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OUTLANDISH NEWS...August,2000Seems like Old Times!!! Its been 2 years since I have been responsible for writing a monthly newsletter for the Clan... So If I seem a tad...errrr.... creaky...Well... give me a little time!
About 4 years ago, October, I discovered the internet thru AOL. I was recuperating from an illness and was bored silly with the only solitaire game I had. The hubby had one of those constant Try-AOL freebies....So, I thought I'd do a search for some entertainment. I clicked around soap operas and Harrison Ford sites, and made the unfortunate stumble into the den of sex/age checks called people connection and thought...What a Waste of Time all this IS! I surfed my way into the book community areas and got focused on a NEW site called Book Central. I signed up for one of their newly launched reading groups, hating it! In all my book surfings at various sites, I came across some folks that seemed to enjoy one of my favorite authors, Diana Gabaldon. So I got that Kernel of an Idea... Bingo... I'd start my own group revolving around Outlander and maybe... I'd find about 10 or 15 folks that would like to meet to discuss those books. Hmmm...Why Outlander??? Well... I am a real bookaholic... I mean...I have a problem! I collect new books like my mom collects complaints! ;) I can read a book a day, oblivious to anything short of an atomic meltdown in my backyard. I am oblivious to dust, dining or darkness when I get involved in a book! And because I read so much, I have an incredibly poor memory of what I've read, as I get lost in the rush of words and characters and move on to another set the next day. So, its really unusual for me to REMEMBER a specific book or characters. They have to make a REAL impression on me!
Well... Back in 1991, I was perusing the paperback section of a bookstore and came across a THICK book. Now...I'm the type of reader who finished Gone With The Wind in about 2 days... so size never bothered me. I mean, I've read plenty of Michener, Wouk, Jakes and Erskine. I read the back cover of Outlander and thought.......Hmmm... sounds like a historical kind of fantasy...I'll give it a try! Oh My Gosh... I read Outlander nonstop! I was immediately struck by the high caliber of writing and the depth of the characters. There was Claire... swept up in history with a wonderful fantasy edge...loving her two men! And Frank, the Everyman, the poor dolt who didn't really know how to tell this woman how special she was! And Jamie...Well... I don't think words can describe my feelings about Jamie to any of YOU. Outlander ended and I was so relieved that Claire had made a choice and that her world with Jamie was finally resolved and complete. Sniff Sniff.... Whew...what a fabulous book....I KNOW all my friends will LOVE it the way I did. NOT!!! Oh well...THEY have no taste anyways, reading their Mysteries and Harlequins! Heck with em...too bad I never got that copy of Outlander back...OK...time to move on to the next book. 1992... Another bookstore...perusing NEWLY released books. What is THAT in the letter G's.... a new hardcover called Dragonfly in Amber! Heck, I have a "thing" about dragonflies, let me see ...what it is about??? Jamie and Claire, Jamie and Claire, Jamie and Claire...oh my Gosh! There's a SEQUEL...Happy Dance around the Bookstore! (ahem...conscience speaking...You NEVER buy new Hardcovers...) Heck...Just this ONCE! I'll sneak it into the house....hehehe! Thank goodness it was a weekend...I hardly budged from my reading chair for 22 straight hours and when Dragonfly was done...I was sobbbbiiiiinnnggg! How could Gabaldon DO this to Us... Give us this story and LEAVE it this way! There MUST be a sequel to this coming...she couldn't BE this sadistic! My husband quietly walked into the bedroom with that <<<LOOK>>> the one only NON readers can give their reading spouses. "It will be alright, obviously she has another book to write, honey" He smirked! So OK....I was well on my way to Outlandishness... watching the shelves month by month, obsessing over the NEXT book and when it was coming out! A couple of years later, I heard a new Gabaldon would be released soon. So, I did what EVERY reading lunatic would do to prepare...I got a hold of a new copy of Outlander and started my re-read. I NEVER gave Dragonfly out to anyone... but I was happy to discover that the group of radiology folks I worked with, mostly the techs and other medical modalities, had discovered Gabaldon's books too! So at least I found a few folks that seemed to share my obsession with these novels. And what was more...I discovered that a re-read allowed me to discover little grains of ideas and levels of plot I had totally missed on my first quick reads! When Voyager was released, I was READY! I had pre-warned the family to get their own food for the next day or so. Luckily my kid was old enough to function well without me! I didn't mind working because my job involved long downtime and reading in the dark to stay awake....LOL. I think I HELD my breath until Claire reunited with Jamie. OK...now I can breath...lets get on with the books! First, a quick look, does Jamie die at the end. NO? OK... I can read this book now and know I'll survive the ending. ;) Fini! OK...another NON Ending....She is torturing us AGAIN... another book to wait for!!!! Now...we move up to that fateful time around October 96! By this time I've read Outlander three times, Dragonfly, three times, and Voyager twice! Not bad for someone who NEVER re-reads books! Timing wise...Diana Gabaldon is DUE for a new release. Its a couple of years since Voyager!!! I'll look around AOL and see if anyone has any information on her. Books, Authors, this writing site, this book site, that book site...Hmmm. Looks like something called Drums of Autumn will be released soon! My romance reading group is a real bummer... I wonder if I can find anyone who would be interested in talking about Gabaldon's series in an organized book group??? All I need is 3 or 4 folks to start. Well...Start it DID... I asked for 10-15 and found them in two days...one thing led to another and by the time Drums was released, I was counting in the hundreds! And the good folks managing back at Book Central were shaking their heads going...Diana WHO???? Well...None of YOU say, Diana WHO...any longer!!! We know how much we enjoy her quality writing, her multiple levels of characterization, her ability to formulate strong rules of time travel, her devotion to historical accuracy. Whew! I have been intrigued, obsessed, and mesmerized for years! And I plan to do so for many more! I plan to finish this series and go on to the next. Master Raymond...Bring it ON! ;) Mysteries, I don't read them much but I'd read DG's grocery list if I had to! So I will...LOL! For over two years I led the Outlander Reading Group at AOL, and the impact of that group echoed thru my experiences of the last four years. It was my SUCCESS with this group that gave me opportunities I never could have imagined! I became the manager of the reading group community at Book Central and struggled thru long hours to keep our vision "alive" during some tough economic decisions. I helped advise and train many leaders from this original group. Many great folk went off and created their own groups in other genres and found their own opportunities. When I knew that our awesome Tara was willing to take on the full group responsibilities for the Outlander Group, I passed the mantle on to her. I chose to remove the group from any controversy or conflict of interest that my management positions at AOL could draw it into. But...Outlandish forever, I was still around in the background, coordinating and co-hosting events!!! For three years, I struggled to help keep Book Central alive...Alas, last year, I was there to shut off the final lights. But we moved the majority of the reading community to Oprah. And to this day, the original Outlander group at AOL is ensconced there, now under the management of Red and Celt.
Well... When it comes to AOL (Been There, Done THAT) I was told for years that I should be "On the Web". But I started this saga as a computer illiterate and I HAVE learned a thing or two the last three or four years! Am I a Geek? NOT! But, I did learn enough to try to leave AOL in my past and look towards the future of many avid readers. So last month we launched... The Book Clique Cafe @readinggroupsonline.com. We have NO corporate ties. We get along on a shoestring budget, a group of great volunteers who know what they expect from a wonderful reading community, surrounded with the good wishes of our participants and friends. We have a place where any Viable reading group can associate with us and find a home. I've always sought a place where I could prove there IS intelligent life in Cyberspace and now I have it! Anyways, enough commercial stuff... Something was missing! I helped create a relatively turnkey spot where I could provide great outlets for the avid readers of many different genres, the way I have for so long! But I really MISSED the Outlandish!!! I mean...ALL of this is YOUR fault in the first place...LOL! For months people have asked me, what about Outlander??? Are you going to do another group? So... After launching our Book Clique Cafe, I decided to do something about it. I sent out a note to my favorite Outlandish, I heard from so many of you and was pleasantly surprised at how many of you wanted to rekindle some of that "joie de vivre" that was so much a part of our early group. So I welcome you to our new Internet Experience! I hope you will take advantage of our new boards and our fun new chat room! I know we may not have the familiarity of AOL (Been There, Done THAT) but we really do have the early spirit and I hope all of you will participate in that!!! No Question!!! We've been WAY too long without a new book! But I've always tried to have discussions that go beyond the surface of these books. I definitely find the time travel and historical diversions more intriguing than just having a chat hour of OOOOhhhh, Jamie! Now...I am not knocking an affinity for Jamie....but I try to see him a tad more multi dimensionally than some other folks...LOL! And... I actually LIKE Frank! :::watching tomato's and trout fly:::
The Book Clique Cafe @readinggroupsonline.com. If you would like to help Support this Entire Site and directly, all the groups that will be a part of it, please check out our soon to be launched... Survival Mall!!! We KNOW how all of you hate being inundated with banners and such...and you will find them missing throughout readinggroupsonline.com EXCEPT at the Mall! It will be the only commercial endeavor on the site and we decided to simply post tons of links to ALL kinds of internet spots you might enjoy...Some Book Related, Some Computer, Some Games, many shopping areas that might be of interest. We will affiliate with fun stuff like Boxerjam/Strike a Match which I KNOW many of you love to play! Of Course, your favorite bookstores will be listed, along with some great Online Stores you might enjoy! We don't intend to hit you over the head and constantly whine about needing help... We simply ask you that if you already intended to buy things online or play some games, BookMARK our Mall page and start there first. :) If you "Clique" on our links, it helps support keeping all of this going for a long, long time!!! Our site is run on a shoestring with volunteers and none of us have visions of retiring at 30,,,er...I'd take 50...on a beach in Maui. But... We do have costs... such as a decent server, software, etc... We refuse to inundate our content pages with banners, etc...benign or not...so this Mall page is the only one you will see at the site. ;) We ARE using free addons such as EZboard and EGroup, and those DO have their own Marketing Banners. Its the price all surfers pay for enjoying Free Stuff. ;) Simply BookMARK the Survival Mall page when it is Launched. :) And Clique There First, for any online shopping needs! We will be posting special offers and coupons for use at some of the more popular sites. Also... we are constantly going to ADD
additional sites that will accept us...so if you have any recommendations,
please let me know!
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