Read It & Weep

Dodai — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 09:20:00 EDT

In a recent interview, Cecily von Ziegesar, author of the Gossip Girl books, says she, of course, watches the TV show, produced by The O.C. creator Josh Schwartz: "I knew about [The O.C.], and that made me more worried that Nate's going to be a lifeguard, and it's going to be totally cheesy," she says. "But the costumes are so great. It's such a great show." But! She has issues with Vanessa. "I think Vanessa is one character they ruined. In the book, she's kick-ass and has a shaved head and wears lots of black ... and I think a lot of the readers who don't usually read teen fiction identify with Vanessa. Even though I don't like Vanessa's character, it's nothing against [actress] Jessica [Szohr]. I just wish Vanessa was like she is in the books a bit more." Word. We said this months ago! [MTV Canada]

Gossip Girls Say: "If It's True, It's Not Gossip"

Jennifer — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 11:30:00 EDT

Are you loving the new Gossip Girls show on the CW? We are! And last night, we trekked up to a Barnes & Noble on Manhattan's Upper West Side for a reading by Cecily von Ziegesar, the creator of the series of books on which the television show is based. The event was a promotion of the just-released Gossip Girls prequel It Had To Be You — they gave away Gossip Girl lip glosses! — but instead of interviewing the book's author, we decided to try to get inside the minds of the young, female fans in attendance, asking them, "What's the worst piece of gossip you've ever spread?" Their terrifying tales after the jump.

"Oh, I don't know! I don't think I gossip. Okay, I actually do. Ask my sister, she's standing over there. She can tell you. And can you not use my name?" —16-year old female

"I don't spread gossip. Only truthful things. And if it's true it's not gossip then." —Shoshana, 22, sister of aforementioned 16-year old female

"I exaggerated a story once to say that my ex-boyfriend cheated on me with his male cousin and his female cousin while he was in Venezuela in a threesome. I told the whole school. I do think it really happened, though! Oh, and this other time when I was a freshman I had my best friend do my makeup so I looked like I had a black eye and I told everyone my now ex-boyfriend was beating me. The same boyfriend who I said had the threesome. Oh, and this other time I had my best friend tell one of my teachers that I "hadn't been the same since the abortion" so I could get out of a math test." —Kimberly, 16

"I have never spread gossip! Ever! Well except for Dana's abortion but that doesn't count as gossip - it was true." —Anna, 17

"It's not like a malintent [sic] thing. We may gossip, but it's true so it doesn't count and we're not being mean. We just talk about people behind their backs." —Sydney, 15

"Yeah, I only talk about people behind their backs. But I don't make up lies. And I only do it sometimes." —Maxine, 16

"Oh, there was that one time we started that story about gonorrhea though..." —Sarah, 15

Jezebel: cecily von ziegesar

Read It & Weep

Gossip Girls Say: "If It's True, It's Not Gossip"