Philip Winchester for Jamie Fraser

I think I may have chosen my Jamie Fraser. I stumbled upon Philip Winchester on a site that I canna remember; I was so excited I just started Googling him and well... that was that. I confess I have not seen him act in anything; a lot will hinge on that. But I have looked him up on a few youtube clips - and from what I've seen, I have no complaints. We'd have to roughen up that pretty little English accent a little (which is not his own, by the way. He's from Montana - but left at the age of 17 to study acting in London where he ended up doing quite a bit of theatre.)

One non negotiable: he must be able to do a proper Scottish accent. I will admit that I'd MOST prefer a Scot to have the role - but just LOOK at this guy! He IS Jamie Fraser. I am dying for Diana Gabaldon's opinion.

Let's see some Jamieisms, shall we?

"What have you done, Sassenach?"

"Oh, aye?"

"Dinna try me too hard, Sassenach."

"Ye're fools, the lot of you."

My Outlander Playlist - EXPLAINED!

Check out my Outlander Playlist. I've finally sat down and made a table of songs and where they fall within the series. It isn't finished - but it will be a constant work-in-progress because I'm always adding new songs. Dragonfly in Amber is definitely a little thin... and I haven't even started on Drums yet. What I have is almost finished; the remainder of what's in the player should be updated by tomorrow. ENJOY!

PS - Suggestions are ALWAYS welcome and may be added to the list!

Dougray Scott is an Outlander MUST

I'm not sure I've mentioned this prior... but let me just state right here - right now - for the record - that Dougray Scott is 1000% necessary in any Outlander film. I havena made up my mind regarding his character but have thought long and hard about him for Dougal.

Dougray Scott is 100% authentic Scot (OK he's got some French in there, but work with me people!) Born in Glasgow and raised in Glenrothes, Fife - the man exudes all things Scottish.

Check this out. It's old, I'll admit. But you can hear his accent - and you can see how he looks in period costuming. (TreMENdous. That's how.) OK so it's 200 years too early but whatev. *Thanks to one of my favorite sites; The Lit Connection - for the photo.

Have the lambs stopped screaming???

So I'm flipping out just a bit. Why, you ask? Because I just came back from a neighborhood party and got an email from my sister and Outlander mentor, Tracey. Last week, Tracey made a video of herself reading the first few pages of The Fiery Cross... and uploaded it to youtube for us. She later got shy and made me take it off my site, where it sat for maybe 5 minutes. She then agreed to leave it on youtube temporarily. Fast forward to today, where she finds out 45 people have viewed it. And why?

BECAUSE DIANA GABALDON HAS IT LISTED AS ONE OF HER FAVORITES ON HER OWN YOUTUBE PAGE. Thus, the wine folks. This is a stellar day. So without further ado, I give you, my sister and Outlander mentor Tracey... and her "reaction video" for The Fiery Cross.

Voyager Montage

SPOILER ALERT: Please dinna read unless you have read VOYAGER.

I have pieced together a montage I'd like to see in a Voyager film, to the sound of "I Dreamed a Dream", sung by a female - but not sounding too dramatic and Broadwayesque.

Click here to open the playlist - and scroll down and click "I Dreamed a Dream" so you can hear it while you read. And let it continue to play the next song if it ends while you're still reading. 
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We see Claire, sitting on her bed, getting dressed to go to the hospital after we've just seen the huge fight she had with Frank - about Jamie. (Remember, it's the first time they've truly spoken about Jamie - and Frank's infidelities - in 20 years.) She is sad... and contemplative... and thinking about the Frank she married all those years ago...

Instrumental intro...

Claire is now sitting at the hospital, thinking back to her time with Jamie - and we see a flashback sequence of happy scenes from Outlander and Dragonfly in Amber.

I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I prayed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted

Cut to Jamie in jail, lying on the floor, waking up from a nightmare, feeling ashamed.

But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
And they turn your dream to shame

Cut back to the hospital, the doors fly open and Claire sees EMTs, wheeling someone in. A nurse walks toward her, looking grave.

And still I dreamed he'd come to me
That we would live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather

Claire is sitting by Frank's side, holding his hand, softly crying, and accepting the fact that her husband is dead.

I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed.

The music immediately flows into Amazing Grace. We see Claire and Brianna, standing at the cemetery, watching the priest saying the final prayers over Frank's coffin.

Cut to Jamie, holding his meager possessions while being walked toward Helwater...

Christ Sassenachs... I'm crying just typing this.

The Proclaimers

I have to link to a cool little "Where Are They Now?" blurb  I just came across about The Proclaimers on TMZ.

Tracey and I have debated whether their song "500 Miles" should be added to the Playlist since a) they are BEYOND Scottish and b) the song is about a guy who would go to any lengths for his girl, which reminded us of yon Jamie Fraser of the House of Lovat.

I have resisted adding them until now... thinking their sound might be a little too modern day... but I canna help it, Sassenachs; I just love the song. And hey - I added Travis, didn't I??

Just because...

My husband left this in the kitchen... and before I told him to "put that hat away!" I had to snap a picture... just because. How many times have I hung at the Scots in Kearny and thought nothing of it? My how Jamie Fraser can change one's life!