My thanks to the honorable elected officials of the Town of Blacksburg, and Montgomery County, Virginia, who informally answered questions and gave suggestions and advice.
After writing much of Road to Nowhere, I searched a map of North Carolina to find my fictional Jefferson County. Just north of Asheville, up the interstate, is the real and strikingly similar Madison County. It was interesting to visit and see the places I’d written about, not knowing they actually existed. But Jefferson came first and is my own invention.
Also, my special thanks to Paula Bolte for the use of her real Annie Kay’s Mainstreet Market. As soon as Jefferson County is done with it, I’ll give it right back.