The latest news from Eckhartz Press, and a chance to peek into some of the great previous offerings from our humble little publishing company.
WGN, After Hours, Rick Kogan
"I received my copy of “Maria the Pappas: Memoir” last wednesday and finished reading it this weekend. The book is an uplifting view of a political leader in Chicago who made me feel pride to be from there. Pappas wrote a lovely book; a story of what can be accomplished by one person affecting the lives of so many. It was an enjoyable read straight through. We need this story of the good Greek politician at this time more than ever."
-- Dominic Mega, proud Chicago southsider, Vietnam Veteran
=If you don't manage to get out to a Maria Pappas signing over the next few months, you aren't trying very hard. Here's just a partial list of Maria Pappas' upcoming appearances:
– Sun, Oct 18, Green Mill Jazz Lounge, 4802 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60640, appearance by Maria and book signing – 3 – 5:30 PM
– Mon, Oct 26, Three Top Lounge (above the Salt Mines), 1357 N. Elston, Chicago, IL 60642, appearance by Maria & book signing – 7 PM
– Sun, Nov 8, G-Man Tavern, 3740 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60613, Matinee, Interview & reading by Maria and book signing
– Sun,
Nov 15, Green Mill Jazz Lounge, 4802 N Broadway, Chicago, IL
60640, 30-minute program by Maria and book signing – 3 – 5:30 PM
--Thurs, Nov 19. The Book Cellar, 4736 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60625, reading and signing, 7PM
=A mention of the book in the Orthodox Oberserver.
=A word from Maria....
The Sun at the End of the Road
=A Tony Fitzpatrick tribute is coming soon. Here are the details...
"I always thought the most productive part of grieving is to try and wring something beautiful out of it."
Jon Langford and Rick Kogan present an evening of words, songs and poems written by the late visual artist, author, actor, gallerist and podcaster Tony Fitzpatrick. Long renowned for his etchings, illustrations and multi-media collages, Tony’s deep well of creative output also included poetry, personal essays, and on a much lesser-known basis, songwriting. Shining a light on these works, alongside Jon and Rick, will be vocalists Kelly Hogan and Sally Timms, drummer Quin Kirchner, guitarist John Szymanski, multi-faceted performer Al Scorch and lighting director Tracey Dear, with promotional support from John Soss.
Jon Langford is a songwriter, musician, artist and founding
member of The Mekons, The Waco Brothers, The Pine Valley Cosmonauts and
countless other musical ensembles. Rick Kogan is a celebrated veteran Chicago
newspaperman, author, radio host, podcaster and champion of the arts.
This event will take place at Constellation for two
nights: Wednesday, November 18 and Thursday, November 19, 2026. Show
time each night is 8:00 pm. Doors open at 7:00 pm.
This will be a fully-seated general admission performance
with tickets priced at just $25.00 plus fees. There will be a 4-ticket limit
per purchase/per show. Tickets for both shows went on sale last Friday, September 25. You can still get them here...
November 18 tickets here
November 19 tickets here
Constellation is located at 3111 North Western Avenue on the northwest side of Chicago. A portion of the proceeds will be allocated to the Tony Fitzpatrick Family Trust. For further information, contact John Soss: HeySossMan@yahoo.com.
=Released one year ago this week, this piece in Block Club Chicago is a wonderful primer on Tony's last book, The Sun at the End of the Road.
=Nick Digilio has two huge upcoming events Naturally he'll be selling his new book at both. This first on at the Pickwick Theater (5 S. Prospect, Park Ridge) couldn't possibly be more thematically appropriate...
=And here's another one. This one could be even more fun. Note: Rich Koz will be appearing as himself (not Svengoolie). If you haven't been to the Broadcast museum yet (440 W. Randolph), there's an awesome Svengoolie exhibit there. It's worth the price of admission just to see that. Spending an afternoon with these two horror buffs, and a chance to get a signed copy of Nick's book? Priceless.
=The reviews are coming in for Nick's book. This one is extra special from fellow film critic Richard Roeper...
=Don't forget that Gloria Golec will be appearing at the Archer Heights Library on October 10 at 2pm. This is a huge deal for her, because that was the neighborhood she grew up in, and it's the neighborhood lovingly captured in Gloria's book. The library is located at 5055 S. Archer in Chicago.
=Look, you are just not going to find a more accommodating author than Tom Serritella...
Richard Reeder named host of a new podcast series
=October 1 is World Vegetarian Day. We have a few vegetarian authors at Eckhartz Press, but only Brent Petersen incorporated that into his novel (Truffle Hunt). Before he even wrote that fun foodie novel, Brent explained his vegetarianism in this essay. The money quote: “I am not a vegetarian because I love animals, I am vegetarian because I hate plants.”
Sirens in the Loop and Hugh Hefner's First Funeral
=44 years after first making headlines, the Tylenol murders were back in the news last week. An old case in Idaho was solved, and the investigators believe the body they found was potentially the Tylenol murderer. You can read the piece in the Daily Herald here.
=Of course, two different Eckhartz Press books have delved deeply into this case. Pat Colander's award-winning Hugh Hefner's First Funeral includes all of the original reporting she did while following the case when it was first in the news. Jim Elsener's Sirens in the Loop discusses the original reporting done by the City News Bureau at the time of the murders. Neither book agrees with the findings by the Idaho investigators.
In case you missed it...
=A few photos from Maria Pappas' appearance at Pella Restaurant in Burr Ridge this past weekend...
=Two big events for Bob Conlon this past week or so...
=He also made an appearance at the Book Loft in Oak Park....
=Remember, nearly every Eckhartz Press author is available to come to your book club. Even Bob Conlon. He was in Crystal Lake this week last year for a book club, and enjoyed every minute of it.
=Speaking of book clubs, Vicki Atkinson has also been making the book club rounds. She wrote an entire blog piece about a recent one in Palatine. You can read it here. Vicki has gotten tons of interesting questions at these book clubs. She answered a few of those in this Q&A.
=She also got another review this week. This comes from author Mark Petruska (No Time for Kings)...
Vicki is a great writer, and she has a knack for getting inside her characters’ heads…even when those characters are teenagers, and the setting is more than fifty years in the past. The short chapters were easily digestible, and the shifting points of view never confusing; that can be difficult to pull off, but Vicki did so admirably. Oh, and the supernatural element that forms the backbone of this tale didn’t hurt, either; I’m a sucker for that stuff.
=Roger Badesch isn't just an Eckhartz Press author. He is a former journalist, a former spokesperson, and a current member of the SAG-AFTRA Radio Players. They performed this weekend at Chief O'Neill's in the Old Irving neighborhood to a packed house. Standing room only. We were there to snap a few pictures. Bottom picture features Roger on the left.
=Janet Sutherland once again appeared at the annual walk for the Brain Aneurysm Foundation on Sunday. She makes a point of attending it every year. This time it was held at McCormick Place.
=That one was extra special. Janet was recognized at last year's walk (the 10th annual) for her tireless work as the foundation's Ambassador for the past twenty years. A letter of thanks and recognition from Congressman Sean Casten was presented to Janet at the walk.
Eckhartz Press birthdays!
=One of the Mob Adjacent brothers, Jeffrey Gentile, is celebrating a birthday this week (September 29). (Listen to Jeff talk about Mob Adjacent.)
=Chili Dog MVP co-author David Fletcher is celebrating a birthday this week (September 30). Happy birthday Doc!
=He had a big night in Boston last week when he showed the film based on Chili Dog MVP, My Father, Dick Allen. Both David and the writer/director of the film Andy Billman were recognized with an award for Best Story at the festival. An incredible honor. (Photo below, L-R: Richard Allen Jr., David Fletcher, Sharon Pannozzo, Andy Billman, Ken Smoller)
Sarasota and 1001 Train Rides in Chicago
=Richard Reeder shares a birthday with Dr. Fletcher.(September 30). Happy birthday Richard! (Here's a recent Q&A with Richard about his latest book)
Ryan Trembath is another Eckhartz Press author celebrating a birthday this week (October 4). Listen to Ryan talk about Signature Shoes.
Other notable birthdays...
=Whenever their birthdays arrive, we like to provide free excerpts about Cubs Hall of Famers. Two of them were born this week in history. Robin Roberts would have been celebrating his 100th birthday this week if he was still around (September 30). Dennis Eckersley's birthday is October 3. Here are their entries from EveryCubEver...
He is a Hall of Famer, a seven-time All-Star, a six-time 20-game winner, a man that led his team to the pennant as a 23-year-old, made the cover of Time Magazine, and ended up with 286 career wins. Roberts led the league in wins four times, strikeouts twice, and complete games five times. Of course, none of that happened during his short stint with the Cubs. The Cubs thought they should give him one last chance. Unfortunately, he was the oldest player in the majors (39) when he was picked up by the Cubs in 1966, and he didn’t have anything left in the tank. The head and heart were willing, but the arm was not. In his nine starts with the Cubs, his ERA was over six, and he gave up eight home runs. Those just added to his record-setting total. Roberts served up more home runs than any other pitcher in history. One of his teammates on the 1966 Cubs is now second place on the all-time home run list: Ferguson Jenkins. The Cubs released Roberts on October 4, 1966. He never pitched in the majors again.
Dennis was a 2-time All-Star as a starting pitcher, and a 4-time All-Star as a relief pitcher in 24 big league seasons. He was one of the rare pitchers who was a superstar in both roles. Eck won 20 games in a season and threw a no-hitter as a starting pitcher, and then as a reliever won a Cy Young, an MVP, and a World Series title while saving an astounding 390 games in eleven seasons. As you might have guessed, very little of that happened in Chicago. He was acquired by the Cubs from the Red Sox in exchange for Bill Buckner and contributed greatly to their 1984 division-winning club. The next two seasons were a nightmare, however. He later admitted he was struggling mightily with an alcohol problem at the time. In 1986, he managed to win only 6 games in 32 starts for the Cubs. Of course, he rediscovered his magic touch as soon as he was traded to Oakland for four minor leaguers who never made it to the show. Dennis got sober and became one of the greatest closers of all-time. Eckersley was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.
Pat Cassidy
=For years Pat Cassidy reigned supreme on the Chicago airwaves as the morning co-anchor at WBBM-AM (with Felicia Middlebrooks). He also managed to find his way into two Eckhartz Press books. That's Pat in Rich King's memoir Ike & Me (along with fellow WBBM pros Jim Benes and Bernie Tafoya), and there's Pat in Mitch Michael's memoir Doin The Cruise. Two very different books, but with one significant similarity...Pat Cassidy. Pat's birthday is September 30.
=How many authors have a photo of Sting (born October 2) holding a copy of their book? Chuck Quinzio has one.
=One of the most colorful soccer players of all-time, Zlatan, is celebrating a birthday this week (October 3). Paul Banks writes about Zlatan in his Eckhartz Press book. He also once got close enough to the legend to snap this photo...
Tony LaRussa
=The former White Sox manager, who is celebrating a birthday this week (October 4), has appeared in multiple Eckhartz Press books. You'll find him in the pages of Ike & Me by Rich King, as well as in the book Your Dime My Dance Floor by Chet Coppock. Both books have pictures of LaRussa as well...(notice Jerry Reinsdorf is in both pictures too)
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=Richard J. Daley's press secretary for 18 years was Earl Bush. Earl was born this week in history (October 4,
1915). Jim Elsener and Paul Zambrakos wrote about him in Sirens in the Loop not only because he was a formidable press secretary, but also because he was a City News
alum (1944).
Notable anniversaries...
=This week in 2024 we staged a book launch party for Daily Herald editor Jim Slusher and his book To Nudge the World. Great turnout. Inspiring reading. His book couldn't be more timely today. Much of it examines the role of the press, and the freedom of the press.
=It's the two-year anniversary of Eric Litt's second Eckhartz Press book. Worth a Second Look is the book that every movie fan should have at their disposal when they can’t find anything to watch. Super movie fan and author of Oscars Biggest Mistakes Eric Litt handpicked 200 films that are either underrated, a forgotten hit, a hidden gem or a guilty pleasure from the past 50 years. This book is full of recommendations for terrific films that deserve to be seen again from almost every genre from action to comedy to horror to holiday. There is something in this book for everyone.
Staying Alive is a Lot of Work
=It's also the two-year anniversary of Staying Alive is a Lot of Work. One day Pat Camalliere was finally enjoying her family, newfound success as a historical mystery writer, and singing in a classical chorus, passions she had put off during her forty-year career in medical administration. The next day she found herself struggling to survive after being diagnosed with advanced tongue cancer. With knowledge gained from a lifetime in the field of medicine, as a writer of character driven novels, and as a cancer patient herself, Camalliere walks readers through slices of her life growing up in Chicago, relating moving experiences with detail and humor, demystifying the day-to-day struggles of a cancer patient in a way few can do. There is no one better to explain the cancer experience from diagnosis, chemotherapy and radiation, through side effects and recovery. Although staying alive is a lot of work, personal efforts to understand cancer and the people who treat it can ease the journey to recovery. This memoir will benefit anyone who has or has had cancer, their loved ones, and all who treat and support cancer patients.
=Meta Stories is another one of our stellar 2024 releases. We had a chance to sit down with author Dr. Joe Novak and talk about the book. The Q&A is here.
=This week in 2022 (October 4), Bill Paige made a return trip to Chicago (He now lives in Thailand) and played a gig on the North side of the city. Eckhartz Press publisher Rick Kaempfer was there to cheer him on.
=This week in 2018, Chet Coppock unveiled the promo video for his book...
=We still miss you Chet.
=This week in 2018, Cubsessions co-authors Randy Richardson and Becky Sarwate appeared on the Club 400 show to talk Cubs. You can still listen to it here.
=This week in 2018 (October 4), Russ Fahrner (far left) and Bruce Bohrer (far right) appeared on WCGO with Bill Turck to talk about their retirement book...
=Bruce Bohrer's book about his time as a Wrigley Field usher is really a time-travel treasure trove. For instance, let's go back in time to this week in history, October 2,
2008. The Cubs were hosting a playoff game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Most Cubs fans remember that painful loss. What they may not remember if they haven't read Bruce's book, is that Mark Cuban was there. At the time, he was considering buying the Cubs.
=Here's another date to remember from this week in history. On September 30, 1990, the White Sox played their last home game at old Comiskey Park. Ken Smoller's book, Last Comiskey, is all about that famous last season in the ballpark, and especially that very last day. Trivia question: Who was the last White Sox pitcher to pitch in the ballpark? Bobby Thigpen.
And finally...
Close Encounters of a Chicago Kind
=This week in 1971 (October 1), the Chicago Reader was founded. The Reader has been a champion of Eckhartz Press author Vicki Quade her entire career. This is the quote they provided for Vicki's book Close Encounters of a Chicago Kind...
“I love observational journalism. When a writer simply listens and watches, and interprets a story through their senses. Chicagoan Vicki Quade is that kind of writer. She beautifully captures the small nuances of movement and conversation that make Chicago what it is—a city of people, a city of neighborhoods, and a city of a million stories, big and small.”
