AOL - The Globe, January 1997

The following is an abridged transcript of an America Online chat that was conducted in AOL’s The Globe in January 1997. Be forewarned that there may be Spoilers for upcoming books in the text of the interview. You may find that some of the information is outdated. Updates on the publication of books, tours, etc. are more current on the pages of this site that are devoted to those topics.

Question: First, thank you for your books -- they are truly inspired. I don’t want to repeat others’ questions, but I am dying to know will Jamie come to Claire’s time?
DGabaldon: No, of course not. He doesn’t hear the stones, and can’t travel through them. I made that clear in Outlander.

Question: I’m a major fan. I was wondering if the man Claire sees standing outside the inn in Outlander is Jamie, and if so, how did he come to be there? I’ve heard this will be answered in an upcoming novel. Do I have to wait until then to find out?
DGabaldon: Yes. Meaning, yes, you have to wait ‘til the last book to find out. (g)

Question: Why did Fergus give his baby boy the name Germaine? It is a French girl’s name.
DGabaldon: Well, it was given as a French boy’s name in the (obviously erroneous) book I was reading. (g)

Question: How does your educational background help you when you write your stories?
DGabaldon: Well, I’m literate. (g) And I do know how to do research. Beyond that, if you mean do I “use” my Ph.D. in ecology while writing novels, not much, no.

Question: What one good piece of advice would you give to someone who wanted to be a good writer?
DGabaldon: I have three pieces of advice for anyone who wants to write: 1. Read. Read LOTS; 2. Write. This is unfortunately the only way of learning how; And as for #3, 3. Don’t Stop!

Question: Do you use any Online resources. If so, what sites?
DGabaldon: I don’t really use the Web; too time-consuming. I do frequent (ha, I’m there all the time!) CompuServe’s Writers Forum, though. I’m a Section Leader in a section called “Research and the Craft of Writing”, and I’ve found CS in general and the Writer’s Forum in particular to be excellent sources of information; lots of knowledgeable, helpful people.

Question: I once sent you an e-mail and you actually responded, which was very cool. How do you find time to answer fan mail, send out bookplates, write your books and care for your family?
DGabaldon: Well, I sort of muddle through. The email is backed up, literally, to last Xmas, because I’ve been book-touring most of 1997 -- on the road nearly three months. But I sort of do what seems most important -- take care of the family and write, and then I do the other stuff as time allows.

Question: Will we see Master Raymond again?
DGabaldon: Yes, but not in the Outlander books. He gets his own series, later on.

Question: What writer or writers have influenced you the most in your profession?
DGabaldon: Almost everyone I read. (g) However, I do have five “role models” whom I can point to in particular: Robert Louis Stevenson, Charles Dickens, Dorothy L. Sayers, John D. MacDonald, and P.G. Wodehouse.

Question: Do you find yourself completely consumed (g) with thoughts of your books’ plots and characters? I find that I am (OK, not “completely” consumed, but close!). I would think they are a major part of your life, part of you.
DGabaldon: Yeah, I suppose so. There’s always something going on in the back of my head. (g) But then there always has been, as far back as I can remember. I’ve always been a storyteller.

Question: Will Bree and Roger get back to modern day?
DGabaldon: (ahem) Stay tuned for Book Five. (Meaning I know, but I’m not going to tell you (g).)

Question: Hi, love the books. Do you think the Outlander series could translate to the big or small screen? Have any of the books been optioned by a producer?
DGabaldon: It could, and they have, but that’s all I could tell you. Pretty much up to chance whether anything ever happens in that direction or not. I sort of don’t hold my breath. (g)

Question: Diana, I think your books are wonderful -- I love them. Will we find out why Jamie was outside Claire’s window when she was on her honeymoon with Frank, before she even went back in time?
DGabaldon: Yes, you will. At the end of the sixth book. (g)

Question: What qualities do you think make for a good writer or a good read?
DGabaldon: Kind of depends on your tastes, I imagine. However, good characterization is pretty much the basis of the novels I think are good (a good, meaty plot helps too, but not everyone requires that).

Question: If you don’t do another in the series, maybe a new series?
DGabaldon: But I am doing another in the series -- two more. There are six books in the Outlander series altogether; it’s a double trilogy. However, there is another series in the works, as well; I have two contemporary mysteries under contract at the moment --we’ll see how those go, and I have Master Raymond’s story to tell, too. That’s another series.

DGabaldon: I hear people are asking if I’ve been to Scotland? I have now. (g) In fact, I spent two weeks last month in Scotland, with the Romantic Times book-lovers tour. Now, I had not been there when I wrote Outlander; that book was done from library research.

Question: Your knowledge of herbs is incredible. Where did you find all the information for the 1700’s?
DGabaldon: There are lots of herbal guides available. I have at least thirty now -- ranging from Nicholas Culpeper’s guide (published originally in 1647, I think), to The New Age Herbalist. (g) That’s very easy information to research.

Question: Diana, where do you get the medical knowledge evident in your books?
DGabaldon: Well, owing to a series of events beyond my control, I used to teach a class in human anatomy and physiology, for nursing students. (It has nothing to do with my own scientific background, but I’ve taught it repeatedly). That gave me the broad, but shallow grasp of clinical medicine with which I originally endowed Claire in Outlander -- and after that, it was fairly easy to build on that foundation.

Question: Did Frank put Jamie’s Headstone in the cemetery?
DGabaldon: Well, he had the Reverend Wakefield put it there, yes.

Question: Hi, Diana! I have a technical, subjective question for you: how do you critique your own work? How do you know if what you are writing is any good?
DGabaldon: See my advice to writers, point #1. That’s why you read lots; that’s how you develop critical judgment, and learn to tell good stuff from bad stuff. I learned to read at the age of 3, and never stopped. (g)

Question: What book is your favorite?
DGabaldon: It’s always the one I’m working on, so right now, it’s The Fiery Cross (book five in the series). Speaking generally, the whole series is one huge story to me, so even though the books are designed to stand alone -- and each one certainly has a unique style, structure, and approach -- I couldn’t really choose among them.

Question: Will this next be the last in this series and then will you write new books about another couple?
DGabaldon: No, there are two more books in the Outlander series: The Fiery Cross and King, Farewell (though I’m not sure I like that title; I might change it). I do have other books in mind, and under contract, though.

Question: The characters in your books are incredibly well developed. Did their personalities evolve throughout the series, or did you develop them before you wrote?
DGabaldon: They must evolve as I write, because I didn’t do anything before starting to write. (g)

Question: Jamie has a habit of “shrugging” his shirt. I think this is an endearing quality that makes him more real. How did you come by this?
DGabaldon: Er, I can see him do it. That’s all.

Question: Don’t you get annoyed with being classified under the “Romance” headings, like a Harlequin novel? Your books are so excellently researched -- they should be under Historical Somethings, in my opinion!
DGabaldon: Certainly, I get annoyed. Not that I don’t like and respect romance novels (which are by no means all Harlequins -- and even some Harlequins are good books). My chief objection to that classification was that it would cut off half my potential audience -- I don’t write “women’s books.” Fortunately, my publisher agrees with me, but they had to call the books something to start with, and “romance” was by far the biggest and most approachable market that the books might appeal to. Our agreement was that once the books became “visible” (hit the NYT list (g)), they would begin to reposition them as Fiction, rather than Romance. If you pick up one of the newly designed paperbacks, you’ll see that in fact the spine now does say “FICTION,” instead of “HIS ROM”. I imagine it may take awhile before bookstores quit shelving them in romance (actually, I don’t mind at all if they shelve them in Romance, as long as they also put them in Fiction (g)), though. Force of habit, you know.

Question: I have some hard copy rough drafts of a few scenes from Outlander when it was Cross Stitch (from CIS days!). How much will it be worth someday? (grin)
DGabaldon: Not much, unless they’re autographed. (g) Unless, of course, you have a scene that didn’t make it into the book. That might be worth a bit! (G)

Question: I have a question about the second book. Is the character Jenny Cameron based on a real person?
DGabaldon: Yes. In fact, Jenny Cameron was a real person and did, indeed, lead Clan Cameron to battle, since her brother wasn’t home. (g)

Question: Just read that Outlander will be out on unabridged audio soon. Did Geraldine James do the reading. She was wonderful in the abridged versions.
DGabaldon: No, Recorded Books (who has the contract for the unabridged) doesn’t do dramatic readings -- i.e., no professional actors or musical effects; too expensive). However, they’ve hired Ms. Davina Porter to do the reading. They tell me she is excellent; and she’s half Scots, and married to a Scotsman, so the pronunciations should be accurate! (g)

Question: How did Fergus and his wife get to the new world at the end of Voyager? They weren’t on the boat with Claire, Jamie and Ian.
DGabaldon: Yes, they were. Did you skip the whole last section? They were all on the Artemis. Later, after they arrived in the Caribbean, Fergus left Marsali with Jamie’s friends while he accompanied Jamie to Hispaniola, since it was dangerous.

Question: I am from the Wilmington area in North Carolina and was wondering, what inspired you to choose that area for Drums of Autumn?
DGabaldon: History. That’s where the Scottish Highlanders went, after, and to some extent before, Culloden.

Question: How do you write with a word processor or by hand?
DGabaldon: Word processor. I use Word Perfect, since it stays out of my way. (g)

Question: Is there a way to get your books on tape with you as the reader? I’ve heard you read passages and you really made it come alive!
DGabaldon: I’ve read the first two books (unabridged) for Recording for the Blind; you’d have to get a print-handicapped friend to check them out for you, though, I’m afraid. (g)

Question: Does Craig na dun really exist in Scotland, possibly under a different name?
DGabaldon: Well, if I knew, would I tell you? (g)

Question: Were you one of those students who received poor grades in high school classes and decided to prove them wrong, or were you always gifted?
DGabaldon: (ahem) I was the valedictorian for my high school class, had a 4.0 grade average, and whenever I meet anyone from high school, they always say, “Aw, we knew you’d be famous someday.” (g)

Question: Was there a castle in Scotland that was your inspiration for Castle Leoch? Why did you choose the Beauly area for the Fraser’s home?
DGabaldon: Because that’s where it was. I don’t make everything up, you know. (g)

Question: Do you have much of a chance to read other historical romance novels? If so, have you noticed that many authors have followed your books?
DGabaldon: No, I don’t read many romance novels, period; only those that are recommended to me as being good books, by friends whose literary opinions I respect. I suppose they didn’t figure any of the imitators were good books. (g)

Question: Would you describe the motif design on Claire’s wedding ring from Jamie?
DGabaldon: Well, it’s described in the book. Still -- it’s a wide silver band, maybe a little wider than a quarter-inch. It’s carved with an interlace pattern -- you see this in almost any kind of Celtic art; it’s the criss-crossing curlicue stuff. Sometimes, interlace contains representations of birds, animals, or flowers, woven into the motif; Claire’s ring has tiny thistle blooms woven into the curlicues. It’s a combination of two of my own rings; my wedding ring (which is gold, but wide, and with a fern and flower motif (called “Brigadoon”, weirdly enough (g)), and a Scottish silver ring that I bought at a Highland Games while I was writing Outlander (and have worn ever since) -- that one is a narrower band, but has the interlace pattern running round it.

Question: May we expect to see Bonnet in the next book?
DGabaldon: Oh, I think you might. Given that he now thinks little what’s-his-name is his. (g)

Question: When you started the Outlander series, did you see it as a multi-book idea?
DGabaldon: No. As I got farther into the story, though, I could see that it went on. So I told my agent that there was more to the story, but I thought I should stop while I could still lift the manuscript. (g) He told the three publishers who made offers on the book that there was more to the story, and they said, “Well, trilogies are popular right now; do you think she could do three books?” To which he replied that he was sure I could -- and so they gave me a three book contract. Then I told them there were really four. (G)

Question: With four books out dealing with mainly Jamie and Claire, I just wondered if you are getting a bit tired of dealing with the love story of these two characters? Is their love getting a bit boring to write about? Just an old married couple to you now?
DGabaldon: No.

Question: Do you have another story in you, separate from the Outlander Series?
DGabaldon: Oh, yes. Lots! (g)