A Blatant Plug Brought To You By The Letter “B”

Over the years, those of you who joined us while we hung out inside your radio speakers would, now and then, hear us turn on the “Blatant Plug Light” which meant that we were about to suggest you think about listening to, reading, seeing or buying something we were going to talk about.  Many times these “Blatant Plugs” would not be sponsor related, but something we were just enthusiastic about and wanted to bring to your attention.

Well, we’re turning on the “Blatant Plug” light for this blog post and it’s brought to you by the letter “B,” not for “Blatant” but, rather , for book, blog and brother.

Full disclosure, the brother, Lee, is mine (Steve) and the book and the blog are his.  And, full disclosure not withstanding, this isn’t being written because Lee is my brother, it’s being written because the book and the blog are really THAT good.

The book is called “Safe Inside” and it’s published by Chicago’s Eckhartz Press.  So, what’s it about?  Well, I don’t want to give away any spoilers, so let’s go with this synopsis from the Eckhartz Press website.

“The south side of Chicago in the 1940’s, a time when divorce, mental illness, and one’s sexuality were not discussed. A Catholic child finds escape inside opulent movie palaces and the equally opulent world of his own fantasies. As a young man, he attempts a final escape to the army, only to discover, in Alaska, that he has not left all his demons behind.”

And, if you’d like a little more of a peek at what’s between the covers, just click on this link to Lee’s WGN radio interview with Nick Digilio.

Over the ten or so years that Lee was writing the book he would let Johnnie, me and a few other friends see chapters as they were finished.  From the very first chapter I was swept up into the story and wanted more.  This book did what the best books I have ever read did to me.  It made me want to keep reading and not put it down but, on the other hand, it made me want to take-my-time because I really wanted to savor this experience.  I wouldn’t have turned on the “Blatant Plug” light if I didn’t think you’d want to savor it, too.

So, what about the brother’s blog?  Well, you can read Lee’s “Me Now” blog just by clicking on this link.  It is, not surprisingly, a very personal take on life, movies, plays, Opera and whatever else Lee’s muse puts in his keyboard’s path.  If you like it as much as I think you will, I hope you’ll click on the option to follow the blog via e-mail so, just like this blog, you’ll be notified when something new is posted.

I know, I know, some of you are rolling your eyes and saying/thinking “Yeah, sure, not because he’s his brother, it’s really THAT good.”  Well … yeah.  The book and the blog are really THAT good.

Over the years I’ve come to appreciate the fact that, along with being a REALLY good brother, Lee is a REALLY good writer.  He really does have the best words and he knows how to use them.  I hope you’ll take a look at them.

Steve