Comments have been FIXED!

You can comment without registering now! Looking forward to reading your opinions!

Predictions

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you've read chapter 14 in The Fiery Cross.

So yesterday I read where Roger told Bree about the letter from Frank (aka Douchebag Extraordinaire). Were you not impressed with Roger's memorization skills? Myself as well... let me tell you. I could have used that memory in the 10th grade advanced chemistry class I shouldna have been in in the first place... but I digress...   *Thanks to gratefuld95 on travel.webshots.com for the photo.

I have to tell you that I am LOVING all this Frank's-message-from-the-grave business. Loving it. I, being a firm believer in reincarnation, think Frank is/was Jack Randall and have said that from the beginning. So hearing him say (in Drums) that he has the "oddest sense of James Fraser, almost a memory" makes me think I'm right. I almost fell over when I read the poetic "or end forever in some Celtic hell, with our hands wrapped round each other's throat?" Does that not send shivers down your spine? Especially when you think about Jamie sitting up at Culloden and throwing Jack Randall's lifeless body off of himself. Which, by the way, was never really explained any further.  Sassenachs, do you mean to tell me ye havena thought about that? I thought not.

So my latest prediction... not even that firm, but maybe a theory, is that Frank could have come through the stones during his marriage to Claire... and he's going to show up at any point. You never know. Geillis didn't travel exactly 200 years; maybe Frank didn't either. Maybe Frank got so fed up with living in the shadow of a dead man, that he decided to go meet this Jamie Fraser, himself... and ended up in 1770 Scotland. And after inquiring about Jamie's whereabouts, finally found someone who knew where he was - and was told "We just heard Jamie Fraser is living in the colonies with his wife, Claire and their daughter, BRIANNA."  Holy shite - you KNOW that would get Frank on a boat crossing the Atlantic so fast... and then picture it. Claire's doing a little Laparocopy on old Mrs. MacHugh in her surgery while Jamie is out front chopping wood, smelling of woodsmoke and pungent man, and up walks Frank. Whoo hooooooo..... what I wouldn't do to get a little piece of THAT little read. Mmm hhhmmmm. Hell, I might have to write it myself!

OK and speaking of predictions - here is another one - that my friend SHANNON had today. Shannon, Jenn M and Jen L and I got together this AM over coffee to discuss Outlander. Shannon, Jenn and I are all on TFC and Jen L is just starting Drums. So Shannon emails me today and makes the following TREMENDOUS prediction:

I'm thinking that this book is going to be based on alot of religion. Since Jamie is catholic and catholics weren't to own property. He is going to be forced to sign his land over to Roger (b/c he's protestant) in order to keep the land. And of course Jamie is going to loose ownership of his land ONCE MORE!

Now - it's an awesome prediction and verra plausible. But what makes it even more tremendous is that our mentor, my sister Tracey, had the SAME prediction yesterday. She is a few hundred pages past us - and she's our MENTOR! So I am giving major props to Shannon for the mere suggestion. Canna WAIT to see what unfolds....

Beans, Beans, They're Good For Your Heart...

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you've read Chapter 14 in The Fiery Cross.

Why, oh why, must Diana wave this horrible fear that Jamie is going to die in front of my face on a constant basis? He and Roger have been rounding up the men-folk for the arduous task of standing up to the backwoods hicks from the western part of the state. All in the name of the crown, of course. And this is what I dinna understand, Sassenachs. If the crown wants so badly to keep the peace, then why don't they STAY in the colonies and do their own, damn dirty work??  Private Ogilvie  is hoping to get on the last boat to Scotland just as soon as Lizzie stops filling him with eggs and strawberry preserves. (How cute is that, by the way?) Why doesn't HE stay and fight the backwoods folk instead of JAMIE always having to do everything? Riddle me THAT, Batman! *Thanks to osv.org for the photo.

And am I the only one who seems to have a morbid fascination with all the weird ailments Claire treats? I was on the edge of my seat when she was cauterizing the poor slave's nose polyp. Wasn't it exciting? I wanted to hold that blade in the fire and do it myself! This might be due to my lack of medical fun around my own house as my husband won't let me near the occasional pimple... and the kids run from me when they have a splinter. Can't a girl play doctor once in while?? (And I'm not talking with JAMIE unfortch.)  I wonder why I want to. I loved Biology class... maybe that has something to do with it. At any rate, do you find yourself thinking up new and even more weird ailments for Claire to handle? I know I do. *Thanks to nlm.nih.gov for the photo.

So I have a new Kindle... and I find myself highlighting every time Jamie and Claire have a special little moment together. Kindof like this:


"And then I want to go home," he whispered... His forehead was pressed against mine, and his eyes very blue. "I want to take ye to bed-in my bed. And I mean to spend the rest of the day thinking what to do to ye once I've got ye there...."

Melt. OK focus, Carol.

Or how about this:


"Did I ever think to thank ye, Sassenach? he said, his voice a little husky. "For what?" I said, puzzled. He took my hand, and drew me gently toward him. He smelled of ale and damp wool, and very faintly of the brandied sweetness of fruitcake. "For my bairns," he said softly. "For the children that ye bore me." "Oh," I said. I leaned slowly forward, and rested my forehead against the solid warmth of his chest. I cupped my hands at the small of his back beneath his coat, and sighed. "It was... my pleasure."


le sigh... Does it get any better than that? I'm thinking no...

OK so before I leave go read, I must say that I verra much enjoyed the way Roger stood up to Jocasta when she dropped that "you're only marrying my niece for the money" bomb on him. That was uncalled for. And yet, I can't let it make me too mad at Jocasta just yet. I feel like she's got a plan - even beyond the plan Jamie and Claire were discussing (Jocasta trying to save Roger's rep in a way?) And how much did I love Jamie's reaction to the whole thing. His booming laugh is something I will mourn when this book series is over, Lassies... I truly will.

I also loved his "whooping laugh" when Claire recited the little beans jingle. When I was a kid, we weren't allowed to say "fart" - so we had to change it to the following:

Beans, beans, the musical fruit
The more you eat, the more you toot
The more you toot, the better you feel
So eat your beans at every meal

LOL! Can't you just hear Jamie laughing now????

  

*Thanks to Mary Hattler from al.com for the photo.

Another MUST HAVE for an Outlander Film

Watched "Mansfield Park" last night and - besides thinking a 1999 version of Johnny Lee Miller might have been a fantastic Edward Cullen - realized there is someone I MUST see in an Outlander film. He can be sinister as hell... and has one of the best charming-whilst-being-naughty streaks on the planet.  I want him for a Red Coat. Oh yes I do. Two words:

James Purefoy

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. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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??