As an Athens resident for nearly a decade, Will Leitch didn’t hesitate when it came to selecting a location for his novel “HOW LUCKY,” out Tuesday. In fact, Leitch doesn’t seem to hesitate about much. He’s got a joyous, rapid-fire patter, amply dropping jokes, asides and ideas in conversation, but it’s also clear from reading his work that he’s a good listener. And it’s clear he likes the Classic City. “I had never even been to Athens until we started looking at houses,” said Leitch, 45, who lives in Five Points with his wife, interior designer (and Columbus native and UGA grad) Alexa Stevenson and their two sons. “The lore of Athens was very appealing to a Gen-X kid like myself. We love it. It’s nice that eight years ago I knew nobody here, and the friends we’ve been able to make — it’s been pretty exciting. And that’s why I wanted to set the book here.”