I have, as you might suppose, been getting a certain amount of agitated mail following publication of ECHO, [g] all centering on one question: HOW long is it until the next book will be out?!? (This accompanied by various pleas of increasing age or senility on the part of some readers. It’s not that I’m not sympathetic, and I _am_ flattered–but the fact that you think you might not live long enough to read the next book really can’t make me write any faster. Look, just exercise and take your vitamins; you’ll be fine.) As to the question…
It wouldn’t do much good to speculate; I’m always wrong. The books are invariably longer and more complex than I think they’ll be, and _always_ take longer to finish than I think they will. Sufficiently so, that anyone who’s had the misfortune to work production on one of the OUTLANDER books emerges from the experience with several new white hairs and trembling visibly in every limb.
General observation is that in terms of actual research/writing/etc., it takes me _about_ two to two-and-a-half years to write one of the big novels of the main series. That’s baseline. However…
A) The books get increasingly popular. While this is, generally speaking, A Good Thing, it has side-effects. There’s a HUGE demand on my time, in terms both of physical travel and in-person appearances, and the smaller drag created by endless email, propositions, invitations, cover quote pleas, and now–with the upsurge of online venues available–the demand to create TONS more subsidiary material for blogs, online chats, interviews, phone apps (don’t even ask about that one; the publisher just suggested it and I have _no_ idea), enhanced e-books, viral animated videos, etc. I lose at least two/three months a year, if not more, to this kind of stuff (much more, in years when a new book is out and several different countries want me to come and tour. So far this year, I’ve done Scotland, the US, Canada, New Zealand and Australia–for a total of two and a half months _just on the road_–and will be doing the UK in January, Germany in March, and some miscellaneous Scottish stuff [g] in August. Three European trips in one year? It has its fun aspects, but man, it eats up your work time.
B) I don’t work on one project exclusively, for the most part. I never have. Being able to switch mental tracks keeps me from ever having writer’s block, and it’s good for the separate projects, insofar as pushing one off the front burner while I deal with something else lets the first one simmer peacefully on the subconscious’s lower heat–so the result has _lots_ more flavor and subtlety than it would if I cooked it at a furious boil and splashed it scalding into people’s bowls (cf. James Patterson, if you want to know what _that_ looks like).
So (for instance), while the pub date for ECHO was four years after that for ABOSA, it doesn’t mean that I spent four years tapping away on ECHO without cease or respite. I also wrote (and published) two other books in that time (LORD JOHN AND THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE BLADE, which was a complete novel, and LORD JOHN AND THE HAND OF DEVILS, a collection of novellas), wrote the complete script for THE EXILE (the first “Outlandish” graphic novel), did work on a contemporary crime novel (about half-done at present), worked on THE OUTLANDISH COMPANION, Volume II (rudimentary stuff, but still work), consulted on a film script, and poked around in the research material, coming up with bits and pieces of other, future books (like the first Master Raymond) that I haven’t started working on in any focused way, but that are waiting on the sideboard for their turn.
So I have no idea when Book Eight’ll be up. Not for at least two and a half years (the publisher does need _some_ lead time to actually print the book), but that’s _all_ I could tell you for sure.
Now, I _can_ say what I plan to be working on during 2010 (putting aside all the roaming around the world stuff, promotion for the graphic novel, and Eldest Daughter’s upcoming wedding): I’ll be feeling my way into Book Eight, working in a serious way on LORD JOHN AND THE SCOTTISH PRISONER, ditto the OC II (because I’d like to have that one done before the end of the year), and seeing if I can pull together the contemporary crime novel (which is about half-done, and I think I know where the other half _is_, more or less).
You will get a couple of things in 2010, though: 1) THE EXILE. This is the much-talked-about graphic novel, due out September 28!, 2) a new Lord John novella, “The Custom of the Army” (due in March from Tor books, in an anthology titled WARRIORS), and (probably) 3) “A Leaf on the Wind,” a short story in a Penguin anthology titled STAR-CROSSED LOVERS. This one tells the story of what really happened to Roger’s father, for those with a particular interest either in MacKenzie family history and/or time-travel. [g]
So you will get something to read, and fairly soon. As for Jem…don’t worry about him; he’s a pretty resourceful little guy.
Speaking of that, though–which is the storyline _you_ most want to see addressed Right Up Front in Book Eight?
Like you don't already know? *g*
Jamie and Lord John's current predicament, and of course, William's dilemma, since you can't exactly separate them so I can cheat with two for the price of one!
From sheer vulgar curiosity it has to be the John-Jamie-Claire triangle [g].
Diana, I'm interested in your comment that you'd like to have the OC II done before the end of the year. Do you intend to publish it before the series is finished?
Well, now that you've reassured me that Jem is hanging in there I can breathe easy.
I'm just grateful that you gave young Ian a little bit of closure by Echo's end, that's the storyline I was most anticipating and you delivered ten-fold, so I'm happy, I can hold out for 2 more years
In other words I should be happy I "only" have to wait another 6 months for the translation of Echo…
And if i could ask a favour?
IF you are going to post anything in detail about Echo, could you please put a Spoiler! warning in the subjectline so I (and others waiting for translations) can just skip those for now?
Well worth the wait!!!
Diana I have to say I would LOVE to see the Lord John/Jamie/Claire situation playing out as soon as I open the yet-to-be-titled book #8. Thank you for giving me lots to look forward to!!
I'll chime in with the Jamie, Claire, Lord John situation addressed on the opening, though I am twitchy about poor Roger going back for no reason and not knowing it!
Thanks, as always, for your update!
Julie
I would say Jem, Roger, Brianna and then Jamie and Lord John. Ofcourse there is also what is going Jenny going to say to Clair, oh goodness I don't know??? I discovered your books about 4 months ago and I might be slightly less obessed by the time book 8 comes out???
I can't answer your question yet because I still have to read ECHO first.
It took my Dad two weeks to get halfway through and with Christmas at hand I hope he finishes it in a shorter time. *gg*
He's normally the last one of our family who reads your books.
But you have written enough books to know that you will always get mails in which people ask when your next book is coming out.
Bye Julia
Wow, do you even have time to pee??
And here's my two cents worth. I would like to see you open book Eight with Jemmy. I think since the John/Claire/Jamie thing ended Echo, I PERSONALLY want to know more about Brianna/Jemmy/Roger.
And, I'm fine if you want to call Book Nine "To Tina". Hehehe.
Tina in Saskatchewan
How about starting from Jenny's point of view?
I'd be fine with the others percolating for a bit.
And, thank you again.
JEMMY! I want to k now what the heck is going on with him.
I love it just as you write it. I laugh, scream and actually have thrown a book or two across the room at certain revelations of the story.
My Aunt Marcia is my Claire model because she is a nurse and beautiful and has the Claire Personality. WE ADORE it.
so THANK YOU
can we clone you?
Anything you do we will devour, I am sure. The OC II sounds good. I wish I still had my original sometimes… I need to buy another. I need to go back and read the last three books I read them so fast I am sure I missed a lot. Then it will be much closer to time for the next one. As far as story line I would love to see more interaction between William and Jamie…
LOL Keri… that would be awesome!
I want to know where/when Roger is, Ive been very worried about him ;)? And I really REALLY want to know if Jem is going to travel through the place in the mine and where/when he will end up if he does, stuck inside?
of course we all want to know how Jamie and John are going to handle the whole "Ive had carnal knowledge of your wife" thing….
Amie, the obsession just gets worse and worse over time. I found the books in '93 and have only become more and more obsessed over time ;). Im one of those that has the ring Jamie gave to Claire, inscription and all, Ive "met" Diana numerous times, even went to a breakfast with her and the AZ group of fans ;)….
I'm glad Jem is resourceful! I wanna know about Roger and "Uncle Buck" and Rob Cameron and Brianna!
I'm pretty sure Jamie and John and Claire will figure things out, but I am looking forward to that as well.
And I want to read about Roger's family – can't wait for that.
You take your time, Diana, and don't worry about all of us clamoring for more…..
Talk about great timing – I just finished Echo last night, and your blog just answered all my questions…Can't wait for OC II, and thanks for putting all our minds at ease about Jem (although I wasn't too worried about him – he is quite resourceful!)
My goodness you left us with so much to think about at the end of Echo! It's kind of hard to even say what I want to know about first.
I guess I'm really most anxious to find out Jamie's reaction to everything that happened between Claire and Lord John. O_O
Lord John, Jamie and Claire's situation.
I need to know it before thinking about anything else. I know Jamie and Claie will figure it out somehow, but ….
For me, these two and the relationship between them are the main "kernel" in Outlander's world. So I need the assurance that they still exist.