Outlander Homepage: Outlander - 'The Fans Who Make It'

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Outlander - 'The Fans Who Make It' - Series by Roma Sars

Hello everyone! (From Roma Sars on "My Outlander Friends" on Facebook)

As a member of the Outlander fandom, I have visited many websites and blogs by fans who interview the actors, production staff and others involved with the making of the Outlander series.

I have also seen fans collect tens of thousands of dollars for the charities of their favourite actors, as well as fans making the most beautiful art and videos, all dedicated to the Outlander story.

What motivates the fans do this? Why have some of them devoted the best part of their days to the Outlander story?
So far, no-one has interviewed these fans who are behind these websites, blogs and twitter handles, some of them with thousands of followers.
So, I thought that I should be the one to do that, and I have approached some of them and found them conducive to do interviews.

In doing so, I hope to understand this obsession which has taken a hold of me ever since I discovered the Outlander story in 2015.
This will be the start of my “Outlander- the fans who make it” series of interviews.
I hope you will like what I will post, as I am sure I am going to enjoy doing it.

(This interview has been conducted by Roma Sars of, My Outlander Friends!)

My next interview in the “Outlander- the fans who make it” series is with Cyn Luckey, a woman who this fandom is very lucky to have as our resident poet.
I met Cyn on Social Media through her poems, and hope to meet her in person soon.

Here are some samples of her poetry:

There is a moment

When you know you have lost

All your moves have failed

And the board lies empty

Would it have made a difference

If you had gone another way

Taken a different tact

And waited

For one more breath

One more sigh

Before approaching the lonely heart

Of the king

I will never know your fate

I will not be there

To sit by the fire at end of day

And hear the tale of you

To rise before the waking sun

And walk beside you in your silence

But you will be with me

In my heart

In my prayers

Stalwart and invincible

My brother, my teacher

My friend

We have fallen

With the heart of lions we charged

Shoulder to shoulder

Into the blinding light

Screaming the wail of Scotland

For her blood soaked highlands

And her dying sons

Heaven open your gates

We are two thousand strong

And our final victory the angels

Who welcome us home

● Please tell us about yourself?

My name is Cyn Luckey and I live in Woodstock IL.. I am 67 years old, have two beautiful daughters, who are both married, and six incredible grandchildren. I have been married to the same sweet and lovely man for 45 years. It has truly been a wonderful life.

Although I consider myself an emotional person, I’ve had very analytical jobs throughout the years (banking, proof reading copy for a newspaper), It may have inadvertently contributed to my continuous and absolute need to write.

My hobbies are reading everything I can get my hands on, listening to music and writing poetry.

● Have you been a poet all your life, or is this something recent, and can you tell us a little bit about that?

I started writing poetry in grade school. I loved putting lines of images together, and I would spend hours agonizing over the perfect word. I realized even then words had incredible power - to hurt, to hinder, to help, to heal. I also realized I had a responsibility to use the right ones. I wrote in earnest for many years, poetry mostly, and lyrics for songs I composed. I moved to Colorado and tried my hand at folk singing. Music took over my life for a while, but it was still a matter of finding the right words and connecting with an audience.

● How much time do you spend every day on Outlander?

I love the Outlander interaction on social media. I marvel at the talent of Outlander fans - their art, their edits, their dedication - it’s such an incredible delight. I try not to stay on social media for too long every day, but it can be addictive, no question.

● What do you like most about the Outlander books and show?

Outlander is, to me, an epic poem, full of love and hate and revenge and forgiveness, not unlike the tales of Homer, the heroic saga of Beowulf, or the lessons of Metamorphosis. Diana Gabaldon has given us a unique and beautiful story. We relate to the very human traits of these wonderful characters and, in turn, begin to understand ourselves. It is a riveting, rollicking adventure and we are along for the ride, laughing and loving and suffering and dying right along with them. Diana employs words as an artist, painting a time and a place and a feeling that sweeps us away and allows us to experience another life, another lifetime. This is prose with words perfectly in place - to give us pause, make us reflect, move us to tears. This is poetry to me.

The show is astonishingly beautiful in every respect, from the perfectly detailed sets and magnificent costumes to the heartbreakingly moving acting. It is not simply an incredible production, it is groundbreaking television, and I have loved it from the very beginning. I look at it like a translation of the original language into another dialect, just as delightful, as tragic and as emotional, but with an accent that may often slightly change the interpretation of a scene. For instance, I loved that our dear Murtagh survived. In our heart of hearts, we were not ready to say goodbye to him. I will always believe that Ronald D. Moore and the producers did this, in part, for us, the fans. That is how much respect and love for this story is evident on both sides of the Outlander coin.

I would like to add how much I believe music plays a part in Outlander. Though it might only ‘seem' to fade into the background, music sets a tone that voices cannot, and can do it in the blink of an eye. Bear McCreary has gifted us with an amazing sense of place, of time, of history. When I am writing, I listen to all kinds of music, from soundtracks to classical to gospel to hip hop, and back again. Years later, I can often tell what type of music I was listening to by the tenor of my words. Music is a big part of my life, so naturally it is a big part of my poetry too.

● What do you like most about the Outlander books and show?

The “character” of Jamie & Claire is my favorite. It’s really not cheating - picking two - for one cannot exist without the other... so I love them both. Even when attempting to go on alone, they never forget where they really belong. This is the beauty, the tragedy and the truth of Outlander: when we finally find our home, it is forever, and no matter where we go, we are compelled to return to where our life truly began.

● How has Outlander affected your life and/or lifestyle? Is this the first fandom you are a member of? What made you decide to join this fandom, rather than any other one?

Because of Outlander, I have met so many completely and utterly amazing, wonderful people. They are all compassionate, generous, eloquent and funny - qualities so prevalent in the characters of Outlander. I believe that is why this fandom has thrived for so long - it is a meeting of similar minds and hearts - loving, caring and kind, every single one.

● Have you met any of the actors? If so, which actor did you enjoy meeting the most? If not, which one are you looking forward to meet the most?

I have recently met Gary Lewis, Graham McTavish, Steven Cree, John Bell, Lauren Lyle, Cesar Domboy, Grant O’Rourke and Ed Speleers at Sasnak City Con in Kansas City, MO. They were all such a delight - funny, sweet and incredibly generous.

Though I think all the actors are absolutely wonderful, I hope to meet Duncan Lacroix one day just to tell him how much I loved his heartfelt performance; how well he tread the line between sour and sweet, gruff and tender, the killer and the kindhearted. As Murtagh, he grounded Jamie, guarded his right, and gave him the guidance and the grit to survive. He was a treasure. I’ve missed him.