Aviation

Book Update
_{May 29, 2026}

It’s been an eventful few months since I announced the upcoming Lac du Bonnet aviation history book, Chasing Skies. I had to become a book designer, then cancel one publishing agreement and find another printer, and this journey isn’t over yet! Here are the details:

At the time of my last update on March 9, 2026, I had submitted the book to Friesen Press, the self-publishing division of the well known, Manitoba-based printer, Friesens.
First, in order to save thousands of dollars in additional Friesen Press design time, I had to get all the necessary programs and learn the intricacies of book design (my librarian background helped a bit here) to get them the print-ready files.
Then, as things progressed with Friesen Press, I became dissatisfied with their lack of transparency surrounding final timelines and pricing. But the main reason I had to step away from the printing agreement was because the book would not be printed in Altona, but rather through a print-on-demand company based in Tennessee, USA, which created too much uncertainty surrounding additional exchange rates, shipping costs, etc.

Just to note: I still believe Friesens is a quality Manitoba publisher, however, their self-publishing division was not the right fit for this book. Their model was built for novels, not history texts with hundreds of photos!

Over the past two months, I researched my options with other local printers and have decided to go with City Press, where I can use the print-ready files I previously designed and all books will be printed on-site at their downtown Winnipeg offices.

I am currently waiting for Library and Archives Canada to approve my self-publishing application. I expected to have this by now, but the wheels of federal governments move slowly…

Once I have these approvals, I can get the final required items to make Chasing Skies an official book. From there, it will take three weeks for City Press to complete the printing process. If all goes to plan (it hasn’t so far…), Chasing Skies should be released sometime this summer.

A note on pricing: by using a small printer rather than a large publishing corporation, the cost of the books will increase.

As a thank you for supporting this book before seeing the final product, the price of any preorders placed before May 31, 2026, will remain unchanged. For any new orders after this date, the price will increase to $40 per book.

If you have any questions about all this, please feel free to reach out.

Book Update and Preorder
_{March 9, 2026}

It’s been a long road to get to this point, and I’m happy to finally share that Chasing Skies: 100 Years of Aviation in Lac du Bonnet, Manitoba, 1926-2026 is finished and was submitted to the publisher (Friesen Press in Altona, Manitoba) last month. Design changes and unforeseen publishing delays have pushed the release date to Summer 2026.
This 300 page book showcases the many stories of Lac du Bonnet aviation history and features hundreds of photos in both black and white, and full colour from the past century.

Book Preorders
My only goal with this book is to share Lac du Bonnet’s aviation history so the people, planes and places are not forgotten. With that said, preorders will determine how many books I print.
Purchase price: $35
For orders of 5 books or more: $30
(All taxes are included in above book price.)
Unless other arrangements are made, all preordered books will be picked up at a Lac du Bonnet book event (date TBD). Payment is due in full at this event. All sales are final.
For those unable to attend the Lac du Bonnet event, books can be shipped through Canada Post at the recipient’s cost.

Additional Offer: Support our Local Museums
Add my first local history book People of the River to your order, $30 each.
All profits of these book sales are split between Lac du Bonnet District Museum, Winnipeg River Heritage Museum (St-Georges) and Whitemouth Municipal Museum.

How to Preorder: Send me an email (jenniferstrassel@outlook.com) or other message with the number of copies you want.
Preorders accepted until April 1, 2026.
I’ll keep you updated on the release and event dates.

Please feel free to share this widely and spread the word about Chasing Skies: 100 Years of Aviation in Lac du Bonnet, Manitoba, 1926-2026. Your support is much appreciated!