Musings, observations, and written works from the publisher of Eckhartz Press, the media critic for the Illinois Entertainer, co-host of Minutia Men, Minutia Men Celebrity Interview and Free Kicks, and the author of "The Loop Files", "Back in the D.D.R", "EveryCubEver", "The Living Wills", "$everance," "Father Knows Nothing," "The Radio Producer's Handbook," "Records Truly Is My Middle Name", and "Gruen Weiss Vor".
The latest news from Eckhartz Press, and a chance to peek into some of the great previous offerings from our humble little publishing company.
COMING SOON: Cul-de-sacs by Joni Hirsch Blackman
=Writing a lifestyle column about families in Naperville for The Daily Herald and The Naperville Sun opened Joni Hirsch Blackman up to questions from grocery cashiers, other parents on the
bleachers, her kids’ teachers and others. “Are you that columnist?” was a
question she didn’t love to answer, but she got used to it. Writing Cul-de-sacs
was a great job for a “Naperville mom who lives on a cul-de-sac with her three
children and dogs” and a wonderful way to spend more than a decade staying up
way too late writing 500 or so weekly columns. This book contains some of her favorites. It will be available for pre-order very soon!
3 Chances to meet Eckhartz Press authors this week!
=This Wednesday,August 12, Nick
Digilio (40 Years, 40 Films) will
be at Classic Cinema's Lake Theater in Oak Park screening the Albert Brooks
classic Defending Your Life at 7pm. He'll also be selling his first book, 40 Years, 40 Films. Don't miss your chance to see one of Albert Brooks' best films on the big screen.
=This weekend, August 14-16, Robert
Conlon (Celtic Knot)
will be appearing at the Milwaukee Irish Fest. Look for him in their Literary Corner. We have it on good authority there might be some Guinness available there as well.
=This book was written to celebrate the 60th anniversary of one of Chicago's most-respected soccer clubs, Green White. That was now 10 years ago. How do we know that? This weekend (August 15) Green White Soccer Club is throwing a huge party at Metro Majewski Park in Des Plaines to celebrate their 70th anniversary (don't let anyone tell you we can't do math). Both authors (Rick Kaempfer and Todd Schneider) will be on hand, and so will the book. There will also be live music, a beer truck, a roasted pig, homemade sausage and more!
=Saturday night at Martyrs for the 5th annual Chuckie Ar La Fest in honor of Charlie Sullivan, the son of The Living Wills author Brendan Sullivan. Eckhartz Press authors Rick Kaempfer, Robert Conlon, and Kim Strickland also attended.
=Vicki Quade is celebrating a birthday this week (August 15). Vicki came to Eckhartz Press after meeting us on this podcast. She was already well known in Chicago for her play Late Nite Catechism. Her book is a character study of the people in Chicago who she meets on the streets. Very funny and insightful.
=By the way, Vicki's latest show is coming soon. Her newest comedy,Late Nite Catechism Trivia Bingo, at Stars & Garters Theater (3914 N. Clark St., Chicago), promises to have you laughing your sins off. The show opens for only three Sunday matinee performances in September (2 p.m., Sundays, September 13, 20, 27).
Andrea Darlas
=The Chicago radio newscaster has been a big supporter of Eckhartz Press books over the years. She provided a testimonial to Janet Sutherland's book Nose Over Toes (below), appeared on the radio with Patti Vasquez and Cameo author Beth Jacobellis (photo), and also invited EveryCubEver author Rick Kaempfer(photo with former Channel 2 anchor Brad Edwards) into the WGN Radio studios. Andrea's birthday is this week (August 11).
I was truly captivated by Janet’s story…from front to finish! I laughed out loud and even welled up with tears as I read page by page of her journey. Janet is a survivor in every sense of the word. When anyone else (including myself!) would have given up, Janet persevered. Whether it was through the help of her parents, her beloved dogs, her friends or her co-workers, Janet’s journey is one everyone should know about. She makes me “stop and smell the roses” at the end of every chapter! As a friend and former co-worker, I have always looked up to Janet, but now I truly admire her courage, her strength and her humor.
=Pat Colander's book won the Book of the Year from the Chicago Writers Association in 2016. They always say you can't judge a book by its cover, but let's face it, with this book you can. The cover photo is the handiwork of the great Chicago photographer Barry Butler, who is celebrating a birthday this week (August 11).
=One of the stars of our last great Bears team, Tom Thayer, is celebrating a birthday this week (August 16). This photo of Tom appears in Dan McNeil's book.
=Sirens in the Loop is about the City News Bureau of Chicago, the training ground for journalists. So many of the greats worked there including this week's birthday boy (August 11), David Brooks. You may know him as a New York Times columnist. His story is featured in the book.
=Eckhartz Press author Chet Coppock literally knew everyone in the sports world, including basketball legend George McGinnis (born August 10), wrestler Hulk Hogan (born August 11) and NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson (born August 14), All of them appear in Chet's book...
=One of the joys of the Gentile brothers (Jeff & Michael) book Mob Adjacent is the way it intersperses Hollywood and the Outfit in Chicago. Eddie Fisher was born this week in 1928 (August 10). One of the funnier sections in the book involves mob wives arguing about the merits of allowing Eddie Fisher to perform in mob nightclubs after he was so cruel to his first wife, Debbie Reynolds, dumping her for Elizabeth Taylor. Mob Adjacent was a finalist for Chicago Writer's Association Book of the Year in 2020.
=August 12, 1985—The Outfield released their mega-blockbuster hit record Play Deep. Guess which Chicago-area record store hosted the band for an in-store appearance? That's right, the best one of all-time, Flip Side Records. This photo, and that story, are in the book.
=This week in 2022, William Wagner's novel was released by Eckhartz Press. The book is about what happened to Pete Townshend's guitar after he threw it into the crowd at Woodstock. Naturally, it was released on the anniversary of Woodstock (August 14). Will appeared on WGN Radio to talk about it.
=This week in 2017, on the 40th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death (August 16), Bob Shannon released his book Turn it Up. The book is about that first generation of disc jockeys who helped make rock and roll famous.
=The same week in 2017 (August 15), we were preparing to release the book Safe Inside by Lee Kingsmill, and began taking pre-orders. That book was later awarded honorable mention in the Book of the Year awards by the Chicago Writers Association. It was greeted with reviews like these...
“The best books expand our humanity by the vicarious experiences and opportunities for compassion they provide. Lee Kingsmill’s Safe Inside is just such a book. It’s rich and textured, filled with family dynamics, religion, sexuality, the refuge of the imagination, the sanctuary of movies, and most of all, the depth, truthfulness, and complexity of humanity.”
Michael Lister, New York Times Bestselling author of Blood Work
“This beautifully written and sensitive novel about growing up in Chicago in the 1940s and ’50s and falling in love with the movies is that rare thing, a story that totally recreates a vanished world. Every detail of both place and character is so closely observed and evocative that you feel like you are there. ”
Dan Callahan, associate editor of Simon Media Works and author of "Barbara Stanwyck: the Miracle Woman," and "Vanessa"
=This week in 2018 (August 16), Bill Paige launched his great rock and roll interview book in his home town (at the time) of Austin, Texas. Here are a few photos from that launch party.
=Two of the rock stars Bill interviewed in the book are celebrating birthdays this week, Joe Jackson (August 11) and Mark Knopfler (August 12).
=This photo of Joe Jackson in concert was taken by Eckhartz Press publisher Rick Kaempfer at the Park West in Chicago a few months ago. When it was posted on Facebook, Bill contacted us and said..."Hey! Did you give a copy of my book to Joe? He's in it." Doggone it. Opportunity missed.
=This week in 2016 (August 10), Eckhartz Press released the memoir In Small Boxes written by Ann R. Wilson. Ann had a great launch party in her hometown...
=This week in three successive years (2013, 2014, 2015), John Records Landecker was making appearances promoting his book. In 2013 (August 11), it was the Morning Show Bootcamp in Chicago. In 2014 (August 11), it was in Georgetown, Illinois for a county fair. In 2015, he appeared on the Justin Kaufmann show on WGN Radio.
=He now appears in that timeslot every Monday through Thursday. Tune in to WGN AM 720 to listen.
And finally, some news from our fearless co-leader...
=One of this week's chances to meet an Eckhartz Press author is also a chance to meet dozens of other celebrities. Get your tickets here. Flashback Weekend: Chicago's Horror Convention runs from July 31 to August 2. Our man on the scene will be Nick Digilio.
=Here's what Nick told us about the weekend...
The Main Attraction is..."THE NIGHT OF THE CREEPS" Reunion LIVE on stage! With the legendary TOM ATKINS (from classic films like "The Fog," "Lethal Weapon," "Creepshow," "Halloween III: Season of the Witch) and co-stars JASON LIVELY ("National Lampoon's European Vacation") and JILL WHITLOW ("Weird Science")
=Nick will be hosting his podcast (The Nick D. Podcast) on the stage of The Flashback Weekend Horror Convention. Nick and his co-host Esmeralda Leon will chat with the audience about their favorite horror films, do a little trivia, give away some prizes, and welcome a certain legendary horror host from Berwyn (spoiler alert).
=Naturally Nick will also be signing and selling copies of his book 40 Years, 40 Films, and he'll be handing out postcards teasing his next book--which is perfect for this audience. It will be called 40 Years, 40 Horror Films. It comes out in September. It will be available for pre-order very soon!
=The other chance to meet an Eckhartz Press author will be in River Forest on August 1. Jim Elsener (Sirens in the Loop) will be appearing at the River Forest Public Library at 2pm. He'll be talking about the history of the City News Bureau of Chicago. (Photo: Jim and Eckhartz Press co-publisher David Stern)
=July 28 is Walter Jacobson's birthday. The legendary broadcaster got his start in the journalism business like many of his contemporaries, working for the City News Bureau of Chicago. Naturally, Walter is mentioned in the book Sirens in the Loop.
=Did you know he was also a Cubs bat boy in the 1950s?
=The author of three Eckhartz Press books (Cheeseland, Lost in the Ivy, and Cubsessions) and two other books (Havana Hangover, Another Havana Hangover) in this interview with Christine Sneedteases that he has yet another Eckhartz Press book on the way.
=The teaser: His forthcoming essay collection, Bobbleheading: Coming of Age as a Son and Again as a Father, will be published next spring by Eckhartz Press, its release timed around opening day of the 2027 baseball season. Randy is a committed Cubs fan and catches as many home games as he can.
=What a week for Celtic Knot author Bob Conlon. On Friday, he was on WGN-TV...
=He also gave a speech in honor of those who passed away in the Eastland Disaster on the 111th anniversary of that tragic day. Watch the stream here.
=On Wednesday he was in Naperville speaking to the West Suburban Irish. The audience was on the edge of their seats as Bob regaled them with stories from his book...
=And check out this Celtic Knot review writtenby James A. Shapiro, the president of the Chicago Literary Club.
Through the lens of his grandfather, Robert Patrick Conlon spins a non-fiction account of fin du siecle Chicago. But in doing so, he inspires introspection into all our ancestry, especially immigrant ones...Reading Celtic Knot became quite personal for me, as I suspect it might be for many if not most children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren of immigrants. For example, my own paternal grandfather was also an orphan and had to spend some time at an orphanage in New York. God knows what kind of travails he suffered there. Hopefully not the sexual predations of the orphanage’s operators. Like Tim Conlon, my own grandfather was also substantially self-educated as a voracious reader, eventually owning a book store near the site of the old World Trade Center. Mr. Conlon is fortunate enough to have much of his grandfather’s history documented, including a substantial amount of poetry, which Mr. Conlon uses to great effect to illustrate his grandfather’s intense love for Mae, among other things. Although Celtic Knot is primarily about the Irish immigrant experience, it transcends ethnicity to touch the descendants of all immigrant families...Reading Celtic Knot had me pining for more, especially a movie version.
=A few photos from Vicki Atkinson's appearance this week at the Round Lake library...
=Happy birthday (July 29) to the reporter/blogger/memoirist who provided a back cover blurb for Vicki's novel Slivers, Melanie McGauran. Here's what she said about Slivers...
Disembodied voices. Moving objects. Mind-reading. We jump right into Vicki Atkinson’s Slivers with her characters besieged by supernatural forces they don’t understand. The slivers are getting bolder; a terrible tension is building. With Atkinson’s “in-the-moment” storytelling, I felt it almost immediately.
Over one week in the summer of 1973, we see the three protagonists struggle against not only the slivers, but the emotional exposure of a terrible family secret shattering everything they once knew.
Slivers is a story of discovering one’s true identity. These characters can finally face the truth of who they are and their roles in protecting the ancient Hiraeth. There is magic and mysticism, and strong intuition at play.
As the story progresses, Slivers gave me writer Anne Rice vibes. Humans and entities finding a fragile peace and work to share a common ancient history. Love that! I enjoyed so many details of this highly creative storyline. I hope Atkinson continues on this track.
As a fan of supernatural stories, Slivers delivers.
=Got this note from The Best of Words on Birds author Jeff Reiter...
Last
Saturday my wife and I attended a big fundraising gala at the Chicago Four
Seasons — a benefit for the International Crane Foundation and also an 80th birthday
party for George Archibald. George is ICF's co-founder and he gave me a blurb
for the back of my book. One of my columns is about him ("Crane
Crusader," p 196). The event emcees were Bill Kurtis and Donna
LaPietra. The event raised $1.5 million for ICF! Below is
a photo of my wife (Catherine) and me with George. Notice Catherine's
crane jacket, which she made herself! George's tie is pretty cool,
too. All I could muster was an ICF lapel pin. I've been a member
and donor for many years. ICF is based in Baraboo, Wis, and is a truly a global
organization, dedicated to protecting the world's 15 species of cranes.
=More chances to meet Jeff are coming up soon. The next one will be August 5th at Elgin Public Library (6:30pm)
=Yes, it's true we didn't release an updated EveryCubEver this year. However, we are featuring Cubs Hall of Famers this year on their birthdays by posting their entries from the book. Two of them were born this week in history: Joe Tinker (July 27, 1890) & Leo Durocher (July 27, 1905).
Joe Tinker 1880–1948 (Cubs 1902-1912, 1916, Cubs manager 1916)
Tinker was the shortstop for the Cubs dynasty of 1906-1910, and he had many dramatic hits along the way, including the first homer ever hit in a World Series (1908). He was the big slugger from that dynasty era, leading the team in homers for the entire decade of the 00s (with 22). He also served as the player/manager for the Cubs in their first season at Wrigley Field (after serving in the same capacity in the first two seasons the ballpark was open — then with the Federal League Whales). Ironically, Tinker didn’t get along with his double-play mate Johnny Evers. What caused this unfortunate rift? According to Tinker, Evers started it because he ditched Tinker once and got a cab without him…which was of course unforgivable. They didn’t speak to each other for thirty years. After his playing days, Tinker became a wealthy businessman but lost it all in the stock market crash. Then in 1938, Tinker and Evers were asked to broadcast the World Series together. Both later admitted being more nervous about seeing each other again, than they were about their maiden broadcasting voyage. But when they saw each other, they smiled and hugged. They enjoyed a tearful reunion, and after that became friends once again. In 1946, they were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame together (along with the deceased Frank Chance). Evers died the following year, and Tinker the year after that. In death they are always remembered together, but in life, they spent most of their time apart.
Historical Note: On the day Colonel Tom Parker was born in the Netherlands (real name Andreas Van Kykjk) in 1909, Joe Tinker made history when he hit foul ball at West Side Grounds. It went over the roof and smashed a car windshield, the first recorded time a windshield was smashed by a baseball. There were only 300 cars in the entire city of Chicago at the time.
Leo Durocher 1905–1991 (Cubs manager 1965-1972)
How did people really feel about Leo Durocher? A quote from Jack Brickhouse: “In the early days Leo was an SOB, but a sharp SOB. By the time he finished in Chicago he was just an old SOB.” Suffice it to say, Leo was not beloved. When he was a player, he once gave Babe Ruth a black eye. He was such a taunter that he was thrown at by Cubs pitchers…while he was in the dugout. And he didn’t suddenly become Mr. Nice Guy when he became the Cubs manager. He punished players that beat him at Gin Rummy (especially Ken Holtzman). He once ripped the phone out of the dugout in Houston and threw it onto the field because he was upset at a scoreboard cartoon (1965). He set up a folding chair in the dugout in 1967 so his buddy Frank Sinatra could watch the game from there. His third base coach walked out on him in the middle of a game (Pete Reiser). He left the team in June 1969 for his bachelor party, and blew off two more games to visit his new wife’s (Lynne Walker Goldblatt) kids in Wisconsin. Leo was fired in July of ’72. He was fired for the same reason he was fired everywhere else he had ever worked. He couldn’t zip his ever-famous lip. If ever a person deserved a nickname, it was Leo ‘The Lip’ Durocher.
=August 2, 2019 was a double media day for the book: a morning show in Elgin, then an evening appearance at Club 400 in Lake in the Hills with former Cubs reliever Pedro Strop.
=What a day last year (July 27) for your humble Chili Dog MVP team (authors John Owens and David Fletcher, photographer Ken Smoller, publishers Rick and Dave). We were in Cooperstown, New York, for the induction ceremony of Dick Allen, the subject of our book Chili Dog MVP. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. 54 Hall of Famers were there, including Fergie Jenkins who helped our guys sell the book. What a weekend!
=Dr. Fletcher also appeared on Minutia Men Celebrity Interview.
=There was one sad note: While we were still in Cooperstown (July 28), we got word that Ryne Sandberg had passed away. We will always remember where we were when he heard that sad news. Of course, Ryno appears in several Eckhartz Press books, including Randy Merkin's Beyond the Glass.
=The same week Ryno passed way, the rock and roll world lost Ozzy Osbourne. Ozzy was featured in our book The Flip Side by Carl & Larry Rosenbaum. Rest in peace, Ozzy. There will never be another. (Photo with Carl Rosenbaum)
=This week last year Mark Wukasappeared at a book club on the South Side for a dozen ladies who enthusiastically enjoyed The Kiss of Night. One of them even baked special cookies for the event.
=The Kiss of Night is now also selling at the Book Cellar in Lincoln Square (Chicago).
=Tuesday (July 28) is Eckhartz Press co-founder Rick Kaempfer's birthday.
=On the tenth anniversary of his first novel's ($everance) release (August 1, 2017), Rick updated the "Who Owns What in the Media" section from the back of that book. Here's radio. Here's the rest of traditional media. Time for another update next year.
=It's the anniversary (August 1, 1974) of a certain Chicago-themed song hitting #1 on the Top 40 charts. This song is also featured prominently in the pages of Doug E. Jones' novel Take Me Back to Chicago. If your Daddy was a cop, on the East Side of Chicago. Back in the USA. Back in the Bad Old Days. You'll surely love this one by Paper Lace.
=This week in 2018 (August 2), Eckhartz Press released retired Judge Michael Ian Bender's book Protecting Children. It provides unique insight into aiding children of divorce, custody, and parentage disputes so that they grow into healthy adults.
=Duane Scott Cerny owns one of Chicago's funkiest antique stores, and it inspired him to write the highly acclaimed Selling Dead People's Things. The book came out this week in 2017 (August 2). You can get a good feel for Duane's larger-than-life personality in this podcast interview. The man's an absolute stitch.
=This week in 2014, Bruce Bohrer had a book signing in one of the most obvious places imaginable, Murphy's Bleachers. Several of his old Cub-usher colleagues showed up to say hello. So did at least one former Cub, Rick Sutcliffe.
=One of the biggest supporters of Bruce's book is WGN broadcaster Jon Hansen. He had Bruce on his television show twice. Jon's birthday is today (July 27).
=One of the people featured in Chuck Swirsky's book Always a Pleasure is celebrating a birthday this week (July 28). Former Bulls coach and long-time basketball announcer Doug Collins is a Swirsky friend and confidant. Another famous basketballer is former Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. It's his birthday this week too (July 31).
=Two of the people Chet Coppock wrote about in Your Dime My Dance Floor have birthdays this week. Neither of them were really sports people, although the late Irv Kupcinet (July 31) did do color commentary on Chicago Bears games (with Jack Brickhouse) for many years. Would you believe that Chet also knew Arnold Schwarzenegger (July 30)?
=This week in 2021, Chicago media writer Robert Feder wrote about Eckhartz Press author Margaret Larkin in his Daily Herald column. Here is what he wrote...
Margaret Larkin, production assistant at Audacy all-news WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM, instructor at Columbia College and host of the long-running “Radiogirl Podcast,” can now add author to her credits. Chicago-based Eckhartz Press has published Wicker Park Wishes, Larkin’s debut novel. (Here is the link to order.) The story is set in 1994 in Chicago’s Wicker Park and Lincoln Park neighborhoods and downtown. Larkin will highlight the book at the 36th annual Printers Row Lit Fest September 11.
=What on earth could tie these two books together? The answer is Steve Trout. The former Cubs pitcher appeared in the book Cubsessions, and We Have Company author Bobby Skafish came out to that massive book launch party. Here's a photo to prove it...
=Trout is celebrating a birthday this week (July 30). Three of the rock stars Bobby features in his book are also celebrating birthdays this week, Rat Scabies (July 30), Robert Cray (August 1), and Jim Capaldi (August 2).
=One of the most rewarding days in publishing is the day the author gets his or her first copy of their book. To Nudge the World's Jim Slusher had that moment this week in 2024. So what did he do with his first copy? Naturally, he gave it to his mom. Jim's mom passed away just a few months later, but she got to see her son become a published author. That's her in the photo below...
=This week in 2013, we lost one of our authors, Felizitas Sudendorf. Her book about her courageous immigration to America was a big early hit for us. It was the only book we ever released on our imprint, Helgard Press. She combined war stories with old German recipes. It was a revelation. When she passed away, we wrote this tribute to her. We have since lost a few other authors including Tony Fitzpatrick, Chet Coppock, Joel Daly, Pat Colander, Dena Mendes,Alex Burkholder and Mark Gelinas. All of their books live on at Eckhartz Press.
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