Untitled Lemony Snicket series

Untitled
Author(s)	Lemony Snicket
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre(s)	Children's, Humor
Publisher	Little, Brown and Company EgmontUK
Publication date	2012
Media type	Print

American children's author Lemony Snicket signed with Egmont Publishing (UK) in August 2009^[1] and Little, Brown and Company (U.S.) in November 2009^[2] to begin work on a four-part children's series. Although Snicket has switched from his former publisher, HarperCollins, to Little, Brown and Company, he will continue to work with his longtime editor Susan Rich.^[3] The first novel is set for release in 2012.^[1][4][5]

Details

In August 2009, it was announced that Egmont Publishing had purchased the rights to a new series by Snicket.^[6] By November 2009, Little, Brown and Company had purchased the North American rights to the series.^[2] The series will have some overlap with his previous series, A Series of Unfortunate Events, but will not involve its protagonists, the Baudelaire orphans.^[7] Daniel Handler, the author behind the Snicket pen name, clarified that the series "is mostly an entirely new story. But if you are a close reader of the series you will see some overlap. There will be something for people who are hungry for that sort of thing."^[4] He reiterated: "It does have some overlap with the series, but it's not a continuation."^[5]

Asked about his progress with the series in January 2010, Handler stated that he was "at the point that it's a twinkle in someone else's eye."^[8] He told The Scotsman that the series was "still kind of fetal", and that he would be writing it in 2010.^[5] The Times reported he is playing with a plot and title.^[4] The only hint to the story's plot provided by Handler was that the series will "approach that question mark from a different angle",^[4] a reference to the mysterious entity appearing in the final three novels of A Series of Unfortunate Events. In October 2010, Snicket elaborated:

I'm doing research for a new series for older children that is about more experiences from my own life; it takes place at a time before the Baudelaire children were born.^[9]

Egmont publicist Jessica Dean stated: "If there's such a thing as a secret secret, this is one. He's working on it, but it's shrouded in secrecy… He's busy investigating as only he would."^[10] Egmont Publishing officially stated: "The new series [...] at this stage cannot be named (for fear of jeopardising the final stages of Mr. Snicket's investigations)."^[10][11] Egmont fiction publisher Leah Thaxton cryptically told the press:

Usually, I look forward to opening my post. It's exciting to think that I might find a manuscript to bring comfort and joy to any reader. But that morning, when I saw the handwriting on the envelope... Well, how would you feel if you knew you were about to unleash yet more untold misery on the unsuspecting children of this country? We at Egmont can't escape Lemony Snicket's grim story, but for the rest of you, there's time. PLEASE READ SOMETHING ELSE!^[6]

Little, Brown and Company's children's publisher Megan Tingley stated that the company is "proud to be joining forces" with Snicket, and commented that the series would be "highly inventive and entertaining works that will enthrall Lemony Snicket's legions of fans."^[12]

See also

	Children's literature portal
	Lemony Snicket portal

• Lemony Snicket bibliography

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Allen, Katie (January 11, 2010). "Snicket to answer back". BookSeller.com. http://www.thebookseller.com/news/snicket-answer-back.html. Retrieved January 23, 2010. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Rich, Motoko (November 11, 2009). "Lemony Snicket’s New Series and Young Adult Novel". The New York Times. http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/11/lemony-snickets-new-series-and-young-adult-novel/. Retrieved January 23, 2010. 
3. ^ Itzkoff, Dave (August 26, 2009). "More Lemony Snicket Novels Are Coming". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/27/books/27arts-MORELEMONYSN_BRF.html?_r=1. Retrieved January 23, 2010. 
4. ^ ^{a b c d} Wade, Mike (January 14, 2010). "Lemony Snicket tells lies to children". The Times. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article6987266.ece. Retrieved January 23, 2010. 
5. ^ ^{a b c} Robinson, David (January 13, 2010). "Lemony Snicket unveils his plan for four further books". The Scotsman. http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Lemony-Snicket--unveils-his.5980777.jp. Retrieved January 23, 2010. 
6. ^ ^{a b} Gallagher, Victoria and Caroline Horn (August 25, 2009). "Egmont signs new series from Lemony Snicket". BookSeller.com. http://www.thebookseller.com/news/95132-egmont-signs-new-series-from-lemony-snicket.html. Retrieved January 23, 2010. 
7. ^ Woodroof, James (January 19, 2010). "Your questions for Lemony Snicket". The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/your-questions-for-lemony-snicket-1864735.html. Retrieved January 23, 2010. 
8. ^ Geduldig, Lisa (January 3, 2010). "'Snicket' author finds inspiration at beach, in poetry". The San Francisco Examiner. http://www.sfexaminer.com/entertainment/Snicket-author-finds-inspiration-at-beach-in-poetry-80384967.html. Retrieved January 23, 2010. 
9. ^ Healy, Christopher (October 5, 2010). "Lemony Snicket Gets Persnickety with P'Dish". ParentDish. http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/05/lemony-snicket-gets-persnickety-with-pdish/. Retrieved October 15, 2010. 
10. ^ ^{a b} Flood, Alison (August 25, 2009). "Lemony Snicket threatens a 'dreadful' new series". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/aug/25/lemony-snicket-series. Retrieved January 23, 2010. 
11. ^ Rettig, Liz (January 6, 2010). "Lemony Snicket answers your questions!". My Favourite Books. http://myfavouritebooks.blogspot.com/2010/01/lemony-snicket-answers-your-questions.html. Retrieved January 23, 2010. 
12. ^ Boog, Jason (November 11, 2009). "Lemony Snicket Rides Again at Little, Brown". Galley Cat. http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/authors/lemony_snicket_rides_again_at_little_brown_142948.asp. Retrieved January 23, 2010.