Book 9 has a title!

Diana Gabaldon has announced the title of Book 9 of the OUTLANDER series:

GO TELL THE BEES THAT I AM GONE

What exactly does that mean? Diana explained it this way on Facebook:
It's a very old Celtic custom (known in other parts of Europe, too) that made it to the Appalachians. You always tell the bees when someone is born, dies, comes or goes--because if you don't keep them informed, they'll fly away.

Look here and here for more information. And here is a very interesting article about the custom of "telling the bees".

I'm delighted to hear that Book 9 has a title at last! <g> I am sort of noncommittal on this title right now. I'm not in love with it, but I'll get used to it. It certainly gets across the idea that Jamie and Claire are back on Fraser's Ridge, for now, at least. And the "I am gone" is guaranteed to give us plenty to speculate about over the coming months!

I wonder if we'll see a lot of bees, swarming, buzzing, honey, or other bee-related imagery in this book? <g>

Just like ECHO and MOHB, this title has a rhythm to it. Da-DUM Da-DUM Da-DUM Da-DUM, like the beating of drums or a human heart.

Anyway, as the Chief Bumblebee-Herder (a title Diana gave me a few years ago, referring to my role as Section Leader of the Diana Gabaldon folder on the Compuserve Books and Writers Community), the thought of a book with BEES in the title makes me smile, regardless of what may be in it.

In case you're wondering, this is NOT the last book in the series! Diana answered that question specifically on Compuserve the other day:
"Oh, there's a Book Ten, yes."

5 comments

Anonymous said...

I am currently reading Karen White's latest, Flight Patterns, which 1) is very good, and you should read it, and 2) is all about bees, and the events in the story can be compared to bee behavior. In fact, the custom of telling the bees about a person's birth and death was mentioned. All very interesting!

Unknown said...

Wait???? What??? There will be a book 10??? Oh you have made my heart sing!!

Mary Tormey. said...

Hi Karen , Hope you had a great time in Scotland and hoped you got to see the Final for Season 2 , I did and loved it , it was a great ending to a great season and felt it was better than season 1, hope you give your review on your blog, an reading "an Echo In the Bone ' right now , but will be reading "Voyager " in the Fall , please post more soon. Sincerely Yours. Mary Tormey.

Denise H said...

I too am reading "Flight Patterns" by Karen White, enjoying it immensely and finding it a delicious co-incidence.

I am now wondering about the bees buzzing sounds coming from the stones and if there is some sort of connection there.

It can't be Jamie or Claire dying because then there would be no book 10 so I am mildly apprehensive about the book title for book 9 but mostly ok with it. I guess we will just call it "Bees" for short???

Anonymous said...

JoAnn S. said Could the bees have been informed that the kids are home to Frasers Ridge? Maybe Ian is bringing company home.

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