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Martha L. Hall

Martha L. Hall is a freelance writer who found herself in a newsroom because she was a good speller. Her journalist husband and his editor constantly called from work, asking how to spell various words. One day they decided to offer her a job and save on the phone bill. She has been a features writer, a columnist and a lifestyles editor as well as a writer of advertorial copy for medical catalogs and an editor of novels. Like nearly every writer, she is working on a novel. Hers is about one of her favorite places — Beaufort. She also works as a substitute teacher in the Craven County school system, does publicity for RiverTowne Repertory Players in New Bern and is the editor of the Historic New Bern Herald. Martha's favorite things are her husband, her three children, her grandchildren, her cat, singing, acting, reading and collecting “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” monkeys. (Please do not send her any monkeys. She has at least 1,500 of them and they have taken over her house and her life.) Martha likes to think of herself as a "Renaissance Woman," if that could be construed as someone who has done a lot of different things, never made much money but has enjoyed every minute of the time involved. She would list these things but it would be shorter to list what she hasn't done — she has never been an astronaut, a cowboy or a fireman.

Tabbie Nance was one of the original co-authors of the first Insiders' Guide® to North Carolina's Central Coast in 1991. She continued co-authoring the publication for five years — in the days before the online version — and then returned to the Insider's Guide four years ago. Tabbie holds an undergraduate degree in communications with a minor in human relations from High Point College (now University) and a master's degree in library studies from East Carolina University. She moved to Carteret County 25 years ago to work as a reporter/photographer for the local newspaper. A North Carolina native, she is now the Communications Director for the Carteret County Public School System and continues to freelance for a variety of publications. Tabbie is involved in various community volunteer activities. Her hobbies including training for and racing in road races and triathlons (swimming, biking, running); training her hunting dog, Belle; hunting; cooking; quilting; and spending time outside —especially in and on the water.