Diana Gabaldon's Blog, page 28
April 16, 2011
April 16, 1746
Today is the 265th anniversary of the Battle of Culloden. In honor of that, I thought I'd just post links to the two blogposts I did a couple of years ago, when I was privileged to attend the dedication of the new Visitors Centre at Culloden.
Urram do na mairbh.
April 15, 2011
The Ides of April – or, Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose
In honor of the date, a song of the American Revolution:
A Junto Song
'Tis money makes the members vote
And sanctifies our ways,
It makes the patriot turn his coat
And money we must raise, and
A-taxing we will go, will go
And a-taxing we will go.
More taxes we must sure impose
To raise the civil list;
Also pay our ayes and noes,
And make opposers hist, and
A-taxing we will go, &c.
The power supreme of Parliament
Our purpose did assist.
And taxing laws abroad were sent
Which rebels do resist, and
A ...
April 7, 2011
Historical Sex Scenes
Historical Sex Scenes
Now, don't start hyperventilating. This isn't about how to write historical sex scenes (though I might show you a sort-of one, in a bit*). It's a solicitation. {g}
I was going to start out by saying that I have no idea how this happened, except that I do. I just don't remember who to blame for it. What did happen was that six(ish) years ago, the Historical Novel Society (of which I am a member) held its biannual conference in Albany. It was the first conference of...
March 30, 2011
Willkommen!
I'm delighted to announce that we now have a German-language version of the Diana Gabaldon official website!
Thanks to Jeremy Tolbert for the design, and to Barbara Schnell, who is the German translator for the Outlander novels, for not only translating the relevant information from this site, but adding a lot of special bits, such as the many photographs she's taken of German book-tours, fans, and readings (Barbara is also a wonderful photo-journalist; be sure to check out her own website at ...
March 28, 2011
METHADONE LIST: BLACK HALO
METHADONE LIST: BLACK HALO
Last year, I mentioned Sam Sykes's first book, THE TOME OF THE UNDERGATES. BLACK HALO is the second book in the AEON'S GATE trilogy, and even better than the first.
These books are epic fantasy. Meaning—I'm told—that characters and storylines are writ large. This is certainly true of BLACK HALO, which includes the most striking assemblage of vivid misfits ever to try to save the world (or at least themselves) from demons—and a jaw-dropping array of creepy...
March 16, 2011
As Seen on TV!
Many thanks to whichever nice reader is a scriptwriter for "General Hospital"! Earlier this month, a number of people called my attention to the fact that one show featured a young girl bringing books to her older sister in the hospital—at one point, pulling a copy of the trade paperback edition of OUTLANDER out of her bag and saying, "It's really long—but really good!" {g}
I did have someone ask whether this was product placement by the publisher, but I can assure you it wasn't....
February 26, 2011
Language, Language….(Part I)
It doesn't happen often, but I do occasionally get email from people asking—always very politely (well, almost always very politely)—whether I have ever considered producing a bowdlerized edition of my books.
Mind, none of them uses the word "bowdlerized"; I doubt most people under the age of forty have ever heard it. It comes from:
Thomas Bowdler (pronounced /ˈbaʊdlər/) (11 July 1754 – 24 February 1825), who was an English physician who published an expurgated edition of William...
February 11, 2011
BLACK RIVER, NAKED MAN
Let me be clear about this: I didn't even see the naked man when I took a picture of him.
"Did you just take a picture of that naked man?!?" my husband said, startled.
"What naked man?" said I, more startled still.
"That one," he said, pointing over my shoulder at the shore. Sure enough.
I _had_ been taking a picture of the picturesquely-thatched boat-rental place from which we'd just departed, embarked upon a cruise up Jamaica's Black River (so called, according to the guide, because of a...
January 31, 2011
A Pleasant Sunday in Paradise
The gecko is in his usual place, clinging to the slanted wooden ceiling twelve feet above my head. The living room of our cottage is open in front, and I'm looking out into a blackness filled with the sound of the sea. People who live next to it probably get used to it; I don't think I ever would.
I'm thinking the gecko could be a bit more proactive in his hunting; I've been gnawed by mosquitoes the last two days, and I see them now, tiny things casually floating around, pretending to be...
January 26, 2011
APOLOGIES!
APOLOGIES!
Mostly to Dana Stabenow, but also to those of you planning to attend her book-launch at The Poisoned Pen on Feb. 1st, for her new book, THOUGH NOT DEAD (which is a great book, btw—one of her best!).
I was scheduled to be at the launch as well, to interview Dana about the book, but had an unexpected conflict (well, I got invited to go to Jamaica, and totally forgot that I was supposed to be doing this, is what happened. I'd already booked the tickets before I realized, though). So I...
