"Last Girls"

Demetra Brodsky is an award-winning art director and designer turned writer. She has a B.F.A. from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design and lives in Southern California with her family of four and two lovable rescue dogs. Dive Smack, her debut YA thriller, is dedicated to the Monarch butterfly she once saved from the brink of death.

Brodsky applied the Page 69 Test to her new novel, Last Girls, and reported the following:

The Page 69 Test worked beautifully for me. Due to Covid-19 there is a delay in shipping so I'm using the ARC (Advance Reader's Copy), but on page 69 of Last Girls, my sophomore novel, we get to see Dieter Ackerman, the villain in the story more clearly. He is of course introduced early on, but here we experience the tension that he puts on the members that reside on the secret prepper compound where he is the leader. There is a group meeting being held because one of the members (Daniel) failed on a mission and brought unwanted attention to their coalition, and Dieter is chastising everyone involved with the mission he assigned for their lack of good judgement. Any attention focused on the group could expose their location and operations. The main character Honey shows her fear for her sister Birdie's safety during this scene because it is Birdie and Daniel who are at the focal point for speculation.

Here is a quote from the page:

"Earlier today," Dieter starts, "it was brought to my attention that certain coalition members sent on a level on civilian interaction training mission were not as discreet as instructed. The OPTEMPO was too fast. Too rash. And unsanctioned distraction methods were used. Because of that, we're going to change the way we do a few things until the scent clinging to our location and operation dies down. Most everyone involved extricated themselves from the situation. Except Daniel, who was left holding the bag. Metaphorically speaking."

Holding Birdie's bag. Holding Birdie's bag. Holding Birdie's bag.

That's all I can give your readers without spoilers. I hope you love reading about the Juniper sisters as much I loved writing their story.

Learn more about Last Girls at Demetra Brodsky's website.

Coffee with a Canine: Demetra Brodsky & L.B. and Ponyboy Curtis.

Q&A with Demetra Brodsky.

--Marshal Zeringue