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ONE WEEK AND COUNTING!! (September 21st!)
OK, time to get out the book-touring clothes and check for sweat stains…! (Well, yes, I do. Performing raises my body temp about five degrees, no matter what the ambient temperature is. I figure it’s all the energy pouring in from the audience. Y’all are great—and hot. [g])
Now that I’ve taken to Twittering (I’m “Writer_DG”), I notice that a few people seem to think that THE EXILE is just OUTLANDER done in pictures. If you’ve been following my blog for a bit, you’ll already know that’s not the case—EXILE is a brand-new story, though if you’ve read OUTLANDER (and I’m sort of figuring most of you have [cough]) you’ll recognize some of the main incidents.
You will, though, also have an all-new storyline, _and_ perhaps learn a few things people tell me they’ve wondered about from the original novel: Who was the mysterious girl in France? Where did Jamie get his mother’s pearls? What did Mrs. Fitz make of Claire’s bra? [g]
NOW—the LAUNCH PARTY!!
The Poisoned Pen bookstore has always done launch parties for my books, God bless them—but this time it’s gonna be Special.
We sort of outgrew the confines of the bookstore with A BREATH OF SNOW AND ASHES, and so they hosted the last launch (for AN ECHO IN THE BONE) at the Biltmore Hotel—it was great! For this time, though—we have not only me and a pile of books [g], but also Hoang Nguyen, the wonderful artist who did the artwork, and we’ll be doing a knockabout cross-talk act…er…a collaborative program, I mean, in which we want to show you some of the cool art while we talk about it (explaining, for example, how we eventually came up with Jamie’s Butt), and that meant finding a venue where we could have good projection equipment and good seats for you to sit in while looking at it. (Though I must say that the imagination boggles a bit at the notion of an enormous projection of Jamie’s rear end…)
So. The Pen’s arranged to do this at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts, which has a lovely, brand-newly remodeled auditorium. And since we’re making such an Occasion of it, food and drink will be provided by Arcadia Farms. Aaaaand…
We’ll have music, courtesy of OUTLANDER: The Musical.
(As a Special Added Attraction, I _will_ read one or two excerpts from Book Eight. Just in case you were wondering how Jem’s doing in that tunnel, or What Jamie Said to Lord John next. [g] See below.)
Anyway, I expect a great time to be had by all, and hope to see y’all there, glowing like embers. [g] (I _will_ wear deodorant, in honor of the occasion.)
P.S. Since the launch party is in a special venue—which had to be rented for the occasion—there _are_ tickets for it. Each ticket includes the price of a signed book (it can be signed by me alone, by Hoang alone, or by both of us!)—and if you want to bring a friend, you can get a “companion” ticket for an additional $5. Book tickets here.
JEM
He must be getting near the end of the tunnel. Jem could tell by the way the air pushed back against his face. All he could see was the little red light on the train’s dashboard–did you call it a dashboard on a train? he wondered. He didn’t want to stop, because that meant he’d have to get out of the train, into the dark. But the train was running out of track, so there wasn’t much else he could do.
He pulled back a little bit on the lever that made the train go, and it slowed down. More. Just a little more, and the lever clicked into a kind of slot and the train stopped with a little jerk that made him stumble and grab the edge of the cab.
An electric train didn’t make any engine noise, but the wheels rattled on the track and the train made squeaks and clunks as it moved. When it stopped, the noise stopped too. It was really quiet.
“Hey!” he said out loud, because he didn’t want to listen to his heart beating. The sound echoed, and he looked up, startled. Mum had said the tunnel was really high, more than thirty feet, but he’d forgot that. The idea that there was a lot of empty space hanging over him that he couldn’t see bothered him a lot. He swallowed, and stepped out of the tiny engine, holding on to the frame with one hand.
“Hey!” he shouted at the invisible ceiling. “Are there any bats up there?”
….
JAMIE/LORD JOHN
He’d been quite resigned to dying. Had expected it from the moment that he’d blurted out, “I have had carnal knowledge of your wife.” The only question in his mind had been whether Fraser would shoot him, stab him, or eviscerate him with his bare hands.
To have the injured husband regard him calmly, and say merely, “Oh? Why?” was not merely unexpected, but…infamous. Absolutely infamous.
“Why?” John Grey repeated, incredulous. “Did you say ‘Why
‘?”
“I did. And I should appreciate an answer.”
…
So Diana…for those of us who live way across the country and can't make it to Arizona, will you consider video or audio taping the 'cross talk' and posting on YouTube?
Have a great launch! Can't wait to get my book, which is on order.
Your enthusiasm is so catching….The launch party will be fabulous, no doubt about it! You worked so hard, it's nice to see it all come to fruition, surrounded by so many adoring fans.
Good luck with every detail of the launch….(with or without deodorant) :-)!!
Ditto what Lolly S said.
And hey! We already knew that part about LJ & Jamie…your post made me think more was coming! You meant to, right? Just messed up copying & pasting?
And that French Girl had best stay dead!! (-;
Congratulations on your launch. Can't wait to get my copy!
Dear Diana,
Please don't make me move from Germany to Arizona(Scottsdale) to be able to join all these great events. So please try to post anything on Youtube . That would make me overthink my moving plans!!!!
Anyway, thanks for everything you're sharing with us!
Best wishes
Myrna
I was going suggest something like Lolly
Could you do a live blog or something so those of use who canna make the trip can also be a part of the launch?
I'm so excited for this book!
I want to see you while you are in San Francisco but it is a week night and a long drive in terrible rush hour traffic. I also have to go over one or the other of the bridges … which I have never done at rush hour. So if I don't make it … I was thinking about you
Sounds like a great time. I would love to be there to get a copy of the book and enjoy the fun. Alas, Amazon will have to suffice because I am grounded in Charleston for a while. Have fun, send pics.
Okay, I'm lost–where does the mysterious girl in France come in?
Dear Diana:
Enjoy the party and don't sweat it! You are an incredibly talented writer, you accomplished another milestone, and you deserve to have fun.
Hi Diana,
FYI the order of 1,000 CDs arrived yesterday so I'm pretty sure there will be plenty [?] for the launch event…I hope so anyway. [g]
Susan H.E.
I read this yesterday on a blog…
"I recently came across of Forbes top 10 highest paid authors, and thought you might be interested in it…
1.James Patterson $70 Million
2.Stephenie Meyer $40 Million
3.Stephen King $34 Million
4.Danielle Steel $32 Million
5.Ken Follet $20 Million
6.Dean Koontz $18 Million
7.Janet Evanovich $16 Million
8.John Grisham $15 Million
9.Nicholas Sparks $14 Million
10.J.K. Rollings $10 Million"
WHAT!!! No Diana Gabaldon on this list??? LOL
Enjoy your launch party!! I'd do almost anything to attend alas the best I can do is wait for my pre-ordered Exile to arrive in the mail from Amazon. All the best! (post some pictures later if you can)
I'm so jealous of those who can come and hear what's going on with Jem in the tunnel, as well as the rest of the conversation between Jamie & Lord John!! Why must Mississippi be so far away???
Wish I lived in Arizona! Can't wait to read THE EXILE!
Wishing you joy at the launch party…I love that you have a partner in crime to share the energy from the adoring fans.
I've been to a few presentations where the illustrations have been projected, at one point, the author turned to look at the projected picture of an opened grave and congratulated the audience for their composure! I'm sure drawings of Jamie's butt won't be all that hard to take. *G*
Get the powers that be to set up an airconditioning fan under the table to blow cool over your feet to help lower the temperature during the performance.
Enjoy the evening and tell Mr. Nguyen to brace himself!
Hugs
VickiB
I do believe that The Exile will be the first graphic novel I ever purchase.
I actually planned on driving out from Cali. to see you and Hoang, but my husband is flying home that day from Virginia, he has been stationed out there for 8 months. I kind of want to see him….. Anyways, have a great day, and think of brain freezes and icebergs in the Atlantic to keep your body temp down.
Brandy
I wish I could be there, but it's not that easy to come to Arizone from Germany…however, I hope you'll have a great time. With the music, talking and huge projections of Jamie's butt – that sounds very enjoyable
It would be amazing if there is any way to put the whole thing on Youtube for those of us who can't come.
Oh Diana how you torture us so! Can't wait for book 8, but of course am looking forward to The Exile. I am relistening to Outlander in preparation.
All I can say is Thank God you're making another sequel after "Echo"! if I had to live with this cliff hanger for the rest of my life …. I've grown so attached to your characters that I'm even considering calling my next dog Rollo and moving to Scotland! Know of any Jamie Frasers out there looking for an equally independent woman like Claire?
Mimi
Best wishes for a great launch and a great party!
Cheers ~
Emily
http://www.emilybach.net