42 Responses to “Guest Author: Colleen Gleason”

1. orchid Posted: Jun 12th, 2007 at 9:49 pm

   1 giant preying mantis? how droll, how.. mundane if victoria won’t fall in love with a vampire, who CAN she make hot monkey love to?

2. Tania Posted: Jun 12th, 2007 at 9:53 pm

   2 I had trouble typing .com, it kept coming out as .xom. I haven’t read “The Rest Falls Away” yet. I keep meaning to, but I never get around to getting to the bookstore.

3. Charlene Posted: Jun 12th, 2007 at 10:13 pm

   3 Praying mantis? Ick. Makes me glad I didn’t watch Buffy.

4. Tiff Posted: Jun 12th, 2007 at 10:15 pm

   4 Buffy was overrated. *waits patiently to be stoned by Jossverse fanatics* I haven’t read the first book yet, but I am curious. Sounds fun.

5. Sue A. Posted: Jun 12th, 2007 at 11:37 pm

   5 Victoria is as far away from Buffy as you can get! I prefer the Victorian era to a modern day setting in a high school which can only be comedic at best. The Victorian era is an edgier dramatic backdrop and is darkly romantic.

6. May Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 12:10 am

   6 Great Guestblog, Colleen! LOL.

7. Flo Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 3:21 am

   7 *snuggles her Buffy* But V doesn’t have James Marsters. AND NOTHING YOU CAN SAY WILL OVERCOME THAT! *snickers*

8. Crystal B. Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 4:07 am

   8 Great post. Love your top ten.

9. Jaynie R Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 4:17 am

   9 Well I still love me my Buffy, but I have to say I’ve been hearing some great things about this series so I’ve added it to my wish list.

10. AnimeJune Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 4:42 am

    10 *pounces on Tiff* Blasphemer! I’m definitely looking forward to reading your books, and while this lists suggests that you’ve actually watched Buffy (and probably enjoyed it, ^_~), I find I have to comment: The Top Ten Ways Victoria Gardella Grantworth is Not Buffy Summers 10. Victoria would never want to be a cheerleader– ahem– dignity, anyone? To be fair, Buffy was a cheerleader for one day, and that was when someone’s pompoms (and hands) burst into flame. 9. Victoria’s accent would kick Giles‘ pansy-ass drawl any afternoon before tea at three. To quote Giles: “I’d like to test that theory.” 8. Victoria + Apolcalypse = “No, darling. I think not.” 7. Lilith vs. the Master? Uh, she’d eat him for breakfast. And the Mayor too. But Gloria would have better shoes. 6. Ain’t no way, no how Victoria would fall in love with a vampire–any vampire (with or without a soul). Le sigh. I tend to agree that Angel is little more than “tall, dark, and forehead” as Spike says, but SPIKE! C’mon, that was drama! 5. Buffy deals with a lot of bull; Victoria’s got her vis bulla instead. 4. Buffy was supposed to die before other Slayers were born (until the writers went and changed the basic premise–take backsies, naughty naughty!); OTOH, Victoria is not about to peg out just to make room for another Venator. Let there be many Vennys; V will invite them all to a Venetian Breakfast. Okay, I’m a nerd, but here I go: SHE DID DIE! Twice! Drowning, and then, uh, death by jumping into a giant ball of magical fire. She had a tombstone and everything. 3. The Bronze: mortal hangout, high school kids; The Silver Chalice: thrills n’ chills with real live grownups–er, oops–real undead grownups, and plenty o’ chancy substances being imbibed 2. Victoria’s never met a giant praying mantis (And I promise, she never will) A giant praying mantis that feeds on VIRGINS, may I remind you. VIRGINS! *lol* I bet she’ll never fight teenage fish monsters, enamoured robots, and sentient piles of worms, either. 1. Victoria prefers carriages with tall skinny wheels–which provide enhanced rocking motions for hawt, smoochy pre-staking mashing–instead of cold, hard gravestones on which to exchange bodily fluids and much groping and stroking. Sorry, Buffy. Ditch the graveyard as a necking locale! Well, there was that ONE time in the magical repressed eroticism frat house… Why do I have the feeling I’m not furthering the Buffy cause any?

11. December/Stacia Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 5:33 am

    11 Great list!

12. shuzluva Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 6:00 am

    12 As previously noted, never saw Buffy, never plan to. I like what you’ve done with the Vixtress, and carriages…which provide enhanced rocking motions for hawt, smoochy pre-staking mashing is right up my alley!

13. Flo Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 6:31 am

    13 Waaaiiit Buffy made out in a graveyard? I don’t recall this… oh lordy. So much wrong there. Was bad enough with the musical episode… I mean come on. Demonic backup singers doing jazz hands? Oh yeah, sickness indeed. And comfortable couches/bed > carriages! If only for the lack of horse dookie.

14. Jackie Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 6:32 am

    14 Hee hee hee! (Don’t count me in the contest; I already have both REST and RISES — and I’m itching for the third!)

15. AnimeJune Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 7:20 am

    15 What? WHAT? Who didn’t like the musical episode?? “I’ve got a theory! It could be bunnies!” On paper, a lot of the Buffy stories are camp (a war goddess with an addiction to good shoes? Beer that turns people into cavemen? A frat house that feeds nubile girls to a giant snake?) but watching it you can see that they never actually take themselves completely seriously. See season six - where the Big Villains were comic book nerds who built a freezo-ray. Plus, I got my Mum and sisters addicted to it, so half the fun is watching it with them. So once I read your books I’m just going to have to share! *lol*

16. Kimberly Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 7:31 am

    16 Like a lot of people here, I love Buffy, but it seems like every other book I see in the bookstore gets compared to Buffy, and it’s getting kind of tiresome. (Unless, of course, it’s being compared to Anita Blake). Maybe as the paranormal subgenre expands, reviewers won’t have to rely upon these comparisons so much. Anyway, your books sound really cool! I look forward to meeting Victoria Gardella Grantworth!

17. Colleen Gleason Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 9:14 am

    17 Heeheee! I did watch Buffy, and I loved it! And she was my inspiration for the series (well, she and Cinderella, to be truthful), of course. But since there have been so many comparisons of Victoria to Buffy (which I probably started when I was trying to explain to people in one sentence or less what my books were about), I thought it would be fun to do a tongue-in-cheek “reasons why they’re different.” :-) And, by the way, for clarification purposes: the books are set in Regency-era England, not Victorian England. (That is, 1819/20s rather than 1860s or later.) So the dresses were a lot different then (looser, looser corsets, and not so many layers of skirts–easier to move around in.) Juuuuust FYI. Thanks for coming by!!

18. Bettie Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 10:10 am

    18 Ok I’m convinced and intrigued. I’m putting the first book at the top of my list of Books I will Buy When I am No Longer Broke. Ms. Gleason, you have bumped Christopher Hitchens to #2 (mostly because vampire slayers make for much funner beach reading than atheists). Also, whoever said the 2nd cover was très Peter Petreli was right. Both are great, but I’d probably like #2 more if I weren’t such an Ardian Pasdar fan (Profit was my favorite conniving murderous psychotic antihero ever…sigh.)

19. Wylie Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 10:10 am

    19 I lived abroad during the whole Buffy era and I’m a bit sorry I missed out on all the hype. Well, perhaps not But love Victoria Gardella!! Thanks Colleen!

20. Lorelie Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 10:36 am

    20 Hey, I liked the praying mantis episode! That and the one where no one talks.

21. SweetNSourGirl Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 10:41 am

    21 Very funny blog entry. Though Buffy is awesome, I do apperciate the humor. Joss Whedon probably would too. I hope Victoria and Buffy have one thing in common, that they are strong women. (Haven’t read the book yet, really want to, but I’m broke. I assume Victoria must be a strong woman because Bam likes her.) If any of your male leads aren’t half as hot as Spike, I will be angry! Oh and one more to add to your list #11. No damn talking puppets.

22. bam Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 10:51 am

    22 Oh and one more to add to your list #11. No damn talking puppets. I’m sorry, but the talking puppet episode of Angel called “Smile Time” was frickin’ brilliant. Of course, that was Angel and it was written by the ever-so-clever Ben Edlund of The Tick

23. gigi Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 11:07 am

    23 bwahaha Bettie, I’m seconding your emotion on Christopher Hitchens not being the funnest of beach reads! I’m reading “Rises the Night” right now. It’s pretty hot. “Rises” definitely belongs in the title, if you know what I mean, *and I think you do*.

24. Jackie Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 12:30 pm

    24 Want to know which episode of Buffy was brilliant? “Hush.”

25. Renaesance Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 12:31 pm

    25 Although I do love the buffy (okay mostly more willow n spike) I have room in my heart for many slayers.

26. Katie Ann Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 12:37 pm

    26 Buffy will always have a place in my heart, and I’ve enjoyed Austen from time to time, so this sounds right up my alley.

27. Caity Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 1:44 pm

    27 Just finished “Rises the Night” and now I’m going through withdrawal! I need more Sebastian and Max!

28. lisabea Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 2:28 pm

    28 Love that Sebastian. Could eat Max with a spoon. But that Phillip…ick. Am I the only one who was relieved when he was poofed? Thanks for turning me on to these books!!!

29. Lady T Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 3:49 pm

    29 Despite the Buffy mockage,(which Buffy herself would appreciate)I still want to check out the Victoria series,especially since they are set in the Regency period,which is Jane Austen territory. In the BTVS comic book series,Tales of the Slayers,there is a slayer story set in Regency times-”Presumption”- with a bit of a gender twist. It was one of the stronger stories in the collection,written by Buffy staff writer Jane Espenson.

30. Josie Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 4:12 pm

    30 I don’t think I ever watched a full episode of Buffy either… Although I did manage to see a few eps of Angel. I am expecting my copy of ‘Rises’ in the mail either today or tomorrow and I am getting very impatient!

31. Colleen Gleason Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 5:57 pm

    31 You all are so fun! Thanks for coming by and hanging out with me and my list–which, by the way, was quite the collaborative effort between Jackie Kessler, me, and my dearest (goddess) friend Gigi.

32. Jambrea Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 6:20 pm

    32 I can’t wait to read Rises. It is on my TBR list. It really looks good. I loved your list and I like Buffy!! : )

33. Karen W. Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 6:33 pm

    33 I’m a huge “Buffy” fan and picked up the first book because of the comparison, and I absolutely LOVED it. I also loved the second one, and I’m anxious for them to keep on coming! Write faster, Colleen!

34. Erin Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 9:40 pm

    34 Oh, I have wanted to read the first one for ages! And now there’s a follow-up — I love an auto-follow. It’s like finding out your’e out of crack and then LO! more CRACK. Not that I do crack. Unless it’s in book form. I’m a teacher.A role model. I feel the need to….er…review this book immediately for inclusion in my classroom library! Yes, that’s it. And also, to, um…write a model compare and contrast sample essay using BtVS. It’s research. It’s academia. It’s my CIVIC DUTY. For God’s sake, IT’S FOR THE CHILDREN!!! Oh, crap. . . I’m lying. It’s summer vacation, and I’m a freakin’ broke-ass high school teacher. I’m pathetic.

35. Flo Posted: Jun 13th, 2007 at 11:10 pm

    35 Oh man “Hush” and the musical episode were all full of awesome. I honestly want to check these out but sadly the BX here in Italy hasn’t supplied them and we’ve closed out APO Box (for zee movingz!) so alas! I’ve been reading Jim Butcher to get my fill of vampire hunting. And yeah anytime I see a comparison deal my hackles rise and I sort of snarl meanly at the book before cracking it open to do a page test.

36. Phoenix Posted: Jun 14th, 2007 at 4:41 am

    36 Hmm, I’ve had both books on my TBR list and yet just haven’t had a chance to get around to them. 2. Victoria’s never met a giant praying mantis (And I promise, she never will) So I take it giant honeybees, mosquitos and ticks are also out of the question? ;-P

37. SweetNSourGirl Posted: Jun 14th, 2007 at 7:27 am

    37 Have an Anya reference to evil bunnies taking over the world. That’d be cool. Can you imagine, bunnies with knives killing people? Or monks, ‘cuz monks are damn creepy.

38. SweetNSourGirl Posted: Jun 14th, 2007 at 7:31 am

    38 PS Bam, I was referrring to “The Puppet Show” during season one of Buffy where a wooden dummy is suspected of killing talent show contestants for their brains and hearts. Not “Smile Time” on Angel, since we’re talking about Buffy, but it works both ways. They’re good episodes.

39. Susan Helene Gottfried Posted: Jun 14th, 2007 at 7:31 am

    39 I dunno. It seems sort of obvious. Buffy’s blonde, modern, and a TV star. Victoria’s literate (in that she appears in books), and isn’t she brunette? At any rate, she is NOT modern. For her times, absolutely. But if you dropped her into today’s world, she’d have some adjusting to do. Seems sort of obvious to me how different they are…

40. Nonny Morgan Posted: Jun 14th, 2007 at 9:40 am

    40 *gigglefits* Priceless.

41. AnimeJune Posted: Jun 14th, 2007 at 12:06 pm

    41 The Puppet Show was part of the first season, was it not? Yeah, the first season with the flaming cheerleaders, robot demons, and talking puppets was pretty quirky, as it seemed that the show was still looking for a niche or target audience. I kinda liked that ep, especially the “I don’t get it, is it avante garde?” at the end. I can understand the not wanting comparisons to Buffy, but comparisons to Buffy are better than comparisons to Laurel K. Hamilton. *shudder* All the romances I get from my fantasy e-zine to review are nearly all “vampire romances” like LKH’s and I have dispised (or been apathetic) towards pretty much all of them, so as a rule I tend to avoid vampire romances like the plague. But the idea of a vampire slayer in Austin territory seems like just the right kick!

42. Stephie Posted: Jun 14th, 2007 at 7:36 pm

    42 Hehe, very funny list. Buffy was great, but things can always be improved upon