Cecily von Ziegesar on Gossip Girl, New York social tribes and her new novel

I absolutely loved Cecily von Ziegesar’s Cobble Hill. It’s really funny and quirky and smart without being heavy-going; full of subtle social satire and astute observation. It was particularly pleasing as Cecily is best known for writing the Gossip Girl books, which in turn launched the hugely successful TV show - and I was a mega Gossip Girl fan when I was younger. I loved our interview, which took place late last year the day after Joe Biden was announced as the President Elect - we chatted about everything from her background as a trainee ballerina, how running helps her writing, what it was like having her books become such a small-screen juggernaut and why it took so long to finish Cobble Hill. By the book here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/cobble-hill/cecily-von-ziegesar/9781398704350 Twitter: @cesvonz / @aliceazania Instagram: @CecilyvonZiegesar / @aliceazania Edited by Chelsey Moore

Om Podcasten

The Sunday Salon is a podcast celebrating brilliant books and the women who write them, hosted by journalist Alice-Azania Jarvis. Each week she chats to an inspiring female author about her work, her career, how she writes, what she reads and everything in between. This is not some academic textual analysis – it’s about finding the stories behind the stories. Tune in each Sunday to hear from guests including Isabel Allende, Jessie Burton, Holly Bourne, Diana Evans, Elizabeth Day, Nimco Ali and Sophie Kinsella. Edited by Chelsey Moore.