Name: Cecily von Ziegesar
Cecily von Ziegesar grew up in New York City and attended a private girls’ school. She always wanted to be a writer, and she was always a gossip, so the GOSSIP GIRL and THE IT GIRL novels were inevitable.
First job:
Waitress at restaurant with roaches.
Worst job:
Waitress at restaurant with roaches.
Favourite place:
Primrose Hill in London.
Favourite NYC hotspot:
My patio, where I planted all these flowering trees and bamboo. I like to have friends over and hang out back there until the mosquitoes drive us indoors.
Guilty pleasure:
American Idol.
All-time favourite American Idol:
Kelly. I’m a huge fan.
Good luck charm:
Diamond earrings.
When you were a little girl you thought you would grow up to be a…? Writer, always. I wanted to be a ballet dancer too, and a horse back rider, but writing won out in the end.
Favourite designer:
I don’t have one favourite designer. I have more like twenty. I like Diane von Furstenberg and Mark Jacobs and Theory and Issa and Celine. But I buy a lot clothes at Target. I just bought this amazing little black dress there by Patrick Robinson, one of those visiting designers that did a line just for Target. It fits so perfectly and it was only $27.99.
Favourite jeans:
My favourite jeans are Joes Jeans and Imitation of Christ.
Favourite movie:
It’s a Wonderful Life (I cry every time).
Biggest fashion blunder:
White duck feather jacket.
Next vacation destination:
I’m going to Rio de Janeiro soon with my husband. I’m very excited – I’ve always wanted to go to Brazil! You won’t catch me in one of those string thong bikini things though. Hello?!
French fry dip:
Stupid question: ketchup
Astrological sign:
Cancer
Lucky colour:
Don’t have one. I’m fickle that way.
Midnight snack:
Sleep.
Celebrity crush:
Madonna (she takes herself so seriously!).
Favorite book:
The Great Gatsby.
Item you can’t live without:
Fresh air? Not really, I’m very low maintenance. But I like my watered-down grapefruit juice first thing in the morning, followed by two cups of very strong milky coffee.
Check out this great interview with Cecily von Ziegesar!
BRANDON BUCHANAN
Brandon takes care of himself - almost too well. He's 100% straight but spends more time primping and preening than most of the women at Waverly. He couldn't be more different from Easy and isn't Easy's biggest fan - first he stole the love of Brandon's life, Callie, and now it looks like Jenny, who has also caught Brandon's eye, might want Easy too.
TINSLEY CARMICHAEL
When Tinsley gets kicked out of Waverly for being caught with ecstasy she goes from being famous to infamous. Gone but not forgotten she remains at the centre of much of the gossip at Waverly - but can she retain her position at the centre of the trio of Waverly's elite?
HEATH FERRO
Heath is one of the hottest (and horniest) boys in school. His nickname is Pony - because, allegedly, everyone has taken a ride. But with feisty girls like Jenny around he should be careful... A woman scorned may be tempted to reveal his tendency to exaggerate!
JENNY HUMPHREY
Curly haired, freckle faced Jenny is the new girl at Waverly Academy. But she's determined that it won't be long before she becomes Waverly's It Girl - and she'll go to any lengths to get there. Jenny has her work cut out though. There are plenty of girls vying for the position, not least her two gorgeous, stylish, Prada-clad roommates, Callie Vernon and Brett Messerschmidt who are less than impressed by Jenny's arrival. While Jenny may not have clicked with the girls of Waverly, the boys are a lot more welcoming. Might this have something to do with the rumours that have followed Jenny from the city? Or perhaps it's her DD chest? Either way there's trouble brewing for Jenny when she attracts the attention of the wrong guy - Callie's long term boyfriend...
BRETT MESSERSCHMIDT
It may be Brett's fiery red hair that grabs everyone's attention but it's her stunning good looks and confident authority that holds it. As class prefect she's in the know about (almost) everything that goes on at Waverly, which means she understands how vitally important it is to keep certain secrets - and she has her fair share of those... Last year she, Callie and Tinsley were the reigning princesses of Waverly's elite, but with Tinsley gone their position isn't quite as secure - could a newcomer take the crown?
CALLIE VERNON
Being the daughter of the governor of Georgia, Callie has all the right connections to put her at the top of Waverly's social hierarchy. And her all-American look with her strawberry blonde hair and pretty hazel eyes make her very popular with Waverly's male residents. She's broken a few hearts in her time, not least Brandon Buchanan who she dumped in order to date Easy Walsh. Callie knows that with Tinsley gone staying at the top is going to take hard work and determination, and if someone else has to be sacrificed in the process, well, Callie doesn't really care!
EASY WALSH
Easy is an amazing artist and is desperate to leave school and go to Paris. But his relatives have been Waverly graduates for generations and tradition dictates that he has to follow in their footsteps. Luckily for him Waverly has a few plus points to make his time there easier, his girlfriend Callie for example. And the new girl...
EXTRACT: Devious - An It Girl Novel (Download Pdf)
