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Posts Tagged ‘Diana Gabaldon’

Book Beginnings

Posted in Books, tagged , , , , , on September 25, 2014| 1 Comment »

Along with thousands of other readers, I am a huge fan of the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon.  While impatiently waiting for “Written In My Own Heart’s Blood” to come out, I read her novella “A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows” which tells the back story of Roger McKenzie’s parents.

It was two weeks yet to Halloween, but the gremlins were already at work.”

Roger’s father, Jerry, is a Royal Air Force pilot during World War II and the “gremlins” are hard at work on the plane he is flying.  This short story is a great addition to the Outlander series and fills in quite a few blanks about Roger’s life.  It just wasn’t long enough!

Please join me at Rose City Reader for Book Beginnings.

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Book Beginnings

Posted in Books, tagged , , , , , , on July 10, 2014| 19 Comments »

Welcome to a special edition of Book Beginnings hosted by Rose City Reader.  Well, it is special for me because today I am writing about the eighth Outlander novel called “Written In My Own Heart’s Blood” by Diana Gabaldon.  It follows the story of Jamie and Claire during the start of the Revolutionary War.  Here are the first lines:

“June 16, 1778

The forest between Philadelphia and Valley Forge

Ian Murray stood with a stone in his hand, eyeing the ground he’d chosen.  A small clearing, out of the way, up among a scatter of great lichened boulders, under the shadow of firs and at the foot of a big red cedar; a place where no casual passerby would go, but not inaccessible.  He meant to bring them up here – the family.”

Whenever I read one of Ms. Gabaldon’s books, I just get lost in it.  I could read for hours at a time (if that were possible with a full time job and a household to take care).  I was overjoyed to read it, but sad to see it end.  Bring on number 9!!

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Book Beginnings

Posted in Books, tagged , , , , , on January 2, 2014|

Well, guess what?  You know how I wrote on the last Book Beginnings post about being stuck on series?  I still am.  This week’s subject is the next installment of the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon entitled “An Echo In the Bone”.

“The pirate’s head had disappeared.  William heard the speculations from a group of idlers on the quay nearby, wondering whether it would be seen again.”

Doesn’t that sound ominous?  It is, especially for the pirate involved.  While reading these books, I have wondered if the life and times during the 18th century leading up to the American Revolution was very much like the descriptions in these books.  If so, I am very glad to live in this time and not then!

Please join me at Rose City Reader for Book Beginnings.

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Book Beginnings

Posted in Books, tagged , , , , , on December 19, 2013| 6 Comments »

Looking back over the last few months, I seem to be stuck on book series.  Today’s Book Beginning subject is no exception: “A Breath of Snow and Ashes” by Diana Gabaldon.  This book is part of Ms. Gabaldon’s Outlander series and, if you haven’t read these books, you don’t know what you are missing.

“The dog sensed them first.  Dark as it was, Ian Murray felt rather than saw Rollo’s head lift suddenly near this thigh, ears pricking.  He put a hand on the dog’s neck, there ridged with warning.”

These aren’t just books, but epic novels full of colorful characters and vivid descriptions of locales and lifestyles in the 18th century.  If you are a lover of historical fiction (like me), run, don’t walk, to your library and check out these books!

Please join me at Rose City Reader for Book Beginnings.

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Book Beginnings

Posted in Books, tagged , , , , on November 21, 2013| 4 Comments »

Please join me over at Rose City Reader for this week’s Book Beginnings party.  My book today is “The Fiery Cross” by Diana Gabaldon which is the fifth book in the Outlander series.  Here are the first lines:

Mount Helicon

The Royal Colony of North Carolina

Late October, 1770

I woke to the patter of rain on canvas, with the feel of my first husband’s kiss on my lips.  I blinked, disoriented, and by reflex put my fingers to my mouth.  To keep the feeling, or to hide it? I wondered, even as I did so.

Poor Claire!  To be a time traveler with a deceased husband in the future and a very much alive husband in the past which is where she is right now.  Ms. Gabaldon weaves such intricate and detailed stories that makes it so easy to get sucked in to her books and not want to climb out.  I could read for hours at a time!

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Book Beginnings

Posted in Books, tagged , , , , , on September 26, 2013| 4 Comments »

Who loves to read?  I DO!!!!  A lot of other people do, too, so please join me and other readers over at Rose City Reader for Book Beginnings.  There is always a variety of different book genres listed for your enjoyment.

Before I get to my book for today, I am proud to announce the winners of last week’s book giveaway.  They are Greg at Book Haven and Aloi at Guiltless Reader.  Yay for them!  They now will received copies of “Cleans Up Nicely” to read and review on their blog.

My book today is “Drums of Autumn” which is the next installment of the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. 

“I’ve never been afraid of ghosts. I live with them daily, after all.  When I look in a mirror, my mother’s eyes look back at me; my mouth curls with the smile that lured my great-grandfather to the fate that was me.”

This series is one of my all-time favorites and I can’t wait for the next one to come out.  There is always some new adventure and intrigue happening to Jamie and Claire or some threat to their happiness.  Will they survive and live to love another day?  Of course they will!

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Book Beginnings

Posted in Books, tagged , , , , , on September 13, 2013| 6 Comments »

Don’t look now, but my book today is the next one in the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon called “Voyager”.  Please join me over at Book Beginnings hosted by Rose City Reader for this book and many others.  Here are the first lines:

“He was dead.  However, his nose throbbed painfully, which he thought odd in the circumstances.”

These lines won Ms. Gabaldon an award for the best opening lines and I can see why.  Her writing is so descriptive and her books are so chocked full of facts woven in with the fiction that sometimes it makes you wonder which parts were based on real events and which ones weren’t.  These books are addicting…once you start on Claire and Jamie’s adventure, you can’t stop until you have seen what happens next.

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Book Beginnings

Posted in Books, tagged , , , , on August 1, 2013| 7 Comments »

Welcome back!  Join me over at Rose City Reader for Book Beginnings and you just might find a new book to add to your “to-be-read” pile.  Today I am sharing the first lines from the second book in the Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon called “Dragonfly In Amber”:

“Roger Wakefield stood in the center of the room, feeling surrounded.”

Hmmm, was Roger really surrounded and, if so, by what or who?  The Outlander series is one of my absolute favorites and I am actually re-reading it now before the newest book comes out at the end of the year.  Ms. Gabaldon weaves a story like no other that I have ever read and “Dragonfly In Amber” is full of historical facts that bear looking up for more information.  So much was happening in Scotland around the time that is portrayed in this book and it is so sad that so much destruction had to happen to such a beautiful place.

These are long and detailed books, but they are worth the effort it takes!

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Book Beginnings

Posted in Books, tagged , , , , on April 12, 2013| 2 Comments »

Welcome to this week’s edition of Book Beginnings hosted by Rose City Reader.  If you love books as much as I do, please check out this great link party to see what other bloggers are reading and writing about.

I have been re-reading a few old favorites the last couple of months and this week’s line comes from “Outlander” by Diana Gabaldon.  This is the first book in a series that follows a time-traveling female doctor from the 1940’s to the Scottish Highlands in 1743.  It is an epic tale that continues through several books and I believe the next one comes out soon.  Can’t wait!

“It wasn’t a very likely place for disappearances, at least at first glance.”

This makes you wonder what you might find at a second glance, doesn’t it?  If you haven’t read these books, please give them a try because I think they are wonderful!

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