Thornbird is the new young adult thriller by E. Kennedy, author of the Off Campus series. We asked E. to give us some behind–the–scenes intel on her love of thrillers, why there’s romance in Thornbird, and what inspired her to make the move from romance to thriller.
What was the first thriller novel you ever read?
The first thrillers were those super short teen horror books from Christopher Pike and R. L. Stine! I was obsessed with them. My first adult thriller was A Time to Kill by John Grisham, and from there I was hooked on both legal thrillers and anything by Stephen King.
What true crime podcast are you loving right now?
My Favorite Murder and Crime Junkie are my top choices!
What made you want to add romance into Thornbird?
I got my start writing romantic suspense, so romance has always been dear to my heart, and it’s hard for me not to include a romantic element in a story. For Thornbird, adding romance also brought another layer to Ryan’s story. Returning to Starling, she has to deal with high school, her father’s crimes, and a secret identity, so why not add a love triangle to the mix?
Who’s your favorite detective character?
In movies, I would say Clarice Starling from The Silence of the Lambs. For book detectives, I will forever have a soft spot for Nancy Drew!
What inspired you to write Thornbird? It is so different from anything you’ve ever written before!
The suspense genre is actually a large part of my writing history. I got my start writing romantic suspense books, so this was a nice return to one of my favorite genres.
What’s your favorite part of writing young adult and thrillers?
In a thriller, the emphasis is what drives the character to keep going—whether that’s their mission, their survival, or how they navigate high-stakes situations. The fun part is telling a story that keeps the readers guessing, but what I love about writing these types of stories is that sometimes the plot will take me somewhere unexpected. I always have a detailed outline to keep track of the threads and twists, but every now and then, I’ll suddenly find myself going in a direction I didn’t plan.
Share with us your favorite quote from Thornbird.
“You think I don’t have darkness too? That’s part of life, Ryan. The dark just makes the light feel worthwhile. And you . . . you make it worthwhile.”
Describe Thornbird in three emojis.
😳 ❤️🩹 🤯
