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1) While the F-word certainly was a well-known English expression, it’s much less likely that it was commonly employed in the Scottish Highlands (where many—in fact most [but we have made slight adjustments to strict historical accuracy, for the sake both of Claire and the reader]—people spoke no English at all in the eighteenth century). Nor was it likely to have been commonly heard in France, where Jamie fought as a mercenary. Given that he had never been in England at the time, and did not normally associate with English people, it’s at least reasonable to assume that he might not be familiar with the word.

2) It’s possible that Jamie did know what Claire meant by the word—by context, if not by familiarity. However, examine the effect of his claim of ignorance; it temporarily deflects Claire’s anger, and defuses the situation, which hitherto has been Fraught. Do we think that Jamie might possibly be a sufficiently good psychologist as to be claiming ignorance as a means of changing the force and direction of the argument, rather than because he truly is ignorant?

I don’t know about you, but I’m inclined to give him credit.

7is what’s called—in electronic parlance—an “emoticon.” Since facial expressions aren’t visible in online conversation, correspondents may now and then include an emoticon for clarification—ensuring, for instance, that their correspondent knows they are smiling or intending a light tone. The (or ) emoticon indicates a .

8At the time this conversation took place, only the abridged form of the audiobook was available.

9Well, in 1993 I did.

10I have since learned—to my horror—that women often do this, too. Can’t imagine what the world is coming to.

11Six, so far.

12It isn’t, in case you were wondering.

13It was not, in fact—it was seldom prosecuted in London, where “mollyhouses” and homosexual activity in general were common—though there were periodic “moral” outcries against it in the English public press and the speeches of politicians seeking a moral high ground on which to achieve visibility [cf. “Hellfire”].

14Commonly referred to as “Queenie,” for reasons that needn’t be elaborated on here.

15He was originally called William; however, I very much wanted to name Jamie’s son Willie, and—with Jamie’s older brother having the same name—I thought that would be too many Williams in a small space, so I changed Lord William to Lord John, as unobtrusively as I could.

16cf. An Illustrated History of the Rod, Annotated Bibliography.

17This particular scene evidently doesn’t bother men at all; I’ve never heard a male reader even mention it.

18As a direct result of this letter, I took to paying careful attention to fictional representations of Asian men in hooks I read. Interestingly enough, most contemporary authors make a particular point of identifying Asian characters as “tall,” even when height isn’t mentioned for most other characters. However, Asians are not universally tall, any more than they are universally short, and while I understand the desire of writers not to offend sensibilities, the unfortunate fact remains that some Chinese men really are short.

19You may note the play with names that takes place all through Voyager, with Jamie shifting his alias according to need, Claire adjusting her own name (among Beauchamp, Randall, and Fraser), and even Roger noting his original family name. Voyager is all “about” the search for identity, and the ways in which people define themselves, and the name-shifting is a deliberate part of this overall theme.

PART ELEVEN

WORK IN PROGRESS: EXCERPTS OF FUTURE BOOKS

THE FIERY CROSS

Copyright 1998 Diana Gabaldon

eftenant Hayes’s nasal Fife accent carried well, and the wind was with him. Still, I was sure the people farther up the mountain could hear very little; standing where we were at the foot of the slope, no more than twenty yards from the Leftenant, I could hear every word, in spite of the chattering of my teeth.

I’d gone to bed in the expectation of waking to hot