Writing "Molly Moon"

“ The idea for Molly Moon was born in the country, in England. I was sitting at a table in my Mum’ s kitchen. It was a wet afternoon and the rain was pelting down outside. I was having a cup of tea and a biscuit. Paddy, the black spaniel, sat on the floor, looking longingly up.

“ Picking up the biscuit, I watched his eyes follow it. I took a bite. His eyes were glued to the digestive, and as I moved it slowly from side to side, so his eyes swing left and right. He looked hypnotized. A funny thought sprung into my head. I wondered whether a dog could be hypnotized. By an adult or … by a child. Actually, I thought, could a child hypnotize a person? A child who could would have so much fun. In fact they’ d be incredibly powerful. Bingo! The idea was alive.

“ I didn’ t actually start work on MOLLY MOON for a year. But all through that year, my mind was tossing the hypnotism idea about. And every time it crossed my mind, it still felt exciting and like a great vehicle that would drive a story. I found myself thinking about situations where hypnotism would be very handy, and I couldn’ t help concocting characters who would be funny to hypnotize.

“ I tried to remember all the films I’ d seen about hypnotism. I watched a few again. I read about hypnotists and even tried to hypnotize my friend.

“ I knew that Molly was going to be someone who would rise right to the top using her hypnotic powers. So I thought she should start right at the bottom. I reckoned that a dingy, cold orphanage run by an old trout would be a good bottom-of-the-heap place for Molly to live, and to make matters worse for her, Idecided she would be unpopular, always in trouble, and even odd-looking too.

“ Everyone knows or has known characters who don’ t quite fit— who nasty people pick on— who underneath are very special. Molly is one of these. She’ s a rusty tin on the outside, but inside she’ s full of diamonds. She really deserved to be catapulted away from all her troubles. She deserved a chance. And so I let Molly Moon find the incredible Book of Hypnotism. I let her be the heroine of my book. And I must say, she’ s been a great person to get to know. In fact I like her so much, that I’ m taking Molly on another adventure, in another book. But that’ s a different story … ”

In the sequel to the "New York Times" bestseller "Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism," Molly hypnotizes her way to the Academy Awards( in Los Angeles and soon finds herself in the middle of a dangerous investigation.

In the sequel to the "New York Times" bestseller "Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism," Molly hypnotizes her way to the Academy Awards( in Los Angeles and soon finds herself in the middle of a dangerous investigation.

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Hypnotism!

Molly Moon has spent her entire life in a miserable orphanage run by the hairy, snaggletoothed Miss Adderson. But when she finds a mysterious book, Molly discovers an extraordinary talent — she can hypnotize anyone! Accompanied by Petula the pug, Molly hypnotizes her way to New York and Broadway stardom. But hot on her trail is the sinister professor, who is determined to use Molly to stage the crime of a century . . .

Georgia Byng read some minds and knew that this book should be written.