Dear Jake,

I am Dan W., an English language editor working on a book to be published in Japan for students of contemporary English and American culture. I have found your writing on the web to be very interesting and would like your permission to include portions of it in a book on which we are presently working.

I am to contemporary English and American culture what Dubya is to coherent English and American thinking. But this sounds like fun. So OK.

The working title of the book is “Journals of Thirty Americans Volume 2,” and the anticipated publication date is March 2007. The book will contain several blog entries from 30 writers from various locations and demographics. We hope to show the Japanese reader a view of ordinary life in English-speaking countries and the use of English in everyday circumstances.

My incoherent ramblings rendered in Japanese as some sort of primer on American English and culture? Wow. This could take us back to 1941.

I’ll check with you to see if what I have chosen is acceptable to you. A Japanese translation of your writing will be included in the book along with the original English.

Seriously. I joke about killing hookers in the basement and I openly mock wingnuts like Mel Gibson and Rush Limbaugh at every available opportunity. Do sarcasm and loathing even translate in Japanese? And is it true that the Japanese character for Coulter is the same one they use for people who leave pee on the toilet seat?

You can view a sample of our first book, “Journals of Thirty Americans,” here or see us on Amazon Japan here.

I suddenly feel like Paul Lynde, looking vaguely heterosexual and singing “Ed Sullivan!” incredulously into the Fresnels. (Is it OK if I make an “Ed Surrivan” joke here? Because an Asian friend of mine dressed as a leprechaun for Halloween, and he thought it was pretty funny when I told him he was actually a reprechaun.)

If the attached terms and conditions for the use of parts of your blog are acceptable to you, please reply to me by the end of October with your personal information and the words “I accept” at the end of the message.

My name is Jake, and I approve this request.

(Please accept our apologies in advance if we are unable to include parts of your blog in the book even if you accept, which may happen for editorial reasons.)

Nobody puts Baby in a corner. But since no money is changing hands here, I see no reason to get upset if I end up on the cutting-room floor.

Thank you,

Dan W., English editor
Kosaido Publishing Co.
Japan
www.kosaido-pub.co.jp