Author Cecily von Ziegesar was born on June 27, 1970. She was educated at the Nightingale-Bamford School in Manhattan, Colby College in Maine, and the University of Arizona. Before becoming a full-time author, she worked for a radio station in Budapest, a publishing company in London, and a book packaging firm in New York City. She writes the Gossip Girl series and The It Girl series. Many of her story ideas come from her prep school days at the Nightingale-Bamford School. She currently lives in New York City with her husband and daughter.