January 7, 1997

BC Maxy: HELLO DIANA AND WELCOME!!!!!

Question: I was wondering, you mentioned listening to Scottish folk music -- can you give us some recommendations?
DGabaldon: As to music -- I love RUNRIG, though there are lots and lots of Scottish groups I like, too. Clan Alba, Loreena McKennit, The Secret People, Capercallie... um..Alasdair Fraser (wonderful fiddler!), the Corries... lots and lots. [g]

Question: Are you from any Clan?
DGabaldon: No, though I do believe I'm an honorary Sassenach among a good many of the clans by now. [g]

Question: Where do you recommend as must sees in Scotland?
DGabaldon: Well, it's not like I've seen everything in Scotland. [g] But I do recommend Culloden, Inverness, Loch Ness, and the Clava Cairns.

Question: Will Claire, Brianna or Roger ever go back to the future?
DGabaldon: ...they might. [g] And then again...they might not. After all, I haven't written the book yet -- how should I know?

Question: Why did you choose that era to write in?
DGabaldon: Sheer accident. I happened to see an old Dr. Who rerun, in which the Doctor had a young earling companion from 1745. [g]

Question: Diana, does your family travel with you on tour?
DGabaldon: Around signing books? It's not like a vacation, you know; I work on book tours! [g]

Question: Diana, have you ever heard Culloden's Harvest by Deanta? On Celtic Legacy, from Narada Collection. Spine tingling.
DGabaldon: No, I don't think so--I'll have to look for that one!

Question: Who can we complain to to have your book tour swing by the midatlantic?
DGabaldon: Well, you can call or write Delacorte publicity, but I kind of doubt they're likely to make adjuments at this point. [g]

Question: How about the paperback tour?
DGabaldon: That's always possible. The thing to do is to get your local bookseller to pester his or her BDD rep--that's how they set up the tours; the publicist consults with the sales reps, and they decide where you'll have the greatest effect on sales.

Question: Will you explore Claire's geneology??
DGabaldon: Hadn't thought of it, but I suppose I might.

Question: Would you consider having us come to you for a tea party, like your local fans in AZ do?
DGabaldon: Sure, if it could be worked out logistically.

Question: I've always wondered-how did a science prof get to write for comics for Disney?
DGabaldon: Well, I learned to read at the age of 3, from my mother reading Disney comics to us. I never stopped [g] , and some twenty-five years later, I was reading one and thinking, "Gee, I could do better than this!" [g]

Question: Diana, Claire has such strength. Where do you find the insight to her character?
DGabaldon: I just listen to her.

Question: What did you do as an ecologist? I know you taught...but what research did you do?
DGabaldon: I was an ornithologist, believe it or not. [g] I studied the breeding behavior of colonial birds.

Question: Do you have the ending to Claire and Jamie's story firmly in your mind or is it open for change?
DGabaldon: Oh, I know the very end, yes. I just don't know lots of stuff between here and there.

Question: Will we see Master Raymond again? He absolutely fascinated me.
DGabaldon: Yes, we'll see Master Raymond again--but probably not in this series.

Question: Diana, is it true that you sometimes read excerpts out loud at book signings?
DGabaldon: Yes, I do read at signings, if the bookstore requests it and has a suitable setup (mike and places for people to get close enough to hear).

Question: Claire's dream of Frank's lecture in Voyager, was that a real memory or just a dream?
DGabaldon: Whose memory? I don't quite see how it could be hers -- and it couldn't be his, could it since she's dreaming it. [g]

Question: After Jamie and Claire, what will you be writing about???
DGabaldon: I have a contract for two contemporary mysteries, and am working on the first of those right now.

Question: Do you ever get writer's block?
DGabaldon: Not really. I get days when it's hard to make myself work, but once I start, I can always write.

Question: When you wrote "Outlander" did your publisher have any changes that he/she wanted to be made?
DGabaldon: No, my editor never tells me to make changes; she just reads the book, then calls up to discuss it, and tells me how all the bits and pieces strike her. We sort of babble back and forth incoherently, and then I go make whatever revisions seem suitable to me. And that's it. I don't know, but I just got a FAX of details -- I'll ask Rosana to post them on the Web as soon as possible -- definitely wihtin the next day or two!

Question: How long do Jamie and Claire have together, including the 20 yr hiatus?
DGabaldon: I don't know--I haven't figured it out yet. [g]

Question: Can you tell us a little about the mysteries? And give us some clues about the characters?
DGabaldon: I could tell you lots about the mysteries, but I doubt we've got that kind of time or space. [g] They're set in Phoenix, and they involve an investigative journalist and a Hispanic female police lieutenant. The journalist is named Thomas Kolodzi and he's tall and skinny, blond with bright blue eyes. [g] Yes, he is Polish. Heaven knows why, but he is.

DGabaldon: Marsha, thanks so much for setting all this up! I'm staggered by the enthusiastic reception!

BC Maxy: THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR TIME WITH US

Question: What got you interested in the time travel element? Would you change history if you could?
DGabaldon: Oh, the time travel was accidental, too -- it was all Claire's idea. [g]

YOU SEEM TO BE THE BEST LOVED AUTHOR ON BOOK CENTRAL!

DGabaldon: Wow! I'm flattered. [g]

BC Maxy: TO READING ALL OF YOUR FUTURE BOOKS

DGabaldon: Thank you all, so much--and good night!

BC Maxy: GOOD NIGHT DIANA

Copyright Franklin Spier, Inc. 1997.

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