‘Grand Marshal’ Howie Nicholsby (Founder of 21st Century Kilts in Edinburgh, Scotland) and Mary Keir, Tartan Day Parade NYC, 4-5-14
“Mary Keir” attended the Tartan Day Parade in NYC, her husband and #PocketJamie in tow. The following is what transpired, in her own words:
I brought Pocket Jamie to the Tartan Day Parade in NY yesterday and told my husband my goal was to get a picture of him with Grand Marshal “Howie Nicholsby,” who is the founder of 21st Century Kilts in Edinburgh.
I’m shy to begin with, and Howie was usually surrounded by cool fashionista types so I was very intimidated. My husband gave me a much-needed push and I finally made my way over, said hello, and asked for a picture.
He was perfectly agreeable, but when I pulled out Pocket Jamie, his eyes lit up! He said, “Oh, you know, I dressed him!” To which I replied, “Lucky you!”
(Sam Heughan backstage at 2013 BAFTAs)
(He dressed Sam for the BAFTAs, and maybe other occasions? When he said “I dressed him,” I had a visual of him physically, literally dressing him—and maybe he did). He said Sam is “a lovely guy.”
Then he told me he will be an extra in Outlander.
He wanted to check it all out, so he went to the set one day and they asked him to appear in the show. He mentioned Terry Moore, the costume designer, and said she thought it would be funny/ironic to put him in pants for the role since he is a kilt guy. Then he took out his phone and showed us a picture of him and Sam together in character.
I confess I couldn’t really see it ’cause I didn’t have time to fumble for my reading glasses, but it was nice of him to show us. He said it was the first time he’d worn “trews” in 15 years and it felt really weird; he had to wear them for 3 1/2 days while he filmed his part, which will appear in the 4th episode.
So he cheerfully posed with me and PJ and was as kind as could be, so I was really glad I got my nerve up to approach him.
Book Beads, my most favorite Outlander artist, has added many new charms to her collection.
They are for sale and she ships internationally. The more you buy, the cheaper the cost:
Re-tell Jamie and Claire Fraser’s story from Diana Gabaldon’s popular Outlander series with one or more lead-free [pewter] charms! Painstakingly sourced from all over, this charm collection boasts 85 extremely well-detailed expressions of Outlander-themed iconography.
BUY IN BULK!! You can save money if you buy multiple charms (prices shown are USD):
5 charms for $13 (the MINIMUM ORDER)
10 charms for $20
15 charms for $30
all 85 charms for $102
if you are interested in purchasing a different number of charms a custom listing can be set up for you.
Here’s a video of “The Outlander Celtic Link Chain Mail Charm Bracelet,” which shows the charms in great detail. I want one!
She also makes my personal favorite, Outlander-themed book beads; US covers on the front, UK covers on the back. They are absolute quality and worth every penny:
They can be strung together on a necklace or bracelet, wired on to earrings, hung on loops as wine charms, snapped on to key chains or looped into stitch markers! You get the idea: there is no limit to what you can do with these!
Outlander-themed book beads.
I have the wine charms, they are hands-down my single-most favorite Outlander-related items that I own:
Outlander-themed wine charms
All of the aforementioned items are available for purchase on her website and in her Etsy store. She also does other literary-themed collections, a la Harry Potter, Jane Austen, Game of Thrones etc…
Please give her Facebook Page a Like, show her some Outlander love ❤
There is a Twitter campaign underway to help the rest of the world watch Outlander the TV series (currently it will only air in the USA, Canada & Australia).
***We plan to include other countries as we learn their respective networks’ Twitter handles, so stay tuned! On this particular date, we’re focusing on the UK , New Zealand & Sony-owned properties in Latin America and Spain:
Please tweet one of the following texts ONCE to each of the handles on this list, to remind networks in the UK and New Zealand that fans are eager to see the show and will support it once it is on the air:
When Outlander airs, I will do everything in my power to help ensure that it’s a hit.#WorldwideTVNeedsOutlander
Outlander fans stand ready to ensure the success of the series. #WorldwideTVNeedsOutlander
I promise to use all means in my power to help ensure the success of Outlander. #WorldwideTVNeedsOutlander
“The Shorty Awards (also known as the Shorties) are the equivalent of the Oscar in the Social Media world.” ~ shortyawards.com
Did you know that Outlander has the most engaged fan base in advance of a premiere in Starz history?
As you can imagine, that’s marketing gold to the powers that be. In fact, Starz’ Digital Marketing team has been working very hard to make us, the fans, feel like we’re ‘part of the ride,’ hoping it will motivate us to spread the news that the books are coming to life (as if we needed any coercion lol).
They hosted the fan event in NYC in October 2013, and LA in January 2014. We had behind the scenes glimpses of video/sketches & artist renderings/Q&A with Ron Moore, Diana Gabaldon, AND the lucky attendees in LA also got to interact with Sam Heughan & Caitriona Balfe!
LA is where the #PocketJamie campaign was born:
The #PocketJamie campaign was designed as a digital extension of a fan event we held in Los Angeles. Attendees were given their very own #PocketJamie and challenged to take photos of him and upload them to Twitter. This activation will last over 2 months and will culminate in the #PocketJamie awards to be “held” in March.
Campaign Objectives
• Support our Outlander super fans and give them exciting, compelling content
• Encourage fans to participate in the #PocketJamie experience and activate others to do the same
• Bring a piece of the Outlander fan event to those who could not attend by giving #PocketJamie away on Twitter and encouraging everyone to participate.
The fun isn’t over yet.
Later this month, we will announce the #PocketJamie awards. Categories like “Most Creative #PocketJamie photo” “Farthest Traveled #PocketJamie” and “Best Supporting Appearance with #PocketJamie” will be announced. Fans will submit their photos for each category by tweeting them to @Outlander_Starz and including the #PocketJamie hashtag. Winners will be selected and announced at the #PocketJamie Awards, a live Twitter chat with the @Outlander_Starz handle. Each winner will receive a prize autographed by Outlander’s stars, Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan. ~ Starz Digital Team, as seen on industry.shortyawards.com
So, do you feel like Starz has made you feel as though you’ve been ‘part of the ride?’ I can honestly say that I do…
And for those participating in the #PocketJamie contest, good luck & have fun! I can’t wait to see the entries, lol.
A Pocket Jamie a day keeps the redcoats away, ken?
That’s the goal anyway, of The Atlantic’s Twitter book club, “1book140.”
1book140 is an international book club (currently 98.5k members) that takes place mainly on Twitter, though it also incorporates readers’ blogs, Tumblr and Facebook pages. Summaries of the conversations are posted at The Atlantic.com.
This month they have chosen Outlander as their February read! They have an excellent system in place to make it easy to follow along and avoid spoilers. Per J. Nathan Matias/TheAtlantic.com:
To join the conversation on Outlander, follow us at @1book140 and tweet to join the conversation so we know that you’re reading along. To avoid spoilers, we spread the conversation across one hashtag per week. Click on each hashtag to see the conversation at that point in the book.
Week One: Chapters 1-10, using #1b140_1 as a hashtag for your tweets
I didna write the following—“Jennifer McDonald” did. It’s verra clever and has been making the rounds on Facebook. I’m sharing it with permission from “Shelley Pilette.”
This is not a 12 step to recovery. I’m sorry to say that there is no turning back from the fandom. You read the books, fell in love, and now you are hooked. There is only one thing left to do…Embrace it.
Here is a list of twelve self-affirming steps. When it gets to be too much, then repeat this mantra: “I am not alone,” for you truly aren’t. Just look around. Any one of your girlfriends will be there to nod in agreement and support your fan-girl tendencies.
Step One: Honesty.
Let’s be honest. You read Outlander and fell in love with James Alexander Malcolm Mackenzie Fraser. Yes you did. Don’t deny it. It’s okay. Remember you are not alone. As you kept reading the books you fantasized. It’s okay we all did. It’s all about honesty here. Then Starz decided to give you a face and name for your Jamie. Now you honestly can’t get enough. It’s obsessing, but it’s okay. Honesty , remember? You honestly aren’t alone.
Step Two: Hope.
For years many who came before you hoped that these books would be recognized for the brilliant piece of literature that they are. They hoped that one day the stories would turn into a reality. In a sense they have. Now we hope that we are not disappointed. We wake up daily with hope that another image or another tidbit will be available. Maintain your hope. It will see you through even in the darkest of days.
Step Three: Faith.
We have faith in Diana Gabaldon as an author. We know she will give the reader what they want. Now transfer that faith to the screenwriters, producers, and actors. Have faith that all will be done and our beloved Outlander will be as beautiful on screen as it is in words.
Step Four: Courage.
Have courage to speak out. Speak your love of Outlander. Say it loud and proud for all to hear. Think of Claire and her courage. As women we have that within all of us. A little bit of Claire Randall Fraser is within us.
Step Five: Integrity.
Pray for the screenwriters and producers to maintain the integrity of the story. Never say a mean word about any fellow Outlander. Maintain your integrity even when you want to contradict or argue a point. Do it with integrity. For all have fallen in love and passion sometimes rules the heart. Maintain your integrity, even when you have “Flat Jamie” and you want to re-enact scenes from the novels. Remember he is a proud Scotsman and you are a lady (mhmph).
Step Six: Willingness.
We must be willing to share. There is only one Jamie and millions of fans. We will all be willing to share images, share articles, and share Flat Jamie (when he is created).
Step Seven: Humility.
We will present ourselves with humility. Some of us are new to the Outlander fandom while others have been dedicated loyalists since its inception over 20 years ago. It does not matter. Once you have had your “Come to Jamie” moment then time doesn’t matter. One cannot measure the depth of another’s love and loyalty; although I give Shelly Pilette all the credit for being the first person I ever met that truly sold this book to others. She does it with such humility that we should all aspire to do the same.
Step Eight: Self-discipline.
Who are you kidding? You have no self-discipline or else you wouldn’t need this intervention. There is no self-discipline when a certain Scottish Ginger is in the picture. If you can maintain some semblance of self-discipline then you truly should be sainted. We will crown you St. Claire of the Order of JAMMF.
Step Nine: Love for others.
Yes, love all members of the Outlander fandom. They love what you love so there must be an ounce of symbiosis amongst us all. Love for Jamie, Love for Claire, Love for Ian, Love for Fergus, Love for all the characters that we cherish. And above all Love for Diana Gabaldon who had that story in her mind that she put on paper to share with world. God bless her.
Step Ten: Perseverance.
Yes, June seems such a long way away, but never fear. If you keep the faith and maintain the path, your prize will be waiting for you. Persevere.
Step Eleven: Spiritual Awareness.
Repeat after me “I believe in Jamie Fraser and Claire Randall Fraser. I believe in Diana Gabaldon. I believe that the story transcends all others and leaves me with all these Feels.”
Step Twelve: Service.
We will serve in the pinning, face booking and tweeting of all things Outlander. We will serve our fellow man or woman in equipping them with what they need to be involved in the fandom.
Now Raise you right hand and repeat after me: “I (state your name) am an active follower of the Outlander fandom. Although some may look at me as if I have lost my mind, I will stand by my devotion to all things Outlander. Jamie Fraser, although not real (but close enough through Sam) has my undying love. I will embrace the fandom and accept all who wish to enter. I am not alone, I am normal, and I embrace it.” ~ Jennifer McDonald (1/11/14)
I know by now most of you have already seen the first trailer released by Starz (incidentally did you know the journalists were shown a different trailer than the fans at the event in LA?), but have you seen the slo mo version? “MsDarcyFan” on YouTube stretched the 48 second trailer into 4 minutes 51 seconds! GENIUS!
I wanted to save these two gems here, well, to have a central place to keep watching them over and over—you know, to feed my addiction. Because why wouldn’t we want to see snippets of Jamie, Claire, Frank, Jenny, Dougal and the rest over and over again obsessively?
Real Time:
Glorious (sing the word glorious for full effect) Slo Mo:
Allan Scott Douglas & Diana Gabaldon at the Lord Provost of Aberdeen’s Civic Reception to conclude Tartan Day, 2011.
By now we have all accepted Sam Heughan as our beloved JAMMF, but did you ken that he wasna the first?
It’s true—there was another ‘official’ Jamie Fraser, years before Sam:
When I was in Edinburgh in 2009, I made the acquaintance of a lovely man named Mike Gibb. Mike’s a lyricist and playwright, and having fallen in love with OUTLANDER, asked me whether I might approve his writing a song-cycle of the story: a series of 14-15 songs, telling the high points of the story, which might later form the libretto for a stage production.
Mike and his friends, composer Kevin Walsh, did a couple of demo songs for me, which I found entirely charming, and they went ahead with the project. I’m enchanted with the results. ~ Diana Gabaldon, 2010/Outlanderthemusical.com
And so a musical was born:
(Listen to Outlander the Musical song samples or purchase the CD here – it’s also available on iTunes)
Well, being obsessed with all things Outlander, naturally I ordered the CD as soon as soon as I found out about it, let alone as fast as my fingers could type! And it was then that I learned that the role of Jamie Fraser was sung by Allan Scott Douglas, an actor/singer and native Scot.
…Allan is absolutely delighted to have joined the Outlander universe and hopes he can live up to the expectations and fluttering hearts that Jamie’s words have set over the years – if all else fails, he is at least a 6’4″ redhead who regularly wears a kilt and whose nose is slightly too long…so at least he’s got that part of Jamie covered!
I thought it would be nice to get Allan’s perspective on his experience with Outlander/JAMMF, as well as get to know the non-Outlander side of him (he’s been keeping busy, whether working on projects in Egypt, Turkey, or home in bonny Scotland…
Thanks to Outlander the Musical, you have the distinct honor of being the original “Jamie Fraser” in a production setting; knowing what you know now about the popularity/success of the series, would you have portrayed him any differently if you had the chance?
When I first got the part of Jamie in Outlander The Musical, everything happened very quickly.
We were in the studio recording barely a couple of weeks after my audition. I am incredibly proud of the finished product and I truly believe we did the story and characters justice. However, if there was anything I would’ve done differently I guess it would’ve been to have had a bit more time to research the whole Outlander universe.
I felt I had a good understanding of Jamie and where he was in his journey in each of the songs in the musical—what I didn’t know though was just how massive the Outlander series really was and how incredibly fanatical it’s readers are.
It’s been an amazing journey for me but, for the first few months, I was genuinely shocked at just how many people suddenly knew who I was and had such strong opinions (both good and bad) on me as Jamie.
(He’s not kidding about Outlander readers being fanatical, and having strong opinions regarding him as Jamie; by and large he has been well received by Outlander fans, though he has had his (un)fair share of criticism.
I recall a specific instance last year when, on Herself’s Facebook wall, some incredibly rude and insensitive comments were made about his physical appearance, respective to his resemblance to Jamie. Mass bickering ensued and the whole debacle left many of us in the Outlander community with a bad taste in our mouths.
But Allan took it all in stride. Check out his classy response:
“It’s just as well I’m a polite and even-tempered chap really, isn’t it? I COULD go through the images of each person who has posted mindless negativity and dissect everything that is wrong with their appearance and throw out random character assassinations purely on that basis—but thankfully, my mother raised me better than that.”)
Other than that, I kinda wish I known I was going to be portraying Jamie far enough in advance not to dye my hair purple a few weeks before my audition and therefore having to sport what was basically a crew cut for the concert performances and photo shoots…
Here is Allan as Jamie with ‘The Crew Cut:’
(Photo credit: Outlanderthemusical.com)
Here is what Allan’s hair is capable of, lol:
Photo credit: Allan Scott Douglas/fan page on Facebook
His answer to this next question really took me by surprise—not what I was expecting him to say at all.
Who is your favorite character in the Outlander series? What do you think are their best and worst personality traits?
This might be highly controversial but the character I find the most fascinating is actually none other than “Black Jack” Jonathan Randall. I’m not sure how easy it would be to pick a “best personality trait” but he is definitely a character that intrigues me every time he appears.
As a reader, I find everything about him incredibly uncomfortable but I’ve always been the sort of person who is deeply fascinated by slightly deranged/damaged individuals. Without such an incredibly well written anti-hero, Jamie probably wouldn’t have captured everyone’s heart quite so readily.
I guess, at heart, I’m just the nerdy kid who roots for the bad guy…
Have you ever portrayed a deranged/damaged character? (Gene Simmons doesn’t count lol)
Wow, that’s an awesome question!
I once did a short film in which I played a Hitman who was sent to kill someone for cheating on his girlfriend; just when the Hitman was about to pull the trigger, he suddenly broke down in floods of tears…and it transpired that, just that very evening, his own girlfriend had thrown him a ‘surprise’ birthday party, but as soon as she had jumped out from the dark to surprise him, his killer instincts had set in and he shot her in the head before realising what was going on.
That was one truly messed up mindset to try to get into to shoot a movie…
I also once played a psychotically deranged Glasgow gangster who constantly got into blazing rows with his brother…despite the fact that his brother had been dead for 10 years! Now THAT was a lot of fun…
Wow, those are two interesting characters! Were they both Scottish? Don’t you have something of a talent for different dialects around the UK?
Yeah, both of those particular characters were Scottish (perhaps Scottish characters just have a more naturally deranged disposition…) but I do love working in other accents too.
In the play Laquearia, I played the Irish playwright and novelist Samuel Beckett and really enjoyed finding what little video and audio recordings there are of him and tried to give a faithful performance of him both physically and vocally.
Challenges like that are what make this business so fascinating and (when you get it right) rewarding for me.
His dedication and humility are refreshing; it’s wonderful that he truly enjoys what he does for a living because we the audience reap the benefits. Specifically I was thrilled to learn of another, separate connection to the Outlander Universe…
July 2013 was a monumental month for Outlander fans, in more ways than one. First, when it was leaked that Sam Heughan was cast as Jamie; Allan Tweeted this:
Well, from one “Jamie” to another, I’d like to wish @Heughan every success in the Starz series! Oh and you lot, be gentle with him…
— Allan Scott-Douglas (@AlScottDouglas) July 6, 2013
He’s a class act, that Allan! And, he had some good news of his own to share (from his Facebook wall, July 3rd):
Well, now that all the contracts and various legal forms have come through (and since Diana herself has already mentioned it on Twitter), I think I’m safe to now officially announce that I am delighted to have been chosen to read Diana’s short story “Virgins” for Random House Audiobooks.
“Virgins” is one of 21 stories which have been selected for inclusion in an upcoming anthology called “Dangerous Women”—which is being put together by none other than Mr. George R.R. Martin, of ‘Game Of Thrones’ fame!! The anthology and it’s audiobook version are due for release in December. To say I am excited would be something of an understatement! This is an anthology featuring work by some of the world’s finest sci-fi and fantasy novelists and will feature a host of very well-known actors lending their voices to the audio versions—along with little old me!
Even more humbling was the fact that a prominent Game Of Thrones actor was offered to Diana to read “Virgins” but she felt I was better suited and Random House have bent over backwards to get me on board! Still a few logistical issue to iron out but I’m hoping to get the recording done by early September. Thank you all so much for all your support—I remain utterly bemused that so many people have taken an interest in my career but I appreciate every single one of you and hope there are many more exciting announcements to share with you all in the future…
You KNOW I couldn’t wait to ask him about THAT!
What was your experience like working on Virgins?
Working on Virgins, for it’s inclusion in the “Dangerous Women,” anthology being compiled by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois, was a truly amazing experience! Hooking up, via Skype, with the director Fred in LA was incredible and the whole process was just so much fun!
It was also very interesting for me personally having to read as Ian, as well Jamie, as Ian was a character I hadn’t had any experience of up to that point.
I really can’t wait for everyone to hear the finished product and just hope I can live up to the very high standards Davina Porter sets with the main Outlander audiobooks.
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
Well we can’t wait to hear it too! Diana Gabaldon said on her Facebook wall today that “Dangerous Women” anthology will be released on December 3rd, so hopefully the audio version will be available at the same time. I think I’ll have to buy both, just to hear Allan’s narration! What about you?
BONUS: From Allan’s Facebook page (a snippet of his narration skills,which are verra nice I might add):
Howdy folks! Here’s a wee 90 second free preview of the radio drama adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s chilling story “The Black Cat” which I recorded earlier this year. The full version is available for just $1.99 on iTunes. Something to tide you all over until ‘Virgins’ is realised… 🙂
10-14-13 AND THE WINNER IS: CATHIE SCOTT! CONGRATULATIONS!
***Update: Also comes with matching earrings.
Isn’t this beautiful?
The lovely and talented Bostoncharm at Crafts Charms and Collectibles created this **”one of a kind, Outlander-themed altered art charm bracelet (made with love)” just for us—this is not available anywhere else!
Here is the description:
8″ Inch silver plated charm bracelet, w/large lobster clasp (we have other clasps if you prefer, just let us know). This can also be sized.
You can adjust the length of this bracelet by moving the clasp along the length of the chain. This is a very full charm bracelet!
I fit the images into the photo charms (25mm round) then finished them with a glossy resin Dome seal.
I assembled this bracelet all by hand, wire wrapping each bead. I used beautiful faceted Czech glass beads. ~ Bostoncharm, Crafts Charms and Collectibles
If you would like to be entered into this giveaway, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post (be sure to include your email info). Verra simple.
A winner will be selected using a random number generator and notified via email on Monday, October 14th (be sure to check your ‘other’ and ‘spam’ folders that day!) The winner’s name will be posted at the top of this page as an update on the same day.
♥ This giveaway is open to all Outlander Fans around the world. Good luck! ♥
**(This bracelet design is owned by Crafts Charms and Collectibles; do not COPY design, and if you share or re-post pictures you must attach the original link.)**
We waited (some of us more patiently than others) for what seemed like forever on the announcement of who would be cast as Claire.
Sam’s casting was announced July 9th, and knowing that production was supposed to begin mid-September, we expected news of our leading lady to come ‘any day now.’ After all, they had to rehearse, right?
September 5th produced Colum & Dougal, Sept 10th gave us Murtagh…
Then, on September 11th our patience was rewarded.
Her name is Catriona Balfe (pronounced Katreena Balf). She’s a former Victoria Secret model, well-rounded actress probably best known for her roles in Super 8, Now You See Me, and the not yetreleased Escape Plan (with Arnold Scwarzzenager & Sylvester Stallone).
Here’s a brief clip of her speaking in an interview:
Don’t you think she even sounds like Claire should sound? She is irish and, get this—knows Gaelic:
@drobertsjhs@MoreThanTango I grew up speaking Gaelic, the boys won’t be able to talk behind my back on set now 😉
So- she looks like Claire, can hold her own with the boys on set, but do she & Sam have chemistry? Here’s what Herself had to say about that:
“Hard to believe lightning can strike twice, but it surely did. The moment Caitriona Balfe came on screen, I sat up straight and said, ‘There she is!’ She and Sam Heughan absolutely lit up the screen with fireworks.” ~ Diana Gabaldon
Hm. Well, I can tell you that they’d never met or read together before (because Sam told me that), and I can tell you what the scenes were, I think. (Aside from anything else,… some of the audition scene scripts had apparently leaked, because a number of the self-taped auditions I saw on VIMEO were using them.)
Anything else I know was told me by the production or PR people and I can’t talk about those things unless I ask them specifically if it’s OK to mention thus-and-so. (Not that there’s anything at all mysterious or weird; it’s just that some of the corporate entities involved are secretive by habit, and hey–it’s their show.)
There are two audition scenes, two takes of each, each about five minutes long. The first one is the conversation between Jamie and Claire right after they’ve had sex for the first time, where she asks him, “Was it like you expected it to be?”, he tells her about horses and snakes , and it ends with “Do you want to do it again?” “Would ye mind verra much?” and “No. I wouldn’t mind at all.” It starts with them fairly far apart, sitting facing each other, and they get closer and closer during the conversation, so with “I wouldn’t mind at all,” they’re kissing.
The second one is the big fight they have along the road, after Jamie, Dougal and the other men rescue Claire from Fort William. That’s the one that ends with, “You’re tearing my guts out, Claire,” and then “Forgiven.” That’s the one that had fireworks. ~ Diana Gabaldon
I simply can not WAIT to see them together! For the time being, the closest we’re going to get is this selfie they took just the other day:
outlanderfan.com 