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Show THE DAILY HERALD, I'rovo, I'tah, Sunday, December 3. 1995 Page D6 After almost 40 years, Taffy's tales may be ending By MARTHA WAGGONER Associated Press Writer In the BUXTON, N.C. Yes, Carol Dillon lived on Hatteras Island where she had a dog and a horse. No, she did not help capture a German spy during World War 11, but her mother did. And no, she wasn't chloroformed and left to burn to death. That's how it goes with historical fiction like "Taffy of Torpedo Junction." a book published in 1957 and on the verge of going out of print. Some is true, some is based on truth and some is artistic license. The book is about Taffy Willis, who lived along the Outer Banks during World War II, when patrolled the coast. Dillon then Carol was the model for written by Nell Wise Wechter, who died in 1989. Mrs. Wechter taught seventh grade at Cape Hatteras School and boarded Mrs. White "Taffy." for several years with Mis. Dillon's mother. Taffy should be required reading for school children, Mrs. Dillon says. "It depicts a way of life they're not familiar with. Even though it's fiction, it still depicts what went on during the war." 1 he book's authenticity, including its use of the Outer Banks brogue, has kept it alive for almost 40 years, agreed Marcia Wechter Kass of Pensacola. Fla., the author's daughter. Alive maybe, but not kicking, according to the publisher, John F. Blair Publisher in Winston-Salem- . Sales just don't justify another printing, said company president Carolyn Sakowski. Mrs. Kass is not ready to give up on "Taffy." She has the page negatives and a nibble from another publishing firm, she says. "I can't contest their business decision," she says of Blair. "But I also could not help responding emotionally. If there's something I can do to keep 'Taffy' afloat and available to a new generation, I think I should try." book, Taffy, her dog, Brandy, and her friend, Malene, help capture a German saboteur attempting to come ashore. In real life, Mrs. Dillon's mother, Maude Miller White, was a postmistress on the island who became suspicious of a German man who frequently mailed heavy wooden boxes. When she would ask what was in the boxes, he would say books or papers. Mrs. White reported the packages to the U.S. government, which followed the man to New York, where he was arrested, Mrs. Dillon says. In his boxes were detailed maps of the East Coast from Maine to Florida, she says. Her mother received a commendation from the U.S. government. Mrs. Dillon remembers that the would surface when area fishermen went by. The German soldiers would ask the fishermen for any food they had. "If they had it. they gave it to them, believe me," Mrs. Dillon says. "They knew they were sinking ships. That happened every ' I" tj v- - - " - x , . 1 ' 5 '; t , ix-- at Utah Valley State College. tor are welcome. Lambert was raised in Provo and graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor's RL33 FaiM J . J" " , - , i ir'ij ,.?.' ;Wi " ' "1 Fort Lauderdale y "lx - r- -- t d v ? AP Photo Carol Dillon, who was portrayed as Taffy Willis in the book "Taffy of Torpedo Junction," holds up a copy of the book in Buxton, N.C. The small volume is about a young girl who lived along the Outer Banks during World War II. says. They are interested not only in but also in life along Hat- teras Island in general in the 1940s, when the homes had no electricity and the road consisted of two ruts. Most cars had no license plates; if you left the island, you had to borrow one, Mrs. Dillon says. However, that interest just hasn't translated into sales. Taffy was out of print for several years when the hardcover edition sold out. In 1990, Blair decided to conduct agement. For more information or mem bership please contact Mary 7 at or Nanieve Callahan at pyscholo-gycommunicati- Mar-tinda- post-gradua- te 489-967373-899- le "an interesting experiment to see if had a life with a new generation." About 3,000 paperback copies were printed. Five years later, Blair has just sold that printing. Only 300 copies have sold in each of the last three years, Ms. ?l r' Sakowski says. "It's a wonderful little book," she says. But it doesn't seem to appeal to today's young adult readers. "I have 11- - and nieces who prefer the Babysitter Club more than they would want to read something like Taffy," she says. "I don't know if that's good or bad." Twice The I f xrvke "Carl & Oottie" Thornhill or save 30 off one When vou Durchase one Dair of orescriotion evealasses at reaular price, vou may select a second pair of evealasses with anv frame ud to equal value ot the first pair with clear, single vision, plastic lenses . Bifocals are extra. Or save 30 on one pair. 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DIRTY WINDOWS? OFF THE RETAIL PRICE ON OUR STARTER PACKAGE . 0 Co!dwD Binker West Realty Chamber of Commerce and a member of the m $209.99 - 224-795- 966-944- 1 REG. LIST S325.00 : Ullra Daily or Flexible Wear, $39 per pair1 Salt Lake City: Cottonwood Mall Valley Fair Shopping Center 9. 7 f. B&L A DELUX BAINB RIDGE tiLU'j ; "None of the toys this year have lived up to being the next Cabbage Patch doll or being the next Power Ranger," Reysen says. "When that happens, retailers look for 20 to 30 good-sellin- g toys, and that's what seems to be happening." According to Toy Manufacturers of America, an industry trade group based in New York, the average family will spend $350 per child on toys this year . dur-in-g action figures and products ' related to this year's "Pocahon- tas," "Batman Forever" and "Casper." But even those celluloid' heroes haven't seen the super-- 1 ' star success of, say, last year's ' "The Lion King," experts say.' "There are a lot of great toys out there, but nothing super- -' duper hot," says Scott Miller, manager at the Target store in Plantation. "If we have a slight increase over last year, we'll consider that (we've done) very well." Not that that's bad. "It's almost healthier for the toy companies to spread the wealth around," Reysen says.. watchers. I of that two-thir- the holidays. (That doesn't include the amount spent on computers, electronics or video ( games, which totaled $5 billion alone in retail sales last year.) Without a megahit, retailers and manufacturers are counting on a mix of traditional and new' toys, with strong sales of staples such as Barbie and an array of "; Sun-Sentin- el blockbuster toy," says Frank Reysen, editor of "Playthings" magazine in New York, echoing the sentiment of many retailers, manufacturers and toy industry WE pmi'iM about By KATHLEEN KERNICKY 1 v"K Santa, Santa, at the mall, which toy will sell the most of all? Remember last year? When the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers ran roughshod over Santa's elves, who couldn't restock shelves fast enough for desperate moms and dads? Relax. "This is a year in which there doesn't seem to be any in educational disorders. She has also done work in leadership development. She is currently the president of the board of the Women's Business Network, a board member of the Provo-Ore- Vj!' V-'-, - The Germans never bothered the fishermen, saving their torpedoes for the tankers, Mrs. Dillon says. She also remembers finding "great big Hershey bars" in the pockets of U.S. lifeboats that floated ashore with no one aboard. "I remember how big the bars were," she says. The local school had windows that went from the ceiling to the floor. When the Germans opened fire, "it would rattle those windows until you thought they were coming out of their sashes." Eventually, the United States began to respond to the threat off the Outer Banks. "After we got going we were sinking more of the than they would be sinking tankers." About once a year, Mrs. Dillon is invited to speak at the island school to children from various parts of the state who are studying North Carolina history. "This is the only book these children ask any questions about," she degree Retailers predict no . big hit toys this yean 3 4 "' day." Visi- fffifflTal v rJf ' Council to feature humanities speaker The Women's Legislative Council of Utah County will meet Dec. 7 at 9:30 a.m. in the Women's Council Building, 310 W. 500 North, Provo. The featured speaker will be Lisa Lambert, director of development for the school of humanities - s Umimev irfcs; Is' if ' LANE tUHDATt 4 DISCOVER . CLtARAUCR STORE W. 00th SO. AND. PM.miri EXTRA IAYIW08 Of 10 TO 70 21 AMERICAN EXPREII |