Grace McCaffrey lives in New York City with her husband, their son Finn, and their dog, Moxie. Finn and Moxie happen to share some uncanny similarities with Knox and Fox. This is Grace’s first children’s book.
Q: What inspired the idea behind your book?
A: My son, Finn, has had plenty of his own toddler grievances. Rain was not the main one, but any manner of inconvenience could set him into a tailspin (like most toddlers). We’ve talked a lot about taking deep breaths, and we’ve also dabbled in trying to make un-fun things more fun. The main way to make anything fun is to suddenly obtain superpowers—ask any four-year-old.
Q: As an author, what tips would you give anyone who wants to get into writing?
A: Take a class! I started writing Knox & The Magic Raindrops shortly after I took a month-long virtual poetry class with the Writer’s Workshop at Authors Publish. Having the confidence to write comes from practice, and it is nicely complemented by encouragement from an engaged, warm community.
Q: What is your favorite book?
A: Some of my favorite children’s authors include Aaron Blabey, Jon Agee, Suzanne Lang, Jory John, Deborah Diesen, and Mo Willems, among many others. Lately, we’re especially enjoying Buffalo Fluffalo by Bess Kalb and the Grumpy Monkey books by Suzanne Lang.
Q: Was your main character modeled after anyone in your life?
A: Finn, my four-year-old, even down to some missing teeth!
Q: What is your favorite part about writing? Is plotting out the story, crafting dialogue, world-building, etc.?
A: World-building is certainly a favorite aspect. That, and asking Finn for his opinions on rhymes and storylines.
Q: Do you believe that being a “good writer” is a developed skill or a natural talent?
A: Wanting to be a writer is usually a natural inclination; being a writer or becoming a “good writer” are developed skills. Anyone who has the desire can do it.
Q: Do you have a favorite book, poem, TV, or movie quote?
A: Everything and anything by Ann Patchett. The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey and Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt also come to mind as favorites from the past few years. I love Kate Baer’s poetry as well.
Q: Would you write another book (or are you already writing another book)?
A: I’ve recently finished writing a sequel to Knox & The Magic Raindrops. This one shares the story of Knox helping to clean up trash that has infiltrated the park, and by proxy, Knox’s animal friends’ natural environment. It’s inspired by my experience with my own neighborhood and wanting to teach my son to care for his surroundings, even in (or especially in) very small ways.
Q: If there were an apocalypse and you could only take five books into your doomsday bunker, what would they be?
A: For Finn, the list is as follows:
Orangutan Tongs: Poems to Tangle Your Tongue by Jon Agee (to sharpen his tongue twister skills)
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown (a technology tale is a prerequisite in apocalypse conditions)
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss (more apocalypse-friendly lore)
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson (imagination-triggering!)
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren (she eats nails for breakfast!)
