Outlander Casting, Audiobooks, and Candy

It’s October.

That means that eating peanut butter cups every day isn’t just fun, it’s patriotic. I consider it my solemn duty to support the United States economy by consuming as much candy as possible in and around holidays where gorging on chocolate is perfectly acceptable. Did you know that Reese’s has a peanut butter cup the size of a manhole cover? It’s true. They weigh a pound. Before anyone asks, YES I have a source and YES I will be eating them, quietly in my car why I think about my life and where it’s going but it’s so good and I think I can finish before–

Anyway.

So, Outlander announced a few tidbits, and I couldn’t be more thrilled. First, they’re giving us EVEN more Culodden– which really makes sense, as the event is nothing short of apocalyptic for Claire, Jamie, and the wider world they inhabit. Some of the images are nothing short of emotional terrorism. The mood, the lighting– it’s all there.


Let me tell you– there’s nothing glorious in the dead. That image captures the desolation of the Scottish way of life, and what must be an utter horror show in Claire’s heart as she walks the killing grounds. I love the books, but the visual nature of this upcoming season will, for me, clinch this series as among my all-time favorites. To sum up: expect me to unleash my Inner Basic White Girl next season. I’ll more or less react as follows:


Another thing. Am I the only one who feels a deep sense of anger at the British Empire in general after I watch this show? I think the Queen is likely a delightful lady. Kate’s lovely, the kid are predictably cute, but reading and watching about how the Scots were gutted leaves me simmering with righteous indignation. It speaks to the power of the story and show that I can feel like I need to go back in time and personally vanquish the redcoats and their empire.


Bonus for inclusion of my manatee meme.

A few more days until Heartborn comes out in audio. Julia Whelan is unreal. Here’s her official bio:

Julia Whelan has appeared in many films and television series, most notably ABC’s Once And Again. After receiving a degree in English and Creative Writing at Middlebury College and Oxford University, Julia began narrating audiobooks. She’s recorded hundreds of novels across all genres and has received multiple Earphones and Audie Awards. She is repeatedly named one of Audiofile Magazine’s Best Voices and was Audible’s Narrator of the Year.

And, meet Julia:



So, if you’d love to hear a book come to life, I can help you out. Heartborn goes live at Audible this week.

Time to write. And maybe eat candy. All at once.

Cheers!
Terry

Outlander Finale: Gutted.

Amazing.

I ran out of superlatives about thirty minutes into the episode, and didn’t really process everything until some time later. The key to Outlander is making fictional people as real as the historical figures they’re surrounded by.

Case in point: Bonnie Prince Charlie.

Survey says– throat punch. Good Lord, how did someone like that ever aspire to be anything other than a professional coward? Kudos to Andrew Gower for taking a role playing someone so reviled.

 
And– lest I forget to give credit where it’s due– 

I was on the fence about Sophie Skelton as Brianna. After watching her performance ( and that of Roger Mac, too) I’m all in. Additional fun fact: I was born in 1968, and up until this episode,  I sort of thought people in the 60’s were hairy, kind of stinky, and prone to odd rebellion. It’s delightful to see then characterized as civilized people who enjoy whiskey, soap, and tweed. I was even able to get over her rather normal height of 5’8″.



So, I teach history, and maybe that’s why Outlander has such an emotional punch. I mean, I’m a middle-aged male, I don’t cry during movies, unless it’s Patton or Midway or maybe Godzilla once but dammit that was sad wen I thought he was dead and–

Never mind, the point is that Outlander has an enormous emotional wallop. It seems to be populated with people that I might actually know, despite them being Scottish, and born before me, and wholly fictional. That’s the beauty of it. Outlander also reinforces some stereotypes that, while unfair, certainly do make sense when we see them on camera.



Also, it’s really difficult not to paint the entire United Kingdom as a giant bowl of dicks. They really had a way with people for the past thousand years or so, didn’t they? The windswept heartbreak of Culloden in the modern shots with Claire are haunting– I think that Cait’s acting was supreme. How could you not cry telling the life story of your one true love while on the bones of real people who died screaming in cannon fire? 

For the hundredth time: glad I’m not an actor. 

I’d have to run naked and scream for a week to get rid of the psychic stain of that performance, and in turn, would scar any number of people who saw me naked and screaming. It’s a vicious cycle, people, and I won’t let it happen.

So, now we wait, right? Sigh. Yeah, that’s what I thought. 

I’m going to go write another book or two. I’ve got three planned for this year, three for next. That means I can run and re-listen to the excellent performance of Davina Porter in the Outlander audiobooks. If you haven’t listened, you don’t know what you’re missing!

Have you gotten my newest in the Halfway Witchy series? Why not? How am I going to pay for my giraffe? Get it here!

Help Terry Get His Giraffe, And Stuff.

See you in a week or so with the new cover! I’ve got a new series this September, and I love the characters. The tagline: “Her guardian angel didn’t fall. He was pushed.” Interested? 

Cheers!
Terry

Outlander: No memes. No jokes this week.

What I learned this week:
1. Cait won the Emmy.
2. That episode makes everyone reconsider their own (often painful) history.

I wrote this in 1998 after we lost a child. Hope it holds up over time.

Stillborn
His physician’s coat rustles
as he leaves-
 the door glides shut, to leave my wife
and I alone with the fluorescent hum
of the lights, a cold steel table
and our sadness.
Our spirits as empty as her womb
her shuffle is tender,
towards the door
to the car
each step normal
just like my stop at the nurse.
Her smile is pasty
she hands me my son in a bag.
On the ride home, I stare at his face
hoping he fogs the plastic
but the bag is as still as the air in the car.
We walk, the yard is frosty
she watches me from the window
as I stop near the hickory
and start to dig.
The pit (grave) is tiny
and the walls collapse
on his face.
Bones pull hardest
when they are small.
The walk back to the house is long.
Summers later, we lay rigid
next to each other
the fear of each furtive union causing wonder:
Will I dig again?

Shaglander: Brazilian Edition!

Oh hey cool we get to see Jamie and Claire making mad passionate love isn’t that wonderful yeah cool I thought so too hey what could possibly go wrong I mean after all we were–



Well, then. Ewww. With all due respect to Black Jack, if you’re going to be on the bottom, make an effort not be so. . .sweaty. No one wants to hump a dirty gym sock, unless you’re a teenage boy.
Moving on.

There are some truly great moments in this episode. Claire meeting Master Raymond is certainly one of them. He’s squat, and charming, and quirky. He calls her Madonna and it’s rather charming. Oh, and– toldja– the crocodile was there in the shop. Boom.


Despite the homicidal dream state of Jamie, witchcraft, and general intrigue, this concludes the normal portion of our show. Prepare for things to get really, really French.


Louise de Rohan (she of the shorn hoohah) is an immediate dose of hilarity. From the mincing Turkish spa technician to the horror of poor Mary Hawkins, everything about the scene made me laugh. It also sets up some truly interesting cultural explorations on the part of the Frasers later on. More on that in a moment.

Let’s meet the least likable person in France, shall we?


Good Lawd. What a whining, prissy milksop. And this clown wants to lead men into battle? I wouldn’t trust him to lead a Dachshund to go poop on a lawn. Oh, and speaking of poop– never mind. We’ll get to it later. Let’s return to the side effects of Claire visiting Louise de Rohan. Yes, she is going to Versailles, and yes, that means Jamie can go. But it also has an immediate effect on, ahh, more delicate matters. It seems Claire has embraced the concept of a less furry body, and Jamie is left to rediscover her– help me out, here, did he say honeypot?

After all, when in France, right?


Okay, so we’re off to court. It’s the ROYAL COURT OF FRANCE. The king himself! Drama! Gowns! Intrigue! 

I sure hope things don’t get weird or anything.



Phew. That was close. So, eat your parritch, kids, or you might be on the throne in front of several dozen people who are supposed to kiss your ring, and won’t that be awkward.

As stunning and sumptuous as court appears (and kudos to the set design!), I’d be a damned fool if I didn’t revisit the idea that Claire’s red dress is, like Cait, a force of nature. No meme necessary, the image speaks for itself.



It’s almost like she was a model or something. So, there’s a ton of visual candy during the court scene, and it’s actually vivid enough to warrant watching more than once, if only to catch details upon details. The background is as vibrant as the characters themselves. I’d like to take this opportunity to engage in a complicated exegesis about French court life as a whole. In essence, one can deduce that–


OHDEARLORDHEISBACK.

Well then. Now that things went from “stylishly elegant” to “dungeon sodomy” with a single phrase, I guess we’ll all never sleep again. Sort of like if you lived in a clown camp.

A quick hello to all of our new friends– all 12,000 of you! It’s been quite a week; there’s news to be shared in a variety of areas. Also, share with a friend or three, won’t you?

1. We found the cover model for Heartborn, my YA Paranormal for this September, and she’s perfect. Alexandra is the perfect blend of personalities to play Livvy. I’ll introduce her next week.
2. The blurb for Halfway Hunted is online! Check it out here: Some Prey Bites Back: Halfway Hunted

3. We’re giving away 12,000 books this month!!! If you love it, won’t you leave a review? Look in your newsletter for the free book, as well as info on the next jewelry giveaway. You can sign up here if you’d like an occasional email. News. Fun. Freebies.

Until next week, thanks for stopping by.

Cheers,
Terry


I Dun Been Kilted: Why I Don’t Act

For one reason, no one asked me to. And that’s fine.

I’m only going to comment briefly on last night’s episode of Outlander. There isn’t any humor to be found, and I write the blog posts with the hope of making you laugh.

I know some actors, and they’re really good– experts, in fact. I like to watch people do things well. It can be almost anything– a pastry chef, or a leather worker, or a dancer, or a nurse. Whatever their calling is, if they’re an expert, it’s interesting to watch.

With that in mind, actors are among the only people who understand the difference between pretending and acting.

Pretending is what you do on a first date to seem less nuts and unlikely to belch at the table or call your friend a douchebag out of habit. Acting is inhabiting a different, wholly unknown person, adopting their traits, and then filling the role they serve in that moment. For the case of all the actors in Outlander last night, they were essentially re-living a vile rape and torture scene again and again until they got it “right” on camera.

I feel a bit like a voyeur, and a bit unwashed after even seeing them go about their jobs in such a convincing manner. Who didn’t flinch at both the hammer blows and the closeness of Black Jack as he cooed to Jamie? Fuck me, that was brutal.

So yeah, no one ever asked me to act. And I’m cool with that. I’ll write instead.

One other thing: Is it just me, or are you wondering, like I am, why the Scots haven’t just crossed the border and burned England to the ground? After the shit that the Red Coats visited upon Scotland for centuries? If I had a neighbor like that, I’d have razed their house, plowed salt in the fields, and buried every last one of them in an open field. Good God.

What do you all think? Drop a comment if you’re feeling up to it.

Cheers (Sorta)
Terry

I Dun Been Kilted: Post Partum Aggression!

She’s A Lactating Badass.


If you’d explained that this season I would see a woman milking herself like a Jersey cow, my first reaction would have been. . . .
I dunno. Yay, boobies!?! Maybe? I mean, I’m wired to appreciate breasts, sooo. . . .I’m conflicted. But in truth, Jenny is my new favorite character, and that’s saying something given the warmth and amiability of Ian. 
It’s partly her attitude, persona, and that eighteenth-century-fertility-goddess-hotness. It’s working for me, and the fact that she carries twin pistols and has a penchant for violence is just icing on the cake. Anyone else wince when she got on the horse?  I mean, didn’t she just have a kid?
*Reason 994 Why I’m Glad To A Dude*
Where’s Jamie?

You don’t want to know. I may have mentioned this before, but it bears repeating: I teach history, and my focus is military history. What Jamie is enduring at the hands of Black Jack Randall is a sort of “greatest hits” of all the shitty things that humans do to each other in military and religious history,with the exception of outright murder. I’m sure everyone in Outlander fandom is braced for impact, so to speak. But back to Jenny and Claire for the moment, because:

One Hour Episode. One Common Theme.

We know Jenny has giant balls (metaphorically speaking), and Claire’s sensibilities, while modern, are no less badass.
Now, allow me to digress. Is it just me, or are the British just uniformly horrible to the Scots?
Yeah. They are.
Now fast forward to Jenny, and Claire, and some unfortunate redcoat messenger who is dealing with a woman who may or may not have:
1) Post-partum Aggression
2) A sore hooha
3) Boobs that jiggle like winesacks.
4) All of this on horseback
5) You’ve just stolen her brother, on whom the sun rises and sets.

Yeah, Redcoat. You really fucked up. Jenny is gonna bring a special kind of crazy to this party.

Let’s start a cheerful campfire, shall we?

But Redcoats Are Sassy.

I give credit to the messenger. He’s got some courage. . . until Jenny and Claire play “good cop, bad cop”.  They also truss him up in a rather awkward position, more suitable for a corrupt cop looking for drugs.
Up your bum, that is.

So Jenny is obviously the bad cop– actually, upon second thought, she’s the worst cop in what will be a scene of complete karmic overload. Claire, the healer, tries to alleviate what is quickly becoming an outright murder, even though it turns out that she’s okay with that.

Stop. What Have We Learned?

1) Jenny is like a mother bear.
2) Claire is like a mannerly bear.
3) And–

Yeahhhhh. . . .soo, Murtagh isn’t just handy with a knife. And a gun. And his hands. It turns out, that in that codger lurks the heart of–

A DANCER!

A sword dancer, but still. Oh, and by the way, Claire is going to dress like a pirate (sorta) and travel the highlands while hoping to rouse Jamie’s curiosity. It’s an excellent ploy, and leads to one of the strangest transformations we could imagine for Claire. Performing as “The Sassenach”, they only succeed in getting Jamie captured, but that was inevitable. What wasn’t unavoidable was the, ah, costume that Claire is forced to adopt.

So, a few more shots of Scottish vistas, and here we are: holding and waiting to be stomped like a grape in a barrel next week thanks to the depravity of Black Jack Randall. He’s like a bladder infection rolled up into a visit from unwelcome relatives, topped off with papercuts.
But, you know, more into leather.

Until next week, then, friends. Gird your loins.

Cheers,
Terry

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Ep 1.14

I Dun Been Kilted: I Thought That Would Be Sexier

I’ll get to that title in moment.

Full disclosure: this was a difficult episode to watch. We’re entering the stretch where the shit hits the fan, so to speak, if the fan is wearing a red coat, armed, and has a taste for ginger men.
There was so much tension I found myself mentally skipping ahead in the books, trying to find a brief patch of sun to look forward to.

But First. And Old Acquaintance Visits. What was his name? 


Horrocks Visits. With Ruffians.

I don’t care if they are Scots, The Watch are a dirty bunch of hooligans. Every scene that they were in was both irritating and laden with tension. The byplay of Jamie’s status as an outlaw took second place to their general coarse behavior. Seriously, for Jenny to tolerate that nonsense made me wish Claire brought a machine gun back through the stones. When Lenox puts his feet on the table, I found myself hoping– no, praying— for some kind of comeuppance.

Two stories: One conclusion.

From the Department of Reasons I Love Being Male, we introduce the issue of Jenny’s water breaking. Little does she know, the child is breached, thus necessitating something wholly unknown to every single person in the world except Claire: Medical skills.

Which leads me to my next point: If you want kids, I have a suggestion.

Cheaper, easier, and you can usually get two day shipping, unless you live somewhere crazy, like Spokane or Mississippi.

About That Title.

If you told me that there would be a semi-nude scene between Caitriona Balfe and Laura Donnelly, I would have prepared myself accordingly. If you told me that one would be behind the other in what can only be described as a Greco-Roman wrestling hold, I would have prepared twice as hard.

Except it wasn’t like that. In fact, ummm.

There was some actual levity (Thank God) in which Jenny requests a stiff drink. To make sure the baby is born with a buzz. A True Scot and all that. Frankly, it could have been taken a different way, if one had a dirty mind.

All right all right all right. Now we’re cookin’–



To remind us: Ebay.

Then, the shit hits the fan, and any laughs are effectively gone for like, what? Three episodes? Four? I don’t know. I know I’m picking out what niceties I can right now, in order to brace for the oncoming assault on our senses. Things like Cait’s neck. Or Jenny, when she’s not, uhh, screaming and having a kid turned sideways through her hoohah. Stuff like that.

So, About Horrocks.

Despite Ian showing balls of steel and feeding the no good Irish scut two feet of steel, Horrocks has a plan in place that outlives him. Jamie is pressured into a raid, and to put it mildly:

And Now, The Wait.

Claire and Jenny are about to go Batshit Crazy in order to free Jamie, and there’s only one thing standing in their way. The dark, toxic, freaky, acidic, amoral heart of a man so horrific he could make the kindest of God’s creatures recoil in horror.

SO. Holy Shit.

Jamie’s gone. And we have to wait a week for things to get worse. I thought we agreed not to get into this Fifty Shades crap?
Ugh.

Okay. That’s is. Now we wait, while Jack Randall shops online for new ball gags.

Ugh, again.

Until next week, friends.

And, if you’re going to come see me at an author event, we’re bringing along whimsical zombie/mummy/witch coffee mugs for readers. Here’s a peek.

Ep 1.13

I Dun Been Kilted: Lallybr– Wait, we found BREE?

The Rumors. They Are Flying.

Before we launch into tonight’s episode, let’s address the Interwebz Buzz du Jour regarding the casting of Bree and Roger.

*All commentary on this topic is squarely from the perspective of a heterosexual male. In no way should it be misconstrued as “leering” or “improper” or even “cause for a stalking charge”.


So, this appears to be Bree. World, meet 5’8″ actress Amber Skye Noyes. She is either going to be world famous, or merely really famous. It is uncertain until tomorrow after her twitter announcement.


And this is Richard Rankin, a Real Live Scotsman, so you know the accent will sound authentic. Bonus? He’s not 5’3″.



He’s a really good looking guy, is a trained stage actor, and he meshes with my expectations of Roger as the series goes on. By “The Fiery Cross”, I had a much more clearly developed sense of what and who he had become.

Now then. To Lallybroch!

It’s about time! I’ve been waiting for Lallybroch since I first turned the page in Outlander, reading of a place that seemed incredibly real. I teach history for a living; places like Lallybroch are alive, if we find and keep them. With that bit of melancholy put aside, Lallybroch seemed to be both primitive and richly appointed. I was enthralled. And, bonus– Jenny and Ian! But there’s quite a bit of tension.


Even among such tension, it’s just so beauti–


Gawd Almighty.
Jack Randall can ruin a basket of puppies. What an asshole. And, we briefly see Black Brian prior to his death due to sheer grief at Jamie being peeled like an onion. To reiterate, what an asshole Randall is, was, and will be. Oh, side note: Ian is a good dude. Glad to have him aboard. I do have a minor quibble with the history of one scene: when the tenants are paying their rent, it’s basically a big group hug. European Feudalism was, ahh, Let’s just say it was less optional– and cheerful. But that’s minor, given the nostalgic feel of the entire scene. It’s replete with All The Feels, and that’s okay.

We get a little taste of that braided with some good old fashioned Jamie Fraser ass-kicking ( on the way). McNabb beats his kid. On the back. In front of Claire and Jamie.



Oh, hey, guess what ladies, Jamie’s gonna get naked! You’re gonna see ERRYTHING!


LOL J/K. Moving on. I love Jenny and Ian. They’re my new favorite humans. It’s impossible to ignore their spirit and emotion. Well cast, Outlander!!!!

The combination of Ian’s amiability and Jenny’s steely Fraser-ness is excellent. Jenny has a mercurial quality that’s perfect, given her small stature and huge presence.


And let’s be thankful that each and every episode has a reasonable conclusion. I mean, it wouldn’t do for us fans to be–



So, they did that to us, eh? You know what I’m gonna do? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Because I’m afraid my anger will invoke some timewarp that will make me wait longer for next week’s episode.

Thanks for dropping by. I have something witchy to share– the new preview art for Halfway Dead. Take a peek. Drop me a note. A threat. An attaboy. Whatever suits you.

Cheers!
Terry








































lalalalala

I Dun Been Kilted: Die, Leg Hair, Die!

THE TRIAL.
Leghair’s machinations have led to this moment. Let’s all take a deep breath and give thanks, then, that we don’t live near her. I have a favor to ask of you. the next time someone gets a distant look in their eyes and says, in a wistful tone, “I wish I lived in the good old days”, you must immediately punch them in the throat. Hard.

Oh, sure. There was less crowding at Starbuck’s back then, but you give up so many of life’s little pleasures, like sanitation, science, clean water, dentistry, laundry more than once a month, and handwashing. Then again, you get to experience things like burning witches, killing babies for being Fae changelings, and whisky before nine in the morning. I’d say it’s about even, taking all of that into consideration. I mean, who doesn’t like a wee nip before breakfast?

The Thieves Hole

When Claire and Geillis Duncan are dropped into the hole, and I the only one who thought it was surprisingly roomy, despite the mud, rats, vermin, and frigid temperature? I’ve had college apartments smaller than that!


The Good Ole’ Days, Part Deux:

I don’t know what pissed me off more; the fact that there are multiple laws about witchcraft, or Leghair’s stupid, vicious little ratface. She wasn’t alone in her accusations, as the parade of witnesses quickly devolved into one sympathetic character ( the mother who lost her child) and three uniquely terrible assholes. Let’ start with the 18th Century Douchebro. I know a spurned lover when I see one, and the clown who claimed that Geillies turned into a bat and flew away had Yes, I drive a Jeep written all over his face.
But first, I’ll say something I’ve never said before: Thank God for lawyers.

I love Ned. The guy stays cool under pressure, even when someone introduces the testimony of a cat. He’s a pro.
Then, all hell breaks loose. We have even more reason to hate Father Bain, who could really use a good exfoliation or face scrub. . . .or a series of open-handed slaps. He looks like his face has been used as a flushable baby wipe, but he’s going to take second place behind the penultimate evil of a teenage girl and her *alleged* broken heart.

Faced with such emotional testimony, things quickly go from bad to worse. Ned delivers the bad news: One of the women can be saved; two cannot. Geillies Duncan must take drastic action to save Claire, but first, she drops the bomb:

And then, BOOM. The Devil’s Mark. Science. Reason. Proof of intelligence. Medicine, learning, and all of the things that primitive, superstitious idiots cannot understand:

Who says that stupidity dies out in the modern era?

So, Jamie shows up, he’s pissed, and everyone decides that fighting a crazed redhead with two swords is officially a Bad Idea. Mind you, this is after Claire gets strapped, presumably before being burned at the stake. What the hell is it with sadists and the 18th century? You’d think everyone lived for blood and perversion, despite being “just regular folks.”

Mea Culpa, Futura. Or Something Latin Like That.

It’s time for the next bombshell. Claire’s going to tell Jamie the truth.

Not that truth, the other truth. She’s from the future. 200 years, to be exact– the same amount of time that every Highland story seems to declare. Jamie, in love and in shock at Claire being beaten, chooses to believe her. After 55 minutes of utter chaos, Jamie give Claire a choice that may break her heart.

Who says Outlander isn’t in tune with the classics? It’s a Greek tragedy wrapped in an Arthurian legend with a dash of soap opera. Perfect.

Next week– and seriously, this is even better than this week– we get to see Lallybroch. I cannot wait.

Have you stopped by my author page? I’d love it if you did. Buy a few hundred books. Tell friends. Tell coworkers. Tell a lawyer, even. They needs pals, too.Terry’s Author Page. And Such.

Until next week! Cheers!

Terry

I Dun Ben Kilted: Laoghaire Must Die!!!! Edition

What A Smug, Conniving, Deceitful–

But first, a word about the dining habits of of the Highlander Lickalotopus.


I’d like to make a casual observation here, as one man to a few friends. If I kept my head under the covers as much as JAMMF, I’d never get a suntan. Claire fell through time and landing on a giant Scottish tongue. 

Then she got up, and jumped on it again. Go Claire!

This was a compressed episode– they did a hard job and squeezed a lot into a tight space.


The Duke of Sandringham is a loathsome, foppish, predatory boy chaser, and yet, it’s difficult not to like him. The performance by Simon Callow is lush, cheerful, and a high point. He’s fantastic. 
The episode is interrupted by a the kind of grief-induced meltdown I expect from a Real Housewife of Inverness, but instead we get treated to Dougal absolutely losing his shit. 


More importantly, he’s doing it with a sword in hand while trying to trash Castle Leoch like a hotel room during Spring Break. Claire, potion in hand, comes to the rescue. She doses him with enough hooch to drop a rhinoceros, leaving him completely at their mercy.

OH–right, back to Laoghaire.

THAT BITCH. Claire delivered the Ill-Wish to Laoghaire with a clear warning, delivered in a simple manner that a horny teen can understand: AKA Pimp Slap. Then, in true British fashion, she offers an apology while plotting to invade Laoghaire’s country and make her people eat shitty food and drink tea.



It could have been worse. Claire could make her eat a mouthful of some British dessert, like spotted dick.



There’s a great deal of political– not really intrigue, but more like an inevitable beginning of the end for the clan leadership. The catalyst for this is of course the Duke’s duel. Let the lesson here be: do not tempt JAMMF with violence. He likes it, there are swords, and three froggy Scottish lads take turns getting stabbed and/or kicked in the balls. Jamie gets clipped, which makes his upcoming ride to take Dougal’s crazy ass home into a rather painful affair. So, from the Scottish temper comes Claire being left alone, enemies circling like sharks in the water.


So, Claire gets nabbed with the crazy redhead.
Even if you knew nothing of Outlander, it’s obvious that a shitstorm of epic proportions is on the horizon. This week, we had a murder, a death, a duel, a challenge, a shunning, and the arrest of Claire and Geillis. I’d say that’s about as much as we can take.
So, until next week!

Cheers,
Terry

*Spotted dick is a REAL English dessert. Yep.