Inside Outlander writer Diana Gabaldon's life and how book nearly wasn't published

Diana Gabaldon, the acclaimed author of the internationally popular Outlander book series, has seen her literary creations come alive on the small screen through Starz. Fans worldwide have been captivated by the characters Claire and Jamie Fraser, portrayed by Caitríona Balfe and Sam Heughan respectively.

The 73 year old award-winning writer has been a fervent supporter of the historical romance's TV adaptation, but few are aware that the story nearly didn't see the light of day.

In addition to carving out her own successful career, Gabaldon has also played a pivotal role in catapulting lead actors Balfe and Heughan to stardom. But what is the backstory behind it all, and what does Gabaldon's life entail when she isn't weaving tales?

Gabaldon had harboured dreams of becoming a novelist since the tender age of eight, but life had other plans, and she only penned her first novel at 35. Her mother served as her muse for writing, and once she embarked on this journey, she "never stopped."

The sight of a young man donning a kilt on the BBC sci-fi series Doctor Who sparked the idea to set her narrative in Scotland. As a researcher without the means to undertake an overseas trip to authenticate her setting, she opted for historical fiction as the most practical genre for her debut novel, reports the Daily Record.

This choice allowed her to gather all necessary historical information from books.

Reflecting on her work, she observed, "I could see what I had was a fish-out-of-water story-a stranger in a strange land."

Before making her mark in the literary realm with the acclaimed Outlander series, Gabaldon cut her teeth on crafting narratives for some of Disney's most endearing characters such as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Uncle Scrooge. She even crafted a unique comic book venture with Nutrition Adventures with Orange Bird for the entertainment heavyweight.

It wasn't until the age of 39 that Gabaldon saw her debut novel, Outlander, hit the shelves—a move sparked by self-motivation as she confesses: "When I turned 35, I told myself I'd better get started writing. Mozart died at thirty-six."

Now at age 73, she's renowned not only for her timeless storytelling but also for her devoted night owl writing sessions, churning out roughly a thousand words into the twilight, from midnight rituals to predawn slumbers, while her husband Doug Watkins takes the helm of morning routines.

Rapidly, Outlander carved its name into the bestseller territories of once-dominant retailers Walden and B. Dalton, despite it being the third installment of her series that finally catapulted her onto the coveted New York Times list.

Adding a historical twist to the initial branding, Cross Stitch was the first title in what would evolve into her much-celebrated historical romance saga, alluding to lead character Claire Randall's adventure through time—from post-World War II Inverness to the very same spot, albeit 200 years earlier.

The Outlander series, penned by Gabaldon, faced a rocky start with publisher Delacorte (Random House) nearly axing the collection due to its ambiguous genre classification. "It's kind of like boiling a frog. It was very gradual layers of escalation," Gabaldon revealed.

However, the tide turned when Starz adapted the books into a television series, catapulting the series into global popularity. The book series has since achieved phenomenal success, selling over 50 million copies across 114 countries and translated into 38 languages.

Away from her literary triumphs, Gabaldon leads a quiet life in Scottsdale, Arizona, with her husband Watkins and their three adult children. Interestingly, her son Sam Watkins, who writes under the pseudonym Sam Sykes, has also embarked on a writing career.

Recently, he published a fantasy trilogy, which his mother enthusiastically promoted on Twitter: "I really love this cover artist (whose name I forget, but will find out). Here's the trilogy, including the new one, THREE AXES TO FALL (out Dec. 6th). Btw, Sam's doing a launch event w/ the Poisoned Pen--so you can get an autographed book, if you order from them [sic]."

Gabaldon then unveiled her familial connection to the author, declaring: "These are written by Sam Sykes, a well-known fantasy author (also my son...) [sic]."

Sykes, celebrated for her immersive fantasy novels, boasts an illustrious list of works including An Affinity for Steel, the Bring Down Heaven trilogy, Brave Chef Brianna, and the ongoing The Grave of Empires saga. The rapport between her and actor Sam Heughan is nothing short of delightful, she lovingly nicknames him "Sheugs", while he affectionately refers to her as "Gabs".

Although "Sheugs" in Gaelic might echo the less-than-glamorous meanings related to fields or anatomy, their friendship was thrust into the limelight with a peck at RingCon in Germany back in 2015 that set tongues wagging during a Q&A session. Showbiz cheatsheet mentioned that fans went wild over the image, compelling Diana to clear the air on Twitter: "We'd just done a successful show and everybody was kissing/hugging everybody onstage," she posted.

"Gary kissed me about 10 seconds after that, and Graham kissed me before Sam did."

She took to Twitter to spill the beans about her moniker for Heughan; turns out it's not only his shortened name but also her son's. To keep conversations from getting muddled, she invented the endearing nickname, which also taps into Heughan's full name.

Meanwhile, Gabaldon is crafting the conclusive volume of her esteemed Outlander series, already verified to diverge from the Starz show, ensuring the book's finale will stray from its television counterpart.

The finale of season seven saw a departure from the original books, exploring an alternative timeline where Faith Fraser—Jamie and Claire's first daughter who tragically passed away—might have lived.

Outlander is streaming on MGM+ now via Prime Video