida with his wife, Maria; sons Chase, Alec, Ty and family pooch Jet.

Books by Hector Cantu and Carlos Castellanos from Andrews McMeel Publishing include:

• The Lower You Ride, The Cooler You Are
• Night of the Bilingual Telemarketers