Change in plans ...

So just when everything seemed to be going along well 0n the trivia books I got an email today that changed everything.

Ok, not everything, but one-third of things.

The third book, on the Vikings, is going to be put on hold until next year. Considering one of the team executives said about this season: "Dear God. We're just wondering what could possibly happen next," I really can't argue the decision.

So instead I'll be doing the Green Bay Packers, the last NFL team I covered. So it's Cowboys, Steelers and Packers editions hitting stores before the 2011 season.

The good thing is that this means the series is already slated to continue even before I've finished the first edition. Cool.

Progress report on the Cowboys book

It's less than two weeks before Christmas and I'm pretty sure I'm going to miss my self-imposed goal of finishing the Cowboys edition by the end of the month. Considering bowl practices start later this week that's to be expected and I'm not disappointed -- especially with the aggressive schedule I'm attempting: Have a draft done as close to Christmas as possible and proof and edit while in Orlando for the Capital One Bowl.

It might happen, it might not. But I'm on pace to do so. We'll see because that figures to be a hectic trip.

Unfortunately I'll be driving down Christmas Day and driving back New Year's Day after the game, maybe with a manuscript in tow.

First up, the Dallas Cowboys

Work on the first book has begun and I decided to use the Dallas Cowboys version as my test run, if you will.

Basically, I have to come up with 1,000 words a day, which wouldn't be much of an issue if I was writing in any sort of a regular style, but these are trivia books. I also need to get a working draft done by the end of the month, so my work is cut out for me over the next couple of weeks before bowl practices get under way (in addition to that whole Christmas thing).

I haven't come up with a name yet, but will soon. Maybe something with the word ultimate or something similar. My fear is that the questions I'm coming up with are too hard, so I'll try and balance it out a little and make the difficulty more progressive.

In other news, I submitted by Heisman ballot late tonight. Voters are asked not to disclose their ballot and just like last year I will not. Considering all the off-field turmoil it should make for an interesting week.