“And in all fairness, I’ve been accustomed to a large amount of hair-raising change in life, ever since I met my husband. [g] Not that he is solely responsible for this; it’s just that we both have this wild streak of “Oh, why NOT?” and we reinforce it in each other. So we’ve done something guaranteed to turn our lives upside down, on an average of once every two years. Move across the country with all our possessions in a U-Haul to go to graduate school? Have a baby? Buy a house? Have another baby? Start a business? Have _another_ baby?!? Buy a much bigger and more interesting house? (that’s what we did with the advance, when I sold OUTLANDER, btw). Write a novel? Quit your job? Oh, heck…why NOT? [g]

You know, we just roll with the punches.”
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Midge responds (belatedly):

There are folks in this world with adventurous spirits and those without; there are those who roll with the punches and those who get bruised. One is not better or more preferable, but it takes both to appreciate the specific gifts and talents of the other.

Diana, you are a most talented writer. You have put to good use the gift that God granted you. You have a mighty support system — your beloved husband, your loving children and family, the professionals who help make it possible. But, without your fans, your gift would go largely unappreciated and you would be unfulfilled.

I do not subscribe to the gluttonous consumption of celebrity that is prevalent in our world today because it smacks of one being better than the other. But, I will admit that when you signed my hardback copy of FC at Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena, CA., way back when, my knees were knocking and I was speechless. I may have even drooled on my blouse……!

All I’m saying is that the pleasure of our dialogue here at this blog, the glimpses inside your marvelous brain and thought processes, the fun of sharing with the other bags at LOL, being challenged to be intelligent at CompuServe, all of it is a wonder and gift. I am deeply aware that we, I, take up your time when you could be better employed — thank you for every bit that you share. And thanks to us for keeping you motivated!

Midge

Diana, you? Digress? How on earth would your characters have gotten into such wild situations if not for a little digression once in a while? I’m so glad it’s in your nature to follow wherever your thoughts lead, to answer honestly, to say “why not?” You books wouldn’t be half as fun otherwise.

Oh, and I’m looking forward to seeing those pics!

Well I now have a second life as well. It’s composed of deciding which book of yours to re-read, deciding which cd of your books to listen to in the car on the way to work, and deciding when to log in to Voyages of the Artemis to see what you’ve been up to. I think I need to start a Gabaldon 12-step program….

I guess my “second life” of writing… or other obsessions… fits in where the housework portion of the first life is. Fortunately, the hubby doesn’t mind too much. Wish I could hire a housekeeper… I guess I need to do a better job training the boys! ; ) If my Mom were still alive, I am sure she would ring my neck. ; ) Well, she was a ‘stay at home Mom’.

As always, your blogs are refreshing to read! You have been a busy girl… hope you get a chance to relax a bit in Scotland! Thanks for sharing yourself to us in your “third life”.

Well, I gotta get back to my first life… work. Have a good day!!

Vicki (Piper Mom)

And a GREAT BIG THANK YOU for allowing me a part your “lives” and for bringing so very many blessings into my life! Hugs! — JP

I think that “why not?” attitude carries over very clearly into your writing, too. It shows in your willingness to let your characters be who they are. Claire insisted on “being modern” right from the beginning, something you clearly didn’t anticipate. But you said, “Why not?”, and here we all are 20 years later [g]. Or, to take another example: I imagine you didn’t create Lord John specifically as a gay character, but when he revealed himself to be attracted to men, you said, “Why not?”, and ended up exploring all sorts of issues, both personal and societal, that we never would have heard about otherwise.

I also think that your characters share that same attitude of “rolling with the punches”. You’ve put them through some really traumatic situations (to put it mildly!); in some cases it may take years for them to recover, but in the end they always manage to pull themselves together and get on with their lives. And in my opinion at least, that constant struggle to deal with whatever life throws at them, their refusal to allow themselves to be destroyed by it, is one reason that they are so compelling to watch.

(Hmmm…pretty deep thoughts for a Sunday morning [g]. Didn’t mean to get quite that analytical, but once I started, I just couldn’t seem to stop myself.)

Karen