Daniel Handler, please visit the UK!

[Gigi]

A while back I asked who had met Daniel Handler, and some of our British friends weighed in on the fact that he never visits the UK.

dupin said:

ffwf said:

I live in the U.K., so basically, I'm never going to meet Snicket, ever. I'd like to, but it's just not going to happen.

[agreed]

It's a shame: next time anyone meets him, tell him to go visit his UK fans, if anything to stop them from reading his books.

I was thinking of writing Daniel Handler a letter warning him about how the youth of Great Britain have foolishly been reading his books and how he should go there and put a stop to it. I'm going to send it to him when I send him a birthday gift next month. What do you think? Has anyone ever done this before?

Here's what I have so far:

Dear Mr. Snicket,

I feel compelled to tell you of something terrible that is happening. Something so awful,
I can barely put the words to paper. But I feel I must to avoid even more tragedy.

There are dozens, perhaps hundreds or maybe even thousands (gasp!) of young people in the United
Kingdom who have foolishly been reading your books about the unfortunate events that have
befallen the Baudelaire orphans.

Why are they reading these books? Perhaps they have been hypnotized. Or forced to read them by
a tyrannical guardian. Maybe their bookstore was out of The Littlest Elf. I don't know the real
reason, but this tragic situation must end! I urge you to personally visit the United Kingdom
and put a stop to it before it is too late!

With All Due Respect,
Gigi

[Dante]

Aw, I thought from the thread title he was actually going to visit the U.K. I had a pessimistic response all planned out.

On the bright side, using emotional blackmail veiled in his usual mournful style is a great idea, and it'd be great if it worked (and the numerous U.K. fans would be forever in your debt, so you could order us around). And is it his birthday again so soon? The time sure flies.

[Leah is Bored]

Yup, Feb 28th.
I also think it's a great idea, Gigi - I love the bit about the tyrannical guardian.
He has to visit us sooner or later, if only to shut down our bookstores etc. Has he ever actually been to the UK before?

[twistedbrain]

Sounds good, Gigi.

[Sixteen]

Do you think you could edit the letter to say "Great Britain and Ireland"?

[Gigi]

volunteer16 said:

Do you think you could edit the letter to say "Great Britain and Ireland"?

I'm never sure how to refer to that whole area. What do you all prefer? What exactly does United Kingdom mean as opposed to Great Britain?

And, Dante, sorry to get your hopes up with the thread title. At least I got your attention.

[Ennui]

ffwf said:

On the bright side, using emotional blackmail veiled in his usual mournful style is a great idea, and it'd be great if it worked (and the numerous U.K. fans would be forever in your debt, so you could order us around).

Absolutely. Any houses you want burnt down, Gigi?

[Sugary Snicket]

Almost his birthday? Maybe I should send him a drawing, or a short fanfic. Gifts made by the giver, I find, are just as fun for the reciever as the person who made them, though in this case, that saying may take the opposite meaning......

I'll do some research and find his address, or perhaps someone could PM it to me? He must get a lot of mail around this time. Then again, he just plain gets a lot of mail.

[Gigi]

Let's not get off topic. Can we move Orphaned_hope's comments to the birthday thread I started?

Anyway, what else should I put in the letter?

[Sixteen]

dgrune said:

volunteer16 said:

Do you think you could edit the letter to say "Great Britain and Ireland"?

I'm never sure how to refer to that whole area. What do you all prefer? What exactly does United Kingdom mean as opposed to Great Britain?

Great Britain consists of England, Scotland and Wales. The United Kingdom consists of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (which is still under British rule). And I live in the Republic of Ireland which has nothing to do with any of the above.

[Gigi]

What about the British Isles? Would that include everything?

(Sorry for my ignorance. I don't mean to offend.)

[Sixteen]

You didn't offend. It's reasonable that you wouldn't know what to call it.

The British Isles would cover everything but I'd be worried that Handler might assume that British Isles just refers to Britain.

[Gigi]

I think in the letter I'll use British Isles, but I now have contact with the Director of Publicity at H-C who I would assume handles book tours. I'll mention to her that Ireland would like a visit as well as Great Britain.

(Sixteen, how hard would it be to go to London if that was the only place he visited?)

[Sixteen]

It wouldn't be hard but it would be expensive. (flights, accomodation etc.)

Thanks, anyway. A mention is better than nothing.

[Gigi]

Update: I sent the letter, pretty much as it was, to Daniel Handler with the birthday gift. I also am going to e-mail the Publicity woman at H-C suggesting he visit the UK. I'll let you know what she says.