PR.com (Allison Kugel): I read your children’s book (Presenting… Tallulah) to my seventeen month old son last night. I don’t know if it’s meant for boys, but he enjoyed it.

Tori Spelling: It’s totally meant for boys! Liam loved it.

PR.com: I’m going to go out on a limb here and assume that Tallulah is little Tori (laughs)…

Tori Spelling: Tallulah is loosely based on me, yes.

PR.com: Does Tallulah’s story reflect how you felt as a kid?

Tori Spelling: In some ways. I definitely didn’t have that home life. My mom and dad were really cool; they weren’t strict like that. But since I was telling a story about a little girl I made that part up. At school I did feel that way a lot. I felt like I was teased by the other kids for who I was and what we had.

PR.com: Was there anyone in particular when you were young who made you feel more normal or more comfortable in your own skin?

Tori Spelling: In the book, Tallulah has a best friend named Max, who is based on my best friend in real life. And he has definitely been that person for me. In the story they grow up together, but in real life, my best friend Mehran and I have been best friends since we were fifteen. So he is definitely that. And I was always into animals. My animals always made me feel normal, and in the book she has [her dog] Mimi who is based on my pug who passed away, Mimi La Rue.

click to read interview with Tori Spelling