Diana Gabaldon - The Outlandish Companion: In which much is revealed regarding Claire and Jamie Fraser, their lives and times, antecedents, adventures, companions, and progeny, with learned commentary (and many

T he author would, as usual, like to acknowledge

Her husband, who keeps saying, Yes, but when are you going to finish the next real book? (Im working on it. Them. Whatever. Soon. Well, as soon as I can, anyway. Time is relative, isnt it?)

Her children, who still make witty remarks from time to time, but who are now old enough to register objections to having these quoted in public (what they said [collectively] was Youve been putting us in your books? MOTHER! Our friends read these books! To which I replied in some consternation, Well, tell your friends I think theyre all much too young to be reading these books!)

the Usual Suspects: the longtime and ever-changing array of electronic friends (and many passing acquaintances of kindly intent) who provide me with interesting factoids, entertaining questions, vital information, scintillating conversation, and fascinating raw material.

the Readers, who both instigated this book and supplied me with a great deal of its content by asking questions, suggesting Things They Would Like to Know, and providing all sorts of interesting miscellanea, like the Celtic discography (music to be listened to while reading the novels). To say nothing of those who argued with me about the actions of characters in the booksas though I had anything to do with it!

This book has been somewhat different from the novels that I write, not only in its content, but in its form and substance. Normally, the only really important thing in a book is the story, and while the mechanical details such as design and copyediting are certainly not unimportant, they arent vital. This particular volume is much more than the sum of its words, though, and much more the product of dedication on the part of a great many talented (and long-suffering) people besides myself, including:

Barbara Schnell, my delightful (and faithfully accurate) German translator, who provided many of the photographs of the Highlands near Lallybroch.

Carlos and Deborah Gonzales, who used their artistic magic to transform visions into reality.

Dr. James Brickell, who emigrated from Scotland to North Carolina in 1733, and went to the trouble of drawing pictures of the flora and fauna encountered en route.

Kathy Pigou, the Australian astrologer who cast the horoscopes for Claire and Jamie.

Iain MacKinnon Taylor (and his brother Hamish and his aunt Margaret), who has done his bit to prevent the extinction of the Gaidhlig tongue, by providing me with Gaelic translations, pronunciations, definitions, and grammar notes.

Michelle LaFrance, another devoted to the perpetuation of Gaidhlig/Gaelic/whateveryouwanttocallthebeastlylanguage, who provided me with reams of useful resource material.

the staff and habitu$$s of the CompuServe ROOTS Forums, who helpfully provided all kinds of reference material on genealogy.

The Scottish Trustees of the Carmina Gadelica, for permission to quote assorted Celtic blessings and invocations in their entirety.

the anonymous editor of The Baronage Press, for his erudite and authoritative assistance in preparing the heraldry and genealogical notes that accompany the Family Trees.

Judie Rousselle, Diane Schlichting, Fay Zachary, Tabbak, BCMaxy, Sassenak, and the others who have so kindly given Jamie and company a continuing online presence through their Web sitesand in particular, Rosana Madrid Gatti, who designed and maintains the Official Diana Gabaldon Home Page, to the delight of all who see it.

Virginia Norey (whose name ought really to be presented here with illuminated capitals, at least), for the stunning design of this book, to say nothing of the subsidiary illustrations.

Mark Pensavalle, the production manager, whose blood and sweat stain the pages of this volume (I would say tears, but I dont think its been bad enough to make him actually cry yet).

Johanna Tani, chief copyeditor, who has provided the ever-necessary vigilance against those hordes of errors that breed in the gutters of books, hatching out into the light of day when the covers are opened.

Susan Schwartz, without whose herculean efforts this book would simply not exist.

Jennifer Prior, copyeditor, one of the normally unsung heroes of book production, and

the many other people who have contributed so much to this book: Ann Fraser, for details of the Fraser of Lovat family tree; Elaine Smith, for the ring patterns; Stephen and Anne McKenzie, and Karen Jackson, for the photographs of Castle Leod, and all the other helpful souls whose many contributions have made this book what it is (i.e., large).

Thank you all!

Diana Gabaldon

http://www.cco.caltech.edu/~gatti/gabaldon/gabaldon.html

For Jackie Cantor,
My companion on this long Outlandish journey