Well, now–here’s a question to keep you entertained while I’m gearing up to visit the UK: What sorts of things might you like to see in THE OUTLANDISH COMPANION, Volume II?
I’ll be working on this book during 2010 (yes, yes, along with Book Eight, and a few other things, no doubt), but am just beginning to form up an idea of the potential contents. There will of course be
Detailed synopses of
THE FIERY CROSS
A BREATH OF SNOW AND ASHES
AN ECHO IN THE BONE
and
LORD JOHN AND THE PRIVATE MATTER
LORD JOHN AND THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE BLADE
LORD JOHN AND THE HAND OF DEVILS
“Cast of Characters” listings for all the aforementioned books. These lists note which books each character appears in, and give a thumbnail description of each character (for those readers who have trouble remembering who’s who).
A Comprehensive, Alphabetized and Phonetic Glossary of All the Gaelic in All the Books (so far). [g]
Interesting Features on Writing in General (chunk writing vs. outlines, how to organize scenes so you can find them again, the Fine Art of Backing Up, etc.) and Writing These Books in Particular (the “shape” of each book, internal structure, and interconnections)
Reader’s Guides (book-club discussion questions and commentary)
Features on Costume and Cookery of the 18th Century
A Truly Massive (but well-organized!) Bibliography, of allllll the References used in writing the more recent Books.
Many Inspiring and Beautiful Photographs of the Scottish Highlands (and perhaps a few less inspiring ones of the author) taken by Barbara Schnell, the German translator for the books.
A Selection of the most Piquant, Poignant, Offensive, and/or Hilarious (whether deliberately or inadvertently) Letters received–and the Author’s Unexpurgated Responses to Same.
Controversy: Commentary and discussion on the more controversial scenes, themes, or incidents in the various books.
So….what else? All suggestions welcome!
I would second the maps, timeline and most certainly the brief physical descriptions of the characters, as starting on book 4 for the first time, I find myself forgetting the minor detail descriptions of people. (I ask my Mom, who read the series when it first came out, such questions as "How tall and old is Claire supposed to be?" to which she can only respond with "Older and shorter than Jamie but taller than the Scots," which isn't entirely helpful!)
Oh, and I would also add a disclaimer for any of the medicinal and cookery recipes included, excluding you of any responsibility from possible negative consequences of making/using the recipes; "just to cover your ass," as a pre-law friend of mine would say.
More generally, my Mom would like to thank you for all the time you have put into crafting the stories, the joy of reading it has provided over the years and congradulations on making it into the fiction section of regular book stores! (Making me happy as I no longer have to accompany her incognito to the romance novel book sellers.)
As a budding herbalist, I'd love to see something about the herbs and such that Claire references/uses (nothing too technical of course for liability issues) but I'd be curious. The MD turned old fashioned healer was something that really appealed to me as a former pre-med student who has now (over a long journey) started working on becoming an herbalist.
Dear Dr. Gabaldon,
Your series is simply wonderful! Your creativity has enriched my life in ways that are hard to express. Thank you :)! Add my vote to the list of those longing for maps, plantation drawings, and Mrs. Bug's recipes. I especially love the idea of a Companion that includes "illuminated pages" containing envelopes we might open that illustrate Jamie's letters to Brianna and Roger, or Claire's list of herbal medical supplies, etc. or house plans of the Big House and its surrounding features we might unfold from the book. Most of all, a CD containing the gaelic featured in the book would be perfect! I long to really hear the words Jamie and Roger speak and am sure, despite your helpful pronunciation guide in the Outlandish Companion, that I make dreadful work of their beautiful language.
Dear Diana,
I have been following the comments here and these are my favourites so far plus a few new thoughts…
- First and foremost any new background insights into the books, anything new about the characters and how things came about, (extremely rare, but possibly existing) bits that might have been edited out etc… in other words, any true, cooked by you, Outlander morsels, please.
- Maps (seems the vote is pretty unanimous on this one *g*)
- Floor plans (brilliant idea, whoever came up with it!)
- illustrations of what the inside of a typical cottage/homestead/longhouse would have looked like at the time, daily implements included
- Costumes (specific Outlander ones, like the C&J wedding attire as well as illustrations of what would have been worn at the time by various classes)
- illustrations and short biography of some of the famous people that appear and what made you include them
- additional family tree for Lord John Grey and updates on those of the others from the first Companion. I am especially curious about the four children that Buck is supposed to have according to Companion one, though there is only one child showing on the family tree that the Reverend has of Roger.
- Errata… we all love reading about mistakes that slipped under the radar. Much more fun than when everything runs like clockwork *g*
- Recipes of the time from food to soap
- the glossary in alphabetical order this time (someone must still be kicking themselves over that one from Companion one, LOL)
- lyrics for some of the songs of the time as well as those prayers that keep coming up and their story
- Picture of Rollo
- Time lines… I am especially interested in one that clears up the events taking place at the end of Echo, beginning with the Frasers arriving at Lallybroch. The dates given make no sense when one compares what J&C did relative to each other (printing mistake?) it would be great to get an idea of what they should have been.
- short condensed list of all the main characters listing their birthdays as far as known and their main physical characteristics for quick reference
- Index… I agree with others that the first Companion is awkward if one wants to look something up in a hurry
- list of the literary and pop culture allusions and references that go right over Jamie's, Ian's, Lord John's (and other people's) heads (brilliant suggestion made by BOLD Bluebird). Seeing them listed in one place would be a great source for a quick giggle.
What about a little 'spoof' story? Like putting Jamie into a modern day situation… could be in the form of him having a really vivid dream… maybe him getting to grips with a car, or have him stumble into Royal Ascot and dazzle the Queen by calming her horses…
Things I would not be as keen on are too much in the way of Herb Lore (there was rather a lot of it in the first Companion)and drawings of the main characters. I simply find most drawings of people in books not real enough, too one dimensional… quite apart from them looking different from how I imagine them.
I love the idea of an Outlander CD with Gaelic phrases, songs ranging from old historical Scottish ones, Bagpipes, a piece of Bach, French court music and Songs of the American revolution to Indian war cries and 'The Banks of Loch Lomond'. Basically a CD giving the sounds from the books. Such a CD would obviously be fantastic as a freebie with the Companion but it would probably make top of the charts if sold on its own.
Well… back to work
whilst listening to Outlander on audio
Keep well everyone!
Hi, All,
Diana, I loved the section in the first Companion noting random and quirky bits you've turned up in your research. More please!
Echoing others, please do NOT include pics of the main characters. One joy of reading is getting to use our imagination to fill in the author's descriptions.
And maps — yes!
Thanks!
As North Carolina is so important to the books, I would love to see something about the Scots settlements in eastern (Cape Fear) and western (Blue Ridge) NC, including information about Native Americans and also Regulators.
Also, I have to say I loved the fight Jamie broke up about the proper way to serve barbeque — we still have that fight in the Carolinas today! Maybe something about barbeque western vs eastern style to go along with Ms. Bug's recipes!
I was wondering if you would be speaking at the Flagstaff Highland Festival this year? Thanks Tracy
Wow, people are coming up with some good stuff here and I have absolutely nothing else to contribute! oh, maybe some ideas you might have discarded for what else Ian might have been up to while he was with the Mohawk.
Floorplans of Lallybroch and the Ridge. Possibly a layout/small map of the Ridge Settlement (Where is Bree's house in relation to the Big House, vs the New House and graveyard/ white spring / gold / Ute / Hiram / etc)
These are all such wonderful ideas, and I can't wait for the Companion – as you mentioned, Diana, some of your readers do sometimes get confused and need reminding of certain characters or events from previous books!
The first companion was like having you right there with us, telling us your thoughts and fixing our pronunciation (the correct pronunciation of Laoghaire was a revelation to me!), and I am so looking forward to the next one. Thank you for doing what you do each day and bringing us all such joy.
Hi Diana
My wife and I are huge fans, we have just come back from the UK and unbeknown to us you just happened to be in Edinburgh the same day as us. I wish that I had read your appointments earlier.
We travelled all around Scotland locating the places from your books. We found the Fraser headstone at Culloden Battlefield and Jamie's print shop at the bottom of The Royal Mile. Did you know that there is a small village in the north of Scotland called Fraserville, was that where Jamie and Clair finally settled in the end?:-) and one of Fergus's children started up the department store in Edinburgh called Frasers?
You really picked a popular name for these books.
The way it came about that we started to read your books was, one day I went into a book store in Brisbane, Australia, and I bought a book called The Firey Cross, thinking that it would be a good book. I took it home and started to read it and after a few paged thought it was all messed up so I chucked it in the cupboard.
After a couple of months Sandra was reading the first Lord John book and was chuckling at something an I asked what? and she just said it was something about Jamie and Claire, I immediately pulled out the Firey Cross and looked at the author and asked her who was the author and Sandra said Diana Gabaldon, we then realised that my book was the last (at that time) of the series, so we went straight out to buy the first 4 books to start from the beginning. Now we are up to the Echo in the Bone and I have just finished on the plane back from the UK and just have to wait for the next one!!! Keep up the good work, I have a lot of respect for someone who can write a book those sizes and still keep the reader enthralled the whole way through and keep us wanting MORE. I don't know what I am going to do when you stop the series!
Dear Diana,
because they're amazing! (And I hope you plan more books about Jamie and Claire. The series is extraordinary, and i"m only midway through drums of autumn!)
I'd love for there to be an Outlandish Companion that encompasses the entire story. I'm guessing that if the next book is the last, this Outlandish companion will cover it, and that will be that.
But if this one comes out and you're planning more books, I hope you plan on more Companions
I'd love to know who owned Lallybroch in the time between Young Jamie in 1700's and Brianna in present day (ie was it family etc)
I'd love to know who owned Lallybroch in the time between Young Jamie in 1700's and Brianna in present day (ie was it family etc)
This morning I picked up the audio version of "Dragonfly in Amber" at the library. It was so difficult to get out of the car when I arrived at my destination! It's been a few years since I read the novel and wow! I fell in love all over again.
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I would love to see a summary of the medicinal herbs and plants Claire used, even with photos.
I also love the idea of a clothing section
I would love to see a summary of the herb and plants she used, even with photos.
I also love the idea of a clothing section
I'd love to see some recipes!!!
I've been wondering where the excitement and drama of life nowadays is. I've been thinking how hard life was back then. Were people then more emotionally durable? There weren't the kinds of medicine we have, so there was more pain. And if we hate the thought of modern dentist, what of a 18th century dentist?? What about blood and gore? We don't see much of it at all. What about losing loved ones? Seems like there was so much more of it then. I'd be very curious to read something about the 18th century psyche. Also, statistics on longevity. If you got on a ship in England, what chance did you have of surviving, reaching the other side, not dying of fever, being pressed by the Navy, kidnapped by Indians, or dying in childbirth????? Okay, I'll stop ranting.
As a writer (aren't we all??) and mother, I'd like to know your secrets for securing writing time away from your children without guilt.
Another thing I'd like to know is, are there any male hearts out there like Jamie's nowadays? I have a fantastic husband, but >come on< …!
One last comment for Vancouver Voyeur, I think the series will end at Jamie's "ghost" scene in the first book. Just a hunch.
EVERY woman loves Jamie, but I love Lord John too! Is his Hector Cameron, part of Jocasta's Cameron's and the Rob Cameron in the last book? LJ is such a lonely heart!
Okay, I'm really done…