Cecily von Ziegesar

Cecily von Ziegesar
Born	(1970-06-27) June 27, 1970 New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Novelist
Known for	Gossip Girl series
Spouse	Richard Griggs
Children	Agnes Belle, Oscar

Cecily Brooke von Ziegesar ( ; born June 27, 1970) is an American novelist renowned for her young adult series Gossip Girl.

Early life and education

Cecily was born in New York City into the aristocratic Ziegesar lineage. She is the daughter of Franz Albrecht von Ziegesar, who serves as CEO and Chairman of Bowne & Co., and Olivia James. Her half-brother is the author Peter von Ziegesar. Initially, she aimed to pursue ballet, beginning lessons at age three and auditioning for the School of American Ballet at eight, though she was not accepted. During her teenage years, she commuted from Connecticut to Manhattan to attend The Nightingale-Bamford School. After completing high school, she enrolled at Colby College, spent a year working at a radio station in Budapest, and briefly studied creative writing at the University of Arizona before leaving the program.

Book series

While employed at the New York City book-packaging company Alloy Entertainment, Ziegesar developed the Gossip Girl novels, which depict the extravagant lives of wealthy teenagers. The series topped The New York Times Best-Sellers list in 2002. Its spin-off, The It Girl, also achieved bestseller status in 2005.

The fictional Constance Billard School for Girls draws inspiration from an exaggerated portrayal of Ziegesar's own alma mater, Nightingale.

In October 2011, she published a spin-off titled Psycho Killer.

Television series

In 2007, Gossip Girl was adapted into a television series by The CW. Although some viewers expressed dissatisfaction with changes from the books, Ziegesar maintained that the core storyline remained faithful to her original concept and praised the authentic New York City backdrop. She appeared in a cameo role during the season four finale on May 16, 2011.

Graphic novel series

In December 2009, Yen Press collaborated with South Korean illustrator Baek Hye-Kyung to create a graphic novel adaptation called Gossip Girl: For Your Eyes Only. Rather than retelling the original novels, it presents new stories featuring familiar characters and was serialized in Yen Plus beginning January 2010.

Personal life

Von Ziegesar resides in Brooklyn’s Columbia Street Waterfront District with her husband Richard Griggs, who is Chief Operating Officer of the Judd Foundation, along with their children Agnes Belle and Oscar.

Gossip Girl

1. Gossip Girl (2002)
2. You Know You Love Me (2002)
3. All I Want Is Everything (2003)
4. Because I'm Worth It (2003)
5. I Like It Like That (2004)
6. You're the One That I Want (2004)
7. Nobody Does It Better (2005)
8. Nothing Can Keep Us Together (2005)
9. Only in Your Dreams (2006) (ghost-written)
10. Would I Lie To You? (2006) (ghost-written)
11. Don't You Forget About Me (2007) (ghost-written)
12. I Will Always Love You (2009) (ghost-written)
13. It Had To Be You (2007) (prequel)
14. Psycho Killer (2011) (spin-off)

The It Girl

Authored by a ghostwriter under the direction of Cecily von Ziegesar.

1. The It Girl
2. Notorious
3. Reckless
4. Unforgettable
5. Lucky
6. Tempted
7. Infamous
8. Adored
9. Devious
10. Classic

Gossip Girl: The Carlyles

This series was penned by ghostwriter Annabelle Vestry.

1. Gossip Girl: The Carlyles (2008)
2. You Just Can't Get Enough (2008)
3. Take A Chance on Me (2009)
4. Love the One You're With (2009)

Cum Laude

1. Originally published as Cum Laude in 2010 by Hyperion, later reissued under the title Class in 2011.

Cobble Hill

1. Released in 2020, Cobble Hill explores new narratives distinct from previous works.

External links

• Official UK Gossip Girl Website
• MTV Canada Archive