Karen Montague-Reyes

Cartoonist Karen Montague-Reyes lives in a world parallel to the universe she has created for her comic-strip characters, where the clash of cultures in a large, diverse family makes every day a challenge.

Like the Torres family of "Clear Blue Water," Karen and her husband, Will, have five children, and the youngest are twins. Will is Cuban, and Karen is of mixed race — her maternal grandfather is African American and Native American; her father is white.

Born in Washington, D.C., Karen met Will delivering pizzas to earn extra money in college at Humboldt State University in Arcata, Calif., where Karen majored in art with an emphasis on teaching.

Today, in her "spare time," Karen enjoys painting. She and Will, a U.S. Park Service ranger, make their home at the water's edge in the Florida Keys. For more information and examples of "Clear Blue Water," visit www.amuniveral.com/ups.