Deirdre Reilly is an award-winning humor columnist whose syndicated column runs in many Massachusetts newspapers and is distributed nationally by Gatehouse News Service. Her commentary has also appeared in such papers as the Boston Herald, the Hartford Courant, and Metrowest Daily News on the topics of post 9/11 war and the country’s political discourse. She has also had a short story published in the prestigious Cimarron Review.
Deirdre is a "Writer of the Month" of the Erma Bombeck Writer's Group, and was the Midwest Book Review’s Editor’s Choice for her book Exhausted Rapunzel - Tales of Modern Castle Life, the month of its debut.
Deirdre is a returning guest on television's CN8 programming and Boston's WBZ radio, and has been a guest on other radio stations throughout the country in support of her first book. She is also a humorous guest speaker, presenting for school and business groups such as Nokia and The Business and Professional Women's Association. A commercial based on one of Deirdre’s columns and starring Deirdre and her family was filmed by ABC –TV/Boston and aired with heavy rotation to promote their morning programming. Deirdre was also the first guest on the Coast to Coast radio program the evening after radio legend Art Bell retired, and George Noory took the reins.
Deirdre also hosted the “Talking Family” segment on Lowell Sunrise Radio, and from April ’05-February ’06 hosted “The Exhausted Rapunzel Family Hour” radio show on am 1060 WBIX in Boston, the radio version of her popular book.
What’s Up Now: Deirdre began work on another book in 2007, and as of November 2009 is nearing completion. The book is a mystery, and is a departure from her comfort zone of humor. Her column, now nationally syndicated, is appearing in more and more papers each week, and is enjoying tremendous growth.
Deirdre is married and has three sons. She lives just outside Boston, MA.
Odds and Ends:
Most Mind-blowing books: Deirdre is a huge C.S. Lewis fan, and has studied almost all of his work, as well as the work of some of his greatest influences. Her favorites by C.S. Lewis: The Screwtape Letters and Mere Christianity. She loved the movie version of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Prince Caspian – not so much. She has also read everything Anne Tyler has ever written, and is a huge fan of Gail Godwin, John Steinbeck, (favorite: Travels with Charley) and Ray Bradbury.
Best Time of Day: Dusk. Favorite Place: Cape May Point, New Jersey.
The Midwest Book Review writes: “Exceptionally well-written by Deirdre Reilly, Exhausted Rapunzel - Tales of Modern Castle Life is a treasure trove of family humor that touches upon everything from daring to see familiar faces at a high school reunion to coping with the foibles of a pet dog to how a new baby turns everyone's lives upside-down. From cover to cover, Exhausted Rapunzel is a delightful, heartwarming, entertaining read.“