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 co-publisher and author (The Balding Handbook) David Stern is celebrating a birthday this week (September 12). Here he is making that announcement to the press...
=Book launch party alert! Save the date.
Coming Soon to Eckhartz Press
=Dan McNeil announced the news last week...
=Vicki Atkinson spent the afternoon on Sunday at the Printers Row Lit Fest. She posted this review of the event, complete with photographs.
=Ken Smoller has been all over the Chicago area this past week (including at Printer's Row Lit Fest on Saturday). One more chance to see him this week...Wednesday, Sept. 11, 7 pm - Lake Villa District Library, 140 N Munn Rd., Lindenhurst, IL.
=Ten years ago this week (2014), Asst. Professor Lori Oster (Oakton College) released her textbook I Like Big Books and I Cannot Lie, a guide to help readers transform their ways of thinking about text. What started as basic handouts for Oster’s students has evolved into a time-tested approach to helping high school and college students develop the reading skills they need to be successful both in the classroom, and out.
=This week in 2017 (September 8), the state of Indiana declared John Records Landecker Day in honor of Eckhartz Press author John Landecker. The event was held in Michigan City Indiana, and Eckhartz Press publisher (and co-author of John's book) Rick Kaempfer was asked to speak there. It was a great day for Landecker, the governor of Indiana bestowed upon John the Sagamore of the Wabash award, the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a citizen of the state.
=It's also the anniversary of Eddie Money's birth (September 13). The singer appeared on Landecker's show, and then later, in photograph form--in John's book.
Rick Kogan
=The Chicago Tribune scribe and WGN Radio host has been a big supporter of Eckhartz Press since we debuted in 2011. In fact, the company was largely formed on Rick's advice. We can never thank him enough for the many times he has had our authors on his show, and for a few of the incredible reviews he has given our books. For instance...
Rollicking and real on so many levels, ‘The Living Wills’ is a captivating collaboration by two immensely talented writers. I hope this team keeps at it for keeps.
“A fascinating book…a fascinating read. Mob Adjacent will open your eyes. The stories are true and genuine and heartfelt, and there’s a real honesty in this book.”
“You may think you know Roger Badesch if you have listened over the years to his exact and artful news reports on radio, but between the covers of this book you will find so much more–a man of great depth, many passions and skills. His is a wonderful life that you can now share.”
Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune
=That's Rick and Roger Badesch at the Printer's Row Litfest, this week in 2021...
=Two of the people featured in Chuck Swirsky's book Always a Pleasure are celebrating a birthday this week. Happy birthday to former White Sox announcer Jason Benetti (Sept 9) and former Chicago Bull Jimmy Butler (September 14)
=On September 10, 1992, Ray Hickok, founder of the Young President's Organization passed away. His successor Scott Mordell was a big fan of Andrew Langert's book A Man, A Mission, A Miracle. Here's what he wrote about it....
The book resonated with me very much. I attended a Lasallian Christian Brothers high school in Detroit. While I had a general understanding of the education mission, I found the deeper information here added color to my own experience.
Brother James is certainly a fascinating leader and role model. Even your listing of his personal interests was insightful. I have never experienced someone that would list prayer, meditation and reflection as a personal interest (more often someone states it as “their practice”). It is also telling about someone that states building a friend and relationship network as a personal interest too. How human, and essential for a quality life.
In all, it is clear in the text this was a labor of love for you. I admire the manner in which you integrated the Lewis University information and story with the biographical aspects of Brother James.
Very readable all the way though.
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=One of the most dramatic moments in our biggest selling book ever, The Loop Files, happened this week in 1993 (September 14). That was the day the famous radio duo Steve & Garry broke up. The drama around that memorable event is chronicled in the Loop Files.
=This week in 2016 (September 8), Bobby Skafish appeared on WGN Radio to talk about his book We Have Company. It was a great conversation with his old pals and colleagues Bill Leff and Wendy Snyder.
=This week in 2017, Mitch Michaels hosted a radio promotion called The River Prom in Naperville. Yes, it was a prom for grown ups. Mitch also got a chance to pitch his book there, Doin' the Cruise, which definitely appealed to the River Prom crowd.
=What do the books Lost in the Ivy and Cubsessions have in common? Well, both of them have something to do with the Chicago Cubs. Both are either written (Lost in the Ivy) or co-written (Cubsessions) by Randy Richardson. And both feature contributions from Tom Dreesen, who is celebrating a birthday this week (September 11). He was interviewed and rates his own chapter in Cubsessions, and for Lost in the Ivy he contributed this review of the book...
This book is not just for Cub fans but for all who love a great story. It’s a wonderful read. Enjoy! I know I did.
=Because it's Tom Dreesen's birthday this week (September 11), we should also mention Tom's devotion to another Eckhartz Press book. This one was written by Lou Macaluso about one of Tom's high school classmates, the great football player/civil rights activist LaMarr Thomas. Here's what Dreesen said about that...
“Lou Macaluso has captured the very soul and spirit of a man that I thought I knew and loved. Now I know so much more and wish I could have my friend back for one more conversation.
=This week in 2019 (September 10), just a few months after the release of EveryCubEver, the Chicago Writer's Association featured an interview with the book's author, Rick Kaempfer. That interview covered his books, his podcasts, his media career and more. You can read it here.
=Also, these photos were taken this week in 1999 (Sept 8). Rick with his wife Bridget, and two boys Tommy & Johnny (a third one, Sean, arrived three years later), and Rick walking with his two boys in Wrigleyville. The photos appear in the pages of EveryCubEver.
The Daly News
=This week in 2017, Joel Daly made his last public appearance for Eckhartz Press discussing his book The Daly News. He came out to Des Plaines and spoke to a crowd at the Frisbie Senior Center. The crowd loved hearing Joel's stories. Sadly, he passed away not too long after that, but Joel's memory lives on at Eckhartz Press.
=He would be in his 90s now if he was still with us, but the legendary radio disc jockey Dick Biondi passed away in 2022. (His birthday was September 13.) Biondi is featured in the Eckhartz Press book Turn it Up, by Bob Shannon.
=Eckhartz Press author Mark Gelinas' brave battle with pancreatic cancer is chronicled in the book GelStrong. Through the sheer force of his good will and personality, Mark managed to bring a wide array of people into his inner circle, helping him to fight this insidious disease. Among the people who supported Mark, the famous rapper Ludacris. He is celebrating a birthday this week (September 11)
=This week in 2018, Chet Coppock appeared on the Channel 7 show Windy City Live. Here are a few photos from that day...
=One of Rich King and Richard "Ike" Isaac's longtime colleagues at WGN-TV was Jackie Bange, who is celebrating a birthday this week (September 9). This photo appears in the book about Ike & Rich...
