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Thursday, January 11, 2024

Meshing conflict, character . . . and science

 

“Conflict and character are the heart of good fiction, and good mystery has both of those in spades.” – Diana Gabaldon

 

Born in Williams, AZ on this date in 1952, Gabaldon is best known for her Outlander series -- both novels and television shows set in 1700s’ (and a bit in the mid-1900s’).   Her books merge multiple genres, featuring elements of historical fiction, romance, mystery, adventure, science fiction/fantasy, and science. 

 

A scientist first, Gabaldon is the founding editor of Science Software Quarterly (in 1984 while employed at the Center for Environmental Studies at Arizona State University).  During the mid-1980s, Gabaldon wrote software reviews and technical articles for computer publications before turning to popular-science articles and comic books. 

 

In 1988, she wrote Outlander and now has 9 books in the Outlander series.  She also has served as a producer for the popular TV series and is working on a 10th installment. 

 

I met Gabaldon -- who told me her name rhymes with Bad to the Bone -- at a Historical Novel Society (HNS) meeting where we were both speaking about our writing.

 

   
  

She said her background in science has been a great assist to her fiction writing.   “People assume that science is a very cold sort of profession, whereas writing novels is a warm and fuzzy intuitive thing.  But in fact, they are not at all different.”


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