Monday, June 16, 2025

Publishing Portal--June 16, 2025








The latest news from Eckhartz Press, and a chance to peek into some of the great previous offerings from our humble little publishing company.


Chili Dog MVP

=The filming continues. Hall of Fame ceremonies are coming at the end of July.

=Sharon Pannozzo is one of the people (along with Chili Dog MVP authors David Fletcher and John Owens) who is leading this project...

=Dr. Fletcher is also an integral part of the Buck Weaver Society, which was working at getting him exonerated from the Black Sox scandal. You can read more about that here. WGN-TV did a feature about how the family has mixed emotions about the recent ruling from the baseball commissioner.


Mob Adjacent

=Another teaser trailer for the types of stories you can find in the book Mob Adjacent, and which may be finding it's way into the film (which is shooting now).


The Kiss of Night

=Mark Wukas did a Q&A with the Literary Titan blog. You can read it here.

=Mark has another upcoming appearance. Put it on your calendars. He'll be doing a podcast taping at  Max & Benny's in Northbrook (461 Waukegan Road) on August 11th. Details to come.


Worth a Second Look

=Our movie expert author, Eric Litt, attended a brunch for retired WGN folks, and they wanted copies of his second movie book Worth A Second Look. Here are a few photos from that event. 





Every Cub Ever

=The seventh edition of EveryCubEver is available now. Do you have your copy yet? If you're a Cubs fan, you are certainly following Rick's Just One Bad Century facebook page, right? Every day he posts some of the great content from his book. Here's an example...

 =This week in 2019, Rick Kaempfer appeared at a Book Club in Naperville to promote the book EveryCubEver.

=Two prominent Cubs featured in the book were born this week. Lou Brock (June 18) and Wayland Dean (June 20). Both of their entries are memorable. Dean lived a very short and troubled life, and Brock later played for another team. Not sure which one, or what happened to him.



Celtic Knot

=The book has only been out officially for about a week and already the reviews are coming in to author Robert Conlon...

    *“Just finished Celtic Knot. What a fascinating story and book. Congratulations. Can’t wait to have a few Irish Whiskeys and discuss further.”
    *“Bob, I just read CK. Boy, what a read…You must write another, you’re a gifted story- teller.”
    *“I had a really busy weekend, but wanted to start your book. I couldn’t put it down.  Great message about resilience and overcoming adversity - want my kids to read.”
    *“Loved the book Bob - cried and smiled, smiled and cried.


Surviving Sue

=Vicki Atkinson has an event this week in Wauconda. It's a free event. Well worth your time. 

=Last week Surviving Sue celebrated it's two year anniversary. Here are a few photos from that incredible book launch party...





Chasing the Lost City

=Eckhartz Press author Tom Weinberg (Chasing the Lost City) is celebrating a birthday this week (June 17). Tom's book came out during the holiday season of 2017. It's the fascinating true story of his quest to find the ruins of a lost city in Honduras. Great story, great pictures. Happy birthday Tom!



=Great reviews and memories are still pouring in regarding The Flip Side by Carl & Larry Rosenbaum and Ken Churilla. Here's one...(click on image to enlarge)


To the Men I've Loved (God Help Them!)

=One year ago this week, we released To the Men I've Loved, by Patricia Motto. She wrote her love-life memoir with great humor and skill. This is the book synopsis...

    The course of true love may never run smooth, but seldom has it hit quite as many bumps, potholes and land mines as it does in Patricia Motto’s journey to find the meaning of that all important four letter word. Love. Beginning with the beautiful eyes of a kindergarten boy at nap time and continuing to the man for whom she did not get off the plane, there are stops along the way for, among others, a first kiss boyfriend, the American League’s Most Valuable Player and a twice convicted armed robber. Sometimes hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking, the trip is never dull.



Last Comiskey

=Are you all caught up on some of author Ken Smoller's media appearances? For instance, this interview on WGN Radio with Steve Dale and this interview on WCIU-TV with Kenny McReynolds. 


Ken Korber 

=Our children's author extraordinaire released two different books this week in history. June 20, 2020 was the release date for Grace's Musical Haiku Adventures, and June 21 was the day the second book of his four seasons of musical tales was released, Grace and the Musical Willow Tree, A Summer Adventure. That book is also still available at Eckhartz Press




We Have Company

 =This is a big week for rock and roll star birthdays, which means it's a big week for Bobby Skafish's book of rock and roll interviews, We Have Company. Each of these June 22nd birthday boys (Steve Page/Bare Naked Ladies, Don Henley/Eagles, Todd Rundgren, and Mike Edwards/Jesus Jones) rate an entire chapter in Bobby's book. Mike Edwards also rates a photo. This was taken at Bill Wyman's Sticky Fingers restaurant in London.



Recalled to Life

=This week in 2013, Dan Burns held a book release party for his debut novel, Recalled to Life. The party was held at a fancy boutique in LaGrange, Illinois.






Transatlantic Passage

=One of the subjects of study in Paul Banks' book about American players playing in Europe, and European teams playing exhibition games in America, is the recently retired coach of Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp. He's celebrating a birthday this week (June 16)



Back in the DDR

=This week in 1995, Frankfurt American Junior High School officially closed (June 16) in Germany. That school is featured in the pages of Rick Kaempfer's novel Back in the DDR.




Wicker Park Wishes

 =This week in 2021 (June 16), Margaret Larkin appeared on the John Landecker show on WGN to discuss her debut novel Wicker Park Wishes.  You can still hear that interview here.



=Former ABC-7 news reporter Andy Shaw is celebrating a birthday this week (June 18). Andy is a big fan of the Eckhartz Press novel $everance. Here's what he said about it when it originally came out in 2007...

  • “Severance is a black comedy that would be funnier if its darkness weren’t so true. And it crackles with the insights and cynicism that made Network and Broadcast News the seminal cinematic treatments of today’s dumbed-down news business. Move over Christopher Buckley—-Rick Kaempfer is in town!”

    Andy Shaw, ABC-TV


The Balding Handbook

=Talk about an exciting day. Eleven years ago (June 18, 2014) that Balding Handbook author David Stern got the unofficial endorsement of his book from fellow famous Bald, Mr. Peanut.



Ann Wilson

=The lead singer of Heart (June 18 birthday)  is featured in three different Eckhartz Press books. John Landecker has a great story about her in Records Truly Is My Middle Name. Bobby Skafish devotes an entire chapter to her in his interview book We Have Company, and can you guess which book about a radio station also features the lovely Ms. Wilson?


The Loop Files

=One of the memorable stories in The Loop Files comes from legendary disc jockey Bob Stroud. He tells the story of the day he met his idol, Paul McCartney. There's even a photo from that day. Paul turns 83 years old this week (June 18).


Everything I Know I Learned From Rock Stars

 =Bill Paige interviewed hundreds of rock stars during his Illinois Entertainer days, and one of them now plays lead guitar in Bruce Springsteen's band. This week's birthday boy (June 21) Nils Lofgren is featured in Paige's excellent book.



The Living Wills

=Author Mark Leepson is celebrating a birthday this week as well (June 20). Leepson is a Vietnam veteran, so Eckhartz Press authors Brendan Sullivan and Rick Kaempfer sent their novel The Living Wills to him to see what he thought of it. The Living Wills features a main character who is a Vietnam Vet. Here's what he said...

  • You have to give credit to Rick Kaempfer and Brendan Sullivan, the two authors of “The Living Wills”. The authors have come up with a cast of realistic, non-sensationalized Vietnam veterans living out their lives in the early 21st century–no Nam vet stereotypes here. That in itself is worth the price of admission.

    Marc Leepsen, Vietnam Veterans of America Magazine

 

Signature Shoes

 =Most people don't even realize that Chuck Taylor, the man they named the shoes after, was a real life basketball star. His shoe remains perhaps the most famous Signature Shoe, and gets the appropriate attention from author Ryan Trembath in his book about the celebrity shoe craze. Taylor was born this week in 1901 (June 21).



The Eckhartz Wives

=The wives of our publishers, Bridget Kaempfer and Michelle Halle Stern, are celebrating birthdays this week (June 17, June 20). We would be remiss if we didn't pay tribute to the actual brains of the operation. (Photo: Singing along to a 1970s pop hit)


Monday, June 09, 2025

Publishing Portal--June 9, 2025








The latest news from Eckhartz Press, and a chance to peek into some of the great previous offerings from our humble little publishing company.


Mob Adjacent

=The entire Mob Adjacent creative team (authors, marketers, publishers, and filmakers) gathered this weekend to discuss our future's together, and we now have three big announcements to make.

=First of all, there's a brand new version of the  Mob Adjacent book available now!

=Mob Adjacent the Audio Book is now available too! 

And we've already been getting great reviews...
=And last, but definitely not least, coming next...Mob Adjacent, the Film. Here's a taste...


To Nudge the World

=Jim Slusher (To Nudge the World) had a big week...


=What a night at the launch party for Robert Conlon's book Celtic Knot. Some photos....

=The book has only been in the hands of readers for a few days, and already the reviews are coming in...Just finished Celtic Knot - started today around 3pm & could not put it down!  Amazing work.


The Loop Files

=A surprise appearance in the Chicago Tribune last week...


The Kiss of Night

=Another Five Star Review. This one comes from Literary Titan. A short excerpt...

What struck me immediately was the writing. It’s clean, stylish, and unpretentious. Mark Wukas writes like someone who has seen things—journalism that feels lived-in, dialogue that crackles, characters who breathe. The voice is witty but vulnerable. I loved how the narrator doesn’t pretend to be a hero. He fumbles, he overreaches, he regrets. And I could relate to that. Wukas builds the suspense slowly, not with cheap thrills, but with memory, conscience, and the weight of choices. That’s what hooked me: not the mystery, but the man trying to live with it.



EveryCubEver

=The seventh edition is available now! Author Rick Kaempfer has daily EveryCubEver posts on his Just One Bad Century facebook page. Here's one from last week...

=This week in 2019 (June 11), EveryCubEver debuted this video ad...

=Former Cubs reliever Pedro Strop is in the book (born 6/13). Author Rick Kaempfer met Pedro that year and was able to give him a copy of the book. 

=This week in 1873, future Cubs player Charlie Dexter was born (June 15). Charlie didn't only get a chance to play for the Cubs (1900-1902), he was a genuine hero off-the-field as well. Charlie was in the Iroquois Theater when it began to burn down in 1903, and kicked open a door to save the lives of several theater -goers who otherwise would have perished in the fire. 600 people died that day. The Iroquois Theater fire is part of the latest novel by Eckhartz Press, Celtic Knot.


Surviving Sue

=Another great review of Surviving Sue. This one refers to the book's Women Power!

=Don't forget about this upcoming appearance in Wauconda by Surviving Sue author Vicki Atkinson. June 19th. Mark your calendar. Don't miss it!


I Bear Witness

=Two football legends are celebrating birthdays this week, and both of them are featured in Dan McNeil's book I Bear Witness. Happy birthday to former Bears great Gary Fencik (June 11) and former Green Bay Packers coach Mike Holmgren (June 15) 

=Also, this week in 2016 (June 11), former Bear Bryan Robinson died. In the last chapter of I Bear Witness Dan eulogizes all of the Bears who have left us in the last few decades. Robinson is no exception.



The Flip Side  Doin the Cruise 

=Ken Churilla is celebrating a birthday this week (June 12). He has co-written two books for us. Most recently The Flip Side with Carl & Larry Rosenbaum.

=He also co-wrote Doin the Cruise with Mitch Michaels. This week in 2017, Eckhartz Press publishers Rick Kaempfer and Dave Stern met at the London House in downtown Chicago to finalize the publishing agreement with Mitch Michaels and Ken Churilla. Luckily esteemed Chicago photographer Barry Butler was there to photograph the moment.



Father Knows Nothing and Back in the DDR 

=This week in 2023, author Rick Kaempfer attended a book club in Rolling Meadows that was reading his book Father Knows Nothing. Here is a photo from that night...

=The same week in 2023 he appeared at a Book Club in Inverness to talk about and promote his coming-of-age novel, Back in the DDR.


Embrace Retirement & Chicago: The Great Retirement Resource

=The co-author of two Eckhartz Press books, Russ Fahrner, celebrated a birthday this week (June 8). We hope that Russ was in a boat somewhere on his birthday. If you read his books, you know that's his passion.

=The launch party for Embrace Retirement was this week in 2019 (June 9) in the Northwest suburbs. A great time was had by all...


Best Seat in the House 

=This week in 2014, Bruce Bohrer's book was released by Eckhartz Press. This diary of a Wrigley Field usher was the first book by Eckhartz Press to be sold at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Bruce is also the co-author of Embrace Retirement and Chicago: The Great Retirement Resource.

 

Grun Weiss Vor and Inside Melania

=Todd "Fritz" Schneider (June 9) and Lauren LoGuidice (June 14) are both celebrating birthdays this week as well. Todd co-wrote Grun Weiss Vor and Lauren wrote Inside Melania. For Todd, it's a big one. #60. (Photos: Todd with co-author Rick Kaempfer, Lauren with her book.)



Vintage Confidential

=This week in 2022 (June 10), Duane Scott Cerny released his second book Vintage Confidential. He told the story of what inspired this memorable book on this podcast. 


Printer's Row Lit Fest

=Before the pandemic, the Printer's Row Lit Fest was held every year in June (it's now in September). Here are a few photos from 2014, featuring Eckhartz Press authors Joel Daly, Chuck Quinzio, and Dan Burns.



 The Balding Handbook

 =June 9 is International Stripper Appreciation Day. You'll find this appropriate photo of The Balding Handbook author David Stern in his self help book. The book takes you through the five stages of grieving for your hair loss. We believe this photo helps define the Depression stage.



Hugh Hefner's First Funeral

=Bruce Elliott is a local treasure celebrating a birthday this week (June 10). He's a writer and artist, a saloon owner, and a big fan of Pat Colander's book. Here's what he said it about it...

  • Pat is a very talented writer. Unfortunately she cut back on her serious writing to run magazines. She was a girl-wonder when she worked at the Chicago Tribune in the late seventies. The veteran male reporters hated her because she could out-write and out produce them with one hand tied behind her back and her eyes closed. She did feature articles, reviews and celebrity interviews. Now she has put together a collection of her very best work from the 1970s and early 1980s. The stories age well.

    Bruce Elliott Geriatric Genius blogger and author of Last Night at the Old Town Ale House


Close Encounters of a Chicago Kind

=This week in 2011, The Chicago Reader wrote a review of Vicki Quade's play Late Night Catechism that helped vault her play into the spotlight ( Review of Late Nite Catechism by The Reader ) She has done many more plays since then, and also penned a book for Eckhartz Press about her everyday encounters with her fellow Chicagoans. It's called Close Encounters of a Chicago Kind. 

 


Records Truly Is My Middle Name

=This week in 2013 (June 12), one of the WLS colleagues John Landecker writes about in his memoir passed away. Bill Bailey appeared on the air after Landecker most nights. This is a free excerpt from the book about Bill. 


Your Dime My Dance Floor

=This week in 1992, the Chicago Bulls won the NBA Championship. Chet Coppock was there and told a few great stories about it in his book Your Dime My Dance Floor.


Always a Pleasure

=Hall of Fame basketball announcer Marv Albert is celebrating a birthday this week (June 12). Marv appears in Chuck Swirsky's book, Always a Pleasure.


$everance

=This week in 2007 (June 12), Rick Kaempfer's first novel $everance received an incredible array of reviews from people in the broadcasting industry. You can read all of them here, or just glance at these examples below...

  • “Brilliant satire! I got a paper cut from the sarcasm. I wish I could say it was great fiction, but having worked in radio, I think it’s just really funny non-fiction. The reality in between the laughs will scare the hell out of you.”

    Playwright Spike Manton ("Leaving Iowa")
  • “I thought this novel was just going to be an amusing story about radio. But the way Kaempfer has woven in elements of all media and politics is masterful, to say nothing of insightful, and frequently laugh-out-loud funny!”

    Broadcasting legend Bob Dearborn
  • “Rick Kaempfer’s “$everence” is whiplash-fast, choke-on-your-coffee funny, and ultimately frightening. Kaempfer has seen it all in the radio business, and has some dire predictions for the rest of the media, too. It’s the summer’s must-discuss beach read – and probably a sign of the apocalypse.”

    Paige Wiser, Chicago Sun Times


Chili Dog MVP

=Since the book Chili Dog MVP chronicles the story of the 1972 White Sox, naturally it also covers the story of 1972 White Sox player Tom Egan, who is celebrating a birthday this week (June 9)


Nose Over Toes

 =This week in 2020 (June 15), the Daily Herald wrote a feature story about Nose Over Toes author Janet Sutherland.  You can read it here.