Cecily von Ziegesar

Cecily von Ziegesar grew up in Manhattan and attended a small, private girls' school on the Upper East Side. She began writing poems and short stories as soon as she could hold a pen. Gossip Girl was her first novel. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, her daughter and son, and two Cornish Rex cats.

Middle name: Brooke

Favorite book: The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald

Favorite song: "Nobody Does it Better," Carly Simon

Favorite quote: "Success is in the details," - I got it in a fortune cookie, and it's taped to the wall over my desk.

Favorite line from Gossip Girl: "I stole a pair of pajamas."

Gossip Girl character she'd most like to spend the day with (and why): Blair, at Barneys. The day would go very quickly, but we'd probably need a very large taxi to get us and our bags home. We both have a bit of a shopping problem.