T.O. Reaches Out To Kids

by Edward Nawotka, PW Daily -- Publishers Weekly, 10/4/2006

Terrell Owens, the troubled wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys, is the latest celebrity to stamp his name on a book for children. BenBella Books, the four-year old independent publisher in Dallas, has scored his series, dubbed T.O.’s Time Out, and is crashing the first title, Little T Learns to Share, to reach stores on November 15, the height of football season.

Little T Learns to Share, which is co-authored by the television writer Courtney Parker, depicts the travails of Owens as a boy learning to share his new football with friends. The initial print run will be 10,000 copies, with a $20,000 publicity budget. IPG is distributing the book and handling publicity.

Owens is best known to football fans for his mercurial personality, both on field and off, and especially for his combative relationships with teammates and coaches. In late September Owens was admitted to a Dallas hospital suffering from an overdose of pain killers, quickly spun by the press into a suicide attempt, which Owens denied. Despite his antics, Owens remains popular with fans. His football memoir T.O., published this past July by Simon & Schuster, hit the New York Times bestseller list and his Dallas Cowboys jersey remains the top-selling NFL jersey.

Glenn Yeffeth, publisher of BenBella Books, said he was approached by Owens's agent, Ian Kleinert from The Literary Group, about doing the series of five titles. "I think the fact that we're here in Dallas helped us get the book," said Yeffeth. “T.O. wanted to show support for his current hometown and home team.” Yeffeth hopes to schedule as many as 10 signings for Owens in the Dallas and Fort Worth area, although he acknowledged he may be in competition for Owens’s time. "He's really committed to the book. That's the most we can ask for," Yeffeth said.