Monday, March 24, 2025

Publishing Portal--March 24, 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.


EveryCubEver

=The seventh (and possibly final) edition of EveryCubEver is now available for pre-order! Author Rick Kaempfer has revised and added more than 500 entries since the last edition, and included hundreds of classic photographs. He vows to only revise it again if the Cubs win the World Series. If you've already bought a previous edition, this is the year to update. If you haven't bought it yet and you're a Cubs fan, what's wrong with you? You can literally read about every...Cub...ever.


The Flip Side

=Thanks to everyone who came out to the Chicagoland Record Show this past weekend to meet the authors of The Flip Side

=Speaking of records, another records-related appearance is coming soon...


This week, a chance to meet two Eckhartz Press authors...

=Eckhartz Press author Jim Slusher will be presenting News Media, Truth, and Trust on Tuesday, March 25, 7 p.m at the Mt. Prospect Public Library (10 S. Emerson Street in Mt Prospect). Jim is the Daily Herald Opinion Editor and will share insights and tips for discerning reliable sources and navigating biases in modern journalism.

=Inside Melania author Lauren LoGuidice is returning to town for another comedy show...Wednesday, March 26th 9PM at Lincoln Lodge.


Next week you can meet another one...

The Kiss of Night

=You won't want to miss Mark Wukas' big day. Coming soon (April 5)...click on photo to enlarge.

Mob Adjacent

=This week in 2018 (March 26), the Gentile brothers (Jeffrey & Michael) appeared on Rick Kogan's show on WGN Radio to talk about their book Mob Adjacent.  They have some exciting news about their book coming soon. That's all we're allowed to say at this point, but it will be a big deal. Consider yourself teased.


Records Truly Is My Middle Name

=We released John Records Landecker's memoir Records Truly Is His Middle Name on his birthday (March 28) in 2013.  John certainly had a memorable birthday that year. He appeared on Johnny B's show on WGN Radio in the morning, then on the WGN-TV Morning show, then on the afternoon show on WBEZ.


Down at the Golden Coin

=This week in 2012, Kim Strickland held the book release party for her second novel Down at the Golden Coin. She actually handed out golden coins to everyone who bought the book. (Yes, they were chocolate.) The event took place at an art gallery owned by Bill Veeck's daughter.


Lost in the Ivy 

=This week in 2014, we also released Randy Richardson's murder mystery, Lost in the Ivy. With Opening Day approaching, it's a good time to revisit this story. It's a snapshot in time, back to pre-gentrified Wrigleyville.

Oscars Biggest Mistakes

=This week in 2022, Eric Litt appeared on WGN-TV to talk about the slap heard round the world. He has become a well-known movie expert since releasing his first book with Eckhartz Press. Last year he followed that up with another excellent movie book, Worth a Second Look.


Back in the DDR

=This week in 2023 (March 24), acclaimed author David Berner reviewed Rick Kaempfer's novel, Back in the DDR....

    "Matching history with Rudi’s awakening to the times makes Back in the D.D.R. a compelling story, giving the tale deep roots both emotionally and culturally. Rudi’s maturation comes alongside striking events in the world and reminds the reader how global history can impact a singular life, especially that of a 13-year-old boy."


*Chili Dog MVP

=This week in 2022 (March 28), Kurt Begland reviewed Chili Dog MVP

=The next day, Chili Dog MVP authors Dr. Fletcher and John Owens appeared in Orland Park Card show 


Cubsessions

=This week in 2018 Windy City Reviews released their assessment of the book Cubsessions.

    "Famous people fascinate all of us. Don’t try to deny it. And there’s no shortage of famous people among the millions who follow the Chicago Cubs. That’s the premise of Cubsessions, a series of interviews with passionate fans who have achieved various levels of fame. The anthology is an obvious labor of love for the co-authors, Becky Sarwate and Randy Richardson. The result is a start-of-the-season gift for every diehard Cubs fan."



The Daly News

=One of the great things about Joel Daly's book The Daly News is that he shares several examples of his famous television news commentary. Here's an example of that from this week in 1977, free of charge. 


The Loop Files

=One of the contributors to The Loop Files is Jimmy Mac McInerney. Jimmy is celebrating a birthday this week (March 28). This photo (with John "Swany" Swanson) is in the book.

 

Everything I Know I Learned from Rock Stars

=Bill Paige doesn't only write books about rock stars, he also writes songs. This one was inspired by the COVID pandemic.


And finally, a couple of basketball stories during March Madness...

Signature Shoes

=This week is the birthday of Walt "Clyde" Frazier (March 29). Not only a great basketball player for the New York Knicks, but also a pioneer in the world of Signature Shoes. Author Ryan Trembath wrote all about that part of Frazier in his book.


 Always a Pleasure

=Chuck Swirsky's biggest fan, NBA star Chris Bosh, is celebrating a birthday this week (March 24). Here's what he said about Chuck for book's back cover...

  • Basketball is about more than the players on the court or the fans in the stands. It’s also about the voices who add color to the game—play-by-play, night after night. And Chuck Swirsky is one of the legends responsible for the soundtrack of basketball. With passion that is always palpable, Chuck brings excitement every time he picks up a mic. Over the years, millions of fans have hung onto his every word, but what’s even more special about him is who he is when the mic is off. In my years in Toronto with Chuck, I never received a greeting from him that didn’t include an ear-to-ear grin. I feel lucky to have seen him continue to grow as a broadcaster when he and his family moved to Chicago. Chuck showed me that a team is only as strong as the environment surrounding it — a community that extends beyond the clubhouse. So thank you, Chuck—for your enthusiasm on great days and positivity on the rough ones. You made Toronto a great place to be in a great place to play. Oh, and thanks to your kids for always keeping those cookies around. Those were no joke.

    Chris Bosh, Toronto Raptors, Miami Heat. 2021 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. 2 time NBA Champion.