Fun With Tilly the Trickster Author Molly Shannon

I’ve worked with a few amazing celebrities in my time as a publicist. The esteemed Tim Gunn, arguably one of the most fashionable and fantastic men to appear on television in the past decade. Tina Louise, who remains one of the most desirable women of all time.

And this fall, Molly Shannon. She has quickly become my favorite celebrity author. An icon of Saturday Night Live, her credits go far beyond that show. She is a mother, a comedian, an actress, and, most exciting to me, the author of a hilarious and heartfelt children’s book TILLY THE TRICKSTER, which was published in September.

Like Molly, her character Tilly has E N E R G Y! Lots of it. At book signings Molly talks to everyone. No fan goes away without having a moment with her. Booksellers and festival organizers get lots of time with Molly behind the scenes to share their stories and hear hers. Readers get to ask her questions and have them answered, either with humor or with a candor that I have rarely seen in a person as high profile as Molly is. Molly Shannon personifies who an kids author should be–celebrity or not. She talks to fans. She loves meeting readers of her books. And she wants to know how kids react to books, hers and others.

She had an amazing week of media in the last week of September. The Today Show, Parade magazine, Redbook magazine, a 10 city radio satellite tour, and 7 book signings.

Some photo highlights:

Molly poses at the Brook dale Elementary School in Naperville, IL, in front of an oversized Tilly illustration made by kids at the school.

Molly is interviewed in by Becky Anderson, ABA President and owner of Anderson’s Bookshop in Naperville, before a crowd of 200.

Molly with the cast of New York Live, seen on WNBC TV at 3pm in New York. The segment was broadcast in Taxi’s all over New York too!

Jason Wells is the Executive Director, Publicity and Marketing for Abrams Books for Young Readers, Amulet Books and Abrams Appleseed.

Tilly the Trickster by Molly Shannon, illustrated by Ard Hoyt, is available where books are sold.