A couple of publishers asked me this week to write a brief bit of catalog copy for them, describing MOBY–so I did. For those of you wondering What to Expect from the eighth book in the OUTLANDER series:
WRITTEN IN MY OWN HEART’S BLOOD is the eighth novel in the world-famous OUTLANDER series. In June of 1778, the world turns upside-down. The British army withdraws from Philadelphia, George Washington prepares to move from Valley Forge in pursuit, and Jamie Fraser comes back from the dead to discover that his best friend has married Jamie’s wife. The ninth Earl of Ellesmere discovers to his horror that he is in fact the illegitimate son of the newly-resurrected Jamie Fraser (a rebel _and_ a Scottish criminal!) and Jamie’s nephew Ian Murray discovers that his new-found cousin has an eye for Ian’s Quaker betrothed.
Meanwhile, Claire Fraser deals with an asthmatic duke, Benedict Arnold, and the fear that one of her husbands may have murdered the other. And in the 20th century, Jamie and Claire’s daughter Brianna is thinking that things are probably easier in the 18th century: her son has been kidnapped, her husband has disappeared into the past, and she’s facing a vicious criminal with nothing but a stapler in her hand. Fortunately, her daughter has a miniature cricket bat and her mother’s pragmatism.
The best of historical fiction with a Moebius twist, WRITTEN IN MY OWN HEART’S BLOOD weaves the fibers of a family’s life through the tapestry of historical drama.
NB: I’m still _writing_ this. With luck, it will be published in fall of 2013. (Update from the webmaster: This book will be released by the publisher on June 10, 2014, in the U.S.A.) Hope you enjoy it! (In the meantime, if you’re the sort of reader who likes to see bits and pieces as we go along, I do post brief snippets–from this book and other works in progress or coming up for release–most days, on both Twitter (my ID there is @Writer_DG) and Facebook.
NB2: I told my editor I want an octopus on the cover of this book. (There are eight main characters whose stories are told–and they’re all linked together.)
NB3: I call the book MOBY for short. My Own Heart’s Blood = MOHB = MOH-B = Moby. Geddit?
From the webmaster: Visit the MOBY home page for the latest information.
I can’t wait until Fall 2013! (So I daily follow the excerpts.) Diana, please convince your publisher to release it before the fourth quarter. (Yes I know you haven’t finished it yet but if the writing ends at the end of 2012 as you hope could we not hope for a release in the Spring? (fingers crossed)
i’m blind and when i found your first book in our library i start listen audio book then i read next and next. later i start again later=) i make thinks in our visual impaired radio and i make topic about your first book and you have now much more fans in Finland=) it is so intresting to hear about skotland history and i love jamie=) it is intresting that im not only who is thinking that travel in dreams other places is possiple or something=) like jamie can come to future with dreams. i write also novel but it is not so good that you are. your books are so hmm your storys are so living and it is so easy to close eyes and see to what is happening. i hope you dont never lose your hmm now i dont find that english word but keep that feeling and fantasy you give so much to us blind!
Thanks so much, Terhi!
–Diana
That…was a very tender post, it made me feel so blessed. I agree that you write, and we can see, hear, smell, touch and taste what is put before us in your books. thank you for the series.
on my 5th time on unabridged tapes…(yes..tapes, many batteries and scotch-tape to repair the mishaps in the Sony walkman)
with baited breathe,
Maria
Maria,
Consider MP3 discs or CDs…they hold up longer!
Diana,
Can’t wait till MOBY comes out! Finally….something really worth waiting for! I’ve read the other 7 (in order) and each one has attached to my heart and soul. Not a fan on rereading a book. I just refuse to do it. Have even dropped a book as if it had caught fire in discovering I had read it before. However, I’m breaking my rule and starting all over with Outlander.
Never say never,
~Cindy
Dear Cindy–
I’m flattered! [g] I do, in fact, kind of design the books to be re-read. They have layers within each book, and little attachments and references _between_ books, so that–quite aside from the changes in a reader owing to increased age, experience, etc.–you should be able to get more out of an earlier book, because of reading the later ones. At least I hope it works that way. [g]
–Diana
It definitely does work that way, Diana! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking such care to make reading and re-reading your books such a rich experience.
I agree! You have to re-read the books (in my case, multiple times) to really get all the slight nuances that are there. For me, I’ll be starting the series over in June of next year, and that way finish just in time for MOBY!
I hope it is published sooner than later 20013. I keep looking on amazon for per-order
R. Rarkins
I hope it is published sooner than later 20013. I keep looking on amazon for per-order
R. Parkins
Dear Richard–
Well, that would be nice [g], but the fact is that I write very slowly–and it just won’t be published before I finished writing it, no matter how much I might desire that.
–Diana
Hi Diana,
I have enjoyed your books greatly and as with all of your readers am waiting anxiously for the next book, MOBY, as you nicknamed it. I really enjoy the complexities of the historical aspects of the story line. I REALLY like how your characters come alive and become part of your actual daily thoughts.
I usually read them over again before I read a new edition to just familiarize myself with some of the details again. I especially am going to read Echo in the Bone!
I can’t imagine how much time, thought and effort must go into your books when you are writing them. I see how I become involved with reading them so I can only imagine how you feel.
So take your time on MOBY and we will enjoy the book even more!!!
Thank you for all of the years of entertainment!
Holly
Richard…Richard…Richard,
Don’t rush her! Just as a perfect aged wine, can’t rush it along. She’ll put her golden touch on it, you’ll see. Will be so worth waiting for. That’s one of my most favorite things about her, she takes her time! Nice…thick…long lasting books!
~Cindy
Boy I sure hope it’s published before 20013, since we’ll all be dead then.;)
I`m really dying to get MOBY into my hands. I have read each of the books including the lord John stories and enjoyed every bit of it. During so many pages you made me laugh and you made me cry and that’s what a good book should do in my opinion. To be honest, I cussed rather fluently when I finished book seven and so many threads were quite brutaly cut, leaving it to my imagination what would happen next. In particular the cliffhanger with John and Jamie. Oh my god !!! Well I`will have to take patience and just wait another year. Meanwhile I’ve visited Scotland myself and to put this trip into one sentence: They highlands are pure magic, simply heartbreaking beautiful.
With kind regards form good old Germany (yours books are quite popular here, but you know that allready for sure)
I am so excited to read MOBY that I decided to reread the series. I am currently reading Dragonfly in Amber. I had forgotten all those small details of Jamie and Claire’s earlier years. Having also read all of the Lord John books it is amazing how many additional tid bits you can pick up. I urge anyone that is waiting for the next (and hopefully _not_ last) book in the series to reread them!
Thank you so much Diana for bringing these wonderful characters to us! I have turned over ten others into diehard fans and we talk about these stories all of the time. You have such a gift to place your readers directly into the story with your detailed descriptions.
Hi I do love all of your books. I not a romance novel reader but Outlander was recommended to me and I just could not put it down. My favourite book is Outlander. Can’t wait for the 8th book, Fall 2013 seems so far away!
I just have one question regarding the Jamie and John. Would we ever read John confessing his love to Jamie? Not in a memory of Jamie reflecting but a scene with him and John. I do love them both.
Thanks
Dear Sally–
That’s OK; I don’t write romance novels. [g] As for Lord John and Jamie, I don’t know–I kind of _doubt_ it, but you never know.
–Diana
Dear Diana,
Didn’t John already confess some feelings to jamie? Badly, in that they were sexual images that brought back vibes of jack randall, but for John that was somewhat a confession?
I was lucky enough to meet u at a signing in my area, do u hv plans to b in the suburbs northwest of chicago (or anywhere close) anytime soon? My husband told u about my visceral reaction to Outlander ( I threw the book as he entered the room-narrowly missing his head). Like all the others who hv posted here i am addicted to your books + suffer withdrawls between books. I hv toyed w the idea of Hugh Jackman as Lord John, your thoughts?
Love the expert of MOHB and can’t wait for book 8 in the fall. Fall 2013 seems so far away!
I have one question regarding Jamie and John. Before the end of the series would we ever read John confessing his love to Jamie? I mean an actually scene between the both of them, not a reflection.
Thank
Sally
So glad that you’re writing the 8th book. An Echo In The Bone really left some cliffhangers!
Dear Diana,
Fall of 1992, Google maps and TripAdvisor being non-existent, I was in the library with my fiancé looking for maps of England and Wales and Scottish inns, all in preparation for a trip overseas. Being not so interested in maps of roads ne’er well travelled, I found myself looking for a book to read on the flight. I found Dragonfly in Amber. It never made it to that flight as I read it through that same day. Non stop, no layovers. Returning home a month later, I pestered another poor librarian into finding me as much information on you as possible and discovered Outlander. I’ve been reading and re-reading your books ever since, and yes, I repeated the whole series yet again this summer. Historical adventure mixed with a complex dose of humour, chaos and passion. Wonderful. Any author that requires me to pull out my dictionary once in awhile and brings to mind road trips to Culloden and Stonehenge, is a good book and worth the read. Fall of 2013 will be my 20th wedding anniversary and there’s no need for three guesses to figure out what I’d like as a gift. Well, that and a cruise to Australia with a stop in New Zealand to bungee jump over the Nevis River.
I wish you much joy in the process.
With sincere thanks,
Elizabeth
Aarrgghh….FALL 2013!?!??!! And here I was hoping…praying,even…for spring or summer at the latest!!
Fall has never been a season that I anticipate. I know winter is only around the corner. But FALL 2013 will be HIGHLY anticipated with joy and bated breath!! It makes my heart skip a beat just thinking about opening up the pages of MY OWN copy of Moby! I know I will feel like a kid at Christmas! (And my husband need not expect housework or hot food until I am finished with the very. last. page!)
Write on, Diana!! You are the greatest!
I was hoping for a very early spring 2013 release for book 8 instead of fall. Oh well, guess I will need to reread the other books yet again and get copies of The Mad Scientist’s Guide to World Domination (I did see a picture of the cover somewhere) and the Dangerous Women anthologies. I know he is not an actor, but I have always pictured Lord John as looking much like Anderson Cooper (of CNN). I have enjoyed the books since Outlander first came out and have reread all the previous ones as each new book came out. While I do really love reading about Claire and Jamie, I am also very fond of Lord John. I have the four Lord John books and the anthologies where Customs of the Army and The Plague of Zombies appeared.
Interesting, Anderson Cooper as Lord John. I see Alan Cuming (actor who does the intros this year to Masterpiece Theater on PBS), with a blond wig, and of course, taming his native Scots accent to English. Oh, and blue contacts, too.
As I have read all your books right from the start, and reread them all as well several times, I am eagerly anticipating Autumn 2013. However, I am now 82, so I am going to have to keep going for quite a bit longer!
Dear Diana,
very late I`ve started reading your books and I´m really sorry for that. (Where have I been for the last ten years?)
I discovered your story about Jamie and Claire in April 2012 and now I´m already in the seventh book on page 473.
Meanwhile I` ve already read the first of your Lord-John-books and the next is waiting on my bookshelf. You see in the last four month I nearly didn`t do anything else than reading (my poor family) and I enjoy it so much. Now I`m in panic, that I should wait until next year when your book 8 is coming out (and I will have to wait until it comes out in German).
As a pharmcist I`m only wondering, if Claire could really know everything, that she tells about genetics and blood, when she was leaving about the end of the sixties to get back.
But in the end it doesn`t matters, because your story is really fantastic.
Please plublish the landcards of Scottland and America in the german books again, because it is very intersting to follow your story if you can follow the persons on their routes.
Best wishes for you and stay healthy to continue writing, we are all waiting!
Petra
We must wait while you finish and pretend to be patient. I know I am not alone in hoping that you finish quickly but know that we will all be rewarded by you taking your time – your stories have a finish date all their own and you are a slave to their timetable. This is me biting my nails in anticipation! Thank you for doing what you do so well.
A co-worker knew I spent my lunch hour reading and brought the complete series in for me to read. I could not put them down!! I have since gotten the series for myself and I am reading them again and have been passing them on to family and friends. You are truly an excellent story teller and I have to say I have fallen a little in love with Jamie. I can’t wait for Moby to come out and to see what happens next!
I picked up Outlander this year when Borders Book Store went out of business. I’d never heard of the series before. What caught my attention actually was the beautiful cover to the 20th Anniversary Edition and thought what the hey! I absolutely fell in love with this story! I’m currently on Drums of Autumn and have a hard time putting it down to tend to everyday life, leaving me daydreaming on events I had just read.
I can’t remember the last time I’ve gotten so wrapped up in a book. Awsome writing!!
Ive been reading – and re-reading – this series since I was in high school, so for over 10 years at least! My aunt got me started with Outlander, and then my mom got into it as well. Whenever a new book came out we’d all rush out and buy it – which is how I’ve ended up with two copies of both The Fiery Cross and Snow and Ashes. Sadly, my aunt who introduced me to your writhing passed away in February. On her last visit we talked about how much we both couldn’t wait for the next book to come out, and I’m sure she’ll be with me when I’m reading it. That may sound a little cheesy, but she started buying me books when I was 2, and I feel closest to her when I’m reading.
Anyways, it’s a beautiful series that only gets better everytime I read it. Right now I’m halfway through Voyager – I read the series again ever summer. Can’t wait for the next one!
I discovered Outlander last January and I’m ready for the 8th book. I can’t wait for fall 2013, the books are wonderful.
Thank you.
Marilys