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!

NATE ARCHIBALD
N’s the golden haired, green eyed prince of the Upper East Side. Smart, sporty and seriously sexy, all the guys at St Jude’s want to be N. Especially as he happens to be best friends with Constance Billard’s hottest pupils – B & S. But can girls and boys really be just friends? And if they can’t who is N going to choose…

SERENA VAN DER WOODSEN
Everyone knows S – and once you know her you either want to be her or be with her. Upper East Side’s most notorious party girl rules Constance Billard School for Girls and the heart of any guy who lays eyes on her. Effortlessly gorgeous she’s got brains, beauty and a bottomless bank account. There is one thing missing from S’s seemingly perfect life though. But to get that would mean betraying BFF B, and even S isn’t capable of doing that, is she…?

BLAIR WALDORF
B’s been raised to believe that whatever B wants, B gets. She’s charming, clever and kind, until she doesn’t get her own way and when that happens you want to make damn sure that you’re well out of the way! BFF with S & N she often wishes that life could be like the movies - especially the movies where the girl’s best guy friend realises he’s in love with her and they live happily ever after…

EXTRACT: Gossip Girl: I Will Always Love You (Download Pdf)