News From Brendan Sullivan

He writes on his Facebook page today...

"This Spring, Marist High School's "Chicago Literature" class is reading "The Jungle," "The House on Mango Street," "A Raisin in the Sun" and "The Living Wills," by yours truly and Rick Kaempfer. Not bad company. I'm ecstatic and humbled."

Congrats to Eckhartz Press authors Brendan and Rick!

The Living Wills in the Classroom

We've just gotten word that the Eckhartz Press novel "The Living Wills" (written by Brendan Sullivan and Rick Kaempfer) is going to be read by Marist High School in their Chicago literature class.

Kudos to Marist alum, Brendan Sullivan. That must be a thrill for him.

Rick Kaempfer

Eckhartz Press co-publisher and author Rick Kaempfer is featured in the current issue of Illinois Entertainer magazine.

The piece, written by Cara Jepsen, is about his co-founding of this company, his previous writing and radio career, and his upcoming book on Eckhartz Press.

You can read it here.

Cyber Monday

According to USA Today, this is going to be the biggest Cyber Monday in history. For those of you cyber-ing today, don't forget the wonderful offerings at Eckhartz Press. All of them are perfect stocking stuffers...

"The Balding Handbook"
By David Stern

"Finally a book for America's most overlooked minority! We are balding, hear us roar, in numbers too big to ignore."
---Radio legend John Records Landecker

"The Living Wills"
By Brendan Sullivan & Rick Kaempfer

Rollicking and real on so many levels, "The Living Wills" is a captivating collaboration by two immensely talented writers.
---Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune

"Cheeseland"
By Randy Richardson

Every once in a while, a sleeper of a novel comes around that you really HAVE to read. For me, it's CHEESELAND... It's elegant, well-written, and the characters are wonderfully wrought. I highly recommend it.
---Libby Fischer Hellmann, author of A Bitter Veil, Set the Night on Fire, and the Ellie Foreman and Georgia Davis Mystery Series

"Down at the Golden Coin"
By Kim Strickland

“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 brain to “spin cycle.”
–--Paige Wiser
"Windy City Live", ABC-7 Chicago

Meet the Eckhartz Press Authors

Next week and weekend there will be several chances to meet the Eckhartz Press authors around Chicagoland.

On Tuesday October 9th, from 12:30-1:15, Brendan Sullivan ("The Living Wills") will be conducting a writing workshop at Oakton College on their Des Plaines campus, in the Library (Lower Level). Everyone is welcome--there will be snacks.

On Saturday October 13th, from 11am--3pm, Randy Richardson ("Cheeseland") and Kim Strickland ("Down at the Golden Coin") will be appearing at the Joliet Public Library (3395 Black Road) for Author Fair 2012. There will be lots of other authors there too--a good time should be had one and all.

Also on Saturday October 13th, at 12:30, Brendan Sullivan ("The Living Wills") will be at iBAM (Irish Books Arts & Music) at the Irish American Heritage Center.

Meet Brendan Sullivan

Eckhartz Press author Brendan Sullivan ("The Living Wills") will be appearing at iBAM (Irish Books Art & Music) 2012 in Chicago next Saturday, October 13. His speech "Breaking Through Creative Blocks" will be at 12:30 in the library at the Irish American Heritage Center.

This is the write up about Brendan on the iBAM website...

“The Living Wills” is the product of collaborative creativity between Brendan Sullivan and writing partner, Rick Kaempfer. A decision made in two seconds can change, damage, save or even end a life. Henry Stankiewicz made such a decision and he is still dealing with the ripple effects over 30 years later. Can he and the people he affected now maneuver their way through a world of baristas and Army veterans, cartoon pirates and exploding port-a-potties, Canadian cowboys and bowling teams, office politics an young love, to find the strength to heal before it’s too late?

Brendan Sullivan is a creativity coach. He helps organizational teams, leaders and individuals to create more innovative solutions, more successful creative ideas, and a healthier, more collaborative work environment where talented people can flourish. Brendan has designed, facilitated and presented his programs to a wide range of clients, including large corporations like Kellogg’s, Harley-Davidson, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Sara Lee, Jenny Craig, PepsiCo, Aetna, Marriott Hotels and many others, as well as to many smaller companies, nonprofit groups, schools and government agencies.

Brendan also was the creative producer, for 10 years, of a top-rated morning radio show in Chicago, the Jonathon Brandmeier Radio Showgram. His job was to create material for the show, written pieces, creative ideas and humorous character segments. Brendan developed successful, transferable techniques for generating creative ideas quickly. As an actor, Brendan has appeared in national television commercials, feature films, television productions and the theater. He is a member of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. Brendan has also written scripts which were produced for television and the stage, as well as feature articles in magazines and advertising copy for business publications and radio commercials. Brendan and his wife, Susan, have four children and live in Chicago.

Meet Brendan & Randy

If you're on the South Side of Chicago this coming weekend, be sure to stop by The Bookie's and 7-11 Parking Lot party.

Date: 7/7/12
Location: 2419 W. 103rd Street, Chicago Illinois (Next to the 7-11)
Time: 5-8pm

Not only will Eckhartz Press authors Brendan Sullivan (above, co-author of "The Living Wills") and Randy Richardson (below, author of "Cheeseland") be on hand, so will a host of other local authors. The Wrecker Brothers will be performing live music, the 7-11 will be selling $2 hot dogs and handing out free slurpees, there will be a raffle with some fun prizes, and of course, you can purchase some books (and have the authors autograph them).

Full details are here.

Sounds like a great time! See you there!

Brendan on the Radio

Brendan Sullivan (photo) was recently on the Skinny & Houli show in Chicago. Skinny is the legendary Skinny Sheehan, and Houli is Mike Houlihan, a former writer for the Sun-Times, and a fixture in the Chicago theater community.

The three Southside Irishmen talked about Brendan & Rick's Eckhartz Press book "The Living Wills" and much more. The podcast is here.

Postscript: Houli recently posted this about "The Living Wills" on Brendan's Facebook page..."Brendan-just finished your book a few days ago, it was wonderful, lots of tears in the end, great read, thanks so much."

Eckhartz Press Night at The Chicago Way

Eckhartz Press is really looking forward to this Sunday night, June 3rd.

The literary series "The Chicago Way" (at the Hidden Shamrock, 2723 N. Halsted, from 7-8:30pm) is having a special Eckhartz Press night! It will be the official book launch of Randy Richardson's new book "Cheeseland", but the entire Eckhartz Press stable will be on hand. Brendan and Rick will do a reading from "The Living Wills". Kim Strickland will do a reading from "Down at the Golden Coin", and then Randy will do a reading from "Cheeseland." Then we'll have a Q&A session, moderated by one of the Chicago Way founders, Mary Beth Hoerner.

All three books will be available for purchase, and naturally, the authors will happily sign them for you.

Have we mentioned that The Hidden Shamrock is a bar? That's really the Chicago Way, isn't it?

The VVA reviews "The Living Wills"

In the May/June issue of the Vietnam Veterans of America magazine ("Veteran"), esteemed Vietnam writer and veteran Marc Leepson reviewed "The Living Wills". Rick and Brendan are thrilled to get the seal of approval from this great organization. The headline of the review was: "Good-Hearted Veteran Cast Populates "The Living Wills". The review is not available on-line yet (when it is, we'll post a link), but in the meantime, here is an excerpt...


Two author novels are rare. The main reason: Writing fiction is such an intimate, personal business that it's extremely difficult for two people to come up with one literary vision, not to mention implement it. So you have to give credit to Rick Kaempfer and Brendan Sullivan, the two authors of "The Living Wills" (Eckhartz Press, 336 pp, $15.95 paper), a fast-reading novel set in Chicago in 2005, for coming up with a creditable work of fiction. Kaempfer is a Chicago writer and Sullivan is an improv artist in the City of Big Shoulders.

How did the two men put the book together? "We improvised the story lines together using (Sullivan's) techniques," Kaempfer explained, "before sitting down to plot it out and write the chapters of the book--it was a completely collaborative process." The authors "didn't set out to write a Vietnam book," Kaempfer said, "but when we improvised, it simply emerged."

How did the collaboration turn out? Not badly. The dialogue-heavy story hums along rapidly. It's a multi-character affair, centering on veteran Henry Stankiewicz and his late-in-life effort to make amends with his upwardly mobile lawyer son. It's not an easy task, as young Peter is extremely bitter about having suffered from an absent father for most of his childhood while the elder Stankiewicz struggled with postwar emotional and physical issues.

Several interwoven subplots include one involving a depressed middle-aged corporate type and another centering on a group of Henry's bowling buddies. There's also Peter's struggles with his work situation in a big law firm and his relationship with his girlfriend, who happens to be a lawyer at the firm. The main plot deals with something that happened to Henry in Vietnam, and the continuing fallout from that traumatic event in his life and in the lives of a group of his war buddies.

Henry and the other Vietnam veteran characters in the book are good-hearted men who have (to one degree or another) overcome their war-related emotional and physical problems. Henry holds down a blue-collar job, is happily married to a good woman, and has a positive mental outlook. One of his buddies still struggles with alcohol; another is a well-adjusted family man. In other words, the authors have come up with a cast of realistic, non-sensationalized Vietnam veterans living out their lives in the early 21st century--no Nam vet stereotypes here...

The Living Wills is a more-than decent novel filled with sympathetically drawn Vietnam veteran characters. That in itself is worth the price of admission.

Meet the Eckhartz Press authors

If you live in Chicagoland, you'll have several chances to meet our Eckhartz Press authors in June.

*In fact, you can meet them all in one night, if you come out to "The Chicago Way" at the Hidden Shamrock (2723 N. Halsted) in Chicago on June 3rd, from 7-8:30pm. The Chicago Way literary series launches the newest title from Eckhartz Press, "Cheeseland" by Randy Richardson. Joining this special Eckhartz Press Night celebration for readings and discussion will be Eckhartz authors Kim Strickland ("Down at the Golden Coin"), and Rick Kaempfer and Brendan Sullivan ("The Living Wills"). All authors will have books available for sale.

*If you're going to the Printer's Row Lit Fest on June 9th, you'll have a chance to meet "Down at the Golden Coin" author Kim Strickland. She'll be selling and autographing copies of her book. Look for her in the Society of Midland Authors tent from 2-4pm.

*That same day (June 9), "Cheeseland" author Randy Richardson will be appearing at Barnes & Noble in Woodfield Plaza Shopping Center, 590 East Golf Road in Schaumburg, from 1-3pm.

*On June 10th, Randy will be manning the Chicago Writer's Association booth at the Printer's Row Lit Fest.

*For our south side friends, Kim Strickland will be at the Beverly Arts Center for a special evening on June 14th. "Author Afternoons" host Penny Golden is convening a special Thursday night version of her book chats for Kim. Come one, come all.

*On June 23rd, Randy Richardson will be at the Glen Ellyn Book Fest. He'll be doing a breakfast talk at the Glen Ellyn Public Library (8am), and then move over to the author tent on Duane Street (a block east of the library) from 10-1.

Remember Chicagoans, the Eckhartz Press stable is also available to appear at your book club. "The Living Wills" co-author Brendan Sullivan (photo) has been appearing at many of them over the past few weeks, as has his co-author Rick Kaempfer. "The Living Wills" has led to lively discussions all over town. Kim's and Randy's novels are sure to do the same. If you'd like to book any of them to appear at your book club party (schedule permitting) for free, e-mail rick@eckhartzpress.com.

The Living Wills in the Daily Herald

Thanks so much to the Daily Herald for this wonderful article about Eckhartz Press author and publisher Rick Kaempfer.

Book Club Discussion Questions

We've been busy beavers at Eckhartz Press readying our next book for publication ("Cheeseland" by Randy Richardson), but we're also in the midst of putting together "book club packages". Look for more details about that in the coming weeks.

Until those are ready for release, however, we've been asked by fans of our first two books to put together some discussion questions for book clubs. We know there are several book clubs currently reading both "The Living Wills" and "Down at the Golden Coin". Hopefully these questions prepared by our authors will spur discussion and debate.

THE LIVING WILLS

1) The Living Wills is a very "Chicago" book. Does the location add/subtract to your enjoyment of the story?

2) The three story lines all eventually intersect. Did it throw you off before the story lines came together?

3) Were you surprised by the way any of these story lines intersected with each other?

4) Which of the three story lines did you relate to the most, and why?

5) How does Peter's journey to find the video parallel the reader's journey to understanding Henry?

6) How does the funeral at the beginning of the novel differ from the funeral at the end of the novel?

7) What role does spirituality play in the plot? Is that something you can relate to?

8) How does the comic element serve to balance the dramatic element of the story?

9) How does the theme of "everything is connected" reveal itself in the plot as well as in the actual structure of the novel?

10) What events in your own lives have happened in "two seconds" and changed everything?

DOWN AT THE GOLDEN COIN

1) How do you think you would react if you met someone claiming to be God at the laundromat, or anywhere else for that matter? Would you believe right away or would you, like Annie, demand a lot of proof? Is this something you would like to have happen, or would you prefer to never meet a Messiah in person?

2) Do you think Violet is who she says she is? Why do you think the author chose to have her be so young? Female? Pierced and tatted?

3) Why do you think Violet makes Annie go through all the “work” to come to her realizations and epiphanies, as opposed to just doing what Annie refers to as using her “little Messiah magic tricks?”

4) If you suspected your spouse was having an affair, would you, like Annie, choose to ignore the elephant in the room or would you initiate a confrontation right away? Do you think Annie and Jack’s marriage will survive his infidelity? Why or why not?

5) Have you ever learned something from your children that made you feel like the parenting tables had been turned? Have you ever found out your children knew a secret you’d thought you’d successfully kept from them?

6) Do you think God, (or a Higher Force or your Soul or whatever you want to call it) communicates with you? Do you have any examples from your own life?

7) Symbolism is prevalent throughout the story. Give some examples and describe what you think they mean.

8) Do you live in the moment, the Now, or do your find yourself, like Annie, worrying about the future or dwelling in the past?

9) The author draws on her belief that we all create our own realities. Do you think you have the ability to create your own reality? Do you have any examples from your own life that demonstrate this ability to be true or not true? Did you read The Secret and try its techniques? If so, what were your results and why do you believe you were successful or not successful?

10) How do you think the “Great Recession” has impacted how we as a society view wealth and money? Has it changed your personal view? Annie is a pretty materialistic person. How do you think she’ll do going forward with her new “enough is enough” philosophy?

Brendan Joins a Cash Mob

What is a Cash Mob?

A Cash Mob is when a community descends on a local business on a particular night, and then they all go out for drinks afterwards.

Sounds like fun.

Eckhartz Press author Brendan Sullivan ("The Living Wills") will be one of the authors on hand at Bookie's in Beverly tomorrow night (Thursday). It starts at 6pm and goes until whenever.

Come and meet some super talented local people (17 local authors and artists). Bring your friends, because everyone is going out for drinks afterwards! Hope to see you at The Bookie's Paperbacks & More, 2419 W 103rd, Chicago, Illinois 60655 (773-239-1110)

Brendan at the Book Club

Last night Eckhartz Press author Brendan Sullivan ("The Living Wills") stopped by a book club discussing his book. A great time was had by one and all.

Remember, if you live in the Chicago area, and your book club is discussing one of the Eckhartz Press books, our authors would be pleased to stop by and join in the discussion (schedule permitting). Brendan's co-author Rick is going to a book club in Palatine a few weeks from now.

All you have to do is ask.

Review: "The Living Wills"

Many thanks to Megan Renehan, who just reviewed the Eckhartz Press release "The Living Wills" for Windy City Reviews. Her review is not yet available on-line, but we'll provide a link to it as soon as it is. In the meantime, you can read a portion of it here on the Eckhartz Press blog...




The Living Wills by Brendan Sullivan and Rick Kaempfer
Reviewed by Megan Renehan, Windy City Reviews

In The Living Wills, Sullivan and Kaempfer tell a story of interconnected lives and the consequences of split-second decisions. The novel follows five main characters: a parking garage attendant, a barista, a toilet salesman, a lawyer, and a corporate executive, ultimately connecting their lives in deep and unexpected ways. The story is structured in short chapters alternating between the main characters' points of view. Rich with emotion and local detail, The Living Wills is a story that stayed with me long after I had closed the book.

In the preface, the authors note the novel's structure is influenced by the Harold, an improvisational theater form created by Del Close. While the novel does not exactly follow the form, the interwoven stories lend themselves to the influence of improv. Sullivan and Kaempfer set themselves up for a challenge by telling the stories of five main characters each through a different point of view, but each of the story lines is unique, all the characters are clearly drawn, and there is no confusion for the reader. Short chapters advance the plot quickly and keep the reader engaged.

What struck me most about this novel was its sweetness. Sullivan and Kaempfer navigate issues of love, loss, and family dynamics with a care that is crucial to the success of the novel. The straightforward, unadorned prose does no work to convey the depth of emotion in the novel; that job is reserved solely for the characters, and they carry the load well. Though each of the characters trend slightly towards the stereotypical, the reader is able to accept them as individuals thanks to Sullivan and Kaempfer's well-placed personal details. Delmar, the toilet salesman, is a salesman to his core, and his application of sales principles to his romantic relationship is at once comic and endearing. Similarly, the scenes in the parking garage with the executive and the attendant are injected with emotion when we learn that “Reed went through the usual charade of offering a smoke to Henry, who always pretended to consider it before declining.” These details elevate the novel from cliché to something much deeper and more satisfying for the reader...

On the whole, The Living Wills was a pleasure to read for Sullivan and Kaempfer's deft characterization and effective structural choices. The rich details about Chicago only add to the novel's appeal, and I find myself thinking of Henry, Reed, and Delmar when I pass Waveland Bowl or a parking area on lower Wacker Drive.



LATE UPDATE: The full review is here at Windy City Reviews

Rick and Brendan on the Internet

Metrolingua Blogger Margaret Larkin interviewed Eckhartz Press authors Rick Kaempfer and Brendan Sullivan about their book "The Living Wills".

You can read it here.

"The Living Wills" on the Radio

Eckhartz Press author and publisher Rick Kaempfer was on the Steve Cochran show a week or two ago. They just sent us the audio in case you missed it.

You can listen to it here.

The Steve Cochran show airs every weekday afternoon/early evening in Chicago on WIND-AM 560. His show also airs in St. Louis. As you'll hear on the tape, Steve is always entertaining.

Meet Brendan Sullilvan

For those of you writers attending the UW-Madison Writer's Institute next weekend, be sure to catch the presentation of Eckhartz Press author Brendan Sullivan ("The Living Wills")

Here's what the website promises he'll be discussing on Saturday morning, April 14...

"8:15-9:20 – The Play is the Thing with Brendan Sullivan
Being a "serious writer" can be an oxymoron. While surely there is a role for structure, planning, ritual & commitment in a successful writing career, creative consultants remind us that real serious work gets done only when we PLAY. Writers have to remember to find or create the fun in their craft. This lively and experiential session will cover the latest theory, case studies, and insights around play and its role in the creative process and illustrate examples of how to tap play to be at your best."

On Sunday morning, he'll be discussing the following topic between 9-10:30...

"Creative Bypasses and Detours for Better Driving with Brendan Sullivan
This session will expose participants to at least several exercises and tools to enhance creativity in one's creative and career management process. Detours and excursions are often the best routes to creative breakthroughs in process and career. The class will experientially explore some evocative tools to "get around to it". Tools explored will include: Visual Explorer, Visualization, Forced Connections and Improvisation. There will be some creative output and report back to the group."

For more info about the Annual Writer's Institute, click here.

More Love for "The Living Wills"

We'd like to thank Lydia Rypcinski, the membership services/marketing and events director of the Illinois State Bowling Proprietor's Association, for a nice mention of "The Living Wills" in their latest "Prarie State Proprietor" newsletter (on page 8, for those of you looking at your copy at home).

The bowling press has been very kind to our little novel. Apparently not too many novels these days take place in a bowling alley. As the Prarie State Proprietor mentions, "The Living Wills" has several chapters that take place in a real life Chicago bowling alley, Waveland Bowl.

Waveland Bowl has been quite supportive of our book too. If you order the book now from the Eckhartz Press website, you will even receive a very generous coupon from Waveland Bowl.

Order your copy today at the Eckhartz Press bookstore.