The latest news from Eckhartz Press, and a chance to peek into some of the great previous offerings from our humble little publishing company.
Happy Birthday!
=Eckhartz Press author Dobie Maxwell is celebrating a birthday this week (March 14). Dobie released his memoir Monkey in the Middle on his birthday in 2016, and it remains one of our top selling books. He made the Chicago media rounds when it came out, including an interview on WGN radio, hosted one of the all time great book launch parties at Zanies comedy club on Wells in Chicago, and then did another media tour in Milwaukee, which is where the book takes place.
=This week in 2013, John Landecker started doing his media tour for his memoir Records Truly Is My Middle Name. It began with this incredible review of the book by Chicago media writer Robert Feder. Then John appeared on the television show Windy City Live. He was surprised live on the air with a phone call from his old friend, Larry Lujack.
*Scott Simon
=The NPR host is celebrating a birthday this week (March 16). He appears in two Eckhartz Press books. His late 1970s report on the John Landecker show was a significant turning point in Records Truly Is My Middle Name, and Simon was also interviewed by Randy Richardson and Becky Sarwate about his love of the Cubs for their 2019 book Cubsessions.
=This week in 2018 we signed these two guys to a publishing deal, Bruce Bohrer and Russ Fahrner. (Photo with EP Co-publisher David Stern). A few months later they delivered the manuscript of their book Embrace Retirement.
=One of the main characters of Chili Dog MVP is former White Sox organist Nancy Faust. Her birthday is this week (March 11). The co-author of Chili Dog MVP, David Fletcher, talked about Nancy's importance in this podcast interview. Two other 1972 White Sox mentioned in the book are also celebrating birthdays this week, pitcher Tom Bradley (March 16) and outfielder Rick Reichardt (March 16). This photo of Nancy with Eckhartz Press publishers Rick and Dave was taken at a Chili Dog MVP book signing.
=Two of Bobby Skafish's interview subjects from We Have Company: Four Decades of Rock and Roll Encounters are celebrating birthdays this week: Adam Clayton of U2 (March 13) and Nancy Wilson of Heart (March 16). Each rate their own chapter in Bobby's book.
=This week in 2017, Skafish appeared on WGN Radio with Dave Hoekstra.
*The Balding Handbook
=David Stern's self help book for balding men is currently sold out, but not before it made its mark. This week in 2014, Dave appeared on Steve Cochran's show to talk about the book.
=This week is also the anniversary of the Ken doll (March 11, 1961). This photo from the Anger & Rage chapter (The subtitle of the book is: The five stages of grieving for your hair loss), might give you an idea of one of Dave's suggestions.
=Eckhartz Press author Chuck Swirsky has known the great Stephen Curry since he was a young boy. Chuck was the Toronto Raptors announcer when Steph's dad Del Curry was a Raptor. That heartwarming story is in the pages of Always a Pleasure. Curry's birthday is this week (March 14)
=This week in 2014, Joel Daly appeared on Windy City Live to talk about his book The Daly News. It was a homecoming of sorts for Joel, because the show was filmed at Channel 7 in Chicago, where Joel had starred as an anchorman for nearly 40 years. After the interview we visited the news studio and chatted with his old friends and colleagues.
=This week in 2019, Janet Sutherland began her publicity tour for her book Nose Over Toes. One of the stops on that tour was a visit to WGN Radio.
*Close Encounters of a Chicago Kind
=Famous Chicago playwright Vicki Quade (Late Night Catechism) wrote a book for Eckhartz Press a few years ago about her entertaining encounters with everyday Chicagoans. She broke the book up into chapters based on topic. Considering that this week is the anniversary of O'Hare being named (March 13), it's a good week to pick up Close Encounters of a Chicago Kind and read the travel chapter.
=This week in 2015, the two Rick K's (Kogan and Kaempfer) chatted on the radio about Father Knows Nothing.
=One of the great things about the Gentile brother's book about growing up near the mob, Mob Adjacent, is the intersection of the crime world and Hollywood. For instance, this week's birthday girl Liza Minelli, makes an appearance in the pages of the book.
=When Eckhartz Press author Chet Coppock died unexpectedly in a car accident in 2018, his friends gathered to hold a tribute for him in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Among the people there that day was fellow broadcaster (and former Chicago Bear) Dan Jiggetts. Jiggetts celebrated a birthday this week. (Photo L-R: Dan Jiggetts, Cheryl Raye Stout, Jim O'Donnell, Rick Kaempfer)
