My publishing company Eckhartz Press is making big strides behind the scenes. Our website is almost finished, and it when it is, you'll be able to pre-order our first book (more on that below).
Our Facebook page is up and running already. If you're on Facebook, click "like" on our page and you'll get all the updates about our exciting new venture as they happen. Or if you prefer, you can follow the Eckhartz Press blog, which I founded yesterday. All the Eckhartz Press authors will be featured there.
Click here if you'd like to know who the first four Eckhartz Press authors are.
Now, here are the details about the first book. It's called "The Living Wills" and it's a co-written novel by Brendan Sullivan and Rick Kaempfer. We created the story line of this book in a very unusual way. Using improvisation, brainstorming mind-mapping and other ideation techniques, we came up with three interweaving story lines. From there, we retreated to our cubicles and wrote individual chapters by ourselves, and then edited and improved those chapters together. The result is something you don't see every day...a truly collaborative novel.
Hints about the plot will coming over the next days. The book is currently being formatted for publication, and will go to press by December 1st, in time for Christmas publication. We'll be doing limited traditional media before the end of the year, but starting in January you'll be seeing us all over the place. We'll also be holding several release parties in December and January, look for details here and the Facebook page and blog.
As for this cool cover? It was designed by Chicago artist Jon Langford. We're honored to have such a distinguished artist as part of this project. Also, we have blurbs on the back cover from Chicago Tribune writer Rick Kogan, famous TV/film/stage actor William Petersen (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation), and author Kim Strickland.
I promise you I won't be shy giving you more details as they arise.
It all starts today; 11/11/11.
