I decided that, if I were to write a teen series, Id want to set it in a place that was familiar to me – Manhattan, where Id grown up – and Id model the characters on myself and my friends. – Cecily von Ziegesar
He was a manager, one of the singers, I guess talent coordinator for the local talent in Harlem. His name was Lover Patterson. He was living right across the street from where my dad had his restaurant. I guess he saw a lot of kids come in, a lot of my buddies. – Ben E. King
