It girl gone wild

What made you think it would be a good story?

It's also a positive, self-help story. The way I was before I left for the Village -- I was a complete nut. I was a narcissistic girl. I wasn't looking at the whole picture. When I was writing the book, I had to keep in mind how my mind was at the time -- I was completely self-absorbed and playing the victim. It was always someone else's fault.

You weren't allowed to read or write in the lockdown, but were you thinking about writing a book about your experience while you were there?

I was actually thinking, This would make a good TV show. I'm working on a script for a TV show now. I have a new agent who wants to pitch it. It'd be like "ER" meets "Jerry Springer." You'd have the same staff members, but you'd get a new flow of kids and a new flow of issues. But it couldn't be a reality show; too many legal issues.

Being at the Village was so hard, though -- I'm surprised you started writing it immediately after your release. It seems like your instinct, as someone in an intense teen addiction/behavior recovery program, would be to look toward the future instead of wanting to relive it.

It was hard to forget. It was such a big part of my life, and it was traumatic. I think I thought about it more when I was coming out. Life [at the Village] and normal life are so different. Once I finished the book it felt like I was over with the whole thing; it was behind me. But I wanted to write about it.

Was your family supportive during the writing of the book?

My dad didn't like it. He referred to it as "pie in the sky." He just never imagined that I could get the book published.

My mom was [supportive] at first, but now she's really upset because my publisher made me add her into the book. I was purposefully very vague in the book, because that was a really hard time in her life. After I got out of the Village, I spent a summer with my dad and then went to live with my mom.

The Village didn't want you to live with your mother, because they felt she didn't discipline enough for stealing and lying.

No, she never disciplined me. She thought it was kind of amusing, until it got out of hand. But she's changed a lot and got a lot better.

At the end of your stay you were allowed to go home to see your father, but the Village was extremely strict about how you could do it. Your father was supposed to be with you at all times, but he left you alone for most of the day, and you ended up sneaking out to party with your ex-boyfriend.

When I came back from the Village I realized that my dad is very ... distant. And you can tell it when I came home; he was off doing God knows what for the day. That really showed that he wasn't exactly there.

How did you meet Dechert, who ended up being your agent and boyfriend?

My aunt introduced me to him. I was visiting her. I met him a year before we dated. I met him and he called me about my book. He said, Yeah, I'm willing to help you. And the next thing I know, he invited me to parties in New York. He was cool, just like a friend. I didn't imagine him hitting on me because I was so much younger. I felt protected.

What did you think of him when you met?

He was like no one I'd ever met. My radar is all fucked up with men. I'm trying to reorganize it. He'd call me and say, "I have a great party to go to, you should come down and bring your friends." I thought he was a friend. They were interesting parties for a Connecticut suburban girl.

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