The Custom of the Army (13 page)

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Authors: Diana Gabaldon

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BOOK: The Custom of the Army
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WRITTEN IN MY OWN HEART’S BLOOD (novel)—The eighth of the Big Enormous Books, this will probably be published in 2013. It begins where
An Echo in the Bone
leaves off, in the summer of 1778 (and the autumn of 1973—or possibly 1974, I forget exactly).

“A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows” (short story (no, really, it is))—Set (mostly) in 1941–43, this is the story of What Really Happened to Roger MacKenzie’s parents. [Originally published in the anthology
Songs of Love and Death
, eds. George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois, 2010.]

“The Space Between” (novella)—Set in 1778, mostly in Paris, this novella deals with Michael Murray (Young Ian’s elder brother), Joan MacKimmie (Marsali’s younger sister), the Comte St. Germain (who is Not Dead After All), Mother Hildegarde, and a few other persons of interest. The space between
what?
It depends who you’re talking to. [To be published in early 2013 in the anthology
The Mad Scientist’s Guide to World Domination
, ed. John Joseph Adams.]

“Virgins” (novella)—Set in 1740, in France. In which Jamie Fraser (aged nineteen) and his friend Ian Murray (aged twenty) become young mercenaries. [To be published in late 2012, in the anthology
Dangerous Women
, eds. George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois.]

NOW REMEMBER …

You can read the short novels and novellas by themselves, or in any order you like. I would recommend reading the Big, Enormous Books in order, though.

 

This story is for Karen Henry, Aedile Curule, and Chief Bumblebee-Herder

Acknowledgments

I’d like to acknowledge …

The invaluable suggestions regarding the French bits of dialogue contributed by Bev LaFrance (France), Gilbert Sureau (French Canada), and a number of other nice people whose names I unfortunately didn’t write down at the time.…

The great assistance (and endless patience) of Sarah Murphy, editorial assistant, who’s been shuffling, juggling, and otherwise performing feats of prestidigitation with all the pieces of this eBook for weeks.…

The unfailing thoroughness and perceptivity of Kathy Lord, copy editor, who probably starts each job of mine with an open bottle of whiskey at her elbow—either for the odd quick snort in
medias res
, or at least the promise of restoration at the end of it all.…

The imaginative and competent master-minding of this new venture by Jennifer Hershey, editor, Scott Shannon and his design team, Vincent La Scala, and the other unsung heroes of Random House’s Production department.…

And my agent, Russell Galen, who figured out how this could work.

About the Author

DIANA GABALDON is the
New York Times
bestselling author of the wildly popular Outlander novels—
Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, Drums of Autumn, The Fiery Cross, A Breath of Snow and Ashes
(for which she won a Quill Award and the Corine International Book Prize), and
An Echo in the Bone—
as well as one work of nonfiction,
The Outlandish Companion
; the Outlander graphic novel
The Exile
; and the bestselling series featuring Lord John Grey, a character she introduced in her Outlander series. She lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, with her husband.

www.dianagabaldon.com

www.facebook.com/AuthorDianaGabaldon

Twitter ID = Writer_DG

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