Meet Kim & Randy

This Thursday night Kim Strickland will be part of the lineup at the Book Cellar in Lincoln Square (4736 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago). They are staging a "ChicagoNow Bloggers Author Night", and Kim writes the blog "A City Mom" for ChicagoNow. She'll be signing copies of her Eckhartz Press book "Down at the Golden Coin" at the Book Cellar, along with fellow ChicagoNow authors Jimmy Greenfield, Carrie Goldman, Kirk Mango, and Fern Ronay. The festivities begin at 7pm.

This Saturday (December 8) Eckhartz Press author Randy Richardson will be appearing in Woodstock at "Read Between the Lynes" from 2-4pm. He'll be signing copies of his novel "Cheeseland". Read Between the Lynes is located at 129 West Van Buren Street in Woodstock.

Meet Randy Richardson

It's local author night at the Book Cellar in Chicago (right next door to the Brauhaus in Lincoln Square), and one of the featured authors this month is Eckhartz Press' very own Randy Richardson ("Cheeseland").

The other authors scheduled to be there include Bree Housley (We Hope You Like This Song: An Overly Honest Story about Friendship, Death, and Mix Tapes), and Samantha Hoffman (What More Could You Wish For).

Come on out and support your local Chicago authors!

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.

Randy Richardson: A Review, An Interview, An Event

There he is, Randy Richardson reading page 24 of the Sept./Oct. issue of Conversations Magazine, Cyrus Webb's review of "Cheeseland". Cyrus writes, "Delivered with skill and captivating from beginning to end, "Cheeseland" reminds us of the preciousness of life and the importance of making the most of each and every day." Nice.

Here's an interview with Randy at Dina Raye's Write Stuff.

And if you'd like to meet Randy, he'll be here this coming Sunday: "This month the incomparable Rose Metal Press partners with Sunday Salon Chicago. They’ll be featuring two of their authors, Aaron Teel and Kyle Minor. Chicago writers Randy Richardson and Paul Jones fill out the bill. Please join us in the super-cool back room at Black Rock. You'll have fun and go home happy, we guarantee it! 8-9:30pm, Black Rock Pub & Kitchen, 3614 N Damen Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60618"

Kim Strickland's Book Blog Tour

Eckhartz Press author Kim Strickland ("Down at the Golden Coin") is going to be busy promoting her book over the next month or two on a book blog tour!

Her first stop was here.

But she'll be doing quite a few more...


November 19 - Mrs. Mommy Booknerd Book Reviews
http://mrsmommybooknerd.blogspot.com/
Guest post, interview, excerpt

November 20 - A Novel Review
http://anovelreview.blogspot.com/
review only

November 22 - Samantha March
http://www.samanthamarch.com/
Interview and excerpt

November 23 - A Buckeye Girl Reads
http://lovesromances.blogspot.com/
guest post and interview

November 26 - Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf
http://laurenscrammedbookshelf.blogspot.com/
review

November 27 - Whooopeeyoo
http://whoopeeyoo.com/
Guest Post and Excerpt

November 30 - Storm Goddess Book Reviews
http://www.stormgoddessbookreviews.blogspot.com/
Review

December 1 - Shelley's Book Case
http://shelleyreadsandreviews.blogspot.com/
Guest post, Interview and excerpt

Randy Richardson at the Beverly Arts Center

Attention Chicago South Siders! Mark your calendars for this Sunday. Penny Golden will interview Eckhartz Press author Randy Richardson about his new book, "Cheeseland", at the Beverly Arts Center (2407 W. 111th St) at 2pm.

Penny does a wonderful job interviewing authors, and Randy has a distinctly south side story to tell.

Set on Chicago’s south side, “Cheeseland” is a story about loyalty, friendship and the self-destructive nature of secret-keeping and unresolved anger. In the first part two high school boys take a road trip through Wisconsin as they grieve over another friend’s suicide. The journey of recovery is filled with comical twists as the two teens navigate Cheeseland, a place that blurs the line between adolescence and adulthood.

The second part takes place 30 years later as the novel's long and winding road comes full circle and the two friends finally confront their past and come to grips with their present lives. “Cheeseland” is a published by Eckhartz Press.

An attorney and award-winning journalist Randy Richardson’s essays have been published in the anthologies “Chicken Soup for the Father and Son Soul,” “Humor for a Boomer’s Heart,” “The Big Book of Christmas Joy,” and “Cubbie Blues: 100 Years of Waiting Till Next Year,”as well as in numerous print and online journals and magazines

Meet Randy Richardson

There are quite a few events coming up in the next few weeks where you can meet Eckhartz Press author ("Cheeseland") Randy Richardson.








*Evanston Writers Conference, August 25, 2012

*Chicago Writers Conference September 15, 2012

*Author Afternoons at the Beverly Arts Center September 23, 2012, 2 PM
(Randy will be doing a reading from and discussing "Cheeseland" with moderator/interviewer Penny Golden)

*Sunday Salon at Black Rock Bar, Chicago, September 30, 2012 8 PM

*Authors on the Fox at Gail Borden Public Library, Elgin, IL, October 21, 2012, 1:30 PM, register here beginning August 25, 2012

*Local Authors Night at The Book Cellar, Chicago, November 14, 2012, 7 PM
(One of our favorite local independent bookstores)

Meet Rick Kaempfer

Eckhartz Press co-publisher Rick Kaempfer will be appearing at the Writers Block Party - Meet the Presses panel discussion and networking event on Saturday, August 11, 1 - 4 p.m., at the Gail Borden Public Library in Elgin.

The event is co-sponsored by the Chicago Writers Association, In Print, and Author! Author! Book & Author Marketing Network. Register to attend through Eventbrite at http://writersblockparty.eventbrite.com/.

Tickets are free but space is limited.

Rick was profiled in this interview in anticipation of that event.

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!

The BAC Book Club with Kim Strickland

If you're on the South Side of Chicago you won't want to miss a special event tomorrow night (Thursday) at the Beverly Arts Center. Our very own Kim Strickland will be the featured author at the BAC Book Club.

Moderator Penny Golden will be talking to Kim about "Down at the Golden Coin" and Kim will take questions from the audience and sign books.

The BAC is promoting it as a "no pressure" book club, where the attendees don't have to have read the book. It will be an informal setting, with a cash bar and snacks; a fun "girls' night out" kind of evening. (Guys are welcome too, of course!).

The fun begins at 7:30. See you there!

Meet Randy & Kim

This weekend you'll have several chances to meet Eckhartz Press authors Randy Richardson and Kim Strickland.

*At Randy's Barnes & Noble appearance/book signing at Woodfield on Saturday, you may even have a chance to win a Nook.
Randy Richardson's Cheeseland: Enter to Win NOOK Simple Touch
Saturday June 09, 2012 1:00 PM, Schaumburg, Woodfield Plaza Shopping Center, 590 East Golf Road, Schaumburg, IL 60173, 847-310-0450


*You can meet Kim on Saturday from 2-4pm. She'll be at the Printers Row Lit Fest, in the Society of Midland Authors Tent (tent HH) on Polk Street west of Dearborn. (Click here to see a map.)


*And then on Sunday, Randy will be there too, except he'll be in the Chicago Writer's Association tent, under Tent H (the Chicago Books United tent) on Dearborn. Randy is the president of the CWA, so he'll be there quite awhile. Stop by and say hello.

Eckhartz Press Night

A few photos from our recent Eckhartz Press Night at the Hidden Shamrock on Halsted Street...



(Left) Randy Richardson reading from his book "Cheeseland"






(Below) The entire Eckhartz Press stable being interviewed by moderator Mary Beth Hoerner. From left to right: Mary Beth, Brendan Sullivan, Rick Kaempfer, Kim Strickland and Randy Richardson.

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?

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 Book Cellar

Brendan Sullivan and Rick Kaempfer will be appearing tonight at Local Author Night at the Book Cellar in Chicago.

It's their last scheduled book signing, so if you've been putting off coming out to see them, and/or you'd like to get an autographed copy of the book, this may be your last chance.

All of the details are here at the Book Cellar website.

Rick & Brendan at the Book Cellar

Next Wednesday, February 15th, Brendan Sullivan and Rick Kaempfer will be appearing at Local Author Night at the Book Cellar in Chicago.

It's their last scheduled book signing, so if you've been putting off coming out to see them, and/or you'd like to get an autographed copy of the book, this may be your last chance.

All of the details are here at the Book Cellar website.

Rick and Brendan on the South Side

Rick and Brendan have another author event coming up this weekend, their only event on the South Side of Chicago...

Date: January 29, 2012
Time: 2pm
Place: Beverly Arts Center
Address: 2407 W. 111th St
Cost: $5 (or $4 for BAC members)

Books are available to purchase at event to have signed by the authors.

Description of Event: Author Afternoon, starring Brendan Sullivan and Rick Kaempfer, co-authors of "The Living Wills". "Two former Chicago radio producers, Rick Kaempfer and Brendan Sullivan, have co-written The Living Wills, a novel about “a split-second decision made 30 years ago and the ripple effects it caused.”

Author Afternoons is a monthly interview series featuring Chicago authors discussing their works. Facilitated by Penny Golden, the series has welcomed Jonathan Eig (Get Capone), Dave Reidy (Captive Audience), Arnie Bernstein (Bath Massacre: America’s First School Bombing), Kevin Guilfoile (The Thousand), Hilary Wagner (author of the children’s fantasy novel Nightshade City) and more.

More info and box office here.

Rick & Brendan at the Catalyst Ranch

We've mentioned this event a few times before, but we're publishing the entire write up from the Catalyst Ranch's website here one more time, because the event is tomorrow. Come out and see the fellas at the location they created the book...


Don't Miss Our Match Books Event
THE LIVING WILLS by Brendan Sullivan & Rick Kaempfer
Tuesday, January 24th from 6pm-8pm

One novel, two authors!? Creativity coach Brendan Sullivan wants to show you how he used the same techniques he brings to clients like Kelloggs, PepsiCo, GE and Harley-Davidson (think improv, mind mapping and other ideation processes) to create a new novel with co-author Rick Kaempfer. Much of the work was done during sessions right here at the Ranch! Join us as Brendan & Rick share these techniques with you and demonstrate how you can incorporate them into your life and work to be more creatively productive. Rick Kogan of the Chicago Tribune calls THE LIVING WILLS "rollicking and real on so many levels." This Match Books session is not to be missed!

Date: Tuesday, January 24th from 6pm-8pm
Location: Catalyst Ranch
Cost: $15 or 2 new children's books (all proceeds donated to Open Books). Light refreshments will be served. (Eckhartz Press note: We're bringing beer)
RSVP from our Happenings Page. If you are bringing books please RSVP to amber@catalystranch.com.
Click here to visit our blog: Interview with Brendan Sullivan & Rick Kaempfer on their new book The Living Wills.

The Catalyst Ranch

From the e-newsletter of the Catalyst Ranch, a chance to meet Eckhartz Press authors Brendan Sullivan and Rick Kaempfer in person at the very location they improvised the story lines of "The Living Wills"...


SAVE THE DATE
Match Books: THE LIVING WILLS by Brendan Sullivan & Rick Kaempfer

Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 6pm - 8pm

One novel, two authors!? Creativity coach Brendan Sullivan wants to show you, not tell you how he used the same techniques he brings to clients like Kellogg's, PepsiCo, GE and Harley-Davidson (improv, mind mapping and other ideation processes) to create a just-published novel with co-author, Rick Kaempfer. Much of the work was done during sessions right here at the Ranch! Join us as Brendan & Rick share these techniques with you and show you how to incorporate them into your life and work to be more creatively productive. Rick Kogan of the Chicago Tribune calls THE LIVING WILLS "rollicking and real on so many levels." This Match Books session is not to be missed!