The latest news from Eckhartz Press, and a chance to peek into some of the great previous offerings from our humble little publishing company.
=Chili Dog MVP authors Dr. David Fletcher and John Owens are currently working on a documentary film about Dick Allen, featuring his son Richard Jr. They have gone to Dick's hometown in Pennsylvania, to his first Jim Crow minor league stop in Arkansas, and more. Look for previews of that film in the coming weeks. Former Cubs media relations maven Sharon Pannozzo is handling the publicity for this one...
=We are getting closer and closer to the induction of Dick Allen into Baseball's Hall of Fame. Recently his son, along with Chili-Dog MVP authors Dr. David Fletcher and John Owens, conducted this interview about the upcoming honor.
=This is a momentous week in Chili Dog MVP history. It was this week in 1972 (June 4) that Dick Allen was on the bench for the second game of a double header, and was in the clubhouse having a chili-dog, when his manager went looking for him to pinch hit in the bottom of the ninth. Allen got dressed, walked up to home plate, and slugged the game winning homer. That's the reason the book is titled the way it is. One of the co-authors, David Fletcher, appeared on this podcast to describe the story.
=On the 50th anniversary of that moment (2022), the White Sox pre-game show talked about it as well...
=Celtic Knot author Robert Conlon is having a book launch party this coming weekend (invite only for this first one). After the party, the book will be shipped to the hundreds of you who have pre-ordered the book. Thank you for that!
=In the meantime, Bob sat down with us to do a Q&A about the book. Here's just one small portion of that interview...
EP: Obviously the main character is your grandfather as a boy, but another major character in the story is the city of Chicago at the turn of last century. That must have taken quite a bit of research on your part to bring that time and place to life. The Little Cheyenne Red Light District. The Iroquois Theater Fire. The Eastland Disaster. The mafia. What are some things that you learned doing your research?
Bob: Celtic Knot explores multiple historical Chicago events in parallel with Tim’s journey. In the late 19th century, Chicago, like Tim, was coming of age. Each time tragedy struck the city, its vibrant spirit was determined to come back better and stronger. Chicago demonstrated tremendous fortitude following the Chicago Fire and other tragedies. Chicagoans were courageous and always comforting and nurturing to those adversely impacted. The City of Big Shoulders embraced Tim in his time of need and provided him refuge from his pursuers. Chicago gave Tim great guidance by being his only educator and life coach after his parents died while he was in second grade. With multiple life-altering moments that presented forks in the road for Tim, the city took his hand and guided him safely and morally forward. Although Tim had been emotionally fragile to the point of nearly breaking following his personal losses and witnessing epic tragedies, he observed how the city and its amazing citizens rallied around one another, refusing to let the horrible pain and sadness ruin their life’s trajectories. Each time, Chicago tirelessly rebuilt itself. Instead of throwing in the towel, Chicago, like the bare knuckle boxer with swollen eyes and a bloodied mouth, though exhausted and in excruciating pain, somehow chose to rise to its feet again, raise its scarred fists, and snarl at fate, “Is that all you got!” It was this resilience that made Chicago a world class city. Like Chicago, the love in Tim’s heart was the engine that drove him forward, and enabled Tim to arise with his fists clenched to “fight another day.” Chicago led by example and showed Tim the way.
=Read the entire interview here.
Chicago Writers Association
=Last week we highlighted the literary journal we publish for the Chicago Writers Association. This week New City named the people who run the CWA in their Lit 50 list, Randy Richardson (a three-time Eckhartz Press author) and Samantha Hoffman. Congrats to those two. They definitely deserve the attention and praise.
=Another book that captures the heart of Chicago is Mark Wukas's recent novel The Kiss of Night. He sent us this note the other day...
I paid a debt of gratitude this weekend and left a copy of The Kiss of Night on James T. Farrell’s grave in Calvary Catholic Cemetery. If you’ve read any of the Studs Lonigan trilogy, you recognized how much he influenced my vision of Chicago.
Nostalgic, sharp, and full of reporter’s grit - Chicago-style.
Mark Wukas’s The Kiss of Night isn’t just a crime novel. It’s a deeply felt reflection on journalism, morality, and the city of Chicago itself. As someone who values stories grounded in place and profession, I was drawn into Will Moore’s world right away.Wukas writes with the eye of a seasoned reporter and the soul of a novelist. He brings the City News Bureau to life with striking authenticity. The early days of crime reporting are gritty, complex, and filled with ethical tension, which gives this novel its depth and emotional pull. But what stands out most is how vividly Chicago is portrayed, not just as a setting, but as a force that shapes every character and choice.
This is a story about blurred lines, between justice and revenge, observer and participant, truth and survival. The result is a gripping, layered novel that stays with you long after the last page.
=A few incredibly important moments in Flip Side history occured this week in history. On June 7, 1976, Carl and Larry Rosenbaum opened their biggest Flip Side Records location in Chicagoland, at 2348 W. Higgins Road in Hoffman Estates. Most of the big in-store record events in the next decade took place at this location, including this one with Styx guitarist Tommy Shaw...
=Just one year later (June 4, 1977), the biggest concert in Flip Side's history of concert promotion was staged at Soldier Field. It was called, The Super Bowl of Rock...
=Both of these events, of course, are thoroughly reported in the book The Flip Side.
=Don't forget about this upcoming appearance in Wauconda by Surviving Sue author Vicki Atkinson. June 19th. Mark your calendar. Don't miss it!
=We had the launch party around this time last year. In case you missed it, author Ken Smoller has posted a bunch of great pictures and written a blog post about the event. Check that out here. Or, if you prefer to watch the video of the panel discussion from that launch party...
=Or, you can listen to this podcast interview...
Joe Jackson Plaintiff v Chicago American Baseball Club
=Baseball recently lifted the lifetime ban on Shoeless Joe Jackson. Authors David Fletcher and Jacob Pomrenke appeared on Ed Lynch's podcast to talk about their book, a trial transcript of the Shoeless Joe Jackson trial from 100 years ago.
=This week in 1980 (June 2), this commercial for the Loop debuted. It starred the face of the Loop, the stunning actress/model Lorelei Shark. Lorelei also appears in the book The Loop Files.
=This week in 1986 (June 6), three of the biggest stars in Loop history (Johnny B & Steve & Garry) appeared on stage together at Poplar Creek. The concert was a sell-out. This photo of Brandmeier and Dahl was taken backstage, and is featured in the book.
=One of the people featured in The Loop Files is Mike Veeck who was instrumental in the creation of Disco Demolition. This week last year ABC-7 spoke to Mike, along with his son Night Train, because they are back in baseball. Watch it here.
To the Men I've Loved (God Help Them!)
=One of the endearing features of Pat Motto's memoir To the Men I've Loved (God Help Them!) is the musicial accompanient suggestion at the beginning of each chapter. This week in history (June 4, 1965), the suggested musical accompanient of Chapter Three—(I can’t go no) Satisfaction--was released by The Rolling Stones.
=This week the whole world celebrates International Cheese Day (June 4). What does that have to do with the great Eckhartz Press book Grammar Moses? The book includes the single best cheese joke ever told by humankind. Author Jim Baumann was forced to tell it during this podcast interview.
=Lee Kingsmill's book Safe Inside was an honorable mention winner for the CWA Book of the Year in 2018. This week in 2018, it debuted as an e-book.
Records Truly Is My Middle Name
=This week in 2010 (June 3), the creator of the Trivial Pursuit game, Chris Haney, passed away in Canada. John Landecker was a big star in Canada during the early days of the game, and turned it into a radio masterpiece. He writes about it Records Truly Is My Middle Name, but you can hear an example of that radio feature here.
=Records Truly Is My Middle Name contributor Al Rosen is celebrating a birthday this week (June 7). Al was Landecker's engineer at WLS during his early years in Chicago and tells some incredible stories about the way the Radio Hall of Famer approached his craft. Here's one of them...
I started working with John
that first night, and as he's speaking on the air he looks at me and points to
his headphones, something's not
right.
Now before working at WLS I
had been an engineer board operator at WABC in
So I tried to increase the
level in John's headphones, and then brought the music level down a little so
he could hear himself better. After the
first break he told me it still wasn't right, so in the next stop set I tried
again, lowering the music level even more.
John had this frustrated look on his face and told me the level was
still wrong. I had John's mic going way
into the red on the meter and the music level down around 40 percent so I
didn't see how I could make him any louder.
I will never forget what John
told me next. He said, "No no, I
want the MUSIC louder and my mic brought down!
I want to be INSIDE the record!!"
My mind started reeling. For one thing, No DJ had ever told me to
bring his voice DOWN, and second it DID sound amazing. When
John did an introduction over the intro of a
=This week in 2021 (June 7), author Margaret Larkin got her first copy of her debut novel Wicker Park Wishes. Eckhartz Press publisher David Stern was on hand to snap a photo of that moment...
=This week in 2020, author Roger Badesch appeared on WGN Radio with Rick Kogan to discuss his new memoir, The Unplanned Life. This is a photo of Roger with the two Ricks. Eckhartz Press publisher Kaempfer on the left, and the legendary Kogan on the right.
=This week in 2014, Judge Michael Ian Bender appeared on this podcast to discuss the information that would form the basis of his Eckhartz Press book, Protecting Children. It would go on to become a top ten book in it's Amazon category.
Recalled to Life
=This week in 2013 (June 3), the first novel from author Dan Burns was released via Eckhartz Press. The book was called Recalled to Life. Dan has gone on to write several more books, and has even written and produced a short film, but it all started here at Eckhartz Press.
Printers Row Lit-Fest
=For years the Printer's Row Litfest was held in June (It's now in September). One year (June 6, 2015), three Eckhartz Press authors were the headliners (L-R: Rick Kaempfer, Joel Daly, John Records Landecker)
The Hidden Shamrock
=This week in 2012 was the first-ever multiple author appearance by Eckhartz Press authors. At the time, there were only three books available via Eckhartz Press. The four authors in this photo (along with moderator Mary Beth Horner) appeared on stage in Lincoln Park at the Hidden Shamrock. Left to right: Horner, Brendan Sullivan, Rick Kaempfer, Kim Strickland, Randy Richardson.) The three books available at Eckhartz Press at that time were The Living Wills, Down at the Golden Coin, and Cheeseland. All three are still available on our website.
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