Outlander and the Great Dismal Swamp

By:  Tara

On September 10, 2017, I was thrilled to attend the “Bookmarks: Festival of Books and Authors” at R. J. Reynolds Auditorium in Winston Salem, NC.  Diana Gabaldon, celebrated author of the Outlander series, was the keynote speaker.  There are currently eight books in the series, (we want more!) exploring the lives of several intriguing characters.   Stretching across oceans and time, these books could be labeled as science or historical fiction, or tales of romance and war.  Locations and time periods span from the Scottish Rising in the Highlands to the American Revolution in North Carolina.

Diana’s reaction to receiving my “Dismal Swamp Welcome Center” business card was priceless! “aye, just a wee little copperhead.”

STARZ brought the books to the small screen in 2014.  The third and current season, follows the third book, Voyager, in her series.

The Dismal Swamp is featured as the backdrop for many characters in  An Echo in the Bone, her 7th book of the series.   Upon meeting Diana at her book signing, I slid my “Dismal Swamp Canal Welcome Center” business card across the table and her reaction was amazing!   Without missing a beat, she replied “aye, just a wee little copperhead.”  Many fans will recognize the quote as a reference to William becoming lost in the Great Dismal Swamp.

I’m so excited to share my personal Outlander story with visitors and fans of this interesting series!

 

The author signed my copy!!

Tara has read every Outlander book and novella, to date, and has introduced other staff to the series.  She works as a Travel Consultant at the DSWC, providing a friendly face and information to NC travelers.