Maggie Vaults Over the Moon

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‘Maggie’ Soars at Region’s No. 1 Bookstore

The teen sports novel Maggie Vaults Over the Moon has become a consistent best-seller at Watermark Books and Cafe, the region's No. 1 bookseller.

‘Maggie’ is a best-seller at Watermark Books, the region’s No. 1 bookseller.

Boosted by enthusiastic reader recommendations and online sales, the popular teen novel Maggie Vaults Over the Moon continues to soar as a best-seller at Watermark Books & Cafe, the region’s No. 1 bookstore.

Author Grant Overstake reads from 'Maggie Vaults Over the Moon' at a book signing at Watermark Books on April 7, 2013.

Author Grant Overstake reads at Watermark Books on April 7, 2013.

Listed among works by writers such as Khaled Hosseini (The Kite Runner, And the Mountains Echoed), Maggie ranks 10th on the Watermark Books Best-Sellers list as of June 16, 2013. The novel has soared to as high as No. 3 in recent months.

“It’s been amazing and exciting to see how readers of all ages have responded to Maggie,” says author Grant Overstake. Continue Reading →


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Come on Down! Maggie Travels to Texas River Vault Championship!

‘Maggie’ will be presented to the top female pole-vaulters at the Texas River Vault Championships in San Marcos Texas.

Didya hear the BIG news? Maggie is headed to Texas!

The gutsy farm girl from Grain Valley, Kan., will be ridin’ high atop the awards stand Saturday, June 15th, at the Texas River Vault Championship.

As many as 300 vaulters are expected to compete in one of the biggest pole-vault festivals in the nation — an event so Texas-sized that it includes seven categories just for female vaulters!

A copy of the inspirational sports novel, Maggie Vaults Over the Moon will be presented the top female finishers.

Held alongside the beautiful San Marcos River on the campus of Texas State University–San Marcos, some 280 athletes will compete from early morning until the stars shine big and bright for the title of “Texas River Vault Champion.”

The beautiful San Marcos River is the setting for the Texas River Vault Championship.

“Of all the great things that have happened to Maggie, this is one of the best so far,” said author Grant Overstake. “She’s humbled and honored and a little bit nervous about a trip down to Texas, because, as they say, San Marcos is a fur piece from Grain Valley.” Continue Reading →


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‘Maggie’ Author Invites You to See Dreams Come True at Nation’s Largest Track Meet

The Kansas State High School Track and Field Championships, to be held Friday and Saturday at Wichita State University's Cessna Stadium, is the largest meet in the nation, with more than 3,000 athletes and 20,000 spectators.

The Kansas State High School Track and Field Championships, to be held Friday and Saturday at Wichita State University’s Cessna Stadium, is the largest track meet in the nation, with more than 3,000 athletes and 20,000 spectators.

WICHITA, Kan. – Every year for the past 102 years, dreams have come true at the Kansas State High School Track and Field Championships.

The meet’s 103nd running will be no exception this Friday and Saturday, as more than 3,000 competitors and 20,000 spectators will gather on the campus of Wichita State University.

Wichita author Grant Overstake recently captured the drama and excitement of the Kansas State Meet in an inspiring sports novel for young adult readers titled, Maggie Vaults Over the Moon. The story features Maggie Steele, a gutsy farm girl from fictional Grain Valley, Kansas, who overcomes tragedy and soars to new heights as a pole-vaulter.

KSHSAACOVER

“Maggie”captures the true meaning of a high school athlete in Kansas and the opportunities activities can create for young people.” — Kansas State High School Activities Journal

Overstake attended many state meets growing up and competed in the meet while attending Wichita Heights High School. He also covered the meet as a reporter, and experienced it as a parent, cheering for his son.

After watching so many dramatic performances through the years,  it was natural for the former Miami Herald sports writer and Kansas newspaper editor to use his favorite sporting event as the backdrop for his first novel. Continue Reading →


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Oops! Sports Show Asks Maggie to Appear on National TV!

Generic Sports LogoGRAIN VALLEY, Kan. – There was quite a big commotion on Main Street in Grain Valley this afternoon, when, like a windblown prairie fire, rumor spread that Maggie Steele had been invited to appear on a nationally syndicated TV sports program.

Townsfolk wearing bib overalls and feed caps, and cool linen dresses, stopped their pickups in the middle of the street and got out to talk about it, creating a traffic jam of sorts in this tiny Kansas farm town with only one four-way stop sign.

Grant Overstake, author of the new teen sports novel, Maggie Vaults Over the Moon, stopped by to say that the rumor was true; but he told his crestfallen characters that, although the invitation appeared to be genuine, Maggie wouldn’t be going on TV anytime soon.

Even so, everyone agreed the invitation was a another fine tribute to Maggie and everybody in Grain Valley who’d helped the wholesome and courageous fictional farm girl rebound after a family tragedy, and soar to new heights as a pole-vaulter.

After the commotion on Main Street, Overstake invited everyone to come down to the cafe, where he told the whole story over a glass of cold lemonade.

Townsfolk gathered at the Grain Valley Cafe on Thursday, May 16, to hear the the author share the news about Maggie Steele getting invited to appear on a TV program.

Townsfolk gathered at the cafe to hear about Maggie’s special invitation.

“It was one of the most amazing things that has happened to Maggie,” he smiled. “And for those who know her story, you know that’s really saying something.” Continue Reading →


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‘Maggie’ Vaults to Cover of Kansas State High School Activities Journal

KSHSAACOVER

Maggie Steele is a covergirl!

The gutsy farm girl from Grain Valley, Kansas is featured on the cover of the new Kansas State High School Activities Journal, May 2013 edition.

The magazine also includes a strong endorsement for the new teen sports novel, just in time for the Kansas State High School Track and Field Championships, to be held May 24-25 in Wichita.

Author Grant Overstake found himself at a rare loss for words when he saw Maggie on the cover of the official magazine, which is distributed to every school in the state.

“Wow! Just wow!” Overstake said.

The article includes high praise for the novel, which features the color and excitement of the nation’s largest high school track and field meet:

“Maggie Vaults Over the Moon captures the true meaning of a high school athlete in Kansas and the opportunities activities can create for young people.” — Kansas State High School Activities JournalKSHSAA LOGO

Continue Reading →


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Sunflower State’s Top Vaulter Nick Meyer Commits to Kansas Jayhawks

Nick Meyer has committed to vault for KU next season. (Photo by Varsity Kansas).

Congratulations to the University of Kansas for winning the intense recruiting battle for one of the top pole-vaulters in the nation, defending Kansas State Class 5A Champion Nick Meyer, a senior at Bishop Carroll in Wichita.

Coached by one of the nation’s top prep vault coaches, Denis Fraizer, Meyer soared into the No. 5 spot on the Kansas all-time boys’ pole vault list last spring, clearing 16-feet, 7-inches, and is primed to go even higher this coming outdoor season.

He joins a program with a legacy of producing some of the best pole-vaulters in the world, including Jordan Scott, Scott Huffman, and Jeff Buckingham.

He will be coached by Tom Hays, the 2011 National Collegiate Pole Vault Coach of the Year.

“Nick Meyer is a young man with unlimited potential, a champion’s personality, and Olympic-sized dreams,” said author Grant Overstake, who himself competed in the decathlon at KU. “I foresee that as he continues his journey upward, with great coaching, hard work, and perseverance, the whole world will be watching him vaulting over the moon at the Olympic Games.”

Meyer also happens to be a big fan of Maggie Steele, the heroine in Overstake’s Kansas-based teen sports novel, Maggie Vaults Over the Moon.

Congratulations, Nick!

Future Kansas Jayhawk Nick Meyer.


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‘Maggie’ Rekindles Pole Vault Official’s Passion for Nation’s Largest Track Meet

KansasStateTrackandFieldChampionships

The Kansas State Track and Field Championships is the largest track meet in the nation, with over 3,000 athletes and 20,000-plus spectators.

Maggie Vaults Over the MoonLongtime track and field official Chris Ellis is well known in the Sunflower State for his dedication to the sport of high school and collegiate pole-vaulting, especially in his role as the tireless head official at the Kansas State High School Track and Field Championships, the largest track and field meet in the nation, which includes two whole days of boys’ and girls’ vault competitions in all classifications.

We were delighted to read his new review of Maggie Vaults Over the Moon on Amazon.com:

“As the head pole vault official at the Kansas State High School Track & Field Championships since 1991, I have seen many great competitions and many many great competitors compete at this amazing event. However, after so many years of officiating the competition, not to mention the 3 years I competed in the event, my passion lost some of its intensity. Maggie Vaults Over the Moon reignited my passion for this 2 day extravaganza . I remember the first time I walked into Cessna Stadium as a young track athlete – WOW – I was speechless. I will rekindle that feeling this year and for many years to come thanks to Maggie!!” — Chris Ellis

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The 102nd annual State Meet will be held May 24-25, 2013, at Cessna Stadium in Wichita.


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‘Maggie’ Author Supports Funding for Student Activities in Kansas Schools

KSHSAA Presentation

Author Grant Overstake, right, presents a copy of the teen sports novel, ‘Maggie Vaults Over the Moon’ to Mark Lentz, Assistant Executive Director of the Kansas State High School Activities Association. The story features the Kansas State Track and Field Championships, the largest track meet in the nation.

WICHITA, Kan. (Feb. 25) – Award-winning journalist and author Grant Overstake used his moment in the spotlight today to defend the value of extra-curricular activities as “an essential ingredient” for student success during a presentation to the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA).

Locked in the ongoing budget battle in Topeka, school board officials and administrators in Kansas are feeling increasing pressure to eliminate even KSHAALOGOmore sports and activities from their schools. But the author said these activities deserve funding because they are fundamental for future success.

“I could go on and on about how KSHSAA programs helped me achieve more personally than I could ever have achieved without them,” said Overstake, a Wichita resident and graduate of Wichita Heights High School.

Overstake spoke before about 250 attendees of the United School Administrators of Kansas 42nd Annual Convention at the Hyatt Eagle Ballroom in downtown Wichita. He presented a copy of his new teen sports novel,  Maggie Vaults Over the Moon, to KSHSAA Assistant Director Mark Lentz. Continue Reading →


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‘State Champ Maggie’ to be Honored by Kansas Activities Association (KSHSAA)

KSHAALOGO

GRAIN VALLEY, Kan. – Maggie Steele’s inspirational, record-setting performance at the Kansas State Track and Field Championships will be recognized on Friday, Jan. 25th, in front of Maggie Vaults Over the Moonmore than 200 school administrators.

A copy of the teen sports novel Maggie Vaults Over the Moon will be presented to the Kansas High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) during the closing ceremony of the United School Administrators of Kansas 42nd Annual Convention at the Hyatt Eagle Ballroom in downtown Wichita.

Author Grant Overstake will make the presentation to Gary Musselman, Executive Director of the KSHSAA. The novel, which captures the color and excitement of the nation’s largest high school track and field meet, will be put on display in the lobby of the KSHSAA headquarters in Topeka.

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