On March 6th, 1988, I started writing a book for practice. That turned out to be OUTLANDER, and now look where we are….! So in honor of the occasion <cough>, here is (what I think will be) Roger’s first scene from BEES…
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Sheer exhaustion made Roger sleep like the dead, in spite of the fact that the MacKenzies’ bed consisted of two ragged quilts that Amy Higgins had hastily dragged out of her piecework bag, these laid over a week’s worth of the Higginses’ dirty laundry, and the MacKenzies’ outer clothing as blankets. It was a warm bed, though, with the heat of the smoored fire on one side, and the body heat of two children and a snuggly wife on the other, and he fell into sleep like a man falling down a well, with time for no more than the briefest prayer—though a profound one-—of gratitude.
We made it. Thanks.
He woke to darkness and the smell of burnt wood and a freshly-used chamber-pot, feeling a sudden chill behind him. He had lain down with his back to the fire, but had rolled over during the night, and now saw the sullen glow of the last embers a couple of feet from his face, faint crimson veins in a bank of charcoal and gray ash. He put a hand behind him; Brianna was gone. There was a vague heap that must be Jem and Mandy at the far side of the quilt and the rest of the cabin was still somnolent, the air thick with heavy breathing.
“Bree?” he whispered, raising himself on one elbow. She was close—a solid shadow with her bottom braced against the wall by the hearth, one foot raised as she pulled on a stocking.
She put down the foot and crouched beside him, fingers brushing his face.
“I’m going hunting with Da,” she whispered, bending close. “Mama will watch the kids, if you have things to do today.”
“Aye. Where did ye get—” he ran a hand down the side of her hip; she was wearing a thick hunting shirt and loose breeches, much patched; he could feel the roughness of the stitching under his palm.
“They’re Da’s,” she said, and kissed him, the tinge of ember-light glisking in her hair. “Go back to sleep. It won’t be dawn for another hour.”
He watched her step lightly through the bodies on the floor, boots in her hand, and a cold draft snaked through the room as the door opened and closed soundlessly behind her. Bobby Higgins said something in a sleep-slurred voice, and one of the little boys sat up, said “What?” in a clear, startled voice and then flopped back into his quilt, dormant once more.
The fresh air vanished into the comfortable fug and the cabin slept. Roger didn’t. He lay on his back, feeling peace, relief, excitement and trepidation in roughly equal proportions.
They really had made it.
All of them. He kept counting them, compulsively. All four of them. Here, and safe.
Fragmented memories and sensations jostled through his mind; he let them flow through him, not trying to stay them or catch more than an image here and there: The feel of a small gold bar in his sweaty hand, the lurch of his stomach when he’d dropped it and it slid out of his reach across the tilting deck. The warm steam of parritch with whisky on it, fortification against a freezing Scottish morning. Brianna hopping carefully down a flight of stairs on one foot, the bandaged one lifted and the words of “My Dame Hath a Lame, Tame Crane” coming irresistibly to his mind. The smell of Buck’s hair, acrid and unwashed, as they embraced each other on the edge of a dock and a final farewell. Cold, endless days and nights in the lurching hold of the Constance on their way to Charles Town, the four of them huddled in a corner, deafened by the smash of water against the hull, too seasick to be hungry, too exhausted anymore even to be terrified, hypnotized instead by the rising water in the hold, watching it inch higher, splashing them with each sickening roll, trying to share their pitiful store of body heat to keep the kids alive…
He let out the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, put his hands on the solid wooden floor to either side, closed his eyes and let it all drain away.
No looking back. They’d made their decision, and they’d made it here. To sanctuary.
So now, what?
He’d lived in this cabin once, for a long time. Now he supposed he’d build a new one; Jamie had told him last night that the land Jamie had given him was still his, registered in his name.
A small glow of anticipation rose in his heart. The day lay before him; what should he do first?
“Daddy!” a voice with a lot of spit whispered loudly in his ear. “Daddy, I haveta go potty!”
He sat up smiling, pushing tangled cloaks and shirts out of the way. Mandy was hopping from foot to foot in agitation, a small black chickadee, solid against the shadows.
“Aye, sweetheart,” he whispered back, and took her hand, warm and sticky. “I’ll take ye to the privy. Try not to step on anybody.”
[end section]
[And many thanks to Sue Gunston for the lovely bee photo!]
Click to visit my official webpage for GO TELL THE BEES THAT I AM GONE for links to information and more Daily Lines (excerpts).
I first posted this excerpt (Daily Lines) on my official Facebook page and my official Twitter feed on Wednesday, March 7, 2018. You may share the URL (link above) to this excerpt, but please do not copy and paste the entire text and post it elsewhere. Thank you. -Diana
This text is copyright © 2018 by Diana Gabaldon. All Rights Reserved. This blog post was last updated on Wednesday, March 7, 2018, at 7:10 a.m. (PT) by Diana’s Webmistress.
Hoping for Starz announcement soon!! What about a release plan for DVD of Season 3??
Laurie,
Update: Sony International has shared a list of global release dates of sales for Season 3 in Blu-Ray, DVD, and Digital formats. In the U.S., the release date is April 10.
Cheers,
Loretta
Loved this post! Thank you.
Thank you Diana for writing this series. It’s addicting, relatable, inspiring and so much more. So looking forward to ‘Bees’. Much love, from Canada!
I can not wait for your 9th book in this series, Go tell the bees I have gone. I have read all of the books in this series twice, and I know I am not the only one. Thank you for creating such a wonderful story and characters.
So nice to read this new excerpt and find Roger in a much better place. (I was just re-reading “The Fiery Cross”.) Thank you Diana, for many hours of great reading.
Diana –
Thank you for your wonderful stories, characters, creativity and inspiration — I’m a recent journeywoman to the Outlander books, and am very intrigued by these excerpts from Bees and then, for what comes next in the published books for Bees and No. 10.
I’m so filled with questions — can you tell me, will the next two editions answer questions like these:
**Does Clare ever learn about her own parents time traveling possibilities?
**Because Jem and Mandy are “double-time travelers,” as it were, and we have already seen that their powers exceed that of their parents individual abilities — do they have/develop additional awesome gifts and what are they?
**Do we learn why Master Raymond called Clare “Madonna” since he explained it wasn’t because she was expecting Faith in France? Does he return to the story?
**Also does the Comte St. Gemain make another appearance? Is it just coincidence that Fergus’ first child’s name is Germain? Is Fergus a time traveler as well since he may be the progeny of one? And then what about Germain, Joanie, Felicite – are they time travelers, as well? Do they learn and take advantage of their abilities?
**Does Jenny remember Roger from his earlier visit to Lallybroch and does Jenny remarry or have another new storyline?
**What other fantastic results will the paired time-travelers of Brianna and Roger dream up? I think of their melded skills of Claire (science, medicine, logic) and Jaime (mechanics, passion, leadership), and even Geilis and Dugal (single-minded devotion at all costs) with awe!
No doubt you’ll just tell me to ‘wait and see’ — and of course, what else can I do, so I will try! Ha!
Once again, thank you for the entertainment and inspiration (I’m writing my own historical novel based on my ancestral family’s involvement and intrigue in the 18th C American logging business)!
Looking forward to Bees and beyond – all the best,
Siobhan O’Day
Hi,
I enjoy the books and the shows. I had quit reading for a long time, upon watching season one – I purchased the entire book series and anxiously await book 9.
Thank you,
Michelle L. Jackson
So glad all 4 of them made it back to the ridge. Really hoping there is some recognition when Jenny meets Roger again….
It is ridiculous how happy I am to know that the Mackenzies are back on the Ridge.
Thank you.
OMGOMGOMGOMG!!!!! I missed this on FaceBook!!!
Love reading the “daily excerpts” from Diana. Does she know yet when she expects to be done with Book 9? It’s VERY hard to keep reading these “excerpts” and not having anything to go to afterward!
I won’t finish BEES until probably some time in the fall of 2019. Then once it is done, a publication date in the U.S. (and other market) will be set then. All of my major novels have taken years to research and write, and BEES is no different.
Until then, there is SEVEN STONES TO STAND OR FALL… and my Methadone list.
Thanks,
-Diana
So refreshing to read these snippits. I’m trying not to but sometimes I just can’t help it. So excited for Bees!
Beautiful.
Wonderful sense of calm (before the storm?), And peace. Thank you.
I love the title of book #9. “Go Tell The Bees that I’m Gone” The first time I had ever read a story where the “bees” were being told of births, deaths, etc…was in the novel by Celeste DeBlasis titled “Wild Swan.” What a beautiful story, that ended up being a trilogy. I love that old tradition/ritual. All of your books, by the way, are simply amazing. Found “Outlander” by accident in 1991 on the shelf with the new books. Love time-travel stories, so I thought I’d give it a try. I was blown away! I passed it on to my best friend. Then…we had to wait for book 2. My friend and I literally read your Outlander series as soon as you finished each book. We would be at Barnes and Noble early on the day of release! It was pure torture to have to wait, but the reward was pure pleasure!
Diana! I love Outlander…. I have slowly listened to all the outlanders on audibles over two years lol… savoring every moment. It is amazing how much I have learned from your books. I constantly stop and google random facts and images so I can visualize it all better. The outlander series means so much to me I feel like I am connected to it in the strangest way!!! I was born in Glasgow,Scotland! but grew up in Jamaica and now reside in America. When your story went to Jamaica and started dealing with the Maroons I enjoyed it SOOO much. I Love Love Love everything about the books…. I have started listening to the Lord John Grey series now… not the biggest fan of those I just want all Jamie and Claire All day everyday! (love Roger and Brainna too) I say all this to say. I am patiently waiting for the next book. Girl!! Hurry up! Just kidding. Take your time… (but hurry up) No pressure
<3 Denise
Hi,
I love reading the excerpts. Thank you for sharing :-).
When I was reading “Roger Wakes In A New Old Place”, I noticed the text “Jamie had told him last night that the land Jamie had given him was still his, registered in his name.”.
I remember that Roger has been given land (5000 acres) by Governor Tryon, close to Jamie’s land, as compensation for being hung by accident. What about that land?
Warm regards,
Ann
Do you have any idea when Netflix will air season 3? I do not have access to Starz.
Karen,
Sony International owns all distribution rights to the TV series, not Diana. Sony makes all the decisions, and does not have that information listed anywhere in one place.
So you’d have to ask Netflix and/or Sony directly.
If Diana or I knew, we’d post it. Sorry!
Cheers,
Loretta
Diana’s Webmistress
I got to the end of this and I’d completely forgotten it was just an excerpt. Disappointment mingled with excitement. You’re one hell of a man if you’re willing to time travel to see the in-laws.
He leído todos tus libros y ha sido una experiencia enriquecedora para mi, por todo lo que en ellos muestras sobre las personas y la historia.
Espero con ilusión tu próximo libro “Bees”, que en España llegará, creo, en invierno,
Hace 30 años estuve en Escocia (Invernes, Edimburgo, …) y tus novelas han hecho posible recordar aquel maravilloso viaje.
Toda mi gratitud y felicidad para ti y los tuyos.
Google translation:
I have read all your books and it has been an enriching experience for me, for everything that they show about people and history.
I look forward to your next book “Bees”, which in Spain will come, I think, in winter,
30 years ago I was in Scotland (Invernes, Edinburgh, …) and your novels have made it possible to remember that wonderful trip.
All my gratitude and happiness for you and yours.