Danielle McKechnie's big change has paid off

We're pleased to meet Danielle McKechnie today and learn more about her debut adult romance, This Changes Everything. The premise sounds intriguing and the cover is perfect for the upcoming season! We enjoyed her thoughtful answers to our questions and hope you will too. 

After studying at Circle in the Square Theatre School, Danielle McKechnie moved to Los Angeles and transitioned to behind-the-scenes where she worked throughout the entertainment industry in film, television, traditional radio, and live entertainment. She now lives in her hometown of Vancouver with her husband and two daughters. Visit Danielle at her website and on Instagram

Synopsis:

Ellie McCain has always dreamed of a bigger life, so when she’s accepted into a prestigious acting school in New York City, she packs her bags—even if it means leaving her family, her friends, and Rory Campbell, the boy who held her heart for years, behind. 

At first, life in New York is even better than she’d dreamed it would be—she loves her classes, she gets a position at a fancy production company, and she’s even falling in love with her classmate-turned-roommate-turned-best friend, Ben. But soon the shine starts to wear off: her boss has made it clear that the only role he’ll be casting her in is “Unpaid Intern #3”, and while she’s happy that Ben’s career is starting to take off, she’s struggling to stay afloat. And it doesn’t help that everyone around her seems to be passing her by—even her childhood sweetheart, Rory, is living out his dreams as a Professional Golfer. But when she runs into Rory for the first time in ten years, she starts to wonder what exactly it is she’s running from, where is she going, and who is running with her.

Told in alternating timelines of the past and present and moving between Vancouver, New York, and Los Angeles, This Changes Everything is the story of love—first love, one-that-got-away-love, and true love—and asks if maybe, just maybe, all of those loves can be one and the same.

"A funny, gripping, and honest love story that is just as much a self-love story, This Changes Everything is about what happens when the people who have shaped us never really leave us." 
— Jessica Siskin, author of Looks Perfect

"A tender, nostalgic slow burn about first loves, second chances, and the many roles we play throughout our lives." 
— Kristyn J. Miller, author of Given Our History

"Swoony and transportive, Danielle McKechnie has penned a heartfelt love letter to anyone navigating the highs and lows of chasing a big dream. Five huge stars!" 
— Kristy Woodson Harvey, New York Times bestselling author of Summer State of Mind

 

What was it like to go from writing middle grade graphic novels to an adult contemporary romance?

I’ve written a lot of scripts, spec scripts, and pitches over the years, so flipping genres is something I’ve always enjoyed doing. My process always starts with character development, and even in a fantastical setting, I attempt to make my characters as real and as grounded as possible. Who are they? How did they get that way? What’s their want, and what’s standing in their way? The experience is universal, and it’s just the voice that changes. All characters battle monsters at the end of the day. Some are literal. Some are metaphorical. The style and tone of This Changes Everything are as close to “my voice” as it gets.
 
How is Ellie similar to or different from you?
Though Ellie and I are similar in so many ways, and she’s a part of me, she’s not me. We’ve walked similar roads, but we’ve lived different lives. 
 
If This Changes Everything was made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles?
I see them so very clearly in my head, but they look like no one I know. I think I would want “unknown” actors. I don’t think I would want someone to look at whoever played Ellie, Rory, or Ben, and think of that person. I would want them to look at the actor and think of the character.
 
What is your favorite autumn dessert?
I love to bake, and autumn is my favorite time to do it. I’m a cookie girl, and my snickerdoodles are out of control. Plus, I’ll take a pie over a cake any day, any time, any place.
 
 
Which book made you fall in love with reading?

Okay, this is going to sound a little out there, and please know that I’m aware of that. But the chaotic love lives of Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield in the Sweet Valley Twins series had me feeling all sorts of feelings growing up. Those girls had me twisted up in knots. 

Back to the idea of a genre flip, I can’t relate to something like Euphoria or Gossip Girl, but I can relate to the madness of a fifteen-year-old’s mind. I’d love to write a high school series that’s nostalgic, and funny, and relentlessly unapologetic, much like a fifteen-year-old. The kind of book where a parent would think, “Oh God, I don’t know if my kid should be reading that inner monologue,” but also, “Oh God, that was exactly what that felt like.”
 

 
What is the last movie you saw that you would recommend?
The Invite. I loved the script. I love Seth Rogen. Olivia Wilde ate that up. Esther Perel was a consultant, and she is a queen. I loved it.

Thanks to Danielle for visiting with us and Harper Perennial for arranging the interview.

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