The latest news from Eckhartz Press, and a chance to peek into some of the great previous offerings from our humble little publishing company.
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=Here's the announcement we've been promising. The Museum of Broadcast Communications is reopening later this week (October 23) for the media, and shortly thereafter to the public. It has a new "pop up" location on Randolph Street, near the Oglivie train station (440 W. Randolph). There will be some great things to see there, including a Johnny Carson exhibit, a Bozo the Clown exhibit, a Svengoolie exhibit, the Radio Hall of Fame, and...something that we've been working on now for several weeks. There will be an exhibit honoring 50 Years of The Loop radio station. It includes a timeline of big events over the years, a tribute to the big 3 stars of the station (Johnny B, Steve & Garry, Kevin Matthews), a feature highlighting some of the other important radio personalities from the station's historic run, some new and classic video, and some truly unique memorabilia. Also, eight different Eckhartz Press authors, all former Loopers, contributed copies of their books for the exhibit, including Rick Kaempfer (The Loop Files), Bobby Skafish (We Have Company), Mitch Michaels (Doin' The Cruise), Chet Coppock (Your Dime, My Dance Floor), John Records Landecker (Records Truly is My Middle Name), Chuck Swirsky (Always a Pleasure), Dan McNeil (I Bear Witness), and Tony Fitzpatrick (The Sun at the End of the Road). The exhibit was curated by The Loop Files author Rick Kaempfer.
=Just wait until you see what they've done with this poster...
=This week in 2023 Rick got the first copy of The Loop Files.
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=Great article in the Daily Herald Sunday about Jeff Reiter and his book The Best of Words on Birds. It was on the front page! Thanks to Daily Herald writer Katlyn Smith.
=Another promotional video for the book and upcoming film was dropped this week by the fellas...
Celtic Knot and The Kiss of Night
=Thanks to everyone who came out to meet Eckhartz Press authors Bob Conlon (Celtic Knot) and Mark Wukas (The Kiss of Night). Bob was in Western Springs at the library there, and Mark was at the Dovetail Brewery. Don't worry, this won't be your last time to see either of them. In fact, Bob is doing another event next month, signing books and making a presentation at this year's IBAM (Irish Books and Music), November 22 and 23 at the Irish American Heritage center (4626 N Knox Ave). Get your tickets for that fun event here. And keep checking back here for the next Wukas event, as well. In the meantime, both of their books are now also in the Chicago Public Library.
=This week in 2022 (October 26), Chuck Swirsky's book Always a Pleasure was released by Eckhartz Press. Chuck was a promotional machine the next two months pitching the book. This week he was on WGN Radio with Bob Sirott (October 20), and was featured in the Chicago Sun Times (October 20)
=The subjects of two of the most surprising photos (and stories) in the book, Drake (October 24) and Tom Petty (October 20) were both born this week...
Vintage Confidential and Selling Dead People's Things
=What do these two titles have in common? They are both written by Duane Scott Cerny. Duane is now making his thoughts, mirth, mayhem and misery in the vintage realm regularly available via his Substack called It's All My Fault. You can subscribe here.
=This week last year, Eric Litt had a launch party for his book Worth a Second Look. If his name sounds familiar, It should, this is his second book about movies for Eckhartz Press. His first book, Oscars Biggest Mistakes, is a big seller for us during every Oscar season. Eric Litt has been employed by WGN-TV/Ch. 9 for over 32 years and currently is the Programming Specialist for Nexstar Media’s Digital Multicast Networks Antenna TV and Rewind TV. In addition to enjoying movies, he loves music, television, and baseball and is an avid runner and triathlete. Eric lives with his wife in Skokie, Illinois and has three grown kids.
Pat Colander
=One of our favorite departed authors Pat Colander would have been celebrating a birthday this week (October 25). Pat was our first author to win the Book of the Year award from the Chicago Writers Association. Her book Hugh Hefner's First Funeral: And other True Tales of Love and Death in Chicago is a journalistic masterpiece. Unbeknownst to us, Pat was already sick at the time of its publication. She passed away in January of 2019. We still miss her.
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=This week in 2016, she did a well-attended reading from her book in Munster, Indiana.
Joel Daly
=This week in 2020 (October 22) we lost another Eckhartz Press author. The universally beloved Joel Daly. Joel was a Renaissance man, Anchorman/Reporter/Attorney/Singer/Actor/Pilot. His book The Daly News was a 2014 release at Eckhartz Press. When Joel passed away he was lionized all over the media. Of course Channel 7 did an on-air tribute to Joel. The Sun-Times published this wonderful obit. Media writer Robert Feder also paid tribute. Great guy. We miss him.
Best Seat in the House and EveryCubEver
=This week in 2016 (October 20), as the Cubs were beginning their World Series run, WCIU-TV invited two of our authors Rick Kaempfer (EveryCubEver) and Bruce Bohrer (Best Seat in the House) to be part of their morning show, live from Wrigleyville. This is Bruce with WCIU Morning host at the time, Jon Hansen.
=This week in 2018 (October 20), Mitch Michaels drove all the way to Northwest Indiana for a book signing at Tom Lounges' record store. Two of the members of M&R Rush showed up to say hello.
=This week in 2021 (October 2), Daily Herald editor/columnist Jim Baumann was featured in Robert Feder's column. Jim had just published his highly acclaimed book Grammar Moses. The book was a collection of Jim's famous grammar columns from the Daily Herald.
=Randy Merkin's stories in Behind the Glass are mostly about athletes, but there are a few that cross over into the world of entertainment. For instance, this guy, Snoop Dogg, celebrating a birthday this week (October 20).
Cheeseland and Lost In the Ivy
=This week in 2015 (October 21), Eckhartz Press author Randy Richardson was asked to attend the Carl Sandberg Literary Awards to benefit the Chicago Public Library Foundation. Steven Sondheim, Rick Bayless, Scott Simon, Bill Kurtis, Marv Levy, Sara Paretsky, Jim Peterik and Scott Turow were among the other attendees. You know, no big whoop.
The Unplanned Life and Wicker Park Wishes
=This week in 2020 (October 21), Roger Badesch was interviewed by Margaret Larkin for her Metrolingua blog about his memoir The Unplanned Life. You can still read that interview here.
=At the time, we had no way of knowing that Margaret Larkin would become an Eckhartz Press author herself. Just two years later (October 22), she appeared in Wicker Park to promote her novel Wicker Park Wishes...
=This week in 2020 (October 22), author Kipper McGee appeared on the RadioInfo podcast to talk about his media book Brandwidth. You can still listen to that here.
Chili Dog MVP and To The Men I've Loved
=This week (October 22) is former Chicago White Sox pitcher Wilbur Wood's 83rd birthday. Wilbur was a 20-game winner for the White Sox in the 1970s, but he also managed to do something even more impressive. He found his way into two Eckhartz Press books. This first photo of Wilbur with Nancy Faust and Bill Melton appears in Chili Dog MVP. The second photo of Wilbur and Jay Johnstone with Soxette (and future Eckhartz Press author Pat Motto) appears in To the Men I've Loved.
Records Truly Is My Middle Name
=This week in 2017 (October 23) we released the Hall of Fame edition of Records Truly Is My Middle Name after it was announced that John Landecker had been inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame. He was later also inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame. John wrote a few new chapters and added a few dozen more photos for the new addition.
=Two days later he made an appearance at Purdue University (October 25). Both John and co-author Rick Kaempfer appeared for a lecture in the media department.
Grun Weiss Vor! and Signature Shoes
=The greatest soccer player of all-time, Pele, was born this week (October 23) in 1940. Pele also appears in two Eckhartz Press books. The top photo is Pele with Green White Soccer Club legend Tom Czop from the book Grun Weiss Vor! The second photo is Pele's signature shoes, which are discussed and highlighted in Ryan Trembath's entertaining book about the Signature Shoe craze.
=Speaking of soccer, this week is also soccer legend Wayne Rooney's birthday (October 24). He appears in Paul Banks' book about the success of the Premier League in America, Transatlantic Passage. Paul even managed to snap this shot of the former Manchester United man.
=This week in 2016 (October 26), Bobby Skafish appeared on Kipper McGee's podcast to discuss his book We Have Company.
=This week is also the birthday of one of the rock stars who appears in Bobby's book. Happy birthday to former Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman (October 24).
The Radio Producer's Handbook
=Though this book is not technically an Eckhartz Press book, it did begin co-publisher Rick Kaempfer's official literary career. 21 years ago this month (October 21), Channel 7 reporter Andy Shaw interviewed Rick and his co-author John Swany Swanson for Lake Magazine. You can read the entire interview here, if you're interested.
Programming note: Next week's Publishing Portal won't be released until later in the week (probably on October 30)
