Post by gothicarchiesfan on Sept 29, 2018 18:19:32 GMT -5
The Scottish Sun just published a new interview with Daniel Handler:
LEMONY Snicket author Daniel Handler knows how to turn the spotlight on reading — by giving kids a torch to devour books under the covers after dark.
US writer Daniel is the man behind the deliciously dark A Series Of Unfortunate Events tales, which have been made into a hit Hollywood movie and now a Netflix TV series.
But it was a trick his parents pulled on him as a youngster that got him hooked on stories — and he thinks teachers should take a leaf out of their book.
Daniel, 48, says: “My parents read to me each night, stopped at a suspenseful moment in the book, left a flashlight next to my bed and told me under no circumstances to read any more after the lights were out.
“I understand this might be difficult to replicate in Scottish schools, but surely there are highly-skilled teachers who might be given the means to spread the word.”
Writing under the pen-name Snicket, the San Franciscan has published 13 books in the Unfortunate Events series, which have sold more than 65million copies and been translated into 40 languages.
Daniel was speaking to The Scottish Sun as part of our Free Books for Schools campaign, which gives primaries across the country the chance to get their hands on a bumper pack of Collins Big Cat titles worth more than £550.
His hit series tells the story of unlucky orphans Violet, Klaus and Sunny Baudelaire and their scheming, greedy cousin Count Olaf — played by Jim Carrey in the 2004 film version and Neil Patrick Harris in the new small-screen adaptation.
The hook-nosed villain spends his time hunting down the kids and attempting to get his hands on their inheritance.
Daniel’s relationship with execs on the movie, which also starred Scots comic Billy Connolly, were strained — but so far his involvement with the Netflix series seems more positive.
Although the writer, who is also a successful musician, reckons it’s still a lot more simple sticking to books.
He says: “It is very difficult to work in such an expensive and collaborative medium — it is much, much easier to write a paragraph describing a lake than it is to build a lake for actors to boat around in.
“But it is always interesting to see what the finished adaptation is like.”
And the author says that the small-screen version is helping youngsters return to the written word.
He jokes: “In the case of the Netflix adaptation, I’ve heard from a number of families who are enjoying the show and then read the books together, so I seem to have contributed to a rise in depressive households. Clearly, my work is done.”
Success wasn’t instant for the writer, who says some of his books went unpublished while he learned his craft. So he worked in various roles that would give him plenty of spare time to rush home and write.
He adds: “I kept taking whatever jobs I could find which allowed me time to go home and write two terrible, unpublishable books while trying desperately to get better.”
But, despite a few knockbacks, he struck gold with The Basic Eight. Published in 1998, the story is taken from the fictional diary of a teenager and her seven pals, who form the Basic Eight clique. The book ends on a dark note which involves secrets being revealed — and even murder.
The author reveals his manuscript was rejected more than 35 times — with publishers apprehensive about a teen tale having such a dark tone — before finally being snapped up.
It is exactly this macabre style which has gone on to give him huge success — both in fiction for adults and children.
Dad-of-one Daniel, who is married to graphic artist Lisa Brown, says: “My mind just naturally wanders that way. It is rare for me to enter a building without picturing what might happen should it collapse.”
And asked whether he prefers writing for youngsters or grown-ups, he explains: “Oh, they are both the same thing.
“I try to think of an interesting story and then tell it in an interesting way.”
Some of the accordion player’s music has appeared on the audiobooks for A Series of Unfortunate Events.
He reckons there is some crossover between penning music and stories.
Daniel says: “I had a very serious musical upbringing and I think the training of practising until the notes you pluck out of the air are the ones you want to play has been very helpful in a career made of fiction.”
Whether he’s writing music for telly or depressive tales, the author says that the huge success of his stories, and subsequent screen adaptations, are all down to the love of books that his parents sparked in him as a youngster with their night-time tricks.
He devoured tales from the likes of Edward Gorey, Roald Dahl and Zilpha Keatley Snyder as a kid and graduated to Toni Morrison and Elizabeth Bishop as he grew up.
Daniel says: “I was a ravenous and constant reader, which led me on a path of imagination, introspection, for which I am forever grateful.”
And asked what he thinks of our Free Books for Schools campaign, the author was blunt — he’s furious he can’t get involved from the other side of the Pond.
In his trademark madcap style, the author jokes: “I find it extremely unfair that your campaign is limited to Scottish primary students when some lonely American authors might appreciate the opportunity to collect tokens and gallivant around your gloriously foggy and damp grounds.”
www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/scottish-news/3281065/lemony-snicket-daniel-handler-free-books-for-schools/
LEMONY Snicket author Daniel Handler knows how to turn the spotlight on reading — by giving kids a torch to devour books under the covers after dark.
US writer Daniel is the man behind the deliciously dark A Series Of Unfortunate Events tales, which have been made into a hit Hollywood movie and now a Netflix TV series.
But it was a trick his parents pulled on him as a youngster that got him hooked on stories — and he thinks teachers should take a leaf out of their book.
Daniel, 48, says: “My parents read to me each night, stopped at a suspenseful moment in the book, left a flashlight next to my bed and told me under no circumstances to read any more after the lights were out.
“I understand this might be difficult to replicate in Scottish schools, but surely there are highly-skilled teachers who might be given the means to spread the word.”
Writing under the pen-name Snicket, the San Franciscan has published 13 books in the Unfortunate Events series, which have sold more than 65million copies and been translated into 40 languages.
Daniel was speaking to The Scottish Sun as part of our Free Books for Schools campaign, which gives primaries across the country the chance to get their hands on a bumper pack of Collins Big Cat titles worth more than £550.
His hit series tells the story of unlucky orphans Violet, Klaus and Sunny Baudelaire and their scheming, greedy cousin Count Olaf — played by Jim Carrey in the 2004 film version and Neil Patrick Harris in the new small-screen adaptation.
The hook-nosed villain spends his time hunting down the kids and attempting to get his hands on their inheritance.
Daniel’s relationship with execs on the movie, which also starred Scots comic Billy Connolly, were strained — but so far his involvement with the Netflix series seems more positive.
Although the writer, who is also a successful musician, reckons it’s still a lot more simple sticking to books.
He says: “It is very difficult to work in such an expensive and collaborative medium — it is much, much easier to write a paragraph describing a lake than it is to build a lake for actors to boat around in.
“But it is always interesting to see what the finished adaptation is like.”
And the author says that the small-screen version is helping youngsters return to the written word.
He jokes: “In the case of the Netflix adaptation, I’ve heard from a number of families who are enjoying the show and then read the books together, so I seem to have contributed to a rise in depressive households. Clearly, my work is done.”
Success wasn’t instant for the writer, who says some of his books went unpublished while he learned his craft. So he worked in various roles that would give him plenty of spare time to rush home and write.
He adds: “I kept taking whatever jobs I could find which allowed me time to go home and write two terrible, unpublishable books while trying desperately to get better.”
But, despite a few knockbacks, he struck gold with The Basic Eight. Published in 1998, the story is taken from the fictional diary of a teenager and her seven pals, who form the Basic Eight clique. The book ends on a dark note which involves secrets being revealed — and even murder.
The author reveals his manuscript was rejected more than 35 times — with publishers apprehensive about a teen tale having such a dark tone — before finally being snapped up.
It is exactly this macabre style which has gone on to give him huge success — both in fiction for adults and children.
Dad-of-one Daniel, who is married to graphic artist Lisa Brown, says: “My mind just naturally wanders that way. It is rare for me to enter a building without picturing what might happen should it collapse.”
And asked whether he prefers writing for youngsters or grown-ups, he explains: “Oh, they are both the same thing.
“I try to think of an interesting story and then tell it in an interesting way.”
Some of the accordion player’s music has appeared on the audiobooks for A Series of Unfortunate Events.
He reckons there is some crossover between penning music and stories.
Daniel says: “I had a very serious musical upbringing and I think the training of practising until the notes you pluck out of the air are the ones you want to play has been very helpful in a career made of fiction.”
Whether he’s writing music for telly or depressive tales, the author says that the huge success of his stories, and subsequent screen adaptations, are all down to the love of books that his parents sparked in him as a youngster with their night-time tricks.
He devoured tales from the likes of Edward Gorey, Roald Dahl and Zilpha Keatley Snyder as a kid and graduated to Toni Morrison and Elizabeth Bishop as he grew up.
Daniel says: “I was a ravenous and constant reader, which led me on a path of imagination, introspection, for which I am forever grateful.”
And asked what he thinks of our Free Books for Schools campaign, the author was blunt — he’s furious he can’t get involved from the other side of the Pond.
In his trademark madcap style, the author jokes: “I find it extremely unfair that your campaign is limited to Scottish primary students when some lonely American authors might appreciate the opportunity to collect tokens and gallivant around your gloriously foggy and damp grounds.”
www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/scottish-news/3281065/lemony-snicket-daniel-handler-free-books-for-schools/
