Publishing Portal--January 9, 2024

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 author Jeanne Bellezzo celebrated her birthday yesterday (January 8). Her book Rantings of a Bitter Childless Woman came out in 2016. I did a Q&A with her when it was released.  That's Eckhartz Press co-publisher Dave Stern with her at her Chicago book signing.

*Shoeless Joe

=This is a big month for our recently published book about the Shoeless Joe trial. That trial took place exactly 100 years ago this month, and until we published the transcript last year, it had been out of the public eye for nearly a century. Learn more about it here.

*The Loop Files

=I’ve been blown away by the great reviews of my latest book The Loop Files. This may be my favorite one. Thanks so much, Christopher Sutter.

=The publicity tour continued last week with an appearance on The Average Joe podcast. I'll post a link when I get it.

=I'll be out and about for another book signing on January 21st. Really looking forward to this one. I'll be at the Chicagoland Record show from 10am--2pm. 

*Leaving Glory for Greatness

=Lou Macaluso will be signing and selling his Eckhartz Press book Leaving Glory for Greatness at the Thornton Distillery Book Fair, 400 E. Margaret Street, Thornton, IL on February 4th from Noon to 5pm. Mark it on your calendar now.

*Surviving Sue

=Author Vicki Atkinson is now part of the CWA Speaker's Bureau. To find out what her presentation is all about, click here.

=She is also appearing at a virtual event. Register here. Details below.

*Righteous Might

=In 2020 Eckhartz Press published the debut novel of Keith Conrad, Righteous Might. It's a science fiction exploration of the Pearl Harbor attack. Well, Keith has a new audio project to share, Dimension of the Lost. Here's the description.

    Pop culture over the past twenty years or so is riddled with stories about pioneering scientists visiting new worlds. In the 1990’s there was Sliders, there was also Stargate SG-1 with a different planet every week. In this week’s story "Dimension of the Lost," three scientists visit three different dimensions. Two of them have life-changing experiences, while the third ends up solving a mystery that has haunted humanity for generations.

*Doin the Cruise

 =This week in 2018, West Suburban Living reviewed Mitch Michael's book.

=Rod Stewart is celebrating a birthday this week. You may not realize that Doin The Cruise author Mitch Michaels played a key role in Rod's song "Maggie Mae" becoming a big hit. He tells that story in the book. (That's Mitch in the middle of the pic below)

*We Have Company

 =Bobby Skafish's 2016 Eckhartz Press book We Have Company: Four Decades of Rock and Roll Encounters is a rock and roll lover's dream. Bobby has met and interviewed them all. Two of them have birthdays this week; the late David Bowie and Dave Matthews. Their stories (and these photos) are in the book.

*Behind the Glass

 =Randy Merkin's 2021 book Behind the Glass: Stories from a Sports Radio Producer is the sports equivalent of Bobby's book. For instance, three Hall of Famers who were born this week in history, Bruce Sutter, Bart Starr and Dick Enberg, are featured.

*Monkey in the Middle

 =Dobie Maxwell's gripping personal story about a bank robbery was reviewed this week in 2017. Dobie's book remains one of our best sellers. 

 *Records Truly Is My Middle Name

 =John Records Landecker's book was a finalist for CWA Book of the Year in 2013. When John was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2017, we re-released the book with additional stories and photos. Among the new photos...this one of John and his daughter Amy with the richest man in the world (at the time), who happens to be celebrating a birthday this week.

*Back in the DDR

 =My latest novel came out for Christmas of 2022. This week in 2023 (that was already a year ago?) I made my first book club appearance. Excellent snacks, if I recall correctly.

*The Balding Handbook

 =We sold out of the book, but before it went out of print, The Balding Handbook helped countless balding souls. Eleven years ago this week author David Stern was on Mancow's television show talking about it.

*The Living Wills

=12 years ago this week, Rick and Brendan discuss the tricky collaboration that led to the first Eckhartz Press book, The Living Wills.

 *Truffle Hunt

=Eckhartz Press author Brent Peterson is now a podcasting star...

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*Today is Mick Jones' birthday. Mick was the founder and guitarist of the band Foreigner, which is prominently featured in Mitch Michael's Eckhartz Press book Doin The Cruise. (Photo of Mitch above by Barry Butler)

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*On this day in 2013, the Eckhartz Press book Records Truly Is My Middle Name was named a finalist fo Chicago Writers Association Book of the Year. It was the first finalist for us (Eckhartz Press) and me (I co-authored the book with John). The photo above was taken at one of live remotes in the 90s.

*On this day in 2017, the rave reviews were coming in for Mitch Michaels' book Doin the Cruise. Here's an example...

Sep 20, 2017 Bob rated it it was 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.

*On this day in 2017, Tom Weinberg also held his book launch party for the book Chasing the Lost City. Here's a photo from that party at the Billy Goat on lower Michigan.

*On this day in 1994, the show Austin City Limits debuted in Austin, Texas. It is now a nationally syndicated program. The man behind that program just happens to be a big fan of Roger Badesch's Eckhartz Press book The Unplanned Life. Here's what he said about it...

• “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!”

  Bruce Scafe, co-creator, Austin City Limits

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 *On this day in 2018, two Eckhartz Press books were named finalists for CWA Book of the Year, Mitch Michaels' book Doin the Cruise, and Lee Kingsmill's novel Safe Inside.

*On this day in 2017, Eckhartz Press author Randy Richardson won a national award for writing.

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 *On this day in 2017, two great reviews came in for Eckhartz Press books. Tom Lounges wrote a great review for Mitch Michael's book Doin the Cruise, while Mike Donahue gave a thumbs up to Bill Paige's book Everything I Know I Learned From Rock Stars.

*On this day in 2021, Paul M. Banks held court at Fado's while selling his book Transatlantic Passage.

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 *On this day in 2017, Mitch Michaels sold his book Doin The Cruise at an event staged by his radio station The River. The event was adult prom. A fun time was had by all...

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*On this day in 2017, we had a blast at Mitch Michaels book release party at Lloyds Chicago. A who's who of Chicago media was there including John Landecker, Catherine Johns, Pat Cassidy, Bart Shore, Jimmy Mac McInerny, Leslie Harris, Joe Cicero, Bob Malkowski, David Berner, Barry Butler, Bernie Tafoya, Bob Stern, Lisa Greene, John Calhoun, Ray Stevens, Matt Bisbee, and more. To see the photos, click here.

*Earlier that day, Mitch and co-author Ken Churilla appeared on WGN-Television's midday show and were interviewed by Steve Sanders.

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 *On this day in 2021, Eckhartz Press author Paul M. Banks appeared at Fado's to promote his book Transatlantic Passage. (Photo above)

*On this day in 2017, Robert Feder reviewed the Eckhartz Press book Doin the Cruise. Here's what he said about it...Mitch Michaels will be toasted Thursday at a gathering to honor the release of his new memoir, Doin’ the Cruise: Memories From A Lifetime in Radio and Rock & Roll. Written with Ken Churilla and published by Eckhartz Press, it’s a straightforward account of the ups and downs of a Chicago radio career spanning nearly five decades and encompassing such iconic call letters as WXRT, WDAI, WKQX, WLUP and WCKG. Most interesting are insights Michaels shares about his personal life, including growing up as an only child of adoptive parents in a Cleveland suburb, and coping with the death of a 21-year-old son, who fell victim to drug addiction.

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*Today is Barry Butler's birthday. The talented photographer took the great photo that we used as a cover for Pat Colander's book Hugh Hefner's First Funeral. He also took the promotional shot to announce the signing of Mitch Michaels and Ken Churilla to write Doin the Cruise. (Photos above)

*Today is also Joe Jackson's birthday. Not the 1919 White Sox player who was banned for life, the musician who had a string of big hits in the late 70s/early 80s. He is featured in Bill Paige's Eckhartz Press book Everything I Know I Learned from Rock Stars.

*On this day in 2013, John Records Landecker appeared at the Morning Show Boot Camp in Chicago to promote his book Records Truly Is My Middle Name. I was there and snapped the photo of John (below) with his old WLS colleagues who also appeared there. Exactly one year later, on this day in 2014, John was in Georgetown, Illinois (outside of Danville) to promote his book. Dave and I were there for that too.

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*Happy birthday to Eckhartz Press author Becky Sarwate Maxwell, co-author of the book Cubsessions.

*On this day in 2004, the Dave Matthews Band tour bus dumped about 800 pounds of human waste out of the bus's septic tank and onto a passenger sight-seeing boat on the Chicago River below. Bobby Skafish talked to Dave Matthews about that, and it's part of his Eckhartz Press book We Have Company.

*On this day in 1977, the great Ernie Banks was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Naturally, Ernie is prominently featured in our book EveryCubEver. On this day in 1988, the Cubs played their first night game (8/8/88). It was rained out...of course.

*On this day in 1978, ChicagoFest began at Navy Pier in Chicago. Eckhartz Press author Mitch Michaels (Doin the Cruise) was there. The picture on the cover of his book was taken at ChicagoFest...

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 *The most famous radio stunt in Chicago history happened on this day in 1979--Disco Demolition. Eckhartz Press author Mitch Michaels was there and tells the whole story in his book Doin' the Cruise.

*On this day in 2001, Eckhartz Press author Joel Daly (The Daly News) appeared on WGN Radio with Steve & Johnnie. You can listen to that interview here.

*On this day in 2020, Roger Badesch appeared on the Fred & Hannah show to discuss his Eckhartz Press book The Uplanned Life.

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*On this day in 2017, Eckhartz Press signed Mitch Michaels to write his memoir for us. "Doin the Cruise" came out later in the year. 

We signed the contract on the rooftop terrace of The London House. (Photo includes co-author Ken Churilla, Mitch, Dave and me)

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*May 4, 1970 was the Kent State Massacre. Eckhartz Press author Mitch Michaels was actually there that day, and told the story from his perspective in the pages of his book Doin the Cruise.

*Today is George Will's birthday. George is a political commentator, yes, but he's also a big Cubs fan, and an owner of a copy of EveryCubEver. (Photo)

*On this day in 2018, Eckhartz Press author Tom Weinberg (Chasing the Lost City) appeared on WTTW's Chicago Tonight. See more about that here.

*Today is novelist Jim Korkoris' birthday. Jim is a big fan of the Eckhartz Press book In Small Boxes. Here's what he said about it: At times, poignant, sad and very funny. A wonderfully unique coming of age story. We will all see pieces of ourselves and our lives in this book.

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 *On this day in 2013, Dave Stern appeared on Mancow's television show in Chicago to promote his Eckhartz Press book The Balding Handbook: The Five Stages of Grieving for your Hair Loss. Among the other guests on the show that day, sportscaster Mike North. Relive more of the photo memories here.

*Today is Rod Stewart's birthday. Two Eckhartz Press books have great stories about the rocker. In Mitch Michael's Doin the Cruise, you can read about the inadvertant way Mitch helped propel the song "Maggie Mae" to the top of the charts. In Bobby Skafish's book We Have Company, Bobby spends an entire chapter writing about his encounter with the gravely-voice singer. Both of these great books are still available at Eckhartz Press.