E. Lockhart asks:
Pourqois le francais on le live journal? Why should we commit to english all the time? I'm bi (lingual)



What does the name Seaskull mean and how did you come up with it? When I was in my first band Bite, we decided to have punk rock names. Cecil Seaskull was a funny way of saying Cecil twice. I think I dodged the bullet, the other ladies took the names Eunice Uranus and Nutella Bondhead. They only kept their names, for like three shows, pussies. Wheras, mine stuck. And every lady should have a punk name, don't you think?



Likewise, The Divine Miss Pixie Woods? (Nerdy Girl, I can understand by myself) On the way to Oregon, there was a sign for a forest, it said, "Pixie Woods, next exit." I thought, I'd like to be in a place called Pixie Woods.



What was it like at the High School for Performing Arts? Details please, for those of us who watched Fame way too many times. There is nothing better than spending half of your day studying theatre and half the day doing academics. The theatre part was way better. Oh yeah, and the dancing on the cafeteria lunch tables.



New York versus LA. Talk amongst yourself. "You say you like NY better than LA, and I just sit there, I believe that you like looking like a Ramone, when I would rather kiss a beach boy. I want to feel the sand between my toes, and feel the sun burning up my nose I'll give you all of my black clothes. Just light your smoke and watch me go..." The Weekend




What were you like in High School -- cool, or nerdy, or what? 42



What do you know now that you wish you knew in high school? How to drive.



Holly Black asks:
What made you make the transition from music to writing YA books? I was in a band by accident. I always wanted to write stories. My friend Julie asked me to be the singer because she was too shy at the time to sing. I said I would join if I could write a song called "Ew, I kissed him." So, actually, I kind of transitioned back to what I wanted to do in the first place.



What are the similarities between the music business and the publishing business? What are the differences? In music and in publishing, I use the same words! Only books are longer! Also, touring in a band is much more fun, because you usually can sing for your supper and get gas money to get to the next city. Also, there's more merch, like fun t-shirts and wrist sweatbands. The biggest thing is that holding a guitar is much heavier than holding a book. Unless your book is like, a dictionary, or War and Peace. (which thankfully, mine are not.)



Northbard asks: Is it true that you warn every boy you date that they will one day be part of your art? It is a little known fact that there is actually a warning sign about that tattooed in microscopic 1's and 0's on my entire body. So, pretty much, everyone, at all times, is duly warned.



How do I join the Cecil Seaskull Fan Club? Everyone has the option of being automatically enrolled in the Cecil Seaskull Fan Club if they have ever seen a Star Wars movie, or even heard that the films even exist.



How can I somehow catch your eye and become part of your art someday? Good question. Try flowers. Safe bets also include chocolate (belgian dark) and seranading me under my window with a lute. (please be in good voice) (and perhaps know a madrigal or two.)



What sort of presents should fans send you, and do you prefer cash or checque? I accept all items Tin Tin and Gama-Go. Or dubloons.



What bands have you been in? Oh, that's an easy one. Ask harder questions. They were: Bite. Nerdy Girl. Cecil Seaskull.



That thing I just heard from that guy over there... is it true? Absolutely not! He's totally got it all wrong. It only involved a sketchy moonlanding, a screwdriver, a lute, animals from the L.A. Zoo and the guy I'm in love with. And no, the police were not called! And no, noone went to jail! Jeez! Talk about your broken telephone!



Rowan asks: Cecil, how did you get to be so impossibly cool? Do you have any tips for the kids out there that aspire to be as cool as you? Lemons. Good for freckles, highlighting your hair, decoding secret messages. Also, wedges of lemon make excellent accents in drinks.