Loretta Hall

Formerly a high school math teacher, Loretta Hall started a new career as a freelance writer in 1990. She has written magazine articles on many topics, including travel, business, and construction. She has also written reference book chapters on such topics as Native American tribes, biographies of scientists and mathematicians, and how various products are made. When she gets intrigued with something and can't find a book to satisfy her curiosity about it, she does her own research and writes the book for others who want to know about that topic. For instance, In 2009, when plans for Spaceport America, the country's first purpose-built commercial spaceflight facility, began moving forward, she was fascinated to discover the important role New Mexico has played in the development of space travel. She decided to herald that unheralded history by writing "Out of this World: New Mexico's Contributions to Space Travel," the only book to document the historic events in the state and the personal stories of the people who accomplished them. She also created a website, https://NMSpaceHistory.com, to supplement the book with news items and additional insights. Out of this World was named Best New Mexico Book in the 2011 New Mexico Book Awards.

While doing research for "Out of this World," Loretta discovered a treasure trove of oral history interviews conducted under the sponsorship of the International Space Hall of Fame Foundation. She obtained permission to use them as the basis of her next book. "Space Pioneers: In Their Own Words" is an annotated collection of excerpts from the interviews of ninety men and women who participated in space projects from 1945 through the space shuttle era. The associated website is https://SpacePioneerWords.com. Space Pioneers was named Best Book of the 2014 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards and won a silver award in the science category of the 2014 IndieFab Book of the Year Awards.

Loretta's next book was published in 2016. "The Complete Space Buff's Bucket List: 100 Space Things to Do Before You Die" is the fourth in a series of bucket list books published by Rio Grande Books. Loretta's book offers a variety of activities, some simple and some challenging and/or expensive. It's a fun way to learn about space exploration and give yourself new experiences. The following year, Loretta wrote the illustrated children's book Miguel & Michelle Visit Spaceport America.

In 2020, Loretta worked as a co-author of Wally Funk's memoir--Higher, Faster, Longer: My Life in Aviation and My Quest for Spaceflight. Wally is an inspiring role model for positive attitude, perseverance in the face of repeated roadblocks, and women succeeding in historically male-dominated professions. See more at https://wallyfly.com.

Another idea caught Loretta's attention several years ago. For her technical articles, she often does research in the University of New Mexico's science and engineering library, which is a completely underground building. She began to wonder how common subterranean structures are, and how their design and construction differ from more conventional buildings. Not being able to find a comprehensive, non-academic book on the subject, she decided to write the book she wanted to read. The result was "Underground Buildings: More than Meets the Eye." Her web site SubsurfaceBuildings.com features new information on building below ground. She is certified as a Green Building Technical Professional.

Loretta has also written three books for educational publishers. "Arab American Biography" and "Arab American Voices" were published by U*X*L in 1999. "From Skyscrapers to Superdomes: Forces in Balance," a supplemental text for middle schoolers, was published by Newbridge Educational Publishing in 2005.

Loretta is a member of the National Space Society, the Society for the History of Technology, the National Federation of Press Women, and the Historical Society of New Mexico's Speakers Bureau. She and her husband, Jerry, live in Albuquerque, New Mexico.