
So one of the cardinal rules of writing I always learned was write what you know - in light of that, why did you decide to set the novel in New York? Being from the other side of a pretty substantial ocean, you've got pretty limited first hand experience of the city, and would have had to base everything on online research & pop culture, with very little chance of first hand scouting, and a risk of getting something wrong and offending/annoying any New Yorkers who read the book.