I don't think the new FCC laws will apply to novels, but just to keep things on the up-and-up, here's is part of the acknowledgment page in the current book-in-progress:
See what you think:
"No animals were harmed in the making of this novel; nor was monetary or other consideration given for placement of any commercial products herein. However if Cadillac wants to send me a new Escalade for featuring said vehicle as the preferred ride of high-end espionage agents? I wouldn’t turn it down ..."
8 comments:
My apologies beforehand for my tangential post and the intentionally vague (to avoid spoilers) question.
I remember you posted a while back about the taboo of harming a primary character's dog in a story.
Have you seen [i]Zombieland[/i]? If so, what are your thoughts on how that was handled?
I don't think it will work, Steve. Ian Flemming had to buy his own Austin Martin....and I don't think Carl Walther ever gifted him a PPK, either...
But, hey, good luck! If you don't put it out there, you'll never have a chance!
Nope, haven't seen Zombieland. Looks like an American version of Shaun of the Dead, and a gorefest which isn't particularly attractive. (A subtle zombie movie would be a trick to pull off, I'll admit, but there are only so many ways to blow up heads, and watching that gets old for me really fast.)
Zombieland's pretty good. I haven't seen Shaun of the Dead, so I can't compare, but Zombieland made me laugh out loud half a dozen times. It's worth seeing on DVD -- you won't be missing much not seeing it on the big screen.
Dan, if you haven't seen Shaun of the Dead, it's a must see. Not so much from the fact that it is wonderful satire of Dawn of the Dead, but for the quality of the comedic writing. Go out NOW and put it on your Netflix queue.
Around these parts, everyone knows the Joseph Campbell tropes, but even so, I suggest you keep handy the wikipedia outline of the Hero's Journey when you watch Shawn of the Dead. Your jaw will hit the floor.
Not only does Shaun of the Dead satire the entire Zombie genre, it simultaneously honors and mocks the Hero's Journey. All I'm going to say is there is an Oedipus scene halfway through the movie with Bill Nighy (played the lead singer from Still Crazy - 1998 rock band movie) that I think is one of the most brilliant things ever when you see what they're doing there.
Y'know, that disclosure thing's not a bad idea. I could get used to a little kickback for public sponsorship. Maybe I should start making a wishlist, just in case. You never know...
One set of Spetsdods, at future time of manufacture (Razor Games)
One space craft - smuggler modified - at future date of manufacture (Starburn)
One English manor, complete with servants but minus the poltergeist (A Splendid Trick)
My own F4U Gull Wing Corsair (Ordinary Tigers)
An all night diner ran by Hammer Horror monster alumni (Lose the Fangs)
...Damn, I need to start writing about yachts, sportscars and shit like that. With my luck, I'll end up stuck with my psychopathic ex from "A Matter of Time".
While I am not at liberty to speak much about it, there are product placements in novels, just as there are in movies.
I once upon a time put a product in a novel -- one that I had bought and paid for myself, mind you --and the maker was so tickled that he sent me another one. I didn't ask for it, but since it was a done deal and the book was already in print, I accepted it.
Actually, that's happened a couple of times, and I consider it lagniappe, an old Louisiana custom. In Texas, they call it "to boot."
In one case, I described a piece of artwork that I made up, and named an artist. He liked that notion enough that he made the art I'd described and sent to me -- art imitating art imitating life ...
But if somebody pays in advance to have the name of his TV set featured whenever somebody switches one on in your book, that's different.
No laws against this, far as I know, any more than doing it in moves, but if you do it in your blog, you have to post a disclaimer, at least come December.
How odd is that?
I'm OK with it. I just want, every time Max Baucas speaks on the subject of health care, a law that requires him to add "And I have received four million dollars in donations from the health care indutry over the course of my career."
Sauce for the goose ...
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