Gemma T. Leslie
| Character | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Gemma T. Leslie, GLT |
| Occupation: | author |
| Relationships: | |
| Fandom: | Fangirl (Book), Carry On |
| Other: | Modelled after J.K. Rowling |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
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Gemma T. Leslie is the (fictional) author of the (fictional) Simon Snow series. The character is referred to and "quoted" extensively in Fangirl, as the main character writes fic in the universe.
The author is modelled on J.K. Rowling, with the Simon Snow books a parallel on Harry Potter.
Works
According to the author's (fictional) "Encyclowikia" page which appears in Fangirl, Leslie wrote:
- Simon Snow and the Mage's Heir, 2001
- Simon Snow and the Second Serpent, 2003
- Simon Snow and the Third Gate, 2004
- Simon Snow and the Selkies Four, 2007
- Simon Snow and the Five Blades, 2008
- Simon Snow and the Six White Hares, 2009
- Simon Snow and the Seventh Oak, 2010
- Simon Snow and the Eighth Dance, May 1, 2012
According to the same page, the books were translated into 53 languages and, previous to the publication of Book 8, had sold more than 380 million copies. The author faced criticism for "violence in the series and for creating a hero who is sometimes selfish and bad tempered," and was boycotted by American Christian groups for an exorcism scene.[1]
GTL and Cath
In Fangirl, Leslie - or GTL as Simon Snow fans call her - is accused of not understanding and loving the villain character Baz as much as her fans, and specifically Cath, do. This reflects the kind of complicated relationship many fen have to TPTB in their fandoms. Examples:
Carry On was written as if it were the eighth Simon Snow book, as if it were Cath's job to wrap up all those lose ends, to make sure that Simon ascended to Mage, to redeem Baz (something GTL would never do) [...].
People were always telling Cath that they couldn't look at canon the same way after reading her stuff. ("Why does Gemma hate Baz?") [...]
Cath tried not to let it all go to her head. These characters belong to Gemma T. Leslie, she wrote at the beginning of every new chapter.
"You belong to Gemma," she'd say to the Baz poster over her bed at home. "I'm just borrowing you."
"You didn't borrow Baz," Wren would say. "You kidnapped him and raised him a your own."[2]
References
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