Gretchen Preston

Come join the fun at the WLUC TV 6 Holiday Crafts Fair this weekend in the Superior Dome on the campus of Northern Michigan University. I’ll be there with the Valley Cats. We are sharing our booth with Shannon Wyatt and her super cool ShannieTams, recycled natural fiber hats. We have named our booth, “Hats and Cats!” Come browse our books, try on a hat, and take home the perfect gift for that hard to buy person on your gift list. Show hours are: Friday, December 2nd from 5 pm. to 8 pm. Saturday from 10 am. to 6 pm. and Sunday from 10 am to 4pm. Got no money? Pets are free! Stop by to see me, mention this posting, and win a free Valley Cat audio CD. See you at the dome!


Floyd

Happy Halloween Everyone !

Come join the fun at the Peter White Public Library in Marquette on Friday, June 17th from 11 am. to 4 pm. The U.P. Publishers and Authors Association are holding a book market as a fund-raiser for the library. Live music, food trucks, games for kids and more! Come browse our locally written books, get your face painted or ease back in our massage chair. We will be waiting for you and your family. Help us help our fabulous library, see you there!

Happy 2016, filled with love, happiness and a little bit of luck!

Great to have you as a friend and good luck with the book sales. Keep reading and writing.

Spotlight Authors:

Ellen Anje is an aspiring author and a good friend. Please stop by her blog,technicolorlilypond at https://technicolorlilypond.wordpress.... And please give her new story a read at, http://www.abilitymaine.org/breath/su... .

Page of the day: http://www.puppiesinside.blogspot.com/

VALLEY CATS HEAD TO THE DOME!



Join Boonie and River this weekend at the WLUC TV 6 Holiday Craft Show! We will be showcasing our new books!

Valley of the Cats: Earth, Wind and Sky
Valley Cats: The Adventures of Boonie and River- Second Edition
Valley Cats: The Adventures of Boonie and River - CD Audio Book


Visit us at booth 202. Karin Neumann, the illustrator of the Valley Cat series will be there with prints of her fabulous Valley Cat illustrations. I will be there to autograph your gift books and to chat up VC fans!

Stop by the Superior Dome on the Northern Michigan University campus in Marquette on Friday, December 4th from 5 pm. to 9 pm. We’ll be there on Saturday 10 am. to 6 pm. Sunday, 11 am. to 4 pm.

COME SHOP OUR DOME SHOW SPECIALS!

Or

www.prestonhillpress.com

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT LAST HOLIDAY SEASON!

Preston Hill Press Presents


VALLEY OF THE CATS

Earth, Wind and Sky

clip_image002

Written by Gretchen Preston / Illustrated by Karin Neumann


Boonie, River and the cat-pals are excited to announce the release of the third book in our Valley Cat series! Santa’s sled is loaded and ready for book delivery!


Got a Valley Cat fan on your holiday gift-giving list? How 'bout sending your favorite kid back to Michigan’s spectacular Upper Peninsula! 14 new fun-filled Valley Cat adventures await! Readers tag along with the Valley Cats on a boat camping trip to Grand Island. Take a terrifying flying saucer ride down the toboggan run and learn about the concept of infinity by gazing into opposing mirrors. Valley Cats: Earth, Wind and Sky and the other books in the Valley Cat series are just a few clicks away!


Our hardcover, beautifully illustrated books are $19.95 plus shipping. We ship via priority mail to assure prompt delivery. Gift book(s) can be personalized to the recipient and autographed!


HOLIDAY SPECIAL!

Buy any 2 Valley Cat books for $38 or 3 books for $55 and SAVE!


www.prestonhillpress.com

Looking for a good book for a rainy day? Have a reader on your holiday gift list? Come to the Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors 2nd Annual U.P. Authors Day book Sale. 20 authors with nearly 100 books will be at the Westwood Mall in Marquette tomorrow, Saturday October 4th from noon to 6 pm.

Please help us get the word out by posting our event on your social media sites. I hope to see you there!

Gretchen Preston
www.prestonhillpress.com

Gretchen wrote: "Valley Cat Fans! Take a moment and nominate Gretchen Preston for this prestigious award!

Nominations due Sept 30 for second annual LSSU Writing the U.P. Award
Posted: September 25th, 2014
SAULT S..."


http://lssubordercrossing.wordpress.com/

Valley Cat Fans! Take a moment and nominate Gretchen Preston for this prestigious award!

Nominations due Sept 30 for second annual LSSU Writing the U.P. Award
Posted: September 25th, 2014
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – Members of the public are invited to submit nominations for Lake Superior State University’s second annual Writing the U.P. Award, which seeks to honor fiction authors who have portrayed the essence of life in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Deadline for nominations is Sept. 30. The 2014 award recipient will be announced in November, when he or she will be invited to campus to give a public reading, receive the award, and be presented with a $250 honorarium.
Any resident of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula may nominate an author. The award selection committee asks those who nominate to select authors who have portrayed – through vivid description, believable characters and story – the essence of U.P. life.
Nominations should be sent using the online submission form through LSSU’s Border Crossing blog. Scroll down to find the form. Nominators must enter their names, a valid e-mail address, the name of the author they wish to nominate, and a brief summary of the nominee’s accomplishments.
The 2013 recipient, LSSU alumna and E.U.P resident Sue Harrison, was selected for her portrayal of the U.P. in her work, her commitment to accurately rendering underrepresented native groups in her carefully researched novel series, and for her notable dedication to promoting creative writing across the U.P.
For more information, please contact Prof. Jillena Rose, 906-635-2091 or jrose@lssu.edu
-LSSU-CONTACT: Tom Pink, 906-635-2315, tpink@lssu.edu; John Shibley, 635-2314, jshibley@lssu.edu; Prof. Jillena Rose, 635-2091, jrose@lssu.edu

Saturday, August 30, 2014
"Art on the Lake" 10 am to 5 pm
Erickson Center for the Arts Curtis, Michigan

Gretchen will be sharing a booth with her friend and author colleague, Tyler Tichelaar. She will be featuring her new book Valley of the Cats: Earth, Wind and Sky. Give a listen to the audio version of Valley Cats: The Adventures of Boonie and River!" The 2 Cd set will be discounted to $10 for this event.


Saturday, September 20, 2014 9 am to 3 pm
Creative Endeavors' 1st Annual Eastern Upper Peninsula Book Fest
Faith Lutheran Church Hall
1600 Park Street Sault Ste Marie, Michigan

Gretchen, her Leader Dog Floyd and their friend, singer/songwriter Shannon Wyatt are excited to return to the Soo for this new event. Shannon will be reading the Valley Cat story, "Mouse in the House" an enchanting autumn story for kids of all ages!
Don't miss this book festival!


Saturday, October 4, 2014
Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors 2nd Annual Authors day & Book Fair
Westwood Mall 12 noon to 6 pm
3020 US 41 West Marquette, Michigan

Join Gretchen and her fellow U.P. authors for an afternoon of fun and fabulous books. Let your holiday shopping begin!

Rain or Shine Come Find the

VALLEY CATS

Where? The Outback Festival Picnic Rocks Marquette, Michigan

When? Saturday, July 26 10 am. - 6 pm. and Sunday, July 27th 10 am. - 5 pm.

Who Else Will Be There? Gretchen will be sharing her booth with fellow author Deborah Frontiera and Leader Dog Floyd

What's New? The third book in the Valley Cat series, Valley of the Cats: Earth, Wind and Sky is hot off the press!Valley Cat fans are giving it rave reviews! 14 new fun-filled chapters! More Karin Neumann illustrations! Need a bedtime book or going on a road trip? The first book in the series is now available as an audio book. Valley Cats: The Adventures of Boonie and River can be purchased as a 2 CD set!


Gretchen will be happy to autograph and personalize your books. Start your holiday shopping this weekend!



Can't make the Outback Festival? Buy books and art prints via our website: www.prestonhillpress.com

U.P. Authors Participate in First Annual Authors & Artists Day in Caspian, Michigan

July 10, 2014—Members of the Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association will be appearing at the Iron County Historical Museum’s Authors and Artists Day Event in Caspian on Saturday, July 19th. The historical museum’s first ever Authors and Artists Day Event will feature a wide variety of locally written books and other artisan crafts for sale, and artwork highlighting the LeBlanc & Giovanelli Galleries.

U.P. native Tyler Tichelaar of Marquette will have available his many local history books including The Marquette Trilogy and My Marquette as well as his new historical fantasy novel, Arthur’s Legacy: The Children of Arthur, Book One.

Children’s author, Gretchen Preston, of Harvey, will showcase her Valley Cats series of beautifully illustrated local chapter books and their accompanying artwork. She will also have audio CDs to purchase of her first book.

Donna Winters, of Garden, and author of the Great Lakes Romances series, will autograph copies of her historical romances set in various locations around the U.P. and Lower Michigan. Donna will also be available to autograph her non-fiction titles: Adventures With Vinnie, the story of the U.P. shelter dog who taught her to expect the unexpected, and Picturing Fayette, a photo book of stunning views taken at the Fayette Historic Town site on the Garden Peninsula.

Bessemer’s Allen Wright will be on hand to sign copies of his new book, titled The Book, which explores the writing of the Old Testament, offering commentary, as well as pondering the reasons why the Bible was really written.

The Copper Country is represented by Deborah K. Frontiera. Deborah will bring a variety of books including: a children’s picture book set on Isle Royale; historical fiction for middle grade readers (and up) set in the Copper Country; a collection of historical photos by J. W. Nara; and a little “outside the box” young adult fantasy trilogy.

Join these U.P. authors in Caspian, Michigan at the Iron County Historical Museum from 1-4 p.m. Central time on July 19th. They will be happy to autograph and personalize purchased books for you. A portion of their proceeds will be donated back to the Iron County Historical Museum for its programming and other expenses.

Come find the next book on your summer reading list, the perfect holiday gift for a loved one, or your new favorite book! Rain or shine, you will find the authors and their books inside the museum waiting for you!

For more information about Authors and Artists Day, contact the Iron County Historical Museum at www.ironcountyhistoricalmuseum.org or (906) 265-2617. For more information about the U.P. Publishers and Authors Association, visit www.uppaa.org
###

Gretchen Preston – Writing as a Blind Author: Challenges and Opportunities : http://uppaa.org/2012/09/15/gretchen-...

Please come and join me and Valley Cats Around The World on our facebook groups. https://www.facebook.com/groups/24541...

Hi Gretchen! Thanks for the friend request!

Valley Cats have made there way to China.

The Valley Cats are on the road! Valley Cat fan Sarah has taken them to the UK. Then they will travel onto Ireland and a train ride to China!

I’m going to be on TV! Set your DVR’s or tune in to WLUC TV 6 morning news. If you are out of our area, you can go to the live internet stream by going to www.uppermichigan source.com. Sara from the NMU Lions club and I will be promoting a kickball tournament to benefit the Leader Dog school. Watch for us tomorrow morning, Tuesday, April 8 between 6 am. and 7 am. Got to go to bed early tonight!

Thank you TV6 & FOX UP for the time in the spotlight and the opportunity to represent the Leader Dogs! I welcome everyone to join me at the kickball tournament at the Vandament arena on Saturday benefiting us Leader Dogs!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0kcm...

Read about Leader Dogs and see my photo in the March issue of Lion Magazine, just click the link below!

Floyd:http://mydigimag.rrd.com/publication/...

Wow! Portland is a big, busy city. We are walking all over town. It is very noisy here. I am beginning to long for the quiet of the Valley. We are having plenty of fun and getting a lot of Snow-free exercise. Temps are in the 60’s. I have seen daffodils, a flowering plum tree and lots of other pretty flowers. I am liking spring very much. Maybe later the cloud bank will lift from Mt. Hood and I will get my first look at a real mountain.

Got to go, my mom is lacing on her walking shoes!. Off to another Portland adventure!

Floyd

Come join us on a fun filled Leader Dog adventure at Kaleidoscope from 12-4 pm at the Superior Dome on Feb 22.

https://www.nmu.edu/sportsusoec/node/302

I just received this wonderful review from our local magazine.


From the Marquette Mouthy:

Valley of the Cats: Earth, Wind, and Sky by
Gretchen Preston, illustrated by Karin Neumann
Those lovable Valley Cats are back for their third
book with fourteen new adventures, and readers of
the previous books will not be disappointed since all
their old friends appear along with some new ones.
Valley of the Cats takes the characters through
almost an entire year and the changing of the
seasons. The last book ended with the Christmas
season, so this one picks up in Winter and
progresses up until Thanksgiving.
The Valley Cats occasionally recall events in the
past books, but more importantly, they have many
new adventures and even meet some new friends.
A subplot also runs through the book about the
three kittens who were discovered in the last book.
They were split up among different families in the
Valley and two of them hope to find their third
sibling before the book's end – of course, they do,
but not before a big surprise happens and they meet
a strange creature on Halloween night that they
think at first is wearing a costume.
You'll have to read the story to find out who or
what this creature is. Other new friends made in the
book will include a prankster crow and a fisher.
As for the adventures, highlights include a visit to
Grand Island, a magic show, sledding, a visit to the
veterinarian, a haunted hike, a mysterious meeting
with a group of hippies, and even an encounter with
a tree spirit. The stories depict the cats learning
about the world around them, growing up, having
new experiences, dealing with issues of fear and
friendship, and always having a good time.
While Preston writes with the intention both to
entertain and educate readers, this book felt a bit
more educational that the previous books, which I
think shows that as her readers continue through the
series, they will be growing up and ready to learn
more.
The books are written at a fifth-grade reading level,
but they are also punctuated to be read aloud, and
children as young as second grade may be able to
read them.
In this book, education topics woven into the
storylines include different animals and animal
tracks, a history of Grand Island, shipwreck lore,
various plants in the UP, how tadpoles become
frogs, meteorology, the Northern Lights, and much,
much more.
The illustrations, as in the previous books, are
striking, colorful and help bring the stories to life.
Karin Neumann not only draws the animal
characters accurately, but she makes them charming
and friendly. Many of the illustrations fill the page
or are two-page spreads, such as one of the Valley
Cats looking at the Northern Lights. The bright
colors also beautifully capture the various seasons.
Other illustrations are educational, including a map
of the journey from the Valley to Grand Island, a
diagram of the evolution of the frog, and a
collection of labeled insects. Together Preston and
Neumann make a wonderful author and illustrator
team, complementing each other’s work and
producing true quality children’s book to be
treasured.

Come stop on by the podcasts, Authors Access Ep: 163, Gretchen Preston interview on itunes.

I am so excited to say that my third book in the Valley Cat sires should be out this week for order!

Hold on to your hat! Buckle your seat belt! Boonie, River and your favorite Valley friends are excited to have you join them in Valley of the Cats: Earth, Wing and Sky. Readers will ponder the concept of infinity when the cats gaze into opposing mirrors. Daydream along with River in a puffy cumulus cloud and discover new wild animal tracks! Don't fret adventure lovers: This third book in the Valley Cat series is full of fun and adventure! You'll go on a boat-camping trip to Grand Island, take a terrifying slide down a toboggan run and embark on a sailing trip in the beautiful Lake of Superior.

Fourteen new fun-filled chapters are accompanied by more spectacular Karin Neumann illustrations. Fifth-grade reading level. Written and punctuated to be read aloud. Great for kids of all ages. Perfect for bedtime and quiet moments. Now, pull up a comfy chair and venture into Michigan's Upper Peninsula with the Valley Cats!

My audiobook is ready to go!

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/gretchenpreston

I'm so happy to have so many new friends!

President Obama brings home the book.

During President Barack Obama's February 2011 trip to Marquette, Mich., he visited Donckers Candy store where the first book was purchased for his daughters.

SPRING 2014:

Watch for the third book in the Valley Cats series: "Valley of the Cats: Earth, Wind and Sky"

Fourteen new Valley Cats chapters and more Karin Neumann illustrations!

I was wounding if any one knows how to add a book to Goodreads. I'm trying to my second book to the page and am having trouble. If anyone out there knows how to do it, or if you could put it up your self's that would be a great help.

Author: Gretchen Preston
Tile of book: More Valley Cats
ISBN:# 978-0-615-51095-8

It's -38F, way to cold for the cat's to go out and play. The only adventures they are going to have is indoors by the fire.

Thanks for adding me Gretchen I just started reading your books now! Its really cute so far.

Thanks for the friend-vite, Gretchen.

"Valley Cats: The Adventures of Boonie and River"
Audio version (two-CD set)*

Read by Grace Feliz and produced by Sandwood Productions and Jingle Writing, Marquette, Mich.

*Currently taking pre-orders at www.prestonhillpress@gmail.com

Gretchen Appears on Authors Access

Gretchen was a recent guest on the Authors Access live podcast. She shared her experience being a visually impaired author. The show is 40 minutes long...give it a listen!

www.authorsaccess.com