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!
=Two Eckhartz Press authors are celebrating birthdays this week. Happy birthday to Media consultant Kipper McGee (October 15), author of Brandwidth, and retired Judge Michael Bender (October 18), author of Protecting Children.
Award Season!
=This week in 2013 (October 17), Records Truly Is My Middle Name (by John Landecker) became our first book ever named as a finalist for Chicago Writers Association Book of the Year. It was only the fourth book we ever published. John and his daughter (movie/TV star) Amy made the media rounds promoting the book.
=This week in 2021 (October 15), Mob Adjacent became our tenth book to be named a finalist for CWA Book of the Year.
Little Steven
=This week in 2020 (October 15), Steve Van Zandt announced his partnership with Eckhartz Press to publish a rock and roll book for kids. Written by Eckhartz Press author Ken Korber, and endorsed by the E-Street Band member himself. It's a story about a girl who goes to see Steve in concert, called Grace's Rockin' Roll Adventure.
=This week in 1775 (October 13), the US Navy was formed. Only one book in the Eckhartz Press catalog is about the Navy, and that's a great novel by Keith Conrad. It's entitled Righteous Might. Pick up your copy this week. It's on sale.
=Will Wagner's novel is about what happened to Pete Townshend's guitar after he tossed it into the audience at Woodstock. So, it's only natural that when the Who came town this week in 2022 (October 13), Will held a book signing down the street from the United Center before the show.
=This week in 2018 (October 18), Don Evans had his book launch party at the very swanky Cliff Dwellers on South Michigan Avenue. It was a star-studded event.
=John Wooden was born this week in 1910 (October 14). The legendary coach lived to a ripe old age of 99. Not only does he have the record for most NCAA Championships, he also had his own signature shoe. Ryan Trembath tells the story of the Wooden Shoes in his book Signature Shoes.
The Balding Handbook
=This week is Be Bald and Be Free Day (October 14). It's a day that Balding Handbook author David Stern celebrates every year. Even though his book is no longer in print, his head is adorned with the exact same amount of hair.
=This week in 2015 (October 14), Rick Kaempfer appeared on Rabbi Doug's television show to talk about his latest book, Father Knows Nothing.
=This week in 2016, Bobby Skafish was making the rounds promoting his book We Have Company. He appeared on WBEZ (photo) and also on the Kevin Matthews podcast.
“Make sure your schedule is clear when you begin to read this book because you won’t be able to put it down. You’re there as Skafish speaks face to face with the architects of the music that made radio hip, here and happening.”
“Close encounters of the rock radio kind from the coolest cat to ever drop a needle on vinyl”
“With over four decades as a silver-tongued D.J., Bobby Skafish turns his numerous interview moments into a can’t-stop reading adventure. Partly his thoughts on the interview process but mainly a memoir about his lifelong passion for music and those that make it. Highly recommended!”
“Bobby Skafish delves into an interview with knowledge, finesse and the ability to get a conversation started. He once told me that listening is just as important as asking the questions. This book is proof that his approach is right on!”
=Also this week, two of the interview subjects in Bobby's book are celebrating birthdays, Sammy Hagar (October 13), and John Mayer (October 16)
=This week in 2017, Tom Weinberg was riding high while promoting his book Chasing the Lost City. Rick Kogan wrote about it in the Chicago Tribune (October 15), and Tom's book launch party (October 17) at the Billy Goat was a big success.
=This week in 2017 (October 17), Doin 'The Cruise was tearing it up on GoodReads. Here's an example of the reviews from readers...
Bob rated it AMAZING!
A must-read for fans of radio and rock & roll music. Radio legend Mitch Michaels takes you behind the scenes of some of Chicago's most popular radio stations that were part of his remarkable career. An honest, in-depth, revealing look at the radio stations, DJ's, management, and rock stars that created the soundtrack to our lives. The memoir is very enlightening, and at times extremely funny, but also with moments that are heartbreaking. Mitch Michaels along with Ken Churilla have perhaps written the best book to date that captures the life of one of Chicago's most beloved radio personalities. A great read from start to finish.
=This week in 2018 (October 16) the original version of Cubsessions was also garnering some serious buzz at GoodReads. Here's an example...
Evan rated it "AMAZING"
While reading Cubsessions: Famous Fans of Chicago’s North Side Baseball Team & Their Stories of Pain, Loyalty, Hope, and (Finally) Joy by Becky Sarwate and Randy Richardson, I realized that my experience at the conclusion of Game 7 of the 2016 World Series closely mirrored the experiences of those interviewed for the book. While we all wanted to be with the Cubs in Cleveland, many were nowhere near Progressive Field that night (I was watching on TV on the West Coast). Many watched the game with their families (I watched with my parents). Many shed tears of joy (I did, and I still get choked up every time I watch a video of the final out). Many were inundated with congratulatory phone calls immediately following the game (Call after call. I heard from friends I hadn’t spoken with in years). It was interesting to read the 31 interviews in Cubsessions. They feature a diverse group of people, from various walks of life, experiencing a similar feeling at the same moment. Famous Cub fans: Bob Newhart (who is a national treasure), Tom Dreesen, Joe Mantegna, and Nick Offerman. Cub fans whom other Cub fans will recognize, but might not know by name: the guy who invented the Shawon-O-Meter, the Bleacher Preacher, the owner of Murphy’s Bleachers, and Ronnie Woo Woo. Cub fans famous enough to be interviewed, who I honestly never heard of, but Cub fans nonetheless. All remained loyal while suffering as our beloved team wandered for 108 years through the bottom half of the National League standings until finally reaching The Promised Land in 2016! Hallelujah! Holy Cow! Where’s the Tylenol? This book is a must read for any Cub fan. Reliving the night of Game 7, the greatest game ever played, will put a smile on your face. Also, 100 percent of the proceeds from book sales go to cancer and baseball charities. Go buy this book, and GO CUBS GO!
=Chili Dog MVP isn't just a book about 1972 Chicago, it's not just a book about the great Dick Allen, it's also about the entire White Sox team from that year. Two of the lesser known members of that team, Hugh Yancy (October 16) and Rudy Hernandez (October 18) are celebrating birthdays this week. Yancy only played in three games for the team (at second base). Hernandez was a 20-year-old rookie shortstop and appeared in only 8 games.
=Two of the people featured in the book The Loop Files are celebrating birthdays this week. Happy birthday to Mitch Rosen (October 17) and Catherine Beckman (October 18). That's Catherine in the photo below on the far right (with Carol Harmon and Jimmy "Bud" Wiser).
=This week in 1974 (October 17), the show Austin City Limits debuted. The creator of that show is Roger Badesch's long-time friend. He provided this blurb for The Unplanned Life...
“Roger and I go back over 50 years to when he was a high school student and I was the TV Director for Evanston Township High School. Then again when I was TV Producer-Director for Southern Illinois University and Roger was an enthusiastic RTV Major. He worked on several of my shows including one with Billy Joel and one with the rock band Brownsville Station. I went on to co-create and direct PBS’ Austin City Limits, and Roger went on to become an anchor for WGN Radio News. His story is bound to be a good one!”
=Evander Holyfield is celebrating a birthday this week (October 19). Evander rates his own chapter in Randy Merkin's book Behind the Glass...
=Former Bears coach Mike Ditka has a birthday this week as well (October 18). He's featured in Chet Coppock's book Your Dime My Dance Floor. (He will also be featured prominently in Dan McNeil's upcoming Bears book I Bear Witness)
=This week in 2018 (October 18), Chet had a book signing at his favorite local joint, Stormy's in Northbrook...
=One of the endorsers of Beth Jacobellis' novel Cameo was WGN Radio's John Williams (born October 19). Here's what he said...
Mythical but modern, Cameo shows us how to listen to the past to find love in the present.
