Candice Bushnell visits Hilltop (Photo by Laura Rowley, The Daily Campus)

Candice Bushnell, author of “Sex and the City,” the book that inspired the hit HBO series, visited the SMU campus on Sunday. Bushnell talked with students and signed copies of her latest book, “Lipstick Jungle.”

“I am interested to see what she has to say – her opinions, in her own words,” said senior Jenna Manna before Bushnell’s arrival.

Bushnell strode into the West Ballroom of Hughes Trigg wearing 6-inch heels and a leather jacket, ready to meet and greet members of the SMU community.

Sipping “mocktails” and munching on appetizers, students eagerly inquired into Bushnell’s personal life, inspiration for her characters and future plans.

Bushnell claimed her inspiration for the four characters in “Sex and the City” came from personal experiences she encountered and women she met while living in New York City in the late 1970s.

“Sex in the City” began as a column written by Bushnell in The New York Observer and later became a best-selling novel and award-winning TV series.

Bushnell said she was more involved in the casting of “Sex in the City” than most authors usually are, and she wrote for the series the first two years.

Beyond simply answering questions about her personal life, Bushnell gave her audience advice about life and men.

“The road to happiness is probably not through a man,” said Bushnell with a laugh. She also believes that most women should not get married too early. “I wish I hadn’t worried so much about finding a guy . . . I wish I had concentrated more on my career,” Bushnell said.

Regarding her future projects, Bushnell stated plans exist for her latest book to become a TV series, though she could not reveal the network. Bushnell also plans to continue writing novels, perhaps with topics involving recent college graduates to appeal to her readers in their mid-20s.

Above all, Bushnell desired to get her personal motto across to fans: “Men will come and go, but your girlfriends are forever.”