The latest news from Eckhartz Press, and a chance to peek into some of the great previous offerings from our humble little publishing company.
Words on Birds
=Meet the newest Eckhartz Press author Jeff Reiter. More info to come about his beautiful book. It will be available for pre-order in a few weeks.
Jeff Reiter became a serious birder in 1994, the same day he encountered a striking little bird while on vacation in South Carolina. Within hours he learned the name of it, Hooded Warbler. The experience rekindled a boyhood passion for birds and nature. Reiter has been watching birds closely ever since—at home, in the field, at birding festivals, and on family trips. In 2004, he began writing “Words on Birds,” a newspaper column in suburban Chicago devoted to birds, birding, and birders. His enthusiasm for the hobby shines through, appealing to serious and casual birders alike. He encourages new birdwatchers, especially kids, who might find their spark just outside the kitchen window. Newly retired and excited for more birding-related travel, Reiter lives in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, with his wife, Catherine. Their backyard feeders are rarely empty. (Photo by Glenn Kaupert)
=The Hinsdalean wrote a nice piece this week about Eckhartz Press author Robert Conlon and his new book Celtic Knot. You can read it here.
=The boys are out there hustling...
=Happy birthday to Flip Side co-owner and co-author of the book, Carl Rosenbaum (July 1). Carl is Larry's big brother, and the one who usually took center stage during their incredible run as record store owners and concert promoters. Here are a few photos of Carl over the years (with Ozzy Osbourne, Paul Anka, and Robin Trower)...
=The NBA draft was in the news this past week, and Eckhartz Press author Chuck Swirsky hosted a three-hour special on the Score (WSCR) analayzing the Bulls pick, 18-year-old 6'10" Frenchman Noa Essengue.
=Basketballl, of course, is one of the main topics of Swirsky's book. The Bulls radio play-by-play man has seen it all. One of his fellow basketball announcers is Clark Kellogg. Chuck features this photograph of the two men in his book Always a Pleasure. Clark's birthday is July 1.
=One of the most beloved people who ever worked at the Loop (WLUP Radio) was promotions director Sandy Stahl. This week in 2008 (July 3) she died unexpectedly at the much too young age of 58. When Rick Kaempfer wrote The Loop Files about the history of that radio station, he dedicated the book to Sandy. Here is a photo of her from the book...
=The July 2024 issue of Illinois Entertainer included Rick's interview with Tom Hoyt. Tom was in charge of the radio station (The Loop) that created the most famous radio promotion of all time (Disco Demolition). His perspective is a little different than the many others Rick has spoken to about that day.
Chili Dog MVP and EveryCubEver
=Goose Gossage wrote the foreword to Chili-Dog MVP, and the Hall of Famer is celebrating a birthday this week (July 5). Author David Fletcher explained how he managed to convince Goose to write that in this podcast interview. Gossage will be on hand when Dick Allen is finally inducted into Baseball's Hall of Fame on July 27. Since Chili Dog MVP is about the 1972 White Sox, we would be remiss if we didn't also mention another key player in the book. Chuck Tanner (July 4) was the manager of that team. Chuck passed away a few years ago.
=Will Wagner celebrated a birthday this past weekend (June 28). Will wrote the wonderful novel imagining what happened to Pete Townsend's guitar after he tossed it into the crowd at Woodstock.
Everything I Know I learned from Rock Stars
=This week in 2017, Bill Paige was making the rounds because his book Everything I Know I Learned from Rock Stars was released (July 1). Needless to say, Bill was thrilled. Here's a photo of the day he got the first copy of the book...
=July 1 is also the birthday of Bill's cover-girl, Debbie Harry.
=Bill was in town for the book release, and took advantage, by returning an album he had taken out of the Arlington Heights library a measly 30 years earlier. It caught the attention of the Daily Herald
=One of the things that Dan McNeil does in his Chicago Bears book I Bear Witness is pay tribute to the Bears we have lost in the last few years. This week in 2023 (July 3), former Bears defensive co-ordinator Vince Tobin passed away. Dan eulogizes Vince in the book.
=Victoria Atkinson has a wonderful piece in her blog this week about one of the main characters in her memoir, her sister Lisa. Recommended reading.
=This week in 2019 (July 1) was also the release of Deb Tokarz's book I Cu Copper. What is that book about? Here's a Q&A with Deb. You have to admit, it's one of our coolest covers ever.
=This week in 2013 (July 2), Eckhartz Press released our first children's book. It was written by Scott Redman, a sing-along story he created for his kid. The book includes a series of original photos by photographer Ray Nilsen.
=This week in 2017, Lee Kingsmill got the very first copy of his book Safe Inside. It would be a few more weeks before the book's official release, but Lee was very excited...
=This week in 2014 (July 1), Bruce Bohrer was making the rounds promoting his Diary of a Wrigley Field Usher. One of the stops was WGN Radio. He appeared on Bob Sirott & Marianne Murciano's show...
=Two years later (6/30/16), when the Cubs were actually good, Daily Herald columnist Burt Constable sought out Bruce again to see if he had any regrets about leaving the job before the team hit it big.
=Thanks to everyone who came out to Blue Island Brewing Company this week in 2024 to meet Last Comiskey author Ken Smoller. The owner of the joint, Alan Cromwell, is always a great host to our authors. Thanks Alan!
=Three of the sports titans featured in Randy Merkin's book have birthdays this week. The late George Steinbrenner was born on July 4. The story of booking him as a radio guest is one of the best stories in Randy's book. Former slugger Jose Canseco is another birthday boy this week (July 2), and so is one of the greatest boxers of all-time, Mike Tyson (June 30)
Records Truly Is My Middle Name
=Two people featured in John Landecker's book are celebrating birthdays this week. Sly Stallone (July 6) turned John's interview with him into national publicity. Click here if you want to read it. July 1 is also Dan Ackroyd's birthday. Danny and John Belushi stopped by the WLS studios to visit Landecker while they were filming The Blues Brothers.
Close Encounters of a Chicago Kind
=On July 1, 1863, the First National Bank of Chicago opened. Seems like the perfect day to remind you about Vicki Quade's great book about her personal encounters with Chicagoans. She spends an entire chapter telling stories about her encounters in banks. Very funny stuff.
=Paul Banks wrote a book about soccer in America and how our players are becoming popular worldwide. That's especially true of our women. Birthday girl Alex Morgan (July 2) is at the top of that list. This photo is from Paul's book...
=The great Robbie Robertson was born this week (July 5) in 1943. Robbie passed away in 2023, but will live on forever in the pages of Bobby Skafish's rock and roll interview book We Have Company.
=Rich King's latest book is about the great working relationship he had with his cameraman Ike. The Black and White team made it work for more than 20 years. But when Rich got invited to the White House as part of the Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup celebration, it was another distinguished Chicago journalist who was there with him. His colleague from Channel 7 in Chicago, Jim Rose. Rose is celebrating a birthday this week (July 5)
=The second book ever released by Eckhartz Press was Kim Strickland's Down at the Golden Coin. Windy City Live's Paige Wiser was one of the novel's biggest fans. (Her birthday is this week too--July 6). Here is what she said about Kim's book...
“Down at the Golden Coin” couldn’t be more timely or original, with the most eccentric spiritual guide since Clarence the Angel. Prepare to set your set your brain to spin-cycle.
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