Photo courtesy of Kellyn McMahon.
Kellyn McMahon, an Oak Mountain resident, with her son and daughter who were her inspiration for writing her book, “Touchdown Auburn!”
Oak Mountain resident Kellyn McMahon didn’t set out to write a children’s book in the early months of 2020, but that’s exactly what happened.
The nurse practitioner, who graduated from nursing school at Auburn University, wanted to share her love of all things Auburn with her children. While searching for a book to share with them, McMahon had specific ideas in mind.
McMahon grew up going to Auburn games and knew all of the game day traditions. She has always enjoyed using books as a teaching tool, and needed the perfect book to teach her son all things “Auburn game day.” After being unsatisfied with the selection of books available, she decided to write a book of her own.
Her five-year-old son and three-year-old daughter were the inspiration for “Touchdown Auburn!,” a familiar phrase for Auburn football fans and also the title of her new book.
“When my son was three years old, I was thinking about the possibility of taking him to his first Auburn game,” recalls McMahon. “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I was unable to take him in 2020, but he did get to go to his first game in 2021.
“I had no idea what I was getting into, but it was a fun process,” she said.
McMahon said she wanted to start her writing journey with what she knew and loved best: Auburn football. The entire process from coming up with the idea to having the book in hand took McMahon about two years.
With the purpose of capturing the Auburn University game day experience, “Touchdown Auburn!” is aimed at parents and grandparents who want to share their love of Auburn football with the next generation. McMahon has also written a similar book for young Alabama fans, but it has not yet been published.
Due to licensing restrictions by Auburn University (one of the things McMahon didn't know when she started), she was required to utilize an established publisher with a licensing agreement (Mascot Books). Most of the two years were spent getting approvals from the university, layouts and fonts and each step along the way had to be approved by Auburn University, she said.
“I really have just gotten my feet under me with this book,” she said. “I have dabbled with other ideas for children's books and love reading them to my kids. It's certainly not off the table, but my plate is full right now.”
I really have just gotten my feet under me with this book. I have dabbled with other ideas for children’s books and love reading them to my kids. It’s certainly not off the table, but my plate is full right now.
Kellyn McMahon
McMahon encourages young writers to consider alternate avenues of publishing, especially if a book doesn’t have to follow licensing restrictions. She encourages prospective authors to look into self-publishing as one way to get their work out to the public quicker than traditional publishing routes.
The book was first published in early April of 2022 and has already been placed in many of the Auburn bookstores. McMahon said her family and friends have been buying it to support her.
“Luckily, I have sold so many copies that I have already needed a second printing,” she said.
McMahon will be having a book signing on campus at the Auburn University Bookstore this fall.
For more information on her book, visit touchdownauburnbook.com.
