Nancy Roberts (author)
Nancy Roberts was an American writer and storyteller who was often described as the "First Lady of American Folklore." A best selling author, she presented storytelling programs and lectures on creative writing at clubs, public libraries, schools, and universities. The author of over two dozen books, Roberts began writing ghost stories for the Charlotte Observer. Carl Sandburg encouraged her to publish her stories as a book. In 1958 she followed his advice and her books have sold over one million copies earning her national recognition including a nomination for the Great Western Writers iSpur Award and a certificate of commendation from the American Association for State and Local History.
Southern Living magazine described her as the "custodian of the twilight zone."
Nancy MacRae Correll was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Milton Correll and Maud MacRae. Her family was originally from North Carolina and Nancy returned to the state in the 1950s. Early in her career, she owned a newspaper in Maxton, North Carolina called the Scottish Chief. During this time, she hired photographer Bruce Roberts to work on the paper. They subsequently married, but divorced in the 1980s. They had two children. Her next marriage to Jim Brown lasted until her death 30 years later. They enjoyed traveling around the country researching material for her books. She was a devout Christian and became an ordained minister during this time. She continued writing books and stories until a few months before her death on July 1, 2008. Her final resting place is at Sharon Memorial Cemetery in Charlotte, North Carolina.