Tag Archives: Outlander Starz

From Savory Meat Pies to Starz in My Eyes – Outlander Retreat Main Event Part 2

OK. I’ve only had 3 hours of sleep but I’m back up and totally jazzed about finishing this blog post. Why does this never happen when I get 3 hours of sleep on a work night? But, yet again, I digress.  Where did I leave off?

A moment in the sun (of Diana’s presence)

Oh, yes! Lunch! But wait, there was this other little thing that happened before lunch. As a part of signing group D, I waited my turn to get Diana to personalize my brand new copy of MOBY! Happily, the line moved pretty quickly as attendees were limited to having their copies of MOBY personalized with just their name. Being the lovely gracious woman that she is, Diana signed my copy for me in the Acknowledgements section where my name appeared. I was thrilled to have another few moments to have her sign the book, thank me for my help, and have my picture taken.

Almost there!
My moment with Diana!
‘S e do bheatha, Diana!

Still basking in the glow of my moment with DG, I headed up to grab some lunch. Some of us who have blogs and fan sites had deliberately maneuvered our way into the same signing group so that we could have lunch together and plot strategies for getting new subscribers for Starz. This is important: New subscribers will be one of several key drivers for the success of the Outlander TV series and determine whether it is renewed for subsequent seasons.

Entering the Armory food court, I found it to be a hub of activity. Apparently, in addition to our own event, there was also some kind of Filipino cultural celebration being held. Skirting the resultant crowds, I scoped out my options and settled on Pies! I figured a savory meat pie would be the closest meal I could come to one that Jamie and Claire likely will eat in MOBY. The Cheeseburger Meat Pie was delicious. (I really wanted the English Meat Pie, but there weren’t any ready when I ordered and besides, I was afraid that would brand me a Sassenach forever.)

Cheeseburger pie

Cheeseburger pie

After our strategy session wrapped up and lunch was devoured, we headed back down to the Fisher Pavilion for the continuation of the afternoon events.

Highland Fling

First up on the roster of afternoon activities was a demonstration of Scottish dancing. Seattle’s Royal Scottish Dance Society delighted attendees with their performance of Scottish country dances in both soft and hard shoe. I was also delighted to hear several tunes that I recognized as staples in the Cape Breton, Nova Scotia musical repertoire. Cutest of all were the littlest costumed members of the group. I caught some lovely pictures and a few short videos to give you a taste.

After the dancing, I spent the next hour pleasantly conversing with many Outlanders I heretofore had only known through social media while valiantly ignoring the siren call of MOBY from the depths of my Random House tote bag. Next up was the hour for which we had all been waiting. It has to be something good if a sign like this shows up, right?

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Reason to Believe

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Thar She Blows – A day full of MOBY – Outlander Retreat Main Event Part 1

The Big Day

So the day I have so eagerly anticipated has finally arrived. Thanks to a body conveniently still running on Eastern Daylight Time combined with an early Seattle sunrise, I was awake bright and early this Saturday morn. After completing my morning Social Media routine — the only morning exercise routine in which I am generally willing to engage, I headed down to the hotel restaurant for a quick breakfast. That essential task completed, it was time for my roomie and I to jump in a cab to head to the Seattle Center for our special day.

A funny thing happened in that brief ride. My heart began to beat just a bit faster and my anticipation kept building higher and higher. I had such expectations for this event, would the actual day live up to all the anticipation? Let me set your minds at ease and tell you: ‘Yes, it absolutely did!’ But, I digress. After a brief cab ride, we arrived at the Seattle Center and made the short walk to the Fisher Pavilion. I must confess I was a bit worried when I first spotted our destination.

Fisher Pavilion ADA Entrance

Fisher Pavilion ADA Entrance

The event was billed as an intimate gathering, but this building seemed to promise a closeness I’m not quite sure I was willing to accept. Luckily, this turned out to be the elevator entrance for the Pavilion which was down a flight of stairs. Whew, first crisis averted. Upon descending the stairs, we were quickly checked in by the ultra efficient Random House staff and entered another world.

The Clan Gathers

Once inside, we were transported into the world of Outlander. I quickly found my way through the maze of fans to claim my bag-o-swag — including the long-awaited copy of MOBY. (Which, to be honest, is currently sitting on the end of my bed in the hotel room right now, calling my name. The blog comes first, however!) Next, I headed into the room where the festivities would begin and Diana’s Keynote and Q&A would be held. To pass the time, I cracked open my copy of MOBY to take a peek at the Acknowledgements.

So why look at the Acknowledgements you may ask? Well, first, I didn’t trust myself to be able to STOP reading if I started reading the actual story; not even for Diana. Secondly, I played a very small part in helping to gather information and proofread the family tree that many of you will find in the end papers of the hardback copy of MOBY. In exchange for these efforts, Diana had graciously promised to include me and my nitpicking compatriots in the MOBY acknowledgements, and, sure enough, we were there! I have to tell you; It was very thrilling to see my name there in print.

Are we in Claire’s Surgery?
Swag Bags
Huge Outlander Key Art poster wall
Outlanders gathering
Nitpickers extraordinaire minus one!
My name in print!

Let the Celebrations Begin

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Co-latha-breith sona dhut, Àdhamh!

Wishing a very happy birthday to our very own Gàidhlig expert, Àdhamh Ó Broin.  On his special day, this seems to be the perfect time to thank Àdhamh for all the generosity and patience he has shown to Outlanders worldwide. Feel free to drop him a tweet to @An_Comhghallac to wish him well.

Even Sam has gotten in on the act! See the following video tweeted from @Outlander_Starz:

 

Be sure to watch the video for further evidence of the spectacular job Àdhamh is doing with a very dedicated balach (lad). Say it with me (and Sam):

Co-latha-breith sona dhut, Àdhamh! / coh-laah-bray sawna ghooht, AH giv/

Also, please enjoy the fabulous cartoon created for Àdhamh by the talented Outlander Cartoons!

http://vivigodinho.tumblr.com/post/87701109860/happy-birthday-adhamh
*Credits to the Ó Broinies and Outlander Cartoons

What Outlander Means to Me – Words in honor of #WorldOutlanderDay

So several people have asked me today if I was planning to write anything for #WorldOutlanderDay. I wasn’t really planning to, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I do have a story to tell.  I may even admit to my darkest, most shameful Outlander secret.

In the beginning…

From reading many reminiscences today, I’ve realized that many, if not most, Outlander fans can point to the exact month and year they first read Outlander. I’m not like that.  I’m pretty sure I picked up my first copies of Outlander and Dragonfly in Amber at a Barnes and Noble somewhere in the mid 90s but I couldn’t say when. And although I know how strongly Diana objected to them being there, I likely would not have ever found the books in a bookstore if they had not been in the Romance section. Anyway, I bought them and took them home. And they sat on my shelf for days, months, dare I say, years. I know I tried to start Outlander several times, but I never seemed to make it past the magic first 100 pages. Finally, in the midst of a paperback book-reducing frenzy, I did something I can’t believe I’m admitting in public: much less in an Outlander-related post, I traded Outlander and Dragonfly in at a used book store.

I know, I know. I can hear the gasps and screams of outrage already. I have no real excuse. Looking back, I can only come up with a couple of reasons why I think Outlander didn’t “click” for me back then. First, I was pretty young.  I was only 23 or 24 and was still pretty much living in the bosom of my family and I think I just had a hard time relating to Claire.  Second, although I’ve always been a huge fan of historically based fiction, neither WWII nor the Jacobite period had ever numbered among my favorite historical time periods. Somehow both these factors, plus never making it past the first 100 pages, doomed me into making a tragic mistake.  Most of you will be quite relieved to note however that now, when I recommend Outlander to others, I make them sign a blood oath  not to stop reading before magic page 100.

Seeing the light–

Luckily, unlike so many other things in life, I was offered a second chance.  I was attending a music festival in Wilkesboro, NC, ( not too far from the fictional location of Fraser’s Ridge) when I started chatting with a weaver who was exhibiting her wares in the arts and crafts tent.  As we were talking about different historically set books we had read, she asked me if I had read Outlander. I readily admitted that I had purchased the book at one time but had never ‘got into it.’ Looking back, I think I’m really lucky she decided to have anything more to do with me. However, as I listened to this lady extol the virtues of the series, I resolved to give Outlander another go, and boy is that a decision that has impacted my life.

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World Outlander Day – June 1, 2014

Conny, blogging at Highland Saga, has come up with a great idea to have World Outlander Day on Sunday, June 1.  As far as we can tell , June 1, 1991 was the day that Outlander was first published, so what better way to celebrate? This grass-roots effort is really a fresh example of the “Outlander Effect” from my previous Great Scot post.

Fans the world over are embracing this celebration of Diana Gabaldon and all things Outlander! So what kinds of things are Outlander Fans doing to celebrate? Some of the activities I’ve seen mentioned include:

– Online discussions on Facebook, Twitter sharing how Outlander has affected them personally.

– Pocket Jamie photos commemorating the Day worldwide.

– Reading favorite passages and sections from the books.

– Sharing meals and treats based on Outlander dining (see recipes here: Outlander Kitchen).

– Give-A-Gabaldon Sunday: make a gift of an Outlander book to a friend, library, or book drive.

– Because blood helps us Travel Through the Stones:  American Red Cross blood donations (one Fan is moving her Summer Solstice Quarterly donation up 3 weeks).

– Making donations to Diana’s, Cait’s and Sam’s charities:

– Plant an Outlander plant, flower bed, or garden – for ideas, see: Outlander Plants

– Walk, run, or otherwise mobilize your body for fitness with fellow fans: @OutlanderFit

– Write a Haiku poem about Outlander, and tweet using #OutlanderHaiku (5 syllables – 7 syllables – 5 syllables on a theme or idea from Outlander)

 

What will you be doing to celebrate World Outlander Day, and the effect Outlander has had on your world?