Check out my new FAQ page about Diana Gabaldon's upcoming story collection, SEVEN STONES TO STAND OR FALL, due out June 27, 2017.
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News, commentary, random musings, and occasional Deep Thoughts about Diana Gabaldon's books.
February, 1744 - Claire discovers smallpox in the harbor of Le Havre and causes the burning of the ship owned by the Comte St. Germain (DRAGONFLY)
February, 1755 - Lord John Grey arrives to take charge of Ardsmuir prison (VOYAGER)
February 27, 1758 - Lord John's mother and Sir George Stanley are married; Olivia gives birth (BOTB)
February, 1767 - Claire is forced to stay on the warship Porpoise to look after the crew suffering from typhoid fever (VOYAGER)
February 1770 - Roger is held captive by the Mohawk (DRUMS)
February 13 (1776 or 1777) - The notice of Jamie and Claire's deaths by fire appears in the Wilmington Gazette (DRUMS, ECHO)
February 27, 1776 - The Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge (ABOSAA)
February 4, 1777 - Lord John writes to Hal, asking for information about Captain Richardson and Denys Randall-Isaacs (ECHO)
February 15, 1778 - Marsali writes to Laoghaire, begging her to ask Claire to come to Philadelphia to treat Henri-Christian (ECHO)
February 1949 - Claire has a Very Bad Day home alone with a cranky baby Bree, then a fight with Frank (VOYAGER)
Scotland, my auld, respected mither!As Roger explained to Claire:
Tho' whiles ye moistify your leather,
Till, whare ye sit on craps o' heather,
Ye tine your dam;
Freedom an' whisky gang thegither!
Take aff your dram!
"Here it is”--his racing finger stopped suddenly on a phrase-- “‘for as has been known for ages past, “Freedom and Whisky gang tegither.” ’ See how he’s put that Scottish dialect phrase in quotes? He got it from somewhere else.”
“He got it from me,” I said softly. “I told him that--when he was setting out to steal Prince Charles’s port.”
“I remembered.” Roger nodded, eyes shining with excitement. “But it’s a quote from Burns,” I said, frowning suddenly. “Perhaps the writer got it there--wasn’t Burns alive then?"
"He was," said Bree smugly, forestalling Roger. "But Robert Burns was six years old in 1765."
(From VOYAGER by Diana Gabaldon, chapter 21, "Q.E.D.". Copyright© 1994 by Diana Gabaldon. All rights reserved.)
“Oh, that’s braw, man!” Fraser exclaimed. “Though yon poet’s got the devil of an accent. Where’s he come from, d’ye ken?”Diana Gabaldon's reaction when I posted the link to this video a couple of years ago:
“Er . . . Ayrshire, I think.”
Fraser shook his head in admiration and sat back.
“Could ye maybe write it down for me?” he asked, almost shyly. “I wouldna put ye to the trouble of singin’ it again, but I’d dearly love to learn the whole of it.”
“I--sure,” Roger said, taken aback. Well, what harm could it do to let Robert Burns’s poem loose in the world some years in advance of Burns himself? “Ken anyone who can play a bodhran? It’s best wi’ the drum rattlin’ in the background.”
(From WRITTEN IN MY OWN HEART'S BLOOD by Diana Gabaldon, chapter 31, "The Shine of a Rocking Horse's Eyes". Copyright© 2014 by Diana Gabaldon. All rights reserved.)
I especially like the recording/video of "The Sheriffmuir Fight," by the Corries (this is my favorite version of the song--and the one I had in mind when I wrote the scene in MOBY that Karen quotes from).Happy Burns Day to all of you!
Outlanders, we have a special #PCAs thank you message (and Live Q&A announcement) for you from @SamHeughan & @Caitrionambalfe! 😄#Outlander pic.twitter.com/WFkQkuUTas— Outlander (@Outlander_STARZ) January 19, 2017