• “The smartest historical sci-fi adventure-romance story ever written by a science Ph.D. with a background in scripting 'Scrooge McDuck' comics.”—Salon.com
  • A time-hopping, continent-spanning salmagundi of genres.”
    —ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
  • “These books have to be word-of-mouth books because they're too weird to describe to anybody.”
    —Jackie Cantor, Diana's first editor

“Bear” (BEES)


Below is a new excerpt from GO TELL THE BEES THAT I AM GONE, which will be book nine in my OUTLANDER series of novels.

Social Media Hashtags: #DailyLines, #GoTELLTheBEESThatIAmGONE, #BookNine, #goingnicelythankyou, #NOitsnotdone, #Illtellyouwhenitis, #readthenovellas

Egyptian-thingieJamie and Brianna came back in mid-afternoon, with two brace of squirrels, fourteen doves, and a large piece of stained and tattered canvas which, unwrapped, revealed something that looked like the remnants of a particularly grisly murder.

“Supper?” I asked, gingerly poking at a shattered bone sticking out of the mass of hair and slick flesh. The smell was iron-raw and butcherous, with a rank note that seemed familiar, but decay hadn’t yet set in to any noticeable degree.

“Aye, if ye can manage, Sassenach.” Jamie came and peered down at the bloody shambles, frowning a little. “I’ll tidy it up for ye. I need a bit o’whisky first, though.”

Given the blood-stains on his shirt and breeks, I hadn’t noticed the equally stained rag tied round his leg, but now saw that he was limping. Raising a brow, I went to the large basket of food, small tools, and minor medical supplies that I lugged up to the house site every morning.

“From what’s left of it, I presume that is—or was—a deer. Did you actually tear it apart with your bare hands?”

Brianna snickered.

“No, but the bear did.” She exchanged complicit glances with her father, who hummed in his throat.

“Bear,” I said, and took a deep breath. I gestured at his shirt. “Right. How much of that blood is yours?”

“No much,” he said tranquilly, and sat down on the big log. “Whisky?”

I looked sharply at Brianna, but she seemed to be intact. Filthy, and with green-gray bird-droppings streaked down her shirt, but intact. Her face glowed with sun and happiness, and I smiled.

“There’s whisky in the tin canteen hanging over there,” I said, nodding toward the big spruce at the far side of the clearing. “Do you want to fetch it for your father while I see what’s left of his leg?”

“Sure. Where are Mandy and Jem?”

“When last seen, they were playing by the creek with Aidan and his brothers. Don’t worry,” I added, seeing her lower lip suck suddenly in. “It’s very shallow there and Fanny said she’d go and keep an eye on Mandy while she’s collecting leeches. Fanny’s very dependable.”

“Mm-hm.” Bree still looked dubious, but I could see her fighting down her maternal impulse to go scoop Mandy out of the creek immediately. “I know I met her last night, but I’m not sure I remember Fanny. Where does she live?”

“With us,” Jamie said, matter-of-factly. “Ow!”

“Hold still,” I said, holding the puncture wound below his knee open with two fingers while I poured saline solution into it. “You don’t want to die of tetanus, do you?”

“And what would ye do if I said yes, Sassenach?”

“The same thing I’m doing right now. I don’t care if you want to or not; I’m not having it.”


Click to visit my BEES webpage which has information and links to more excerpts from this new book.


This excerpt was also posted on my official Facebook page on January 19, 2018.

49 Responses »

  1. I just feel like Bri should be humming ‘and a partridge in a pear tree’ as she’s walking. tee hee hee….

  2. Oh how I love Jamie and Claire banter!

    I have read the eight books over and over. I cannot wait for Bess.

    I would like to say whenever I am feeling down or just blah I start reading and almost immediately I feel dreamy and romantic. I just want to go home and kiss my hubby even if it was him that put me in a bad mood.
    There is something magical going on here! :)

    Thank you!

    Leanne

  3. I read the first book in very early 1992, while pregnant with my daughter. She’s about to be 26, and I have shared them with her. It’s especially wonderful to have the person who was growing inside of you when you read the first book, appreciate them almost as much as yourself.
    I absolutely adored this series, and it is my all time favorite. I’ve read thousands of books, and I have many favorites, but it always comes back to Jamie and Claire.
    Thank you for sharing them.

  4. Diana,

    I am, like the myriad of others, a devoted fan. 53 this year, just started reading about 2 years ago- your talent is incomparable- really appreciate your style in print as well as the way you seem in real life. Blessings to you and your family- and thank you so very much for your books- all of them!

    Katie Grigsby

  5. Can’t wait for the new book to come out. Just finished book 8. The teasers are great while we all wait.

  6. Diana, I am now on the 3rd or 4th time listening to all the series, having read them first, now doing audio versions. They are so dear to me!

    I loved what Starz has done with the TV version, but what has always bothered me is Claire’s hair color. In many of the books you describe her hair as somewhat golden, but Caitriona has dark hair and somewhere even mentioned having to darken her hair more. Why isn’t it lighter, as portrayed in the books? I did see something online about you using your sister’s hair as the “type,” but the color????

    Thanks for tweeting back to a guide we had in the Highlands a few years ago, when we stayed at a farm 1/4 mile from Culloden-that was so sweet; and can’t wait for Bees…..I’ve turned mannnnyyyy people on to your wonderful, masterfully written novels.

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