Randy Richardson's Blog, page 2
March 7, 2014
Wrigleyville Nation interview
In this interview with Wrigleyville Nation I share the story behind Lost in the Ivy, what inspired it, who are some of the real-life characters in it, and why I'm reissuing it. In the coming weeks leading up to the March 31 release date Wrigleyville Nation will be posting exclusive excerpts from the book.
February 27, 2014
"Lost in the Ivy" now available for pre-orders
Eckhartz Press announced today that Lost in the Ivy is now available for pre-orders!
A nice way to kick off the official start of the Cubs' 2014 World Series quest - today was their spring opener...which, unfortunately, they lost.
February 23, 2014
Second Chances
My wife came home last night from a dinner with two of her BFFs, not with a doggie bag but with a question for me. At dinner, her BFFs asked her why I was re-issuing my first novel, Lost in the Ivy. My wife didn’t have an answer for them.
I explained this to many people, and even touched on it publicly, via Facebook, but the reasons are many. I’ve been working on this revised edition for over a year – it takes a long time to publish a book; even to re-publish one. Maybe now that its reissue is nearing - just a little over a month away – it is time to explain again why I am doing this.
The No. 1 reason is that the original version of Lost in the Ivy is dead. It is out of print and is only available through resellers. As of this morning, you can find 27 new and used copies on Amazon, prices ranging range from 39 cents (plus $3.99 shipping) to $188.70 (no, that isn’t a misprint).
No book should die. If someone out there in the world wants to read it, they should be able to find it – and not just in a resale shop.
The No. 2 reason is that the publishing landscape has changed dramatically since I originally published Lost in the Ivy in 2005. The Kindle had not yet been introduced to the world, and ebooks existed in only rudimentary form. I saw this evolution occurring, and even became the first to donate a free ebook to what was then Chicago’s Underground Library.
The beauty of ebooks is that they don’t ever have to die. All books should be able to live forever as ebooks. By reissuing Lost in the Ivy, I’m giving it that chance at timelessness it never had.
The No. 3 reason is that while I still like the original version of Lost in the Ivy, I don’t love it. I’ve grown a lot as a writer since it was issued, or at least I would like to think I have. I also made many naïve rookie mistakes in terms of my publishing choices that first at bat. By reissuing it I am able to correct all those missteps.
Many have asked me what I have changed. The answer is a little and a lot. The basic elements of the story and the characters remain the same but the structure is different, new chapters with new intrigue have been added to it, I’ve tried to give more depth to the relationship of the main characters, and I’ve tightened the writing so that it hopefully reads better.
The No. 4 reason is that there was an opportunity. Eckhartz Press, the publisher of my last novel, Cheeseland, expressed an interest in it. That this season happened to be the 100th birthday of Wrigley Field seemed like kismet, that this was meant to be at this time.
In conclusion, I’m not reissuing this for those who read and enjoyed the original version. I certainly appreciate their support and would obviously love it if they did pick up the new edition and shared it with their own circles of friends and families. But I don’t really expect them to buy it and read it all over again. I’m reissuing it for those who haven’t read it, and not just for those living today but for my son’s children and their children.
I also am reissuing it for myself. We don’t always get second chances, and this was my second chance, to issue the book the way that I want it to be and to live on for eternity.
February 19, 2014
Lost in the Ivy: All new edition launches Opening Day!
From Eckhartz Press: In 2012 Randy Richardson wrote the critically acclaimed “Cheeseland”for Eckhartz Press. The readers at Goodreads named it their favorite “Coming of Age” novel when it was released.
This year in honor of the 100th anniversary of Wrigley Field, Randy has updated and improved his earlier mystery/thriller novel “Lost in the Ivy”. It will be released by Eckhartz Press on Opening Day (March 31), and will be available for pre-order beginning March 20th. What is it about?
August 21, 2013
Keep the conversation going
A special prime-time interview with Cyrus Webb on Conversations LIVE is now available to the world via podcast. Parents and high school and college students, this is a conversation you don't want to miss. Listen in and keep the conversation going.
New Entertainment Podcasts with Cyrus Webb on BlogTalkRadio
August 5, 2013
Conversations Book Club August Pick
I am thrilled to announce that CHEESELAND is a Conversations Book Club August pick. Join in the online conversation at 7 PM CT Tuesday August 20. Listen and participate in the show hosted by Cyrus Webb online at www.blogtalkradio.com/conversationslive or call in at 347.426.3645.
Can't join the discussions live? Join Webb in discussing them online afterwards! It is Conversations' goal to keep the discussions going all month long and beyond. To stay in touch with Conversations Book Club and upcoming discussions visit www.conversationsbookclub.com.
Check out Webb's video announcement about this special monthlong Conversations Book Club event:
July 31, 2013
Wait till next year!
Until now, I'd told only a handful of people this... but I'm working on a revision of my first novel, Lost in the Ivy. I'm not sure why I've been reluctant to admit this. Perhaps because I didn't know if I would stick with it to the end. Maybe because it felt a little like I was going backwards rather than forwards. But for some time now I've been thinking about revising it and re-issuing it. It's out of print now and never had all the chances that books have today in the e-book world. There are also many things I wanted to change about it. Inspired by a project a friend is launching (details on that to come at a later date), I jumped back into Lost in the Ivy. I didn't know how this would go but so far it's gone better than I anticipated. It's been fun going back to these characters I created when I first took the plunge into fiction writing and giving them new life. Like the Cubs, I am in rebuilding mode. Though I suppose it is more of a reshaping. My goal is to finish it by this fall and re-issue it in time for the beginning of the next baseball season. So, yes, that means I am asking you to do what the Cubs do every year: wait till next year.
July 28, 2013
Wait till next year
Until now, I'd told only a handful of people this... but I'm working on a revision of my first novel, Lost in the Ivy. I'm not sure why I've been reluctant to admit this. Perhaps because I didn't know if I would stick with it to the end. Maybe because it felt a little like I was going backwards rather than forwards. But for some time now I've been thinking about revising it and re-issuing it. It's out of print now and never had all the chances that books have today in the e-book world. There are also many things I wanted to change about it. Inspired by a project a friend is launching (details on that to come at a later date), I jumped back into Lost in the Ivy. I didn't know how this would go but so far it's gone better than I anticipated. It's been fun going back to these characters I created when I first took the plunge into fiction writing and giving them new life. Like the Cubs, I am in rebuilding mode. Though I suppose it is more of a reshaping. My goal is to finish it by this fall and re-issue it in time for the beginning of the next baseball season. So, yes, that means I am asking you to do what the Cubs do every year: wait till next year.
June 9, 2013
Writer's Delight
Wow. A hip hop legend – one of my musical heroes – has been referenced in connection to my novel, Cheeseland. How did this happen?
First, let me step back in time. The year is 1980, the same time when the first part of Cheeseland is set, and my ears are introduced to a new musical sound. The song, now a hip hop classic, is by a trio called The Sugarhill Gang. Back then we had these parties in the basement of a friend’s house in Chicago Heights, in the south ‘burbs of Chicago. We would drink. And we would dance. And this song by The Sugarhill Gang, Rapper’s Delight, became our party anthem. Here we were a bunch of white suburban teens dancing to a song that basically paved the way for rap music. I still have the original vinyl album stashed away in a box in my garage.
Now jump to today. About six months ago I am introduced to Cyrus Webb, host of BlogTalkRadio’s Conversations Live! He interviews me on his program and then in his Conversations Magazine writes one of my favorite reviews of Cheeseland. So I begin advertising on his program. He records a beautiful advertisement for the book.
Then I hear that two of the members of The Sugarhill Gang, Wonder Mike and Master Gee, are going to be on Cyrus’s radio show, promoting a new movie about their life, I Want My Name Back, and that my book ad would be featured during the interview with Wonder Mike, who opens Rapper’s Delight. I’m sure you can recite the words just like I can:
Now what you hear is not a test – I'm rappin to the beat
and me, the groove, and my friends are gonna try to move your feet
See I am Wonder Mike and I’d like to say hello
To the black, to the white, the red, and the brown, the purple and yellow.
So I'm listening to Cyrus’ interview with Wonder Mike this morning, and it’s fascinating. And then he takes a break and I hear the ad for my book, and I smile. This is pretty cool, I’m thinking. But then it gets better. Way better. When Cyrus returns to the air and when he is making the connection between Wonder Mike and Master Gee and all that they’ve been through over the years, he references Cheeseland and how it’s story of the friendship of two teen-age boys and all their trials and tribulations can be likened to the story of Wonder Mike and Master Gee. My mouth literally drops.
Life is full of surprises. Some are good and some are bad. Some are incredibly cool. This one fits into that incredibly cool category. You know that I’m going to be rappin’ to the beat all day long now.
Listen to internet radio with Cyrus Webb Presents on BlogTalkRadio
