She was also a sickly child growing up in Greece and frail, so Birdie, in a name, is a nod to that even though my Birdie is a strong firecracker.

My mother is also the middle of three sisters, and that trio repeating with us always intrigued me. My mother is the middle sister and as fearless as Birdie. It was a moniker applied to me by my sisters, as siblings are known to tease one another, but the truth is I was always the artsy, creative one, the black sheep, and my siblings were not shy about letting me know. The youngest one of three sisters, so I identify strongly with Blue, who they claim is the weirdest of the weirds. The idea of writing a story about sisters was born in me a long time ago, and I’m thrilled that I could put three sisters on the page. I’m so glad to hear the sibling aspect of the story resonated with you. I’d love to hear about the inspiration for this trio. The Juniper sisters definitely fill that void. I love that this is a “sibling” story-they’re often underrepresented in YA. In this interview with The Big Thrill, Brodsky shares the inspiration behind the story and her characters, as well as what she hopes readers will take away from her taut, thought-provoking thriller. And the one place they thought was safe might not be safe after all. Their education doesn’t come in the form of textbooks-they’re learning to hunt, homestead, and ultimately survive.īut when danger strikes and their training is put to the ultimate test, the sisters realize that they aren’t quite prepared for any situation. The story centers on three sisters-Honey, Birdie, and Blue-who live on a secret compound in the Washington wilderness where they are preparing for the end of the world. Brodsky’s nail-biting doomsday prep thriller is a 2020 ITW award nominee for the young adult category. It’s been almost a year since Demetra Brodsky’s second book hit shelves-but just like her buzz-worthy debut, 2018’s Dive Smack, LAST GIRLS continues to rack up the accolades.

Dive Smack by Demetra Brodsky