We are in the early stages, and he's only just begun painting some of the panels for the first few pages--most of which are Just Spectacular!! Not at all what you'd expect of a graphic novel, I don't think. Still, sometimes the first take on a panel or page requires a little adjustment. And when I got a rough painting of page 5, which involves a naked Jamie (back view only, ladies)...
"Whoa!" said the assorted members of my family, friends, and employees who viewed it. "_That's_ not Jamie's butt, is it?!"
"Um. Well...no," I said, I having a pretty well-defined idea of just what Jamie's butt _does_ look like. Rather than try either to describe the Ideal Jamie's Butt in words, or try to persuade my husband to let me photograph his rear end (he being the resident tall, lean, muscular red-headed model)--I didn't even _suggest_ that one--I set out to browse the web in search of good prospects that I could send to the artist.
Now, as you may suppose, Googling "male nude rear view" turns up quite a number of interesting sites. I did begin with a vague memory of a young Scottish soldier, photographed from behind as his kilt flew up, and did eventually find that photograph, but upon due scrutiny, decided that this was not Jamie's Butt at all, and went on looking. The search took me from the sublime
http://guinnesswench.spaces
to the ridiculous
http://jpgmag.com/photos/163765
With several additional possibilities in between:
On this one, Row 1, third from the left, and Row 3, first on the left:
http://www.fotosearch.com
And on this one, Row 3, fourth from the left:
http://www.fotosearch.com
However, I did finally find a Very Good Candidate:
So I'm looking forward with great interest to the next take on page 5!
.JPG)
Darn it - I'm "forbidden" to access the winner. Can anyone help?
ReplyDeleteThe Dewar's ads on YouTube have some nice buttocks on display, especially the one where some girls are stranded in the rain, and the knightly Scots ride off bareback and nude after leaving their plaids for the soggy women.
ReplyDeleteHm, sure enough, I got the "forbidden on this server" message, too. Must have something to do with family standards, you think? [g]
ReplyDeleteYou might try cut-and-pasting the link, and look at it from your main browser page, rather than from the blog-site.
You have a hard job on your hands! I honestly don't know how you will ever be able to find a likeness of Jamie's rear....hard pants to fill if you ask me!!!
ReplyDeleteI was forbidden also so I did the cut and paste method and got to view the winner. Wow - great choice. Can't wait to see the rest of Jamie.
ReplyDeleteOh, dear Diana - thank you for making my day with photo's of proposed likenesses of Jamie's buttocks! I am very excited about the graphic novel and think you are marvelous to start this blog to collect our various opinions. As for great butts, I'll never forget catching my breath when Patrick Swayze got out of bed nude in a scene from Roadhouse. Ok, not the best movie, but one of the best butt shots. *g*
ReplyDeleteYes making a choice will be difficult, but won't it be fun to do the auditions? Don't forget how hairy Jamie is. We need to see some fuzz.
ReplyDeleteWell, in re fuzz...let us not forget that this is a comic book; the focus may not be _quite_ that close. [cough]
ReplyDeleteI can just hear my husband ask, " And how was your day, dear? What did you do?" My response, "I looked at male buttocks ALL day and I'm just worn out!" [g] What lovely, images-- do you need an assistant... ha ha!
ReplyDeleteHoley moley. Not a bad thing to research. At all. (g)
ReplyDeleteUmmm...what about...Oh, nevermind. LOL.
Whew! It's getting warm in here! Not bad work at all, doing research on Scottish Buttocks. Very lovely specimens. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteOh dear. I just realised I've been sitting at my desk at work accessing photographs of naked buttocks... I rather fear you may be partially responsible for the mass violation of Internet Usage policies in workplaces around the world today.
ReplyDeleteIt was definitely worth it.[g]
Diana:
ReplyDeleteI got to the site but was unable to locate the JPG specified. Sad for me, as I am one who enjoys a lovely, male, squared-with-those-lickable-indents-on-the-sides-yet-crack-nuts-between-the-cheeks sorts of buttocks.
Here is the correct link:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mattonimages.co.uk/images/jpg/pa_paa100000066.html/sok-buttocks/sim-VER_FAN2025166.JPG
Can't wait to see the graphic novel!
Judie
Hooray! Diana has a blog and it features male tushies.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip to get into the "forbidden" zone. Worked for me.
My favorite was the backside view of the sitting baby.
Hello Diana!
ReplyDeleteI've just read the news about the graphic novel (wasn't expecting that!) and seen the first depiction of Claire by Hoang Nguyen. She doesn't look like the woman conjured within my mind by your descriptions.... I'm a little wary of seeing the other characters, to be honest, because a depiction, however impressive artistically, has little chance of measuring up to the idea our imaginations develop as readers. It's also partly why I'm opposed to a cinematic adaptation of your work.
Despite my concern (shared by many of your literary fanbase), I tell myself that if it comes from you, it's bound to be good. So I'll wait and see, and I wish you continued fulfillment and creativity. *g*
ScotCanLiz
Ah, what one will do in the name of research! This puts a whole new twist on the notion of hindsight being 20/20. ;)
ReplyDeleteI think I'd probably better wait to follow the link until I get home from work.....
ReplyDeleteVery entertaining! Thank you for the diversion! I have two words for Jamie's ass: hairy and beefy. The Matton image has JUST the right amoung of hair - very nice! I like the Edge of Sanity's second and third models - I'd nominate a more muscular version of Ewan McGregor's legs, paired with that unassuming but filled-out butt in the wind-blown photo beneath it. Oh, my, red heads and blondes so inspire me!
ReplyDeleteGoodness! I show up to cheer and whoohoo about Claire, and I get caught in an avalanche of naked bum. I win!
ReplyDelete*grin*
I'm glad for the blog, for the graphic novel, and for all the bum.
Only problem you may have is that I tend to hang around and comment a lot, mostly inanely.
~Tracie/Ashirin/Jamie fan
Oh! And see, I got distracted by the bums, I say, and forgot to actually say what I came here to say. Which is that Hoang Nguyen’s vision of Claire is amazing. Very much like I pictured her, although for some reason(Time to reread to figure where I picked it up), I pictured her hair a good bit lighter.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing, the idea of a graphic novel based on this series. I'm doing a massive happy dance about the whole idea. I will be driving my friends and hubby NUTS about this. :)
jeanoelle--
ReplyDelete_Beefy_?!? Perish the thought. [g] Muscular and lean, believe me. Definitely fuzzy, though.
I've always loved that picture of Ewan. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with the link is /st-theme at the end. If you remove that it works. Try the link below.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mattonimages.co.uk/images/jpg/pa_paa100000066.html/sok-buttocks/sim-VER_FAN2025166.JPG
If you've seen the movie "300" you've seen the most perfect example of a great Scottish butt...Gerard Butler, need I say more? ;)
ReplyDeletejuliet--
ReplyDeleteMy younger daughter saw '300'. I asked her what she thought of it, to which she replied, "Gerard Butler running around in leather panties. What's not to like?"
Oh yeah. Gerry Butler had a really nice butt!
ReplyDeleteDiana, your daughter has exceptional taste!
I'm sitting here laughing my arse off! If you're needing any additional research help, please let me know. ;)
ReplyDeleteargh! (and it's not even International Talk Like a Pirate Day!)
ReplyDeleteI just can't get to that mattonimages link at all. I even tried going to just http://www.mattonimages.co.uk/ so I could work my way up, but it says "Internet Explorer cannot dispay the webpage". bleah.
Jen in Oz
I think I am in the wrong field of research lol. I would much prefer looking at naked buttocks instead of bacteria hehehe.
ReplyDeleteI like that not five pages into this novel we will see Jamie's wonderful sculpted rear. Bless you, Diana. :)
ReplyDeletehttp://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/2719649080091820248OuHoWV
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping this link works. Just posted 3 pics of Gerard; one the '300' butt shot, and 2 other ones of him in a kilt! Gotta love a Scotsman in a kilt.
**Just to toss out there, if ever the Outlander series was made into movies, Gerry would be a great Roger.
RE: the link - the website that it is located on is not allowing external "referer" links from sites other than itself. THAT is what is forbidden. You can copy & paste and it should work, but no matter how many times you click it from this blog you will never get there.
ReplyDelete(That's an old webmaster trick. :) I use it myself, to keep people from referencing my images without linking to a page.)
BTW, I like Jamie's butt and all, but it's nothing without the dialogue. I fell in love with Jamie because of how he was written, not how he was drawn! ;)
Thanks Diana!
nope, even manually typing the link over again doesn't bring it up for me. Oh well, I'll just have to be both deprived AND depraved and look forward to seeing Jamie's butt on page 5 of the gn.
ReplyDeleteJen in Oz
Gotta love a nicely shaped man butt. Thanks for sharing the inspiration pics for Jamie's caboose!
ReplyDeleteI, too, have no access to the winner's gluteous maximus, and I'm bad at cutting and pasting. As I have very definite mental images of both Jamie and Claire, I think I'll stick with those.
ReplyDeleteShewhosawspirits
The image of Claire was amazing to me - I pitcured her almost identical as the drawing. I'm dying to see Jamie but I hope his buns aren't too lean.
ReplyDeleteI think the youtube ads are not for Dewar's. This one is great:
ReplyDeleteWilliam Lawson's - Great Scotch Whisky #2 (men on horseback,with and without plaids).
"Gluteus" is the term for the sets of muscles that form one's buttocks (both maximus and minimus, mine more maximus)..."gluteous" sounds like what your morning oatmeal becomes when you let it sit too long!
ReplyDeleteWeeel, I was "forbidden" access as well. One way to keep us all guessing about Jamie's wonderful bum!!
ReplyDeleteJust tried your idea Diana about copy and paste. Not a bad view, however, room for improvement. Jamie is a horserider, this is not a horserider's lean muscular bum (this I know). What fun to keep researching!!
ReplyDeleteWell, I think I am finally getting the hang of this blogging stuff...of course it takes almost as much time to stay caught up reading all new posts, as it does reading THE BOOKS! (JK) Not quite sure how you fit all of this into your life, plus writing...
ReplyDeleteDIANA: Do you know if Authors have any input as to which actors are chosen for their characters when movies are made? If so, (and I think your daughter will agree) I think it would be fantastic if you get Gerard Butler to play Jamie...and not only because he has a nice arse...he has the eyes, the body, the accent and he looks great in a kilt! A little red hair dye and our Jamie lives!
On another note; I read somewhere on a blog, or maybe on your web page, about another author you recommended...Sara Donati...and somewhere I read something about Claire and Jamie visiting one of Sara's chapters...is this true? And if it is, does one need permission to use said characters?
I guess this just goes to show how Jamie and Claire have entered (and remained) in our minds and souls...I can barely read another book without comparing it to your writing and (our *G*) characters in the Outlander series...
I believe you've spoiled me!
I see you are a night owl too...
I am off to bed to cozy up with the last few chapters of A Breath of Snow and Ashes...
Sorry for the Youtube misdirection. It is Lawson's not Dewar's, and here is a link to the scene on horseback:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFQonTlU66I
I haven't been able to access Youtube for several days. Everytime I tried, my browser shut down. Problem seems to have been resolved.
Sharon--
ReplyDeleteNo, authors don't usually have anything to say about casting, I'm afraid.
Sara Donati is the pen name of an electronic friend of mine. Years (and years) ago, she'd noticed my mentioning (in an online books group we both hung around with) that I'd be using the Battle of Saratoga at some point in my story.
As it happened, the book she was working on (her first novel) had a character who'd fought in that battle, even though the book itself is set some twenty years later. She sent me a (very brief) scene she'd written, in which her character was telling another stories about his experiences during this battle, and mentioned that at one point, someone's child had become ill, and they sent someone to summon a famous healer called "the White Witch," who crossed the rebel lines to treat the child. This woman was accompanied by her husband, "Colonel Fraser," and her husband's nephew.
Period. Jamie and Claire don't appear as characters; they're just mentioned in a story one of her characters tells, as though they were real historical characters of the time. My friend said that of course she wouldn't do this, if I objected (yes, you _do_ need permission from an author to use their characters), but I laughed and said no, go ahead--I thought it was a funny sort of literary in-joke, and it would be interesting to see if anyone noticed.
Then her publisher chose to make a Big Hairy Deal about how I thought so highly of her book (which _is_ a good book) that I'd allowed her to use my characters in it! (which is not the case, as I said) Giving the impression that Jamie and Claire are all over it, and appear as characters, which they aren't and don't. But there is a two-paragraph mention of them, yeah.
Thanks for clarifying that for me...
ReplyDeleteI'm quite sure that if I had been reading Sara's book, and came across a paragraph or two regarding The "White Witch and her husband Colonal Fraser", I would have noticed!
I have Sara's books. It is a family series, however, not time travel,etc. Like Diana, she has done her historical research. That aside, have to say nobody can match Diana's sense of humour in her books.
ReplyDeletePS I'm a big Lord John fan!
Sherrye--
ReplyDeleteI so totally agree with you about nobody matching Diana's sense of humor...(nor her ability to pull you so deeply into her stories that you feel a part of it)
I am thinking of reading the Donati books while waiting for book 7..only because Diana has made mention of one of them being well written. I also have the first Lord John book, and plan to get to know him better soon...
side note; Man I hate that when you look at an earlier post you've written and realize you have a spelling error...ackkkkk~
Dear Chezza--
ReplyDeleteWell, Lord John _does_ have a straight brother--and Hal is a nice guy, if a trifle burdened by responsibility. [g] Married, though.
Wow.
ReplyDeleteFor one thing, it's maybe just the part of Scotland I'm from, but my arse isn't nearly so round.
I'm wishing I'd grown up closer to Inverness!
For another, I can honestly say I never thought I would spend an evening flicking through pictures on men's backsides to see if they agreed with my mental picture.
Ms. Gabaldon, you must have the patience of a saint for all the research you do and being able to have such a personal approach to your very personal blog.
Kudos to you and thank you for the wonderful books.
My daughter just asked my why I was laughing so hard! Now, I couldn't tell her the reason was that I was looking at pictures of Jamie's butt, so I had to make something up!
ReplyDeleteThanks for making a cold, cold, January night, much warmer!!!
Dear Chezza--
ReplyDeleteRED ANT'S HEAD isn't finished yet. One of these days...but I really do have to finish AN ECHO IN THE BONE and the graphic novel (don't have an official title for that one yet) before I concentrate on RED ANT (I have about half the book written, but there really aren't enough hours in the day).
(Oh--WHITE KNIGHT was the original working title for RED ANT'S HEAD, so really doesn't exist, as such.)
Found one that isn't bad. Pity about the woman and her hands though.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mattonimages.co.uk/images/jpg/zef_42-18030288.html/sok-Butt
Found the image..my God!...PERFECT!
ReplyDelete