Book Nine—aka GO TELL THE BEES THAT I AM GONE—is coming along nicely, and thank you for your kind inquiries! I think it’s gonna be good. You may, however, have noticed that the main books of the OUTLANDER series are Rather Large, Somewhat Complex, and Lavishly Furnished with detail, context and other research-dependent appurtenances. All of which take time. So does running around the world talking to people and signing their books… Now, I mean no moral reproach, but will never understand why people are so insistent on WHEN will this (or any) book be out? Mostly because I’m not like that myself, at all — I have a couple of dozen authors whose work I buy on sight and with joyous anticipation of reading, but never once has it occurred to me to even think about when a new book will be published, let alone go and pester the author about it. I mean, It’s like standing over the site of a tulip bulb, shouting “When?” at the barren ground. […]
Archive for 2016
November 5 and 10 Launch Parties
The Poisoned Pen Bookstore in Scottsdale, Arizona, is organizing two upcoming events: Sat., Nov. 5 Launch Party – THE HIGHWAY KIND I’ll be signing this new anthology, THE HIGHWAY KIND, Tales of Fast Cars, Desperate Drivers, and Dark Roads, along with authors C.J. Box, Gary Phillips, and James Sallis, at a release party on Saturday, November 5, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. at The Poisoned Pen Bookstore, 4014 N Goldwater Blvd #101, in Scottsdale, Arizona 85251. Edited by the Poisoned Pen’s own Patrick Millikin, THE HIGHWAY KIND contains NEW original short stories by Michael Connelly, George Pelecanos, C. J. Box, Ace Atkins, and myself. This book is also presigned by Michael Connelly, and Patrick Millikin. Authors also in attendance, but not signing the book, will be Hank Phillippi Ryan and Linwood Barclay. The event is free and open to the public. No tickets are required. My other titles will be available at the Pen for purchase at this event. (And yes, I will sign other books, too—but the store requests that […]
Want To Watch Me Write?
Social media hashtags: #DailyLinesWithBusiness, #MinnieAndHalsNovella, #Outin2017 This blog entry is actually part of a longer piece called "Want to Watch Me Write?" that I’m putting together in desultory fashion, between other things. It’s a modest example of what-all goes on my head while I’m writing, including all the thinking that happens before, during and after the writing of a single scene. Our scenario is that it’s 1743, Harold Grey is struggling to raise his father’s defunct regiment, and has just shot a man named Nathaniel Twelvetrees, who had seduced Hal’s wife (she’s just died a month ago, along with the child to whom she gave birth—and Hal doesn’t know whether it was his or not). Hal’s not very stable emotionally at the moment, and his anxious friend, Harry Quarry, is sticking close by him as Hal goes to call on an officer with a good reputation, whom he’d like to recruit for his new regiment. The man lives in a Georgian terrace—a line of upscale townhouses, facing a common fenced […]
“Mark Me” (Dragonfly in Amber)
Mark me…. or, you know…. don’t…. I’d thought of posting this bit from DRAGONFLY before the TV show’s finale for season two, and warning you that the show wasn’t doing it this way, lest finding this particular bit omitted might cause some of you (you know who you are…) to become Disgruntled and thus miss the real beauty and intensity of Jamie and Claire’s farewell. But then I decided that I shouldn’t do that; not only would it be a spoiler, it might well rile some people a priori and not only spoil the ending for them, but also cause any amount of hopping up and down and general agitation that I didn’t think would serve anyone going into what’s really a spectacular ending. But I did want to show the original to you, both as a solace to the book-fans, and a small gift to the TV-show-only fans. (BTW… one of the writers was chatting with me before a Writers Bloc interview in LA and said, "We’re not going […]
“More Important Than Food” (Book Nine)
From Book Nine of my OUTLANDER series. Note that this excerpt may contain spoilers: Facebook hashtags: #DailyLines, #BookNINE, #ImWorkingOnIt, #AllInGoodTime, #JamieAndClaire, #SomeThingsNeverChange "…the night we made Faith." I lifted my head in surprise. "You know when she was conceived? I don’t know that." He ran his hand slowly down my back, fingers pausing to rub circles in the small of it. If I’d been a cat, I would have waved my tail gently under his nose. "Aye, well, I suppose I could be wrong, but I’ve always thought it was the night I came to your bed at the Abbey." For a moment, I groped among my memories. That time at the Abbey of Ste. Anne, when he’d come so close to self-chosen death, was one I seldom revisited. It was a terrifying time of fear and confusion, despair and desperation. And yet when I did look back, I found a handful of vivid images, standing out like the illuminated letters on a page of ancient Latin. Father Anselm’s face, […]
A Brief Lesson…
A Brief Lesson in Content, Courtesy and Not Jumping to Conclusions… There was a certain amount of comment prior to Episode 8 (from Season Two of the Starz Outlander TV series) about my having referred to a script element as "jumping the shark" and a lot of speculation as to where and what that was. I didn’t want to go into this prior to the episode’s airing, because I didn’t want anyone to be distracted from the virtues of the episode, which was very enjoyable in itself. But I thought I’d take a moment now to explain just how all that speculation came about. It might be enlightening to some of you with less experience in the Ways of The Internet. Now, I love to explain things to people (you may have noticed) and share experiences and perceptions. Working with and on the show has been a fascinating experience, and one I know many fans are deeply interested in. Ergo, I’m always willing to explain or discuss things about the […]
My Writing Process
March 20, 2016 Over the years, I’ve done hundreds (literally) of interviews, and frankly, most of them consist of the same six or seven questions, over and over (and over and overandoverandover)—with the excuse, "Of course, I know you’ve probably (oh, you think?) answered some (ha) of these questions before, but these are things we think our readers would like to know." (Perfectly legit assumption. That’s why all those answers are in the "FAQ" section of my website… and on my Wikipedia page (or at least I hope they’re still there)… and in THE OUTLANDISH COMPANIONS.) "So…. how did you get the idea to write these books?" But never mind; they have their job and I have mine. (Yes, I admit that these interviews give the books visibility, and I appreciate the attention. That’s why I go on answering those six or seven questions with a reasonably convincing appearance of gracious enthusiasm (I’ve seen myself do it several times on video, that’s how I know…). Still, once in awhile you […]
Season 2 Week – Live Chat On April 7
My deepest thanks and gratitude to everyone for all their kind prayers and good wishes. The surgery (for a family member this week) looks to have been very successful, and we’re all completely exhausted, but doing well! Live Chat With USA Today on Thursday, April 7 As one of the Season Two festivities (I suppose you can call it a festivity… maybe I’ll have a dram of whisky while doing it, to insure being adequately festive), I’ll be doing a live Q&A chat sponsored by USAToday, on Thursday, April 7th, at 7 p.m., Eastern Time, which is 4 p.m., Pacific Time. The link to the chat is here: http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/books/2016/03/25/chat-live-author-diana-gabaldon/81959474/ The chat may only be viewed using a desktop browser. You may submit questions for me (for the Live Chat) in advance at the USA Today link above. (Webmistress’s Note: You can watch a replay of the Live Chat if you click on the link above.) Season 2 Red Carpet Premiere In New York City HUGE congratulations to the cast, crew, […]
Tartan Week – NYC
I won’t, alas, be with the Starz gang in New York this week for the premiere of Season Two (of the Outlander TV series) and the Tartan Week festivities. I have a family member undergoing surgery on Monday, April 4, and need to be there. So— have a great time if you will be in New York City, and enjoy the new episode of the Outlander TV show on April 9 (it’s fabulous!). And if y’all have a moment, any prayers or good thoughts would be appreciated! -Diana Details of This Week’s New York City Events (New!) My Webmistress has compiled a list for you of events from April 4th through the 9th to celebrate the broadcast premiere of Season 2 of Outlander, including red carpet events and panel discussions (featuring the cast and crew of Outlander), Tartan Week, and finally the broadcast premiere of Season 2 on April 9! You can participate in events this week LIVE via the Facebook, Twitter, and the web! Or in person if you […]
Season Two & “Nobility Problems”
Season Two of the Starz Outlander TV series premieres on the Starz network in the U.S.A. on April 9! For trailers and lots of other information, check out the Starz Outlander webpage at: http://www.starz.com/originals/outlander/ If you live outside the U.S.A., click here for information on some viewing regions and countries around the globe. And here is a short excerpt (aka "Daily Lines") from Book Nine: "Nobility Problems" Facebook Hashtags: #DailyLines, #BookNine, #HalAndWilliam, #WhenYouCantQuitYourJob, #NobilityProblems "Miss England?" Hal asked abruptly. "Sometimes," William answered honestly. "But I don’t think about it much," he added, with less honesty. "I do." His uncle’s face looked relaxed, almost wistful in the fading light. "But you haven’t a wife there, or children. No establishment of your own, yet." "No." The sounds of the camp were still audible, but muted by the rhythm of the surf at their feet, the passage of the silent clouds above their heads. The trouble with silence was that it allowed the thoughts in his head to take on a tiresome insistence, […]