Highland Games are Back! Photos by Nancy Lee Badger

Hubby, son Eric, and I attended last weekend's Loch Norman Highland Games in Huntersville, North Carolina. It is held normally annually about three hours southwest of Raleigh and just north of Charlotte at the Rural Hill Historic site. 

We watched a blacksmith create tools

and weapons over a hot air-fired furnace.

We attend the Loch Norman Highland Games every year EXCEPT in 2019, because my dad had recently passed and I was too busy helping mom in Florida to think about the games. The games were canceled in 2020 and 2021.  

The rock band SEVEN NATIONS was awesome!

Taking a chance to attend these games was fulfilling, especially taking photos of the historic encampment site AND of my favorites...the Highland cows. 

Recognize 15 year old Bubba? 

I used his image from about five years ago

 to make my book cover for LOVE, HAMISH

More to come, or you can check out my Facebook page HERE!

The Return of Scottish Highland Games

The pandemic has canceled so many events, but a few festivals in America are making abbreviated comebacks. Event listings can change on a dime, so it is best to do your own research before planning to attend.

Here are a few that ARE scheduled:

New Hampshire Highland Games will be held on Sept. 17-19 (canceled last year) My sources claim that tickets are sold out and NO tickets will be available at the gate. Make a note to attend in 2022 when, hopefully, the pandemic will bring everything back to normal.

Swamp Fox Highland Games will be held in Florence, SC September 25, 2021

Prescott Arizona Celtic Festival  will be September 25-26 2021

Celticfest Mississippi on the Rez  will be October 23-24 2021

Celtic Classic Highland Games in Bethlehem, PB will be October 24-26

Charleston SC Highland Games will be held November 6 2021

This is a very short list for something so popular in America, but the pandemic is the biggest reason against bringing thousands of people together. So, if you can attend such an event, wear a mask and keep hugs to yourself.

Stay safe!

Nancy Lee Badger

 

A New Release! a Kilted Boxed Set

My newest release, just in time for holiday shopping, is Highland Games Through Time. This boxed set includes three of my time travel romances set in the late 16th century, in and around the Highlands of Scotland, and at a fictitious modern-day Highland games in New England. 

I included:
My Honorable Highlander

My Banished Highlander

My Reluctant Highlander

As a bonus, I have included

my award-winning novella

Dragon in the Mist

Bought as separate ebooks, these 900+ pages would cost $11.97 

My Introductory Price is only 99 cents (US)

*Send the ebook as a gift with an Amazon Gift Certificate

 Buy Links: Amazon     Amazon CAN     Amazon UK     Amazon Aus

...and don't miss out on this 

multi-author boxed set filled
with more time travel romance
at Amazon

MY BANISHED HIGHLANDER is a Goodreads Giveaway

The contest ended.
Congratulations to my three lucky winners, chosen by Goodreads:
Ashley Lopez
Becky Moneyhun
Shawn Clark
The autographed printed copies of MY BANISHED HIGHLANDER are on their way!

I am giving away paperback copies of

MY BANISHED HIGHLANDER.

This is the 2nd book in the series and was released last September. The contest is over at Goodreads and you have until May 31st to enter!

*no purchase necessary/Goodreads.com chooses the winners

Nancy Lee Badger Twitter me @nlbadger

DRAGON IN THE MIST, a Loch Ness Contemporary Romance, AVAILABLE HERE

MY HONORABLE HIGHLANDER, Book #1, AVAILABLE HERE

MY BANISHED HIGHLANDER, Book #2 AVAILABLE HERE

MY RELUCTANT HIGHLANDER, Book #3, is COMING SOON!

Win Nancy Lee Badger's DRAGON....

While researching the poetry of Robert Frost to use in my soon-to-be-released book, MY RELUCTANT HIGHLANDER, I wondered if my readers would question why an American poet's work was quoted in a Scottish time travel romance.

First of all, my hero is a present-day American Blacksmith. A farrier, who shoes horses, and who finds himself back in 1603 Scotland. When we first met him, in the 1st book in the Highland Games Through Time series, he was leaning against a tree at the New England Highland Games, secretly reading a book of Robert Frost poetry.

Jake Jamison is my 'hero' in book #3, so I thought a little poetry would work. My research found several poems no long under copyright protection, and I chose a few lines of one that is dear to my heart...so much so, that the title of this blog is loosely named after it.

Can you guess the poem's title? If you know it, leave your answer and email address in a comment for a chance to

WIN A PRIZE

Since I do not yet have a cover for my newest book, above is a photo of the prize: a gorgeous double-sided window sticker of Keltic Dragons by Jan Delyth.

Who doesn't love dragons? Do you? Then you will love these books (as well as MY RELUCTANT HIGHLANDER)

Dragon In The Mist   

 

Dragon's Curse

 

                                                             Southern Fried Dragon

Drawing will be Friday May 24, 2013. GOOD LUCK!

Nancy Lee

NATIONAL TARTAN DAY & WEEK

 

Tartan Parade photo by Nancy Lee Badger

What is this you ask? Americans of Scottish descent are important citizens of the United States of America. Many clansmen and their families helped in the development of the United States. From the framers of the Declaration of Independence to the first man on the moon, Scottish-Americans have contributed in many aspects. I heard that there are more than eleven million Americans who claim Scottish and Scotch-Irish roots -- making them the eighth largest ethnic group in the United States.

For their contribution, these people and their accomplishments are honored on National Tartan Day, April 6th, which many communities stretch into NATIONAL TARTAN WEEK. Enjoy a bit of plaid!

The author and her husband wearing the MacBean Tartan

Nancy Lee  

Sounds, Sights, & Smells of the Scottish Games

I was reading my local newspaper the other day and a back page article caught my eye. Seems a local girl, Waverly Noble from Raleigh (NC), has spent half her eleven years learning to dance in the Scottish tradition.

It got me to thinking about the Scottish Highland Games and festivals that pop up around the area. I wish I could attend them all, but time and money seem to factor in when deciding where to go and what to see.

My boys, Eric and Robert

Highland dance, with the young women in beautiful kilts and socks, their hair in tight buns, and their hands on their hips, is a sight to behold. I raised two boys, so watching the girls perform is always a treat without the worry. Being a soccer mom was easier.

Have you ever attended a Scottish festival? If not, then you have missed out on the sounds, sights, and smells.

• Sounds such as a lonely bagpiper performing before a competition judge
• The sound of many marching bands as they march together playing Amazing Grace
• The happy sounds of kids petting sheep or a Highland cow
• The sight of muscular brutes tossing a telephone pole (the caber) end over end
• walking through a historical village and seeing how the Scottish lived long ago
• Seeing men of all sizes and ages strutting about in their Scottish finery. Yum!
• The smell of Haggis
• The delicious smell of baking meat pies 
• sheep

I will be heading north next month to again volunteer with my family at the 37th Annual New Hampshire Highland Games and Festival. It will be held at the Loon Mountain ski Area in Lincoln. If you plan to be in the area, it is well worth a stop, but get there EARLY. 30,000 people+ are expected!

Stop in and see me at the Information Tent.

For more information about the Games,

please click on NHScot.org