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 Outlander Anatomy (@OutlandAnatomy on twitter) who gives the fans valuable background information in to the – you guessed it – anatomical side of things.

Please tell us about yourself.

I am a 75 year old female, who goes by the social media moniker of Outlander Anatomist (I prefer not to share my name). I live in the Pacific Northwest region of the US, and am a professor emerita (female retired professor) of human anatomy at the oldest medical school in my state. My teaching and research career spanned almost 40 years - over 50, if one includes my blog and grad student teaching! My field of research was the digestive system – I published 140+ articles and abstracts on that topic.

Throughout my career, I taught anatomy to medical students, physician assistants, nurses, grad students, respiratory technologists, surgical and pathology residents, and gave review courses to practicing surgeons. Over the years, I was chief of the body donation program, director of gross anatomy and microscopic anatomy (histology) courses, and demonstrator of anatomy for my state (a legislated position). I harbor a reverential awe for the human body, which I am thrilled to share with anyone, anywhere, anytime!

I am a devoted practitioner of yoga and enjoy a three-year membership with MPC. I also row, cross train, lift weights, pursue treadmill and elliptical training. Oh, and lots of stretching!!! - I am a very “bendy” person <g>. I have also enjoyed a few private lessons at the 2017 MPC event at Everyday Athlete Gym in Glasgow.

I live in a log home on a 19-acre tree farm with a small fruit orchard, two blueberry patches and a vegetable garden. I enjoy harvesting the produce, which I share with friends, family and our local food bank. But mostly, I am blessed to be surrounded by 100+ ft. tall Douglas fir trees, along with the flora and fauna these giants protect and nurture.

I enjoy beadwork and several articles of my original patterns have been published in national beading magazines (See cover of Bead & Button magazine). My beadwork includes seed beads (tiny), wire working, bead embroidery, felting, stringing, wire weaving, etc.

What made you decide to start Outlander Anatomy? Have you done this for other shows/ book series as well?

A daughter and a daughter-in-law began reading the books just before MOBY was published. I remember how they groaned at the end of ECHO - a three year wait for the tiger tunnel episode to resolve! They declared I would love anatomy and medicine in the books and urged (harassed) me to read. Steadfastly, I refused, as “I wasn’t interested in time travel.” Finally, in early 2014, after hounding me for almost two years, they said Outlander would become a TV series, and I gave in. The 8th big book (MOBY) had just been published, so I didn’t have to wait long for the end of that long, black tunnel!

By the time Outlander debuted in August of 2014 (in US), I had read all eight big books, three times each. After episode 107, The Wedding, aired my daughter asked if I had

ever considered writing a blog honoring both human anatomy and Outlander. By September of that year, I posted Anatomy Lesson #1, Jamie’s Tush or Bottom’s Up https://www.outlanderanatomy.com/todays-anatomy-lesson-jamies-tush-or-bottoms/!

I have never been a fan “girl,” and never written a blog about any other show or book series.

How long have you been doing this?

I have been writing Outlander Anatomy for 3 1/2 years. During that time, I have posted 58 anatomy lessons, 79 Fun Facts, numerous interviews and several essays on subjects other than anatomy. With one exception, my lessons always use the character’s and not the actor’s names. I do this to afford the actors a degree of privacy as I publicly dissect their bodies - I explain in this posting:

https://www.outlanderanatomy.com/outlander-anatomy-education-privacy/

How much time do you spend every day on Outlander?

I spend from 2 to 5 hours a day on Outlander, depending on whether I am writing a lesson and/or posting on social media.

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

I love the entire saga of Jamie’s and Claire’s love story - all of it! I appreciate that it doesn’t end with the wedding night, like many romantic stories. My own marriage is now in its 56th year, and I like to read about marital success. Diana’s characters are all compelling, including the darkest of them! Her attention to detail (even doormen have names and backgrounds) is rare. I deeply value the anatomy, pathology and medicine she weaves into her storylines. Invariably, I learn new (non-medical) words as I read her books. Generally, that doesn’t happen with most other authors, at least to me.

Casting, costumes, and sets of the TV series have been splendid! Considering general TV fare, one is grateful to RDM and team for granting TV life to this story.

For me, there is no “least” with the books. I adore everything about them, even the shocking parts (how DARE BJR rape Jamie???). I also love the TV version, although it embraced a few innovations which didn’t improve on the books. There are notable exceptions such as Angus and Rupert. Loved those lads!

Which character in Outlander is your favourite?

Hands down, James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser!

How has Outlander affected your life and/or lifestyle?

When I watch an episode or write a lesson, all life narrows down to the Outlander immersion tank! Family members are very respectful of my love affair. Because of Outlander, I have traveled twice to Scotland, the home of my mother’s predecessors.

I have been to the Outlander premieres in LA and NY.

Here is my interview with RDM and other footage from the 2016 NYC Premier of Outlander S2, https://www.outlanderanatomy.com/my-tartan-affair-2016/

I have been to SDCC (San Diego), SiWC (Surry, B.C.) and North Carolina to admire the land Diana describes as Fraser’s Ridge.

Is this the first fandom you are a member of? What made you decide to join this fandom, rather than any other one? What do you like and dislike about this fandom?

As mentioned above, this is my first and only fandom - I am not really interested in any others, although there are other TV series I enjoy (e.g. Poldark, The Crown, and anything from PBS Masterpiece Theater). I got swept into the Outlander fandom as folks read the anatomy lessons and interest expanded.

I love kind, generous and grateful fans. I recoil if fans are harsh, obsessing over every perceived blemish. If one is discontented with books, author, or TV show, do oneself a favor and switch to a more satisfying venue.

Have you met Diana or any of the actors of Outlander? If so, which personality did you enjoy meeting the most? If not, who would you like to meet the most?

Thus far, I have met Diana, Sam (see photo), Cait, Tobias, Ron, Terry, Maril, Toni, Matt, Anne, Bear and Raya. I almost fainted when I interviewed Sam at the SAKs event in NYC. But, my favorite personality is Diana.

I first met her at a Fort Vancouver book signing in 2014 - I had just launched my blog. And, she had just posted that Outlander Anatomy was her favorite new blog

https://www.outlanderanatomy.com/herself-found-outlander-anatomy/

But, I was too shy to introduce myself. I got over that, and Diana has since granted me three audiences. The first time (2015 - see photo), I met her and her website manager for drinks. The second (2016), she had drinks and treats with me and my daughter. The third (2017), she and I met for drinks and a light meal. Each time, she has been a dream to converse with: kind, interested, patient, creative, resourceful, generous, enthusiastic, and just plain brilliant! And, of course, I love that she is a scientist. Our wide-ranging topics might shock others (I have told her some dissection stories), but never Diana. And, she has a terrific sense of humor!!!

   

All graphics and edited formats for this blog by,  Dorianne Panich

Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan announce new movie features for the summer of 2018 filming...

From the web...

Caitriona Balfe will play opposite Christian Bale, (as his wife) in this film about 2 car companies and their rivalry, that focuses on car racing.. Matt Damon also stars.. Obviously more details will be forth coming.

Sam Heughan along with the cast, (Vin Diesel stars) will be in an ensemble of actors, playing humans, with extraordinary abilities, rather than God's or demi God's, as this super-hero Comic book series comes to life.

New cast members for Outlander

Meet the newest members of the 'Outlander' clan

Full article 

http://ew.com/tv/2018/05/22/meet-the-newest-members-outlander-clan/

LYNETTE RICE
May 22, 2018 at 01:24 PM EDT

Look who’s joining the Outlander clan!

In anticipation of the drama’s season 4 debut in November, EW can exclusively reveal the addition of five new characters to the Starz drama — Billy Boyd as Gerald Forbes, Caitlin O’Ryan as Lizzie Wemyss, Natalie Simpson as Phaedre, Tim Downie as Governor William Tryon, and Simona Brown as Gayle.

Who are these folks, you say? Here is a breakdown of the new additions and how they’ll fit into the narrative for the coming season, which is based on the fourth book in Diana Gabaldon’s best-selling Outlander series called Drums of Autumn.


Starz 

Boyd (above) will portray Gerald Forbes, a wealthy lawyer in Cross Creek who is friends with his prominent client, Jocasta Cameron (Maria Doyle Kennedy). Boyd is best known for Lord of the Rings; his other credits includeThe Flying Scotsman, Seed of Chucky, and An Urban Ghost Story.

Starz
Brown pays Gayle, Brianna’s best friend and college roommate. Her TV credits include the new C4/Netflix series Kiss Me First. She was also in Roots for A&E.

Starz
O’Ryan is Lizzie, a Scottish woman who goes on a big adventure with Brianna Fraser (Sophie Skelton), the daughter of Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire (Caitriona Balfe). O’Ryan is is a recent graduate from the Oxford School of Drama; this role marks her TV debut.



Starz
Simpson will take over as Phaedre, the personal maid and seamstress for Jocasta, and is considered a trusted member of the River Run household. Her TV credits include Les Miserables.



Starz
Downie portrays Governor William Tyron, who was an actual historical figure. The ambitious William is a former British officer who used his family connections to land the position of governor. Downie’s film credits include Transformers: The Last Night, War Machine, Paddington, and The King’s Speech.

Earlier this month, Starz (finally!) announced it renewed Outlander for a fifth and sixth season. The fourth season is currently filming through June in Scotland.

1

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 Karen Jeanne (@purpleiris13) who, along with Summer (@SummerPic) make amazing Poptoons and Videos of the Outlander show and posts them to Twitter, for all of us to enjoy.  Karen Jeanne and Summer decided that it should be Karen Jeanne who does the interview for the both of them.

I have not had the pleasure of meeting either of the ladies, but I have enjoyed their art and humour very much in the past few years.

Please tell us about yourself.
The basic facts are pretty boring—I’m married to my college sweetheart, have two adult children, and have always either been an actress, a director, or a teacher of theatre, film, and writing at the high school and college level. I come from a family of genius mathematicians and engineers, and I’m the black sheep. About 15 years ago, along with a few other like-minded teachers and administrators, I started a charter high school for at-risk kids. High school can be a misery if you feel like you don’t fit in, and lots of teenagers feel like they don’t fit in. The problem is the school---not the kid. But I digress…

What made you and Summer start the POPtoons and videos, and can you tell us a little bit about that?
We were in the middle of the second Droughtander---the insanely long one between Season 1 and 2. We were all just trying to amuse ourselves and kill time, so I got interested in making memes and begged @Bouton_Barks, who is a master of the art, to teach us some meme-making skills. I was making some rather pathetic edits, with speech bubbles, when I noticed Summer creating these fake Funko Pop versions of the Outlander characters, using Photoshop. I thought her work was fantastic, and the little dolls with big heads and no mouths were hilarious, so I started to use her pops and add titles and speech bubbles, with the intent of making her laugh. That was always the goal for me---cracking Summer up. We became creative partners. Summer does the art, and I do the writing. At first, we were just putting Outlander character pop dolls, with titles and captions on Twitter, and tagging the actors who played the characters. The actual scenes came later. We didn’t just use the pop characters; longtime Outlander fans might remember the barnyard series, with Shaun the Sheep-style animals. Many of these included the Outlander characters, or actors in key roles, and that’s where we began to refine our style. Eventually, we were churning out recaps, previews, bloopers, highlights, spinoff series ideas, reviews--anything that struck our funny bones. Most of the time, I would get some idea for a scene and toss it around with Summer. She’d create the art, we’d make a few changes, and then I would write the titles, captions and speech bubbles. If I made her laugh, the scene was a winner, and I would tweet it. At the height of our creative powers I was probably tweeting 4-5 poptoons a week. And then Summer began making these complete music VIDEOS with pop characters that moved…!

It’s a rush when the actors or crew notice, like or retweet one of our poptoons. Diana has been wonderful; she has retweeted (and even ROFL’ed to) dozens of poptoons, and several of Summer’s videos over the last couple of years, and is probably getting sick and tired of seeing those big heads. Rik has been the most enthusiastic audience; he tweets back and has told us several times that he loves the poptoons. Sam has liked and retweeted a few poptoons and videos. But the fans have been the best audience of all.

How much time do you spend every day on Outlander?
Not as much as I used to! My family is very grateful.

What do you like most about the Outlander books and show?
I’ve read all the books, including the first Outlander Companion, the graphic novel, all the Lord John Grey novellas and books, and the other Outlander-related novellas. I’m working on the Outlander Companion Volume 2 and rereading Drums of Autumn. It sounds like that’s the only thing I read---but it’s not. I am a voracious reader; I always have at least two (and often three) books at hand. But I’m compelled to say that nothing else I’ve read has engaged my attention and my heart over time the way the Outlander books have done. I’ve reread some of them so many times, that I can quote whole sections.

I think we are very, VERY lucky to have a TV series based on the books. God bless Ron, Maril, Matt, and Toni for taking on this mammoth project and putting up with fan feedback. Unless you have adapted a popular multi-character book series, that sprawls over several countries, hundreds of locations, and two different centuries, you have no idea what these folks are accomplishing. You will never hear complaints from me about what’s been left out or altered; I can fill in with the books anytime I want the complete story and my own vision of events.

Which character in Outlander is your favourite?
Besides Jamie? William. Seriously. I love that kid. He is very much what I imagine Jamie to be like as a young boy and teenager, especially if Jamie found out that everyone had been lying to him for years about his parentage. I have always had a soft spot for the at-risk kids. I can’t wait to do poptoons for him.

Is this the first fandom you are a member of?
Yes. Well, wait, that’s not completely true. I was a huge fan of The Monkees. I spent hundreds of dollars on fan magazines like Tiger Beat and papered my walls with photos that I cut from the magazine pages. (Before Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram, obviously.)

What made you decide to join this fandom, rather than any other one?
I read all the books around the time they came out. I watched the first TV episode in real time. I got sucked into the Outlander family back in 2014 because a fan named Dede used to run an addictive contest called Outlandish Trivia, and I became obsessed; I have a completely annotated and sticky-noted Outlandish Companion that I used for research. I met some awesome fans through the contest and began to spend more time on Twitter. It spiraled out of control after that.

Have you been to any Outlander fan events or Cons and met any of the actors or Diana? If so, who did you enjoy meeting the most? If not, who would you want to meet?
I first “met” Sam when I was lucky enough to win a contest to become one of the Sam’s Fan Follows. I’m sure there are many fans who don’t know what that is, but back in 2014-15, when the show was just getting started, Sam had about 50,000 followers, and he was much more available to fans. He would follow a fan for a week, and then she got to choose the next fan he would follow. Poor Sam. We broke him. Or at least I did---I was SFF #6. There were only seven of us, because it took a huge amount of time and energy to engage with one fan at a time, and keep replying to our direct messages. He was extremely gracious, funny, kind, open, and tolerant. When my husband and I travelled to Scotland later that year, we relied on Sam’s list of “Things to Do in Glasgow”, which he wrote out for me when I asked for his insider suggestions. Sam is a genuinely good guy, in case anyone wonders. He also does normal things that normal people do---he’s no diva.

I met Diana soon after that---she came to a fundraiser which the Oregon-based Outlandia fan group set up to support Clay Street Kitchen in Portland. Diana is amazing: she wandered around on her own, meeting and chatting with fans, like she wasn’t even a goddess or at the very least a VIP. She and I chatted about seeing plays at Ashland (she had just returned from seeing a few) and revealed where she bought her clothes.

Summer and I met face to face for the first time when we decided to go to the Outlander fan event in NYC in September of 2017. Neither of us has a fan-event type personality, because we are both introverts and crowds of strangers make us nervous, but that weekend was great. Even though we got to meet and get hugs from Caitriona and Sam (and we met Sam twice that weekend—at Orvis AND at Papillion) and even chat with them for a minute, the highlight of that weekend was meeting Summer and hanging out with her and the other awesome fans also attending the event. (Shoutout to the Jersey Girls!) Caitriona is a natural beauty, warm, genuinely interested in every single fan, and absolutely focused on you when you meet her. Sam is an epic hugger---just as everyone says he is.

What keeps you connected to the Outlander fandom?
I just want to have fun. This fandom has brought me fantastic new friends, fun times, and lots of entertainment. I see some fans on Twitter getting into arguments about how to be a fan, sniping at each other, attacking cast, crew, writers, producers, significant others, or fellow fans, and generally behaving in surly, middleschool-ish, unkind ways. The fandom feuds mystify me. I’m scrolling past all of that…If it’s not fun, why are we here?

What do you and Summer have coming up next?
We’re still slowly releasing a top-ten highlight reel for Season 3, one by one. Summer has done all the art for that series and I’ll add the titles, captions, and speech bubbles and tweet those between now and the Season 4 premiere. Starz has been very miserly in terms of releasing any bits of Season 4, so we’re retaliating by creating our own Season 4 preview scenes; we’re just making stuff up using the book as source material and trying to avoid blatant spoilers, which is quite a challenge.

All graphics and edited formats for this blog by,  Dorianne Panich

Carson Daly talks to Graham McTavish

You Tube

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” is with Julia LeBlanc, who makes beautiful Outlander videos for the fandom’s enjoyment.

I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting Julia, but I hope to, one day.

Please tell us about yourself.
My name is Julia LeBlanc, I’m 37 years old, and I live in Toronto, Canada, and was born and raised there. I love my city and, though the weather isn’t always great, you’re exposed to so many different people, and still are able to keep close connections with friends from your childhood. It’s the best of both worlds.

I’m a stay-at-home mom to two great and VERY energetic kids (7yrs and 5yrs), and have a wonderfully supportive husband.
My background is in education. I was an Early Childhood Educator for several years and, after that, I got my Bachelor of Education. The school boards here weren’t hiring, so my husband and I decided to start a family. I always thought I’d go to work, but I was surprised by how much I enjoy being a stay at home mom. I consider myself very lucky.

Apart from Outlander and making videos, I don’t have many hobbies, as taking care of my family takes up most of my time.
I like to travel and go to concerts, and wish I had more time to go to shows.

I enjoy reading, and I have a great group of friends and family around me, that I love spending time with.

What made you decide to start making videos about the show? Have you done this for other shows as well?
After the mid-season one break, I started to notice Outlander videos on YouTube. I looked to see if someone had made one with “Turning Page”, because I thought it would have been perfect for Jamie and Claire. I also thought that one with “Against All Odds”, for Claire and Frank, would be great. I couldn’t find them. So, I thought I might as well try making them myself. It was a long process but, once I got the hang of it, it got so much easier.

Outlander is the only show I have made videos for. I may make them for others but, there is something so special about Outlander, that I just can’t get enough of it. I also have so many songs that I may never get to. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough hours in the day.


How many videos have you made about the Outlander show so far?
I guess around 200. I know that sounds like a lot. Actually, I think there are more than that. By the end of Season 1, I was already almost at a 100 videos.


How much time do you spend on each video?
Each video is different. Some videos I can finish in about 2 hours, some can take 6 hours. But I usually have a clear idea of what I want to do with the video before I start, and where I want certain scenes to go. Sometimes it's one line of the song that reminds me of the show and I make the video around that. For example, in Uptown Funk, the line was "stop, wait a minute", and I thought of the scene where Dougal tears off Jamie’s shirt, and Jamie puts his hand out to stop Murtagh. At other times, like in the video "I Was Here", once I start it, it takes an unexpected turn, and I change it from my original plan. It's always a fun endeavour.


How much time do you spend every day on Outlander?
It really depends on the day, and the kids. Sometimes, I spend 30 minutes on it, sometimes an hour, sometimes I don’t get to spend any time on it. I’ve been scaling back on SM recently, and focusing on videos again. It brings me a lot of joy to re-watch and edit these fantastic scenes.


What do you like most about the Outlander books and show?
I read and watch so many different genres. I love that Outlander has it all; adventure, love, heartache, struggle, strength of the human spirit…with everything that happens, this beautiful love story of Jamie and Claire is at the foundation of it all. I love that the characters aren’t perfect. Diana doesn’t make cardboard cut-outs of heroes. I love them, and sometimes I want to grab them and shake some sense into them. Her writing is so rich, that we feel like we are in the their lives with them, and feel what they feel. That’s why I think her writing brings out so much passion in fans.

I adore the show so much. Jamie and Claire are played so perfectly by Sam and Caitriona. They set every scene on fire. All the actors breathe a life into these characters Diana created, which is so unique when compared to other shows. Ron D. Moore, and the whole cast and crew, have done a fabulous job adapting Diana’s books. That is no easy task, and I’m so grateful as a fan that I have these books and show. It’s the best of both worlds.


Which character in Outlander is your favourite?
I don’t know if I could pick one. I think it would depend on where we are in the story. I adore Jamie, Claire and Young Ian . But I couldn’t pick one. Jamie, Claire, Roger, Young Ian, Brianna, Fergus, Germain…all of them hold a special place.


How has Outlander affected your life and/or lifestyle?
It’s nice to have something that is so different from the rest of your life. It’s like an escape. When you’re at home with two crying kids, that is such a blessing. It’s a totally different world and characters you can get immersed in.

I’ve been a huge Outlander fan since the first episode when my sister said I “had to” watch it. By the time the second episode ended, I started looking it up online, and found out that Jamie and Claire get married. Well, I couldn’t wait another week, and I had to get the books immediately. I bought all 8 books and read them in 10 weeks. I couldn’t put them down.

Outlander also brought me and my sister Nancy closer, which is wonderful. It was something we could share together, and the fun of fangirling together is pretty incredible. She encourages me to make videos and she has started making some for other shows too.


Is this the first fandom you are a member of? What made you decide to join this fandom, rather than any other one? What do you like and dislike about this fandom?
Before Outlander, I never really knew what a fandom was, or that “fangirling” was a thing. I was a fan of other shows (Glee was one of my favourites) and actors, but I never understood Twitter or Facebook. My sister got me into Outlander, and then told me about FB groups and that’s how I really got into the fandom, through her suggestions. So it’s all her fault, really.

I enjoy being in this fandom the vast majority of the time. There are things that irritate me, but I try to scroll past the negative stuff.

There are so many wonderful and talented Outlander fans. These fun and positive experiences are why I’m here; to share and marvel in people’s work, to hear people’s points of view and their theories on the characters, on what they think will happen; to get an insight into how Diana writes, and what she thinks of her characters and why they behave the way they do; the cast and crew, Sam, Caitriona, Richard, Maril, Matt Roberts…they are all so lovely and giving to the fans.

All of this outweighs the negatives. I’ve always said I am lucky to be an Outlander fan.


Have you met Diana or any of the actors of Outlander? If so, which actor did you enjoy meeting the most? If not, who would you like to meet the most?
I have been lucky enough to have met Sam, Caitriona and Diana. I think I may have enjoyed meeting Sam the most, but that’s just because I was able to spend more time with him. He was in Toronto, and my sister and I went to “The Morning Show”, along with other fans, to see him. He came out afterwards, and chatted with us. I told him that I made a video that he’d shared, and he got excited and told me it was amazing.

I met Diana at the Fergus Scottish Festival last summer, and she was so amazing. She stayed back, to make sure all fans got to meet her, and she signed all our books, which was so gracious of her. I was the second-last person in the queue, so I was grateful.

When I met Caitriona” in Toronto, she was in a bit of a rush, as she was leaving “The Morning Show”, and heading out somewhere else. She was also sweet, and signed autographs for fans, and took pictures with those there.

(I’m hoping to meet Graham this summer at the Fergus Scottish Festival.
I’d love to meet Richard and Sophie, John Bell and David Berry, as all are wonderful actors.)


To watch Julia’s videos, click on this link:
https://moduinne-and-redjamie.tumblr.com/post/173625039583/moduinne-and-redjamie-nancy777ca-a-tribute



All graphics and edited formats for this blog by,  Dorianne Panich

Elle Magazine covers all our Outlander love, characters, seasons, and what to expect!

Everything You Need to Know About
Outlander season 4
From Elle Magazine

https://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/amp14393121/outlander-season-4-news-date-cast-spoilers/?__twitter_impression=true

Warning: Contains minor spoilers for season four of Outlander.

Can we time travel to the future? Because STARZ has just announced that season 4 of Outlander will premiere in November 2018. The network also confirmed that the show has been renewed for two more seasons, which will bring the total number of seasons to six.

“Fans can rest assured their beloved Claire and Jamie will be back facing new challenges, adversaries and adventures in seasons 5 and 6 as we delve into American history and continue the story of the Frasers as they settle in the New World,” said STARZ President and CEO Chris Albrecht in a release.

Seasons 5 and 6 will have 12 episodes each and will be based on The Fiery Cross and A Breath of Snow and Ashes, the fifth and sixth books in the Outlander series.

Until then, here's everything else you need to know about season 4 of the STARZ hit show.

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When will it air?

This time, Droughtlander won't be as lengthy. (Thank goodness.) Season 4 will arrive in November 2018. Showrunner Ronald D. Moore told EW that to make the new season happen so soon after the last, they had to really hustle: "We were actually working on season four while we were still shooting season three this year. So it made it a much more difficult production because now, you had to shift focus for writers and department heads to start working on that season while the one we were currently on was still underway."
Which of Diana Gabaldon's Outlanderbooks should I read to prepare?

Get into Drums of Autumn. Season 4 will be based on the events of the fourth book in the popular series.
Is there a sneak peek?

STARZ released three new photos on May 9. Two show Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie (Sam Heughan): in an embrace, and riding a horse and carriage. There's also a shot of Roger (Richard Rankin) and Brianna (Sophie Skelton) sharing a tender moment.

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What's going to happen?

Obviously, we won't totally spoil it for you (you can read the book if you haven't already). But Drums of Autumn sees Claire and Jamie land in North Carolina with Young Ian, ready to tackle the challenge of yet another new country. Though they might be far from the stones that first drew Claire back through time, in the 20th century, the Frasers' daughter Brianna uncovers a historical record that could mean danger for her parents; she heads for Craigh Na Dun herself, which will be very interesting. (We'll see Roger again, too.)

“The path that she takes to make that journey is very different than the path that Claire took,” Moore said. “They’re on very different tracks. She goes for a different purpose, and in a different way than Claire did, and once she arrives there, she has a different set of problems than what Claire dealt with.”
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That means Jamie will be reuniting with his daughter, too. Per Variety, Sam Heughan said that will be "a huge moment and will be the catalyst to a lot of the drama that unfolds."

Also, Claire isn’t sure pioneer-era North Carolina is the safest spot for her precious daughter. “She wants her daughter to have every opportunity, and live a happy, safe life,” Caitriona Balfe said. “I don't think she believes that’s possible in the 18th century, at least in the beginning. So it's going to be bittersweet. Obviously it's going to be so sweet for her to see Brianna again, but she's going to be worried about her.”

Along with Heughan and Balfe as time-crossed couple Jamie and Claire, Lauren Lyle and César Domboy will come back as next-generation lovebirds Marsali and Fergus. Moore also flagged the possibility that Tobias Menzies might return in future seasons.“You won’t really be seeing Black Jack again this season,” Moore said at a STARZ For Your Consideration event, “but there’s a chance you might see Frank again. It’ll be interesting to see your reaction to how we play him, if we get to do it, how we play him this season, because it’s a slightly different flavor.” Seems we have some flashbacks to look forward to...



Balfe told ELLE.com that there'll be at least a brief comfortable interlude for the star-crossed Frasers. “We finally actually get to see them in some sort of state of domestic bliss,” she said. "Finally, they’re not being ripped from home or made to travel across oceans. They actually settle, and it's a different dynamic, and it's nice to explore that. Like, what is this relationship when it's normal? Because we haven't really had that.”

There'll be sexy times, right?

But of course. "It’s a very important part of their relationship,” Heughan said at the For Your Consideration event. “They’re slightly older,” he added, “so maybe it’s less energetic, who knows? But they are madly in love with each other. They’re older now, and it’s the first time we actually get to see them as this couple that actually can be together and not be in some sort of dire drama. Up until now, there’s always been something going on.”

Who are the key new characters?

Ed Speelers has been cast as Stephen Bonnet, a pirate and smuggler; Jamie helps him to escape prison, and their paths cross more than just that once. And we haven't seen the last of the Mackenzies yet, with Jamie's aunt Jocasta (played by Maria Doyle Kennedy) entering the Outlander line-up.

Importantly, these cute pups will debut as Rollo, Young Ian's canine pal:



Where will the season be filmed?

With season 3 having taken Outlander to Cape Town, what's in store for next season's travels? Moore told EW that Scottish locations would serve for some of the American locations, but also that the cast and crew would be heading to Eastern Europe to "shoot some stuff for the mountains and rivers of North Carolina.”

In March, Heughan and Balfe posed for some quick snaps with fans in Glasgow.

Where can I get my Sam Heughan fix in the meantime?

Our favorite not-really-redheaded Scot will star in 2018 film The Spy Who Dumped Me alongside Mila Kunis, Kate McKinnon, and Gillian Anderson. That makes two great things to look forward to.

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 Lisa Rojas, who created the Outlander HQ Twitter site, with more than 21 K followers, as well as a Facebook group.

I met Lisa in Scotland in September 2016, where we both attended a ceilidh in Culross, which was organized by Mary’s Meanders Tours. We spent a fun evening chatting and dancing.

● Please tell us about yourself

My name is Lisa, and I’m from the great state of Texas. I’ve lived here most of my life, but I lived in Madrid, Spain, when I was in elementary school. It was an awesome experience, as we traveled all over Spain and visited France, Italy and Switzerland, during the last summer that we were there.

I work as a paralegal, and I have a Bachelors in Sociology. 

I’ve never been married and I have no children. My father died at the age of 59 from a glioblastoma. My mother was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and I am her primary caregiver. Sometimes life really sucks, but I always try to be positive, and find reasons to smile every day. 

My hobbies include reading, baking, traveling and, occasionally, I’ll break out my clarinet and play a few tunes

I spend a lot of my time playing with my two rescue dogs. 

● What made you start the Outlander HQ site and can you tell us a little bit about that?

I fell in love with the books, and started following Diana Gabaldon on Facebook. I had a Twitter account for years, but I was never interested in it, until Outlander came along. I found that Diana was much more active on Twitter, than on Facebook, so I started following her first, and then started following Sam & Caitriona.

Outlander HQ was started by me and a friend I met on Twitter, named Astrid Gonzales. We met in a group DM; Dorianne from Outlander Homepage, D. Elizabeth Aymett and Janis from Outlander Central were also in the group. These were the first fan interactions I really had. In the beginning, I’d only look at Diana’s and Sam’s tweets, and I didn’t interact with anyone.

I’ve always thought it would be fun to have a fan site, because I love meeting people and I really love talking about Outlander. It’s great to be able to share with fellow fans who, hopefully, don’t think I’m totally nuts!

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

I probably spend anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour a day on Social Media; it fluctuates depending on if there’s an event. I allow myself about an hour spread throughout the day, before work, lunch and in the evening. Sometimes I’ll sneak tweets or post to Facebook during work.                     

I am the one who tweets and posts to Facebook most of the time, and I’m on every day. Whitney helps out when it’s busy and, a few times a year, Carrie will tweet something. 

● What do you like most about the Outlander books and show? Which character in Outlander is your favourite?

My favorite character in the Outlander books and show is Jamie Fraser. I fell in love with his character, his sense of humor, his love for Claire, his loyalty to his kin, his intelligence, his strengths and his weaknesses, everything about him. Most people who know me, know that Jamie is the center of my Outlander universe. I’m happy when Jamie is happy, because being sad for him takes up a lot of time. 

I truly like Lord John Gray, for many of the same reasons I love Jamie.  

Voyager and Drums of Autumn are my favorite books of the series, because I love reunions. So, my favorite parts of Voyager are: Jamie being a part of Willie’s life, since he didn’t get to raise Bree, and the printshop reunion with Claire, I get all choked up every time I read it. 

My favorite part in Drums of Autumn is when Jamie meets Bree. I like so much more about each book, but those are my favorite moments. 

● How has Outlander affected your life and/or lifestyle?

Through Outlander, I’ve met so many wonderful people on Twitter, via DM groups and in person.

I’ve flown to England twice and visited Scotland two years in a row. I flew to New York, Arizona, Los Angeles and Seattle for Outlander events. Even though I fly solo, I always have someone to hang out with one I get to where I’m going. 

I went to see Sam Heughan as the Grand Marshall of the Tartan Parade in NYC. The lady next to me thought I deserved a Scottish flag, because I traveled so far. Now it’s my favorite souvenir, and I take it to every convention.

I had one instance on my first visit to London at Highlanders 1, where someone come up and ask if I was from Outlander HQ. I couldn’t imagine how she would know who I was. I forgot that my posts to Facebook have my picture on them! It was a little strange, but I can’t even imagine what it’s like for the Outlander cast. The best thing about Outlander is the fans. So much fun! 

● Is this the first fandom you are a member of? What made you decide to join this fandom, rather than any other one?

This is the first and only fandom I have ever cared about enough to get involved. I joined because of the awesome Diana Gabaldon. I’ve stayed because of the amazing cast and crew of the show, and all the wonderful people in the fandom I’ve met in person, through DM and via email. 

Outlander is the first fandom I was excited about. I love the books and couldn’t wait to see it on TV. A co-worker introduced me to the books several years ago. She always saw me with a book on hand and would ask what I was reading. One day she asked if I had ever read Outlander, and I said, no. She said, “you HAVE to read at least the first book.”

I was totally addicted to Jamie Fraser and didn’t want to stop at one book. I’ve converted quite a few co-workers to the clan. My family? I finally got my middle sister to see episode 1. She was instantly hooked and binged all 3 seasons in a week. One sister down, another to go. 

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● Have you met Diana or any of the actors of Outlander? If so, which actor did you enjoy meeting the most? If not, who would you like to meet the most?

I adore Sam, Diana and all the cast I’ve met, but Caitriona has been my favorite to meet in person. She’s so beautiful and kind. She engages with fans and makes you feel really appreciated. I was so giddy with excitement over meeting her, I look like a total dork in both pictures I took with her. 

All graphics and edited formats for this blog by, Dorianne Panich