Lemony Snicket has some advice for aspiring writers now in college: “Don’t worry about it in college, and spend more time making out.�

Snicket, whose real name is Daniel Handler, is scheduled to speak on campus Tuesday about his internationally famous children̢۪s fantasy novels and his experiences as a writer.

Although “Lemony Snicket� may not ring a bell in some circles, this cartoonish-sounding pen name is instantly recognizable to Handler’s fans and is quickly catching up to J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, in both name recognition and sales.

The Snicket name will be forever branded on Handler’s most successful work, a 13-novel series of books geared toward pre-teens called “A Series of Unfortunate Events.� At one point, these books claimed seven of the top 10 slots on the New York Times’ children’s-lit best seller list. More than 27 million copies of novels in the series have been sold worldwide. The 13th and final book was released last October.

The first three books in the series were made into one of the hit movies of 2004, “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events,� which starred Jim Carrey and Meryl Streep. That film, which Handler briefly contributed to as an original screenwriter, grossed more than $200 million worldwide.

In a phone interview with The Collegian, Handler said most of his works, and certainly “A Series of Unfortunate Events,� are geared toward pre-teens, but said many people from all different age groups have become big fans of the books. “Mystery is more of a genre,� Handler said. “It doesn’t surprise me that many older people like it too.�

The San Francisco-born Handler said he is looking forward to his first lecture at Fresno State, where he plans to share his experiences as a writer and provide insights into his books.

“I wanted to be a writer all my life,� Handler said. “I always took writing and English courses and tried to avoid other subjects.� Handler said he double majored in English and American Studies at Wesleyan University, two categories he jokingly referred to as “the two big money makers.�

Handler said he never expected anything like the reception his novels have gotten. “It’s been very shocking,� Handler said of the public spotlight and his world-renowned fame. “It was a surprise to find out that a lot of people care [about my writings].�

Handler said he was persuaded to pursue children’s literature from a publisher when he was attempting to publish his first book, “The Basic Eight,� an adult-oriented novel that was rejected 37 times due to the dark subject matter before finally making it into print. He has since published several other books geared toward adults.

Howard Hendrix, a Fresno State instructor of Children’s and Adolescent Literature who uses some of Handler’s works in his curriculum, described Handler’s genre as “kids’ Goth.� Hendrix said kids’ Goth is “a child’s fascination with things morbid and icky.� He said the novels were satiric rather than horrific, with emphasis placed on the eerie and the grotesque.

“He tapped into an incredibly popular section of kids’ literature,� Hendrix said. “One of the hardest groups of kids to get to read is pre-adolescent boys,� a group Hendrix said Handler has been particularly successful at attracting.

Handler has other interests beyond his well-developed writing career. He also has done work as a screenwriter in producing two films, “Rick,� which came out in 2003 and is based on a famous opera, and “Kill the Poor,� a 2006 release based on the novel of the same name by Joel Rose.

Handler will speak at the Satellite Student Union March 27 at 7:30 p.m. His visit is sponsored by the University Lecture Series. Tickets are available at the University Student Union Information Center in advance for $10 general admission, $6 for Fresno State faculty and staff, Alumni Association members and seniors, and $2 for Fresno State and University High School students. Prices on the day of the event will increase by $2 for non-students.