Update, April 12, 2008: Please note that this site is no longer maintained. To learn more Diana Gabaldon news, you would do better to try her own site, Diana Gabaldon's Home Page.

Rumors

Movie Scuttlebutt

The latest news as of November 17th, 2000 is that Gabaldon has signed a contract for the production of a four-hour mini-series based on Outlander, which will air on ABC. A script has been prepared. To discuss the latest movie scuttlebutt, try the Ladies of Lallybroch's Outlander Mini-Series Message Board. My own dream cast is compiled here.

Upcoming Projects

• The sixth book of the Outlander series, tentatively titledThe Sons of Liberty, has not yet been written. Gabaldon has said that there will probably be two more books in the series, rather than one, as she previously speculated. Some issues that Gabaldon would like to resolve are Jemmy's paternity (as well as Willie's) and explaining what happened to Young Ian while he was with the Mohawk. She has also stated that Stephen Bonnet is not dead (as we had already surmised). Gabaldon's wild speculation is that she may finish the book by the end of 2003. After that, it is up to the publishers as to when we'll see it on the shelves. Excerpts of Sons of Liberty are available on Diana Gabaldon's Web Site. (From Diana Gabaldon's Web Site.
• Gabaldon is also working on a contemporary mystery with the working title White Knight. She believes she might finish writing it by the end of 2002, which would probably result in a mid-2003 release. Excerpts of White Knight are available on Gabaldon's Web Site. (From Diana Gabaldon's Web Site.)
• Gabaldon says that she will write a prequel to the Outlander series involving Jamie's parents, Brian and Ellen Fraser. She knows that this book will begin at the tynchal (boarhunt) held as part of Red Jacob's funeral and end when Jamie is about three months old. (From A chat with the Ladies of Lallybroch, June 19, 2000.)
• Gabaldon may e-publish short stories that fill in gaps in the storyline, such as Jamie's childhood. (From A chat with the Ladies of Lallybroch, June 19, 2000.)
• Gabaldon may write three or four short stories about Lord John Grey, possibly collecting them in a single volume. She previously published an electronic book titled Hellfire featuring John Grey. It was later collected in the anthology Past Poisons, a tribute to Ellis Peters. According to The Ladies of Lallybroch, Hellfire is no longer available in e-book format. Past Poisons is not available from Amazon in the U.S., and according to Amazon in the U.K., it is currently either out of stock with the publisher or out of print. (From A chat with the Ladies of Lallybroch, June 19, 2000.)

Characters

• The ghost that Claire sees while on holiday with Frank is Jamie. Diana says she will explain how the ghost fits into the story in the fifth book, King, Farewell. As you may know, that title was scrapped, and the fifth book was titled The Fiery Cross. I think Gabaldon originally planned for the series to have five books, but it has evolved into six. I haven't finished The Fiery Cross yet, so I can't tell you if Jamie's ghost is explained in this book or the next. I'll keep you posted. (From Diana Gabaldon's Character FAQ.)
• Master Raymond is a "prehistoric time traveler." Claire and Geillis are his descendants - Gabaldon's time-traveling characters, like Claire, Geillis, Brianna, and Roger, seem to carry some genetic component that enables them to time travel, whereas others, like Jamie, do not. Gabaldon plans a series starring Master Raymond, possibly including Claire and Geillis as secondary characters. (From Diana Gabaldon's Character FAQ.)
• We may possibly learn more about Claire's life pre-Frank, as well as some more about her life during WWII in the sixth book. (From A chat with the Ladies of Lallybroch, June 19, 2000.)
• Are Roger and Stephen Bonnet related? Gabaldon's cryptic response was to point out that both men have green eyes (though Bonnet's are not the same shade as Roger's), and that "you never know, do you?" (From A chat with the Ladies of Lallybroch, June 19, 2000.)
• Gabaldon plans to involve real historical characters from the Revolutionary War in her storyline. She is particularly interested in Claire meeting Benedict Arnold, if his historical timeline works out with her fictional one. (From A chat with the Ladies of Lallybroch, June 19, 2000.)

The End of it All?

According to Gabaldon, the books will probably end in the year 1800. Her cryptic clues regarding the ending reveal only that it will be "happy." (From Diana Gabaldon's Future Plans FAQ.)

Speculations

Unless otherwise noted, these are my own thoughts about directions the series might go; therefore, they should not be taken as gospel.
• Roger and Brianna will go back to their present. I don't think that they will stay in the past. Gabaldon's biggest clue regarding their future in the past appeared in The Fiery Cross, pp. 49-50, when Claire speculated that Brianna might not want to have more children while living in the past, as that could possibly delay a return trip through the stones. Claire thought they might stay in the past until Jemmy was self-sufficent, as they can't be sure he can go through the stones. However, I think he probably can, as both of his parents can, and this ability seems to be genetic.