Pretty Little Liars centers around four teenage friends from an upscale small town in Pennsylvania, who are reunited after another friend disappears. The show debuted on ABC Family TV network on January 23, 2011 with a run of ten episodes.

The idea for the series, however, began years before, when the producers at Alloy Entertainment, the company behind The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and the Gossip Girl series, first conceived of a book they described as Desperate Housewives for teens. To write the series, they hired author Sara Shepard, who grew up in a town much like Rosewood, Pa., where the Pretty Little Liars book series and television series takes place. They wanted to come up with something for her, Farrin Jacobs, an editor at HarperTeen books, told Publishers Weekly. It was a case of the right writer and the right idea at the right time.

The first book in the series debuted in 2005 and proved popular. By 2012, the series had expanded to include Flawless, Perfect, Unbelievable, Wicked, Killer, Heartless, Wanted, Twisted, Ruthless, and Stunning. Shepard plans to write 12 books in all. Its a careful dance between giving readers something with each book, but also keeping them wanting to find out what happens next, said Jacobs of the books. They love the guessing game.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Claire Shefchik, a native of Minnesota, received an MFA in creative writing from Sarah Lawrence College. Her writing on arts and entertainment has appeared on USAToday.com, Spinner, The Faster Times, and many blogs. She can be found on Facebook and on Twitter @clairels.

EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK

Just like Alison, A seems to know all their secrets. Aria, an artsy girl who has just come back from a year in Iceland, has begun a relationship with her new English teacher, Ezra (aka Mr. Fitz). Emily, a top swimmer from a military family, has developed romantic feelings for a female friend, Maya St. Germain. Spencer, an intelligent overachiever, is fooling around with her sisters fiance. And Hanna, now the school It girl and best friends with formerly nerdy Mona Vanderwall, is a shoplifter and still insecure about the weight she had to lose to become popular.

But most of all, the girls are worried about As knowledge of what they refer to as The Jenna Thing. Alison, with the girls help, made a plan to retaliate against Toby Cavanaugh, a neighborhood boy whom Alison had accused of spying on the girls. She sets fire to his house, but ends up blinding his stepsister, Jenna Marshall. Toby is blamed for the fire and sent away to reform school for a year. Now, however, both siblings are back in Rosewood and attending school...

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CHAPTER OUTLINE

Quicklet On Pretty Little Liars, Season 1 (TV Show)