Behind the scenes: My upcoming book on Aggie traditions

I’m gonna be an author! I learned in January 2026 that my manuscript for a book on Texas Aggie traditions was accepted by the Texas A&M University Press. I am THRILLED! 🙂 

To be notified when it comes out: Send an email to get on the list!  aggietraditionsbook@gmail.com

It is currently likely to come out in print sometime between October 2026 and January 2027, if all goes quickly with editing and production. (That is largely on me, so I will hustle 🙂)

Here’s a promotional synopsis:

Learn about the traditions of Texas A&M University — how to take part, what they mean and how many of them came to be over the past century and a half. From Silver Taps, Muster and the Aggie Ring to Midnight Yell Practice, Fish Camp and Maroon Out, whether you’re new to A&M or already a maroon-blooded Aggie, this handbook offers descriptions, history and details on some of the school’s most significant and distinctive traditions.

These stories I’ve written about Aggie traditions can give you a bit of a preview:

■ How We Got To ‘Here’: The History of Aggie Muster

■ Traditions Through Time: The War Hymn

■ What in the heck is ‘Hullabaloo, Caneck, Caneck”?

Even if you already know a lot about Aggie traditions, I am certain you’ll learn some things here, because it took a lot of digging to find this stuff out! Among other things, I learned why we call ourselves “Old Army,” where the term “wildcats” came from (it’s linked to a lost Aggie fight song!), how Northgate was founded and when the Aggie Band started doing the “impossible” four-way cross. And don’t worry if those terms are a mystery to you; I’ve written this to be accessible to prospective students and others who may know very little about Texas A&M.

I had never written a book before, and I had no idea how to do it, and I thought others might be curious. So if you are curious, please read on… 

What is writing a book like?

For me, it was like writing 50 magazine stories, which thankfully I have some experience with. (There are 50 chapters in the book, each on a different tradition. And to be sure, this is a nonfiction book at a university press; other types surely have different processes.) 

I did a ton of research, looking through Texas A&M historical archives and newspaper archives; and I interviewed a lot of people, including Texas A&M history experts; the Aggie baseball announcer who helped start many of our baseball traditions; former Texas A&M president Dr. Robert Gates, who led the drive to codify Texas A&M’s core values; and the drum major of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band.

How long did it take you?

I started on it seven years ago (really!), but most of the real hard work was in the past three years, on nights and weekends. It very much helped that my employers gave permission to use some work I had done/was doing for them. Even using those stories, I would say two-thirds of the book is new, original material, and when I used material from an earlier story, I revised and updated it.

How did it get accepted by the publisher?

The Press has a great page with details on their process! I submitted a proposal to the Texas A&M Press after I had written a few chapters and talked with editors there, then I went on to complete the manuscript, which was anonymously reviewed by multiple readers. This being a university press, the big hurdle was when a faculty panel had to decide whether to recommend it for publication or not. They said yes! 

How much money are you going to make? 

I certainly know that authors of academic books don’t make sackfuls of cash. It’s more about scholarship and adding knowledge to the world. I’ll earn a percentage on each sale, but it’s not gonna move me into a higher tax bracket or anything. But I am thrilled that my name is going to be on a book — especially one that records and expands some of my absolute favorite facts about Texas A&M.

What’s the title, and will it be a paperback or hardback? How much will it cost?

In the next few months, the book will get edited, indexed and designed, including the title and cover. I have a few ideas on all those things, but will be fascinated to see how the process unfolds. I have no idea whether it should be hardback or paperback — I think 6” x 9” (standard “nice paperback” size) is a reasonable guess at this point — and thank goodness the TAMU Press can guide me through all of that. I also submitted a whole lot of cool photos to go along with the text, and that could increase the size and cost (or I can cut a bunch of the photos). Also, the Press would love to find a donor or donors interested in funding part or all of the production so it doesn’t cost them as much to print it. Let me know if you know somebody who might be interested!