John Dilbeck Musings

Nancy Williams, a resident of Graham County, North Carolina, announces the publication of her new book, A Matter of Destiny. If you are interested in a fast-paced story that combines UFOs, aliens, government conspiracies, and political intrigue, this book may be right for you.

Her background in the US Air Force and knowledge of ham radios, combined with an actual incident that occurred in Brookhaven, NY in 1992, make the fictional story more realistic and exciting.

The sequel, Agenda 21 Conspiracy, will feature a plot set in Andrews, Murphy, and the Nantahala Gorge in western North Carolina.

A Matter of Destiny is available in Murphy, NC, at the Curiosity Bookstore in Shoppes of Murphy on Valley River Avenue; in Fontana Village at Ditmore Drugs; in Robbinsville at The Graham Star; in Hayesville at Lloyd Bookstore; and in Waynesville at Osundu’s.

You can order the book from her website at www.NLWilliamsWriter.com.

To order offline, mail a check for $15.95 ($12.95 and $3.00 shipping) to: N. L. Williams, P. O. Box 1477, Robbinsville, NC 28771.

Nancy Williams will be making a number of personal appearances over the coming months. Don’t miss the chance to get an autographed copy.

Come enjoy the Spring Heritage Festival in Andrews, NC 28901 on Saturday, April 17, 2004 from 8:00 am until 3:00 pm.

What will you find here?

Gospel, Bluegrass, dancing, food, arts & crafts, pets to adopt, clowns, balloons, bubbles and tattoos, moon walk, mini train, and fun, fun, fun!

For more information, call 828-321-9553.

Anticipate to Participate

Celebrate Spring with a Fling

It’s a Mountain Thing!

Appalachian Highland Games will be moving to a new venue for their 4th annual presentation of Irish, Scottish, and Celtic heritage.

From their web page:

“In 2004, Appalachian Highland Games will move to Andrews, NC 28901. All events will be held in the Andrews Recreation Park. Our new venue is larger, more people friendly, and easier to get to than ever before. Large parking areas adjacent to the Park make for easy access. Parking is FREE! There is ample seating around the securely fenced athletics area. Take a stroll under the oaks and sample the wares of our vendors. Enjoy a variety of acts and entertainment such as sheep herding, Highland dancing demonstrations and singing, youth events and pipe and drum bands. Tour the Heritage tent and learn about the early Scottish settlers whose descendants still populate these mountains, visit with the mountain crafters as they practice ancient skills. Come by the Tartans Museum booth and discover your tartan. Talk to Clan representatives and learn more about yourself and your forbears.”

The gates open at 8:00 am on September 11, 2004. Visit their website for more information about pricing and for driving directions and a map.

The 4th Annual Appalachian Highland Games will be fun for your whole family.

Yesterday, for the first time in a couple of months, I attended the monthly Heritage Tourism Roundtable meeting in Andrews, NC. This meeting is held the first Tuesday of each month from 10:00 am until approximately 2:00 pm at the St. Andrews Lutheran Church.

I enjoyed seeing friends and catching up on what’s happening in the four western-most counties of North Carolina and on the progress we’re making for promoting heritage tourism in our area.

One of the guests at the meeting was Ben Utley, a lifelong educator who is now residing in western North Carolina.

He announced the upcoming debut of NCMtnMade.com, “A Heritage Database of authentic music, authors, storytellers, and handmade arts/crafts of Western North Carolina.”

If you’d like to be informed of what’s happening at this site, there is a preview page up and running and you can subscribe to their mailing list to be informed when it goes live.

Ben has some great ideas about promoting our heritage of fine art, crafts, toys, music and food, and I’d like to send my best wishes for success with this project.