Social Media Hashtags: #DailyLines, #SortOf, #GoTELLTheGEESThatIAmGONE, #comingtogether, #noitsnotdone, #youllhearaboutitwhenitis
Writing a book (for me) has multiple phases. As many of you know (from having heard me talk, or reading THE OUTLANDISH COMPANION books), I write (for a long time) in small, disconnected pieces and scenes. Eventually these start sticking together to form Chunks, and in the latter stages, the Chunks begin to line up along a sort of mental timeline (composed of historical events I want to use and personal events that transpire with one or another of the characters), and—in the fullness of time, I begin to pull together related Chunks and scenes, to write bridges (where needed to connect the pieces, establish a time or place, or provide a quick summary of what’s been happening that I don’t mean to show directly), and… generally, come up with something vaguely resembling a novel.
I begin to see the shape of chapters, and to be able to put them—gradually— into a reasonable sequence and shape (though chapters do move around for awhile before settling into their final place in the story).
That’s where I am now, in terms of writing/assembling the book. I’m still writing it (naturally…), but a good deal of the daily work now includes the pulling together of pieces and the formation of chapters, sections, etc.
So, for your entertainment, here’s the Title list of chapters from Section One of GO TELL THE BEES THAT I AM GONE. (NB: Chapter titles do sometimes change—if I think of something better, which I do all the time—so this is by no means a guaranteed final list—but this Section is completely assembled. So is a lot more of the book, but I’m not showing you everything at once…)
Have fun!
SECTION I: A Swarm of Bees in the Carcass of a Lion
CHAPTER 1: The MacKenzies are Here!
CHAPTER 2: A Blue Wine Day
CHAPTER 3: Meditations on a Hyoid
CHAPTER 4: Home is the Hunter, Home from the Hill
CHAPTER 5: Dead or Alive
CHAPTER 6: Visitations
CHAPTER 7: Animal Nursery Tales
Remember that there are almost fifty excerpts (aka “Daily Lines”) from the book on my official GO TELL THE BEES THAT I AM GONE webpage.
[And Many Thanks to Mardi Priest for the honeybees on Lacecap!]
This BEES update also appeared on my official Facebook page.
I really enjoyed reading the outlander series books and can’t wait for the new one.
However, I’m feeling that the story should slowly come to an end… maybe find a way to transfer Jamie to our current time (he might be sick and there is no cure in his time) to finish their lives in Scotland in their renovated castle, living with their grandchildren…
It would be very interesting to consider how someone from the 18th century would feel in the 21st…
Nikos,
Diana has said multiple times that Jamie is NOT a time traveller. Period.
Cheers,
Loretta
Diana’s Webmistress
webmaster@dianagabaldon.com
Read the excerpt titled “Fannie” a few weeks ago. Gosh, is there anything better than Jamie Fraser‘s interactions with children? I could read a whole book just about that. So lovely. Thank you! Thank you for all of it, but especially that !!!!
Same thing for my friend, until I lent him the first Outlander book! Also, he didn’t usually read novels, but these books have whetted his thirst for fiction.
When you said, a while back, that BEES would be finished by the end of 2018, I started reading the whole series again. I only found you & the OUTLANDER WORLD when I stumbled across a paperback copy (the large one) of AN ECHO IN THE BONE when I had to go to Phoenix, AZ for a doctor’s appointment. I’m totally disabled from a back injury on the job in 1984 when I lived there & every few years they make me do this. So I was looking for a good book to read when I read the back of ECHO & saw it had time travel, love, Scotland. Three of my favorite things to read about, especially if you throw Scotsmen in a kilt into the mix. So now I’m in a Phx. hotel room reading BONE when I’m not very far into it & I realize it is number ? [seven] in a series of books. So what I said to myself this is good. So I read all of BONE & got the rest of the series in the large paperback. About the third time through though, they started falling apart, so I bought them in hardback. Now I’m buying the anniversary editions. Oh yeah, I started this to tell you I have read the whole series, including novella & Lord John books, from beginning to end six times. Well not all of the novellas & Lord John books, but they were added as soon as they came out. BONE was read a total of seven times. Thank-you for listening. I don’t know anyone else who cares about these books like I do or at all.
Dianna Sivak
Dianna,
Thank you for your kind words! I am glad that you enjoy my books.
If you’d like to meet other readers online and join in the discussions, there are several ways to do this.
If you use FaceBook, or would like to, check out my official Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/AuthorDianaGabaldon
Discussions of my books are also on:
http://theLitForum.com
and
http://goodreads.com
If you don’t have accounts already, you can create them on each of those websites so you may log in.
I am active on Facebook, Twitter, the Lit Forum, and Goodreads.
Best,
Diana
I am literally chomping at the bit for book 9…Diana, a bookstore attendant recommended your Outlander series to me about 10 years ago, since then you are my, hands down, favorite author. I devoured your books, one right after the other, they got me thru a really dark time in my life. The only problem I ever had associated with being such a devoted fan of your writing is…I have a real hard time finding and then enjoying other books.LOL…Your such a talented author, the way I feel like I am right there in the midst of the pages with your characters, feeling part of the story as it unfolds, it’s simply amazing. I am a fan of historical fiction, that’s my genre. So if you have any time and could recommend some other reads as I patiently await your masterpiece, please let me know thru email…Yours, A very satisfied Canadian Fan…
Hi, Lori,
So glad you love Diana’s books! For other authors that Diana recommends, please check out her Methadone List (under the Resources tab on her website):
http://www.dianagabaldon.com/resources/the-methadone-list/
Diana created her Methadone List because thousands of readers have asked the same question you did, what do I read while waiting?
And visit your local independent bookstore or public library and ask the people who work there. They are usually avid readers and can guide you to an interesting author new to you. Plus there are book club groups that read new books and meet to discuss them in just about every city and town. Online, there are sites such as Goodreads, where readers discuss and share their favorite books online.
Indiebound can help find a local, independent bookstore: https://www.indiebound.org
Goodreads website, online readers’ community: https://www.goodreads.com
And of course you can also watch the Starz Outlander TV series!
Diana’s latest estimate for completing BEES is “later this year.” If that estimate changes, she will list it here on her website, as well on her social media accounts. Understand that her Outlander books take years of hard work, including many hours of historical background research. Imagine how much effort is required in writing a huge book like OUTLANDER or BEES! There is no rushing the process; we have to be patient and wait.
Diana reads all of the web comments submitted here, and also all email sent to her. To send an email to Diana, please see “Contact Diana,” also under the Resources tab for her contact information, including her public email address.
Loretta
Diana’s Webmistress
webmaster@dianagabaldon.com
It is so disappointing to have to continue to wait for the next part of the series because the author is too busy collaborating with a TV series for extra money.
Diana’s books always take at least 3-4 years to write, sometimes longer, including all of the time needed for the historical research she does.
Hoping you find some happiness and success in your life,
Loretta
Diana’s Webmistress
Diana sabes ya cuando saldra el libro 9? Aunque se aproximadamente
Some time in 2020.
Loretta
Diana’s Webmistress
Dear Diana, thanks for your books. Almoast losing my patience while waiting for Bees. When Will it be possible to read this your masterpiece?
Anna,
Diana hopes to finish GO TELL THE BEES THAT I AM GONE, the ninth book in her Outlander series of novels, by the end of 2019, but that is NOT carved in stone. So BEES will likely come out some time in 2020. Her books take an ENORMOUS amount of time to write and to do the historical research necessary. There are no shortcuts.
As it says on Diana’s website, as soon as a publication date is set for BEES, it will be prominently posted. Keep checking periodically. It will be worth the wait.
Cheers,
Loretta
Diana’s Webmistress
Dear Diana,
I have just finished the 8th book. I loved each and every word, every letter of your books. You are an exceptional, incredible writer, best that I have come across in my entire life. For the fırst four books, I finished them one per week and after that due to the pandemıc I had to slow down but ıt was two and a half weeks pace. I could fınısh all your books ın three months tıme. Now I am starting from the beginnig, I know thıs ıs an unending journey and passion. I cannot thınk of a day wıthout Outlander. You have created such a fantasy world for us that we never want to go out, characters are so real, no one else could do that other than you. Thank you for all that you are and take care. I am so excıted and cannot waıt for the Bees. Lots of Love
Absolutely fantastic series of books, I’m waiting patiently for the release of book 9, by re-reading all of the books again.
Thank you so much, you have re introduced me back to reading and enjoying quiet times of the day, especially during this awful time during 2020-21
Stay safe everyone
Best regards
Tanya