Long Earth - Whoops! What a twit I am!

[poohcarrot]

frankly, i find it far more distracting when books, tv shows, movies etc try to shoehorn a fake brand in to it. because its clearly obvious whatever it is is there for a reason, but they are too cheap to use a real product (or in the case of books want to avoid the EVILS of real world products). when they do it it stands out like a sore thumb, its so phoney and really destroys the illusion.

How about the fake car brand in Good Omens? The Wasabi?

Why is there need for a product name in this sentence?
"She thought of her partner, Clancy, drinking the day's fifth cup of coffee out in the cruiser, thinking she was an idiot."
"She thought of her partner, Clancy, drinking the day's fifth Starbucks out in the cruiser, thinking she was an idiot."

Or is "Starbucks" now the generic name for coffee!

[Jan Van Quirm]

I've got the book on order and I want to approach it with an open mind on the basis that Stephen Baxter smiled in a really friendly way at me (in it's proper sense ) at the last convention so I'm disregarding all this 'anti' product hype you're stirring up on the basis that this is 'cultural context' and nothing more.

The fact that the girl's bloke getting a starbucks coffee says a lot about him (too much disposable income, vacuous consumer habits and superficial and predictable/unimaginitive socialization in his peer group) without a lot of unnecessary wordage...?

In the art of writing saying he was making weak instant coffee at home re-reading a Discworld novel could be construed as inferring he's on a strict budget, too tight to buy superfluous refreshments, penny-wise in his ways and afraid to try something new? Cola/coke are interchangeable in normal speech; Wasabi is humourous point-making and Starbucks the doyenne of the neo-bourgeois - who cares?

[raptornx01]

If you believe the generic name for the soda we're talking about is "Coke" (with a capital "C"), then you've been brainwashed.
The generic name is "cola" (with a small "c").
Is Budweiser the generic name for beer?

Coke IS the generic name if when anyone mentions soda, or cola they say Coke. Maybe you don't see that over there, maybe its a cultural thing, buts that's how it is here.

Anyhoos, I'm not afraid of product placement in the slightest. I just don't want my TP books polluted with it. Is that such a bad thing to want?

no, but I just don't see it being as blatant as you make it out to be. You just seem to be on the defensive when there is no cause to be.

I'm sure you know that at the moment in New York, they are considering a ban on the large "bucket" size cups of soda, because they claim Coca-Cola et al is the largest contribution to obesity.

Thats a whole different discussion/argument.

In 2001, Fay Weldon got paid a five figure sum for mentioning one product 12 times in one of her books.
Let's see how many Coca-Cola related products are mentioned in total before jumping to any more conclusions, shall we?

so it would have been ok with you if hadn't gotten paid for mentioning the brand? There is no general rule that says you can't use brand names in books.

http://www.rightsofwriters.com/2010/12/ ... in-my.html

[Sister Jennifer]

^ Gawd, that's depressing. I thought the book was about parallel worlds. The product placement thing has gotta be important for the story hasn't it?? Please say it's so.

For the record, no amount of coke, macdonalds or starbucks references could ever induce me to eat the shite. I can't be the only person that thinks this way.

[Sister Jennifer]

Why is there need for a product name in this sentence?
"She thought of her partner, Clancy, drinking the day's fifth cup of coffee out in the cruiser, thinking she was an idiot."
"She thought of her partner, Clancy, drinking the day's fifth Starbucks out in the cruiser, thinking she was an idiot."

5th coffee? Cruiser?? she's the idiot???
Starbucks or not, Clancy is already a wanker in my mind.

[raptornx01]

assuming its "placement".

[poohcarrot]

I have been informed by a reliable source that "No one has got into any corporate pants and there were no deals with anyone to mention any particular product or place."

Having finished the book, I have to completely agree with the above statement. All products mentioned, although not obvious at the time, are mentioned for a reason. My sincerest apologies for daring to doubt the Master.

The book itself, I absolutely loved. I can't wait for #2.
The main characters are superb and there are more than enough deep and meaningful one-liners to wave a pointy stick at.

I will refrain from saying anything more until publication.

PS: Clancy is not a main character and is only mentioned in passing.

[raptornx01]

how many books are they planning?

[poohcarrot]

I thought somebody posted recently saying they were doing another one next year connected to Hannibal US?

[Who's Wee Dug]

There was a request on Twitter Pooh, as follows: Terry Pratchett ‏@terryandrob
For the purposes of the second volume of the Long Earth we would like to hear from anyone from Hannibal Missouri. Please let us know.

[Sister Jennifer]

I have been informed by a reliable source that "No one has got into any corporate pants and there were no deals with anyone to mention any particular product or place."

Whew. I got a bit depressed after all that. Really looking forward to reading it . You're so lucky to be reading it already.

[poohcarrot]

It's not "luck". I just check abebooks regularly, especially when a new TP is coming out. Usually there are about two or three US proofs for sale cheaply - this one only cost $18.

[=Tamar]

The generic name is "cola" (with a small "c").

Coke IS the generic name if when anyone mentions soda, or cola they say Coke. Maybe you don't see that over there, maybe its a cultural thing, buts that's how it is here.

I am informed that "Coke" is used as a generic term in the American South, but it is not in the Northeast nor in the other areas that I am familiar with. In New England the generic term is "tonic" (because originally they were all sold as medicines); elsewhere it is "soda" or "pop". A friend of mine referred to all such products as "fizzy water with chemicals," distinguishing among them only by the color of the container.

[poohcarrot]

(As I was somewhat "anti" this book for a while, let me set the record straight.)


What the Papers on Planet Carrot say about Long Earth

A book that is impossible to read just once. The second reading is even more unputdownable than the first.
- The Daily Carrot

If any book deserves to be turned into a movie, this one does!
- Carrot Weekly

Proof that there is intelligent life after Discworld.
- The Carrot Gazette

Likeable characters, sparkling dialogue and packed with more insightful one-liners than the Bible.
- The Herald and Carrot

Phew! What a scorcher!
- The Carrot

After reading Long Earth I turned my dead cat into a helicopter.
- Daily Mail

[pip]

so it was ok.