Synopsis             Published March 2006 (MTV Books)

One gorgeous celebutante.  One hip-hop dreamer.  One second-generation Hollywood bad boy.  One anime-obsessed Latina.  One British hottie . . .

They're five friends living the highlife in sexy South Beach, Miami. And one of them won't make it to graduation alive.

Life is fast and furious for these A-listers and their friends: the hottest bars, the hippest clubs, the coolest, most exclusive parties.

But not everybody loves this fabulous five from the Miami Academy for Creative and Performing Arts . . . and if they think they're untouchable, they're about to find out that they're wrong.

Dead wrong.

Behind the Scenes Dish

Okay, so I'm at the gym killing myself on the treadmill.  My iPod is on shuffle play, and suddenly, the obscure Janet Jackson track "Fast Girls" is blasting inside my brain.  That's when the idea hits me--FAST GIRLS, HOT BOYS . . . a great title . . . and even greater story possibilities!  Soon after that I'm on the phone with my new editor, the amazing Lauren McKenna (who reads manuscripts with X-ray vision--she's brilliant) telling her that I want to be a baby Jackie Collins. Anyway, Lauren shouts, "Set it in Miami!"  So here we are with CRUEL SUMMER.  This project has been a joy to create from the very start.  I love my new home at Simon & Schuster and the connection to MTV.  Of course, coming out under the MTV Books banner means that I have to be up and ready on all things state of the trend.  You have to EARN the cool factor to carry the MTV logo, darlings!