Perhaps it's because she was born under the sign of Aquarius, but Hilary Nangle has always had a passion for the coast. Since she first watched the sun rise out of the Atlantic while waiting for the school bus in Cape Elizabeth, the ocean has been a constant in her life.

In college, Hilary discovered her love for writing. She briefly pursued a graduate degree in Middle Eastern studies, but when she realized her intended career path would take her far from Maine, she dropped out. She subsequently became a ski and whitewater-rafting bum, an experience that introduced her to the state's back roads and ignited her wanderlust. When she tired of her parents asking when she was going to get a “real” job, she drew on her writing skills, working as an editor for the pro ski tour, managing editor for a food trade publication, features editor for a daily newspaper, and freelance writer/editor.

Hilary never tires of exploring Maine, always seeking out the offbeat and quirky. To her husband's dismay, she inherited her grandmother's shopping gene and can't pass a used bookstore, artisans' gallery, or antiques shop without browsing. She's equally curious about food—she’s never met a lobster she didn't like. Hilary still divides her year between the coast and the mountains, residing with her husband, photographer Tom Nangle, and two oversized dogs, Bernie and Dooley, all of whom share her passions for long walks and Maine-made ice cream. To learn more about Hilary, please visit her website, www.HilaryNangle.com, and click on her blog, where she keeps her readers updated on what's new in Maine.