Virtual Event with Susanna Kearsley and Diana Gabaldon

I went to the most amazing virtual even to celebrate Susanna Kearsley's new novel, The Vanished Days.  She was in conversation with the incomparable Diana Gabaldon and let me tell you, I was fangirling! I love both of these authors and to hear them talk together was really, really interesting.  Thanks to The Poisoned Pen Bookstore for making this event possible. I guess there are some benefits to no in-person events? I would have never been able to see them both together otherwise!

 

 

So, Susanna Kearsley starts off talking about how The Vanished Days is part of her Scottish series, but she didn't really intend for that to happen. Her fans sort of constructed the series. You don't need to read the other books in the "series" in order to appreciate The Vanished Days.  Then she talked about her writing process, how she visited Scotland to write this book, and she even gave us some hints as to what she is working on next.  Clue: It's a novel set during 1612 and involves King James VI.  Plus, Susanna is planning a Bellewether sequel. Have you read it?

Both authors discussed their writing processes, their research, how they deal with writing about real people from the past as opposed to a fictional person, and they both talked about their own genealogy.  Also, both Diana and Susanna can trace their family trees back pretty far and I found them talking about their ancestors to be really interesting.  

 

 

Then Diana shared a bit of her writing process (it's not linear at all) and even *gasp* read an excerpt from Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone, which is out on November 23rd.   Let me tell you, it was fun to revisit Jamie Fraser and to listen to her read it.

 

Both authors were having a cocktail in celebration and it was pretty fun as far as a virtual event goes. They left a lot of time for questions from the audience and I was pleasantly surprised by how many questions they addressed. The entire event went on for an hour and a half! 

So, have you read The Vanished Days? Is it on your TBR list? I'll be sharing my thoughts on it soon! Also, are you looking forward to the publication of Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone? Let me know what you think in the comments below.