Yes, I think I will wait - I need to cogitate a little bit on what I want to say (will be back in Windsor on the 4th until the morning of the 8th, so I'll make a note to do it then).
Ruth
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Ruthgold |
Diana Gabaldon speaking at Irish Cultural Center in Phoenix |
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As promised, I said I'd write about the evening. Problem is that I want to upload some photos but cannot do it from here - this is a dial up and it's amazingly slow - will have to wait until I get back to Windsor to do the upload, so maybe I should wait until then to talk about the evening as well?
Yes, I think I will wait - I need to cogitate a little bit on what I want to say (will be back in Windsor on the 4th until the morning of the 8th, so I'll make a note to do it then). Ruth |
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MLS859 |
Re: Diana speaking at Irish Cultural Center in Phoenix | #1 | ||
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We'll hold you to it, Ruth!
Lynn |
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madi41 |
Re: Diana speaking at Irish Cultural Center in Phoenix | #2 | ||
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Holding!!!!!!!!!!!
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Ruthgold |
Re: Diana speaking at Irish Cultural Center in Phoenix | #3 | ||
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Okay, I promised to write about this, so here it is.
Diana was speaking at the Irish Cultural Center in downtown Phoenix (which is currently being torn up because they're installing a light rail system down the main street - which is really hitting the businesses hard because people are avoiding the area. But that's another subject). I'd found out about it from the group of Arizona fans of DG, and Susan (who happens to work part time for Diana and Doug) said that she'd pick me up. Unfortunately, Saturday afternoon I started to feel really ill - a very bad headache (which even extra strength aspirin didn't make a dent in) and then I started to feel rather queasy...Great, I thought, now I'm going to have to back out. But I decided to tough it out, although I must say I wasn't very conversational that evening, but thankfully Susan had also offered a lift to Linda, another fan, who also happens to be an ex-pat Canadian who moved down to Phoenix with her husband about 15 years ago. Anyway, they carried on a conversation, so it wasn't so obvious that I wasn't saying anything. The Irish Cultural Center itself is in what looks like an old stone building - they have a gift shop in a separate cottage on the property (which is entered through a very lovely Iron gate). In the shop, there were artifacts from Ireland - including a copy of the Book of Kells (which I happened to see myself when I went to Ireland in 1989 - it's held in Trinity College in Dublin) and some beautiful Belleek pottery - including a mug which said 'Herself' on it (Susan said, maybe we should get that for Diana - being as how that is how most of fans refer to her - see www.lallybroch.com). The event was due to start around 7:30 or so, and we got there around 6:30, thinking it might be crowded - but we were one of the first ones there. But not too soon after we sat down, quite a few people arrived - both men and women - a lot of them carrying suspiciously-familiar books Diana was the only one speaking that evening - it was an event to raise money for the center to make some renovations - and a fellow from The Poisoned Pen also came with a whole bunch of her books - ready to be purchased - both hardcover and trade paperback size. I had seen pictures of Diana before, but didn't really get how tiny she is, until I actually saw her in person. I was sitting in the front row, so had a pretty good view, except for when the person taking photograghs was in front of me - as you will see when you look at the photos. If you've read any of the interviews she's given, the talk she gave was not all that different - similar to what Stasia mentioned - how she'd started writing the book as just an exercise to see if she could, and that the inspiration for the period she chose was from an episode of Dr. Who (the boy in the kilt); and that she has already written the end of the story (she writes in chunks, not sequentially, and fits all the pieces together bit by bit), that there is at least one more if not 2 more books, but that they probably won't be published until some time in 2009; she's currently working on a couple of mysteries (which is what she first was going to try writing - before doing Outlander - but said that she didn't think she could do that since mysteries had plots - little did she know, right?) That it is true that she'd never been to Scotland - she only went AFTER Outlander was published - but she did know how to carry out research (she certainly impressed me, as well as some of you, with the reality she portrayed of the areas she described!). A couple of people asked questions - about the next book (when it would be coming out), but nothing very eye-opening. I, unfortunately, was having a hard time concentrating on anything but wondering how I could get to the restroom (on the other side of the room) without crossing right in front of her (thereby making a complete fool of myself), and trying to convince myself that I was NOT going to be sick - mind over matter! Anyway, she finished up her talk and moved over to a table directly in front of me where she prepared to autograph books for people - and almost everyone lined up for her to do so. I ran to the bathroom and...well, I won't go into that.. but I felt better afterward, and I came back to see Susan and Linda talking to 3 other women - who they appeared to know. Turns out they were Michelle and Kristine (they're in one of the photos below) and Molly, a friend of Michelle's - other members of the Arizon LOL group. They had come in a bit later than us, so we hadn't seen them until now. I did end up getting my photo taken with Diana - I didn't have any book for her to sign, but that my copies were all signed by her via bookplates I was pleased to have gotten from her a few years ago, and I hope I didn't sound like a complete idiot when I told her how much enjoyment her books have given me and a lot of other people, and that I was also a member of the Ladies of Lallybroch (which did, now that I think of it, sound really DUMB!). She is a very gracious lady, and Susan says that she is very humble - that she surprised at how much her books have come to mean to people. Okay, folks - I'm going to try to link to a slideshow of the photos. Let's see if this works Irish Cultural Center evening with Diana (I would have liked to actually include the photos here, like I've seen others do, but couldn't figure out how to do that) Ruth |
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MLS859 |
Re: Diana speaking at Irish Cultural Center in Phoenix | #4 | ||
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Ruth, that link isn't working.
Thanks so much for sharing your story...I've met some famous folks and held my own pretty well but not sure what I'd say to her either -- because what I'd want to say I know she's heard a thousand times before. Lynn |
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madi41 |
Re: Diana speaking at Irish Cultural Center in Phoenix | #5 | ||
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Thanks for sharing Ruth. Sorry you were feeling so bad that night. I have suffered from migranes to the point of nausea and it ain't fun. Kudos to you.
I would love to see her but I am with the rest of you. What do you say that hasn't been said a million times. Except maybe, "put pen to paper woman and finish what you started". 2009!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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Ruthgold |
Re: Diana speaking at Irish Cultural Center in Phoenix | #6 | ||
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Lynn, sorry that the link isn't working - okay, I uploaded the photos to Photobucket - so I'm going to try this again. The pics should appear here:
Sitting the front row doesn't always mean you have an unobstructed view: ![]() Better one without the photographer: ![]() She was so graceful and I felt like s**t! ![]() Linda, myself, Susan and Michelle ![]() Group shot - Kristine, Linda, myself, Susan and Michelle, compliments of Michelle's friend Molly ![]() It worked! Ruth |
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ariesgirl1 |
Re: Diana speaking at Irish Cultural Center in Phoenix | #7 | ||
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Hey Ruth, they worked! Yeah! She is a petite thing huh? Must be nice lol! I always thought her hair was just gorgeous...Sorry you felt so yucky when you went-you never would've known it by the smile on your face! Thanks for sharing these with us!
Jennifer |
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bignbold |
Re: Diana speaking at Irish Cultural Center in Phoenix | #8 | ||
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Oh Geez!!!! Don't ask me why I'm just a TOTAL ding bat...when I started reading this thread at the start for some odd reason I was thinking it was about princess Diana. I guess maybe cuz there is stuff all over the magazines in the checkout line about it being 10 years now since her death. Anyway, then I saw something about a concert or speech type deal and I'm thinkin...noooooo, couldn't be THAT Diana; unless they're doing a sayonce (I suck at spelling and know it)! So, then in the strange workings of my mind Diana Ross comes up. I'm thinkin' WOW I haven't heard about her in ages...is she still alive? So, I'm scrolling through Ruth's pictures and BAM...I literally hit my forehead and had an "I should of had a V8" moment.
These pictures are fantastic!!! Ruth are you the one sitting with her? That is such a cute picture of the two of you! Is she funny to listen to...does she have a dry sense of humor? What a thrilling experience...I think I would have been more giddy meeting her than a movie star! And you could have counted on me to say something really stupid so that she'd remember me forever! Wendy |
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MLS859 |
Re: Diana speaking at Irish Cultural Center in Phoenix | #9 | ||
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Ruth, thanks for sharing your photos and stories with us. I would love to be able to see her in person, though I have a feeling she would say all the same things she said at both your and Stasia's events. And she probably gets asked the same questions over and over. I think it takes a certain amount of grace to be able to smile while answering the same ol' things! Of course, she has to know that her readers are besotted with Jamie and that we can't wait for the next book.
When I wrote to get my bookplates from her, I also wrote a letter -- which probably was just as mushy as every other letter she had ever received. I doubt if she even read it, though. Anyway, it was nice to see the photos -- and nice to see you in them, too, Ruth! In spite of not feeling well, you looked like you were having a nice time!! Lynn |
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Ruthgold |
Re: Diana speaking at Irish Cultural Center in Phoenix | #10 | ||
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Wendy - you are SO funny - although you can be forgiven for thinking it had something to do with Princess Diana. And yes, Diana Ross is still alive - still with all that hair, too!
Diana G has a very dry sense of humor, yes, and I heard the same questions being asked of her that night, that were mentioned in articles in print. And I only thought of some really good questions AFTER the fact (even after I wrote this article) - like 'Will Lord John ever find out about Claire and Brianna's - and Roger's - time travelling?' was one that I came up with. I really felt like a dork not being able to come up with something intelligent to say - I think I said something like 'I hope you realize how so very many people enjoy your books, and are waiting so impatiently for the next one' (ya, like she hasn't heard THAT before?). Yes, that is a pic of me with her at the table, Wendy. I felt like an elephant beside her because she is so petite and elegant (that outfit she had on was one of those floaty things and it looked so nice!). There we go, my brush with fame! Ruth |
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MLS859 |
Re: Diana speaking at Irish Cultural Center in Phoenix | #11 | ||
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Ruth, how many people were at this? I always think, when she speaks, it must be packed to the brim but, sometimes, I wonder if "fans" have a skewed outlook on this (sort of like thinking Gerry Butler is known to everybody when he's not!!).
Lynn |
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Ruthgold |
Re: Diana speaking at Irish Cultural Center in Phoenix | #12 | ||
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Numbers, hmmm?
Well, it was standing room only - there were about 6 or 7 rows of seats - so maybe 75 people were there? It's not a big hall by any means and I did see people standing in the back (when I was scoping out how I'd get to the restroom without crossing in front of Diana), and there were both men and women, although, naturally, more women than men. Irish Cultural Center Website If you look through this website, there's some photos available I believe. Ruth |
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