Kathie: Welcome back to MG Book Village, Amy! I’m so glad we have a chance to chat again, this time about your June 20th release from Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers called THE MCNIFFICENTS. Can you tell our readers a bit about it, please?
Amy: Hello! Thank you for having me. The McNifficents tells the story of the six McNiff children and their nanny, Lord Tennyson (who happens to be a very distinguished Miniature Schnauzer). Every day, he does his best to care for the children and keep them from destroying their pink New England farmhouse—and the rest of the town for that matter. But when summer vacation brings the kids home together all day, his chaos-containing skills are put to the ultimate test.
Baby Sweetums is still refusing to walk, nap, or listen to anyone; Ezra is trying to keep a snake as a secret pet; Annie and Mary’s fighting is worse than ever; while Pearl and Tate are scared of just about everything. And when a particularly tempting trio of baby chicks arrives at the house, even Lord Tennyson finds he can’t stay on his best behavior. He starts to wonder – is he really the dog for the job? Together, they will learn that each McNiff member has an important and special role to play – just like everyone who has ever been born into a family.
Kathie: This is the first book where your protagonist is an animal. Can you tell us a bit about Lord Tennyson and why you chose to tell the story from his perspective?
Amy: I thought it would be funny if a pet dog really thought he was the nanny to his family. At first I wrote the story from the rotating point of view of the six siblings, but for one chapter I tried out Lord Tennyson, the dignified schnauzer. Because he wasn’t a sibling or directly involved in their conflicts, his powers of observation felt more powerful and omniscient. It was also a new writing challenge as Lord Tennyson can’t speak, so he does a lot of effective communicating through his bark, paws, and stern eyebrow raising. It made me think about how a very intelligent and protective pet dog might interpret our human behavior.
Kathie: There’s a lot of humor in this story, which is something I think many young readers are looking for these days. Do you find that easier or more challenging to write than a heavier topic like ALS in The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair?
Amy: I am drawn to weighty, deeply emotional topics, especially ones involving the human body, but I think I needed something lighter too, something that made me laugh out loud several times (this did). The McNifficents has the drama of family life, but with much lighter subject matters. In that sense I suppose it was a bit easier, although humor is also hard to write and it took me just as many drafts as my other novels. It did bring a lot of joy to write, and I hope that joy is something readers feel, as well.
Kathie: I know you incorporate elements of your real life in your stories. How is the McNifficent family’s mayhem similar to something in your own life, and what scene was one of the most enjoyable for you to write?
Amy: We actually have a Miniature Schnauzer named Lord Tennyson (who obviously adores poetry) and I have four children who have grown up loving him. Like the McNiff family, there is a lot of mayhem all of the time, but it’s also incredibly endearing to witness the love between your children and their childhood dog. For instance, when they were younger, my kids would often say “Tenny” was their best friend. An enjoyable scene to write features Lord Tennyson’s hero, Mr. McNiff, who is a tap-dancing-singing-drama-loving teacher who is constantly trying to rally the children to clean up after themselves. His character is based on a very funny and delightful cousin I have.
Kathie: Can you tell me one thing that might surprise us to know about this story?
Amy: “Naughty Mary” was inspired by my mother as a child (she’s slightly more reformed now). The “Naughty Mary Paints the Fence” scene? It really happened like that. Her older sister still holds a grudge (probably because my mother still thinks it was genius and one of her greatest pranks).
Kathie: Are you more of a plotter or a pantser, and what part of the writing process do you enjoy the most?
Amy: I suppose I’m a mixture of the two, a “plantser.” I have a lot of ideas and notes written in Google docs, Scrivener, and yellow legal pads. I write outlines for many key scenes, and often know where I want to start and end a chapter. But getting from the beginning to the end is an act of faith: me sitting in the chair, writing one word after the other, not exactly sure how we’re going to get through the middle. The blank page is pretty torturous; I’d much rather refine and edit something I’ve already written.
Kathie: Can you share one book that you have on your summer reading list?
Amy: I’m finally going to read both “Zoe Washington” books by Janae Marks!
Kathie: Where can our readers go to find out more about you and your writing?
Amy: Instagram: @amymakechnie
Website: amymakechnie.com
Weekly newsletter: amymakechnie.substack.com
Kathie: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, and best of luck with your book’s release.
Amy: Thank you very much, Kathie!
Amy Makechnie is the author of the critically acclaimed middle grade novels The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair and Ten Thousand Tries, both of which received multiple starred reviews and have been on numerous state and “best of” book lists. The McNifficents launches July 20th, 2023 and tells the story of six rambunctious children and their nanny (who happens to be a very dignified Miniature Schnauzer). A former Anatomy and Physiology teacher and soccer coach, Amy is also mother to four children, enjoys running the picturesque roads in her small New Hampshire town, and is learning how to paint and draw more than stick figures.
Stay in touch with Amy on Instagram and by subscribing to her newsletter.
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