Elyse M. Cregar

As you may have guessed, I love cats and writing about cats. I love their funny antics, their comforting presence and their aura of mystery. As I begin a new journey of writing and publishing about cats, I hope to release my next title soon: Feline Online and the Cats of Ancient Egypt.

My new Ebook is titled Mews and Views for the Curious Cat Lover, a collection of my research, commentary and personal stories compiled into a volume of about 20,000 words. Released on October 27, 2025 by Amazon KDP.

Along with my career as a public school Library-Media Specialist, I also served for several years as a Licensed Battlefield Guide at the Gettysburg National Military Park in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. My articles on school library practices have been published in School Library Journal and Knowledge Quest, a Journal of the American Association of School Librarians.

I grew up in Riverside, Illinois. Graduating from Eastern Connecticut State University with a B.S. Degree in Education and Shippensburg University with a M.L.S. Degree, I have served as a Library-Media Specialist in several states.

Additional notes: The 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg was approaching in July of 2013. With my story vetted for historical accuracy by Debra Novotny, a Licensed Battlefield Guide Emeritus and retired American History teacher of 25 years, I decided to self-publish with an established Print-on-Demand (pod) company. I even received a wonderful personal letter of encouragement from Historian David McCullough (now deceased).

When the Covid-19 pandemic began in early 2020 I created a non-commercial website which includes a study guide for American history class students and educators.

My years serving as a Licensed Battlefield Guide gave me a deep appreciation for our American history and for the high interest our visitors to the Gettysburg National Military Park showed in hearing about the human interest stories that emerged. My years as a public school librarian taught me the value and joy of sharing my love of books with young people. Combined, these two life-time commitments have given me the opportunity to share stories in many formats; to help fulfill our human need for learning, exploring and developing empathy for our fellow travelers.

OUT-OF-PRiNT: What Happens When a Smart Cat Surfs the Internet? self-published in 2001, received some nice reviews and was included on local schools' reading lists. However, it was an early product produced before print-on-demand was available. I ran out of funds to print and market this book, though it lingers on this site.

OUT-OF-PRINT: Hanna’s Courage, c2012, a YA Civil War novel, has been out of print since January, 2020. Occasionally, third party sellers will offer it on Amazon or other book sites. However, I did receive a very nice “Recommended” review from The Midwest Book Review and a wonderful review from best-selling children’s author Ellen Wittlinger. A few months after self-publishing my story, I suffered an accident which led to spinal surgery. I dropped out of the marketing game and ultimately returned to my first love: writing.