Everyone has been writing their own remembrances of Roger and the Sun-Times asked me to write about his presence in the screening room, where all of us spent years together watching movies.

The Sunday story begins like this: “The movie screening room on Lake Street was Roger Ebert’s kingdom, and his throne was the left aisle seat in the back row…”

I wrote (obliquely) about advice he gave me about dealing with my girlfriend’s (now, wife’s) demon-possessed cat, among other things.

The rest of this item is here on the Sun-Times website, complete with a photo of his chair.

We miss you already, Roger.

http://bestfilmneverseen.tumblr.com/

New Year, new gig.

I’ve been named the Lake County editor for the Chicago Sun-Times. From the announcement in the Lake County News-Sun:

“Rob brings an enormous amount of experience in building strong digital reporting teams,” said Jim Kirk, Sun-Times Media editor in chief. “As we look to broaden our audience in Lake County and across the Chicago region, Rob will play a key role in helping us serve readers both in print and on multiple digital platforms.’”

More details are here and media columnist Rob Feder was nice to write a note here (second item).

Thanks to everyone who sent well-wishes

Coming in June 2013, The Best Film You’ve Never Seen is an attempt to rewrite film history. In this book, 35 directors champion their favorite overlooked or critically-savaged gems. Director Bill Condon (Twilight: Breaking Dawn) calls these “orphan films,” though I prefer “outcast classics.”

A preview of the book cover for “The Best Film You’ve Never Seen,” out in June 2013.

Musician James Jackson Toth, aka Wooden Wand, will be at the Empty Bottle on Sept. 26.

His forthcoming record features a song, “Dungeon of Irons,” inspired by — and featuring words from — my book, Last Words of the Executed. The record is called Blood Oaths of the New Blues.

So, come see him perform with me. Tickets are $8 or FREE if you RSVP in advance.