This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Utah author Shannon Hale will go to great lengths — and some personal embarrassment — to raise money to help the world's refugees.
Hale, the author of the "Princess in Black" book series and the romance "Austenland," is among the many writers who are offering their services for auction — with the proceeds going to organizations that aid refugees.
So far, 144 gifts have been offered. Some have offered autographed copies of their books, or to write the winning bidder into a minor role in an upcoming book. (Utah mystery writer Dan Wells will murder a top bidder in his next book.)
Hale has teamed up with writer Daniel Handler — who, under his pen name Lemony Snicket, has created the "A Series of Unfortunate Events" series — for a most unusual service: A pole dance, or a fan dance.
Here's the description:
"Best-selling, award-winning, upstanding authors Daniel Handler and Shannon Hale offer a joint fan dance and/or pole dance* for your private event. Time and place to be mutually agreed upon. Negligible nudity assured. Documentation of performance limited to descriptions written in rhyme. Minimum bid: $10,000. $20,000 to stop them from dancing.
*Daniel Handler and Shannon Hale are not professional fan dancers and/or pole dancers. Pleasure in their performance not guaranteed. Quality TBD."
So far, no bids have been made.