Diana J. Gabaldon American writer, novelist Date of Birth: 11.01.1952 Country: USA

1. Biography of Diana Gabaldon
2. Early Life
3. Education and Career
4. Writing Career
5. Television Adaptation
6. Personal Life

Biography of Diana Gabaldon

Diana J. Gabaldon is an American writer and novelist, best known for her series of books "Outlander". She writes in multiple genres, including historical fiction, romance, adventure, and science fiction. Her works have been highly successful, with large print runs and television adaptations.

Early Life

Diana was born in Arizona. Her father, Tony Gabaldon, was of mixed Mexican-American descent, while her mother, Jacqueline Sykes, had some English blood. Tony Gabaldon served as a senator from Arizona for 16 years and later became the head of Coconino County. Diana spent her childhood in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Education and Career

Diana attended Northern Arizona University from 1970 to 1973, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in zoology. She then pursued a Master's degree in marine biology at the University of California, San Diego from 1973 to 1975. From 1975 to 1978, she worked on her doctoral dissertation on behavioral ecology at Northern Arizona University.

In 1984, Gabaldon founded the publication "Science Software Quarterly" and worked at the Center for Environmental Studies at Arizona State University. In the mid-1980s, she wrote software reviews, technical articles, and popular science articles. She also wrote comics for the Walt Disney Company.

Prior to focusing on her writing career, Gabaldon worked as a professor, teaching environmental science at Arizona State University for 12 years.

Writing Career

Gabaldon wrote her first novel in 1988. She initially intended to write only for practice and had no plans to show her work to anyone. Inspired by an episode of the TV show "Doctor Who", she created her main character, James Fraser, based on the character Jamie McCrimmon.

Gabaldon's debut novel, originally titled "Cross Stitch", was later changed to "Outlander" in the United States. The series consists of eight books, with the final book, "Written in My Own Heart's Blood", published in 2014. She also wrote a spin-off series called "Lord John", which currently consists of eight books.

Television Adaptation

The television adaptation of Gabaldon's "Outlander" series premiered on the Starz channel in 2014. The series has been well-received by both critics and viewers.

Personal Life

Diana Gabaldon currently resides in Scottsdale, Arizona, with her husband Doug Watkins. They have three adult children, one of whom, Sam Sykes, is also a writer.

Gabaldon's writing has been highly acclaimed, and she has received numerous literary awards. Her books have topped the bestseller lists, including "The New York Times".