The series remains very character-led and it’s often the characters and their relationships that capture the attention of the reader first. As a result, the series places a huge amount of emphasis on the female character’s adjustment to her new society. In order to explain this character’s behavior, which is very out of place considering 18th-century female expectations, she decided to utilize time travel. This character is witty and has a quick attitude. Gabaldon was intrigued by the character and saw the potential to center an entire series around a very similar character.ĭiana Gabaldon claimed that her characters, especially her female lead, began to tell the story for her.

One of the Doctor’s companions was a Scotsman called Jamie McCrimmon, who originated in the 18th century. The inspiration for Gabaldon’s Outlander male protagonist, James Fraser, came from the popular TV show Doctor Who. She currently lives in Arizona with her husband and she has three children, one of which is also a fantasy author. She wrote her first historical novel just to practice, not intending to show it to anyone else – she didn’t realize her work would become so popular and high in demand. She then worked as a professor for 12 years, specializing in scientific computation, before sacrificing science to pursue a career as a novelist full-time. Instead, she wrote technical articles, software reviews, and even comics for Disney. This is where she began her writing career but not via novels. While there, she began editing the Science Software Quarterly. Her science-based education led her to a job at Arizona State University working in the Center for Environmental Studies. After this, she attended Northern Arizona University to complete a Ph.D. She grew up in Flagstaff with a particular interest in animals, leading her to pursue a bachelor’s degree in zoology from Northern Arizona University.įollowing her graduation, Gabaldon continued higher education, earning a master’s degree in marine biology from the University of California in San Diego. About the Authorĭiana Gabaldon was born on January 11th, 1952 in Arizona.

Outlander is her most well-known series but she has also written a plethora of other works including the spin-off Lord John Grey series that hones in on one of Outlander’s minor characters.īut before we dive into all of her works in more detail, let’s take a closer look at the author. Not only is Claire swept into a world completely unlike her own but her new Scottish life is filled to the brim with political turmoil, her agency as a woman is restricted significantly, and the societal expectations that dictate her life are suddenly flipped upside down.

A breath of snow and ashes