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.
Diana,
It’s my birthday and my wish is for you to WRITE FASTER!
Diana, I have read all 7 books in record time – beginning this past June. My kids barely knew me this summer. My heart hurts for poor Jamie to find out his wife slept with Lord John!!! He drives me crazy! I can’t believe I have to wait so long for the next book, but I was spoiled by having all 7 at my disposal. Loved them all. Please have Claire and Jamie be okay….
Dear Dianna,
After reading your books since the late 1990s, I finally went to Scotland from Australia. Our tour group went to Culloden when we were in the Highlands. I mentioned your books to a few of my fellow passengers and found they had also read and enjoyed your books, They were quite envious of me when I told them I met you and had my photo taken with you at a book signing luncheon in Sydney when you were here in 2009.
I am looking forward to the next book.
regards
Margi
Diana,
I commute one hour each direction, daily.
I read all the books (so far) but recently downloaded them to my iPod and am listening to them all over again on my drive to and from work. There are days that I am thrilled when there is a traffic jam so that I get more time to listen. I have even sat in the car in the driveway upon arriving at home to end a chapter! I am only sorry that the audio versions are abridged (but well done in this regard). Thank you for the hours of reading and listening to your wonderful story unfold. You have the gift of bringing Jamie and Claire (et al) to vivid life for your readers.
-Karen
What does it mean “awaiting moderation”?
Dear Karen–
It’s just something the website has built in, to prevent spam or flame wars or that sort of thing (luckily don’t get much of that anyway, I’m glad to say [g]). It just collects comments ’til I have a moment to look at them and release them into visibility.
–Diana
I admire the way you juggle the adventures of each character. I like being challenged as a reader and you do it in spades. Having read all of your books over a six month period a couple of years ago (I accomplished little else and gained too much weight), your continuing accomplishments as an author are a joy to observe. I’m really glad your editors allow you to write long novels.
Author The Wolf’s Sun
A Devil Singing Small
Just finished Scottish Prisoner and found Minnie fascinating. Will we hear more about her or have a reflective look into her spying days?
Can’t wait for MOHB!
Hello Diana,
You weave a seamless story that we of the long attention span just thrive on! Sometimes I print out one of the many pearls of wisdom throughout the books and put on my bulliten board at work – is so uplifting.
Like your other fans I have read all your books more than once and thoroughly love the characters, reminding myself regularly that they are fictional
I want to offer up my opinion to your readers here regarding films made from great books. The story may not be word for word, but the essence will be there. The film should be able to stand alone for there will be movie goers who have not heard of Outlander and unfortunately, if they did would not read one, let alone all 7 or 8. If I go into the movie expecting to see my vision of the book, I will be disappointed. If I go into the movie with the expectation of seeing an interpretation of the story, I will be entertained and probably very pleased. What comes to mind is the many many versions of Robin Hood or Sherlock Holmes I have seen since childhood. I loved them all!
I will also be reading the series again next year in anticipation of MOBY.
I hope that the ‘dangerous’ Brianna obliterates the Jem napper.
Sincerely ~
Some say publish soonest, others say OK to wait..I am with the PLEASE publish as soon as humanly possible. :). In order to fill in the time I just went back through the entire series by audiobook and the cliffhangers you left at the end of Echo were just cruel
The narrator, Davina Porter, does an absolutely fantastic job and really brought all of the characters to life.
I am heading for the shorter novellas but as with others, I will be extremely close to the front of the line when the next book comes out. This has to be the only series that I have ever enjoyed to the point of going through it over and over again watiing for the next book to come out.
Hi Diana,
I love that your readers are SO enthusiastic…because then I don’t seem so crazy! I love your books, they are my favorites and I average reading a book every other day, of course, your’s are more of a one week read. I always read the entire series again before the new book publishes and re-read books when I am missing my friends Jamie and Claire (I adore Ian too!). I ALWAYS recommend them and give them as gifts. I’m just spreading the fun.
I love travel and history and would LOVE to visit the Highlands one of these days. My husband is retiring in 4 weeks and we are going to winter in Florida and summer in Minnesota….or perhaps in Scotland!!
I wish you great joy because that is what your books have given me.
P.S. – Really, Jamie would NEVER murder Lord John!!!! But I am most interested in finding out more about William and what his character is like, especially when all the secrets are revealed!
Sincerely,
Marianne Cook
The “stapler in her hand” reminded me of Selma from the tv series _Big Love_, whose weapon of choice was a stapler. Another intricately-plotted tale involving two different worlds. Can’t wait for the next book! Love the mixture of humor and drama.
Diana,
Thank you so much for allowing me to escape my reality for a few hours, through the loves, adventures, battles, triumphs, travels and lives of Jamie and Claire, as well as the rest of the characters of our beloved “Outlander” series.
I’ve read them all twice and I purchased another collection for my mother, which she loved as much as I did. I actually recommend these books to anyone who will listen to me:>! During the 27 years I have been married to my husband Chris, I have never seen him read anything more substantial than a magazine. While I was reading “Voyager”, he must have had ENOUGH:) Laughing, crying, sniffling, sighing, groaning, asking why….even beginning to speak with an awful version of a Scottish brogue! Chris started asking questions about what I was reading, the next thing I knew he had picked up “Outlander” and now has read every one of the books. He was recently telling a friend about the books, trying to explain the dynamics of the relationship between Jamie and Claire, so listing Jamie’s virtues, strength, mannerisms, integrity and love for Claire, he simply said “Toni is in love with Jamie, but then again who isn’t, I think I am too”!!
Hello Diana. There are not so many guys writing in with their appreciation of your work, so here I am.
I have heard the term “Wordsmith” used in the past and I rate you as such.
Wonderful reading, so much pleasure, will my heart stop with worry for the characters?
Thank you. I am waiting for 2013 with happy anticipation. TV series? Oh YES!
Having had a strained relationship with mother my entiter life, but always feeling disappointed by it, your Outlander series has been the perfect solution. We live 1000 miles apart. I got her a kindle, and gave her much of my own library on it. I suggested she start with Outlander… While we can talk about almost nothing personal without ugly disagreements, we can talk about your amazing novels, and your fantastically well developed characters and settings and plots and sub-plots several times a week with no emotional baggage brought up between us. It is really quite remarkable! Not only do we both absolutely adore the Jaime/Claire story, but she loves reading about history so she is so grateful that I got her a kindle and gave her these books. She bought a hard copy of Outlander to send to my sister who lives 500 miles away… I think that your books have built a bridge for a mom and her daughters… Thank you so much Diana Gabaldon…. if we can just manage to not burn it…(metaphor…the bridge!) I love your books!
Hello Diana,
please can you tell me when a new roman about Jamie Fraser and Claire will come out. The Highlandstory is so great I am a junkie of it:-) I hope you will write more books about them. God bless you and I send you a big hug from Germany.
I have all the books in hard cover and have discovered the audio versions, most narrated by a wonderful woman named Davina Porter. I feel like the books are old friends, and I visit with them on a regular basis. I am so looking forward to the next in the series. Thank you for such wonderful books. They just get better and better.
Ditto to all of the other comments. I’m on my first re-read of the series and certainly picking up on details and connections between the characters that move in and out of the story lines that I missed before. I’ve read the Lord John outtakes and have a new respect for the very likable character.
As for movies or series, someone in a conversation suggested Julia Roberts to portray Claire, perhaps because of the wild hair. While she is a great actress in her own right, I say, “NOT!” It would almost have to be an unknown actress at this point. We all have our own images of each character; to successfully glue one image to each character in a movie is going to be difficult at best. With that said, I would probably re-watch any production as many times as I will re-read the series!! Most enjoyable–I have never been attached to characters as I have with the Outlander series. Many thanks!
Just read the story about Roger’s parents. Good to know! Well done!
Dear Diana,
just finished An Echo in the Bone, please please hurry with the next book as u have left us with a real cliffhanger and l cant wait to get my hands on the next one.. got all the books now , Thankyou for being such a good writer. Please write faster,,,, Thankyou for so much enjoyment.
hi, you are my favourite auther, and my daughters, we love all of the series, so much that i just keep reading in a continueous loop. sorry about the spelling. i love reading your daily lines and look forward to them; and i like how much like Jenny and Claire little Mandy is; and i loved reading about Ellen and Brian. you are such a gifted story teller, thank you so much for the gift of Jamie and Claire.
Wow… this sounds like a real page turner! I’m looking forward to the twists and turns with an excited realization that perhaps to tie this all up there is another book in the workings beyond this… I love the idea of a series but there is no way in the world that a single movie could ever capture all that is contained in the books… and the book is always better. Love it, looking forward to MOBY and more. Thank you Ms. Diana!
In 1997, my sister from Columbus Ohio sent me a copy of Outlander signed by you.(“happy housewarming sissy”) I was HOOKED, and read each big bookas they were published . This summer, I stared re-reading the series, and panicked when I discovered that Voyager is missing from my collection. Although I ordered it, I impatiently had to skip ahead. I just finished Snow and Ashes last 20 pages this morning (late for work too). What a FABULOUS story. I shunned most summer socials with my nose in a book, . I find myself saying, ‘ye ken?” in my head all day!
Cannot wait for a new book . I do have trepidation about a movie though. I am afraid the actors will really mess up my image of Claire and Jamie!
Ms Gabaldon, you are a genius!