Clay Aiken Preps New Holiday CD, Book

By Stephen M. Silverman

10/07/2004 at 08:05 AM EDT

The American Idol favorite, 25, is delivering a double-header on Nov. 16, with an as-yet-untitled holiday-song RCA album and a book that Billboard describes as an inspirational memoir called Learning to Sing: Hearing the Music in Your Life.

The Random House release is said to explore the North Carolina beanpole turned sex symbol's journey from special education teacher to pop star. Aiken's first CD, the best-selling Measure of a Man, was released nearly a year ago.

Coinciding with the launch of the new CD and the book, Aiken will make a Nov. 15 Larry King Live appearance, following with a Dec. 6 guest shot on The Tonight Show in anticipation of a Dec. 8 visit to The Today Show. Aiken's one-hour NBC Christmas special also will air Dec. 8.

Next month, Aiken is scheduled to begin a five-week holiday tour with a full orchestra.

Meanwhile, the most recent Idol,winner, fellow North Carolina native Fantasia Barrino – who now goes by her first name only, like Cher – is wrapping up a world tour in Singapore, where the 20-year-old promised fans: "I'm not going to let people forget me. I'm going to be on cereal boxes, milk cartons and ice-cream trucks. ... I think it's just about pushing past American Idol and going on with your career."