Outlander author Diana Gabaldon says she feels 'at…

Outlander author Diana Gabaldon says she feels 'at home' in the Highlands as she gushes over love of Scotland

Outlander has returned to our screens for the highly anticipated season seven, and best-selling author for first bringing the franchise to life, Diana Gabaldon, has opened up on her love for Scotland where the show is based in a new interview.

The 71-year-old has had people across the globe gripped by the love tale of Claire (played by Catriona Balfe) and Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) in the time-travelling historical romance drama which is partly set in the Scottish Highlands.

For its adaption for the small-screen by Starz, which brought Diana's books to life, fans get glimpses of the gorgeous Highland countryside including Glencoe, Culloden Moor, Urquhart Castle and The Highland Folk Museum.

Throughout the series, it tells the love story of World War II nurse Claire Randall, who falls hopelessly in love with Jamie Fraser and Diana had a similar tale revealing her red-headed husband was her greatest inspiration, colouring the Outlander debut.

"The moment I saw Scotland I felt that it was home. Having visited for 35 years I have a special feeling in my heart for the country and the Highlands," Diana said during an interview with the Press and Journal.

Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan as Claire and Jamie Fraser. (Associated Press)

"The history is amazing. Scotland is multi-faceted, it is like looking into a diamond."

Diana smiled as she added: "I was engaged to a nice young man when I was in college. About six months after we became engaged, I walked into the first day of marching band practice and sat down next to this tall, red-headed French horn player.

"At the end of that practice, I gave my fiance back his ring. I have been married to that French horn player for the last 51 years."

Diana shares three children with her husband Doug Watkins, and explained how she finds his words inspiring both her writing for the novels over the years and TV scripts.

She added: "At the end of the fifth book, The Fiery Cross, Jamie says, ‘When I die, if my last words aren’t I love you, it’s because I didn’t have time’. This is something my husband said to me one morning."

Although bonnie Scotland will always be with her, Claire and Jamie Fraser might not as we previously reported season eight is set to be the last, coinciding with the 10th book, although she has teased there could be another book to come.

She said: "I am intending it to be the final one so that I can bring the series to a satisfying conclusion."

"I wrote Outlander for practice. As I got to the third book in the three-book contract, I surprised the agent when I called to say, ‘I am afraid there is a fourth book’. So, perhaps the 10th may not be the last…," she added with a wide grin when speaking to the publication.

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Outlander author Diana Gabaldon says she feels 'at home' in the Highlands as she gushes over love of Scotland

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