Well done Weldon ?

not well done, silly cow sorry, had to be said. Bloody jewellry. who gives a butterfly fart about jewellry?

DO butterflies fart, then?

Caught the story in this morning's "Telegraph". I suppose she's putting aside her retirement fund, so why not? Mind you, she should have earned enough by now, with thirty years of TV work behind her apart from anything else. As she's being completely open about it, potential readers can take it or leave it - but I can't help thinking that it's the world's most obvious (and cheap) publicity stunt. Worked, didn't it?

She actually had to mention Bulgari a minimum of 12 times in the novel, it was originally intended to have a private run of 750 copies for favoured Bulgari customers but proved popular so full publishing followed. Is it a bad thing ? Artists are sponsored, becks beer does a lot of that, films have product placement, nokia in Charlies Angels, music has the mercury prize, pepsi sponsored a spice girls toour, and were involved with Robbie Willliams, books have the Whitbread, Booker, Guardian first novel award, sports stars do it, nike has become involved in schools, why should authors miss out ?

I still have mixed feelings. In one sense, why should writers miss out - product promotion has got blatant in films. Not only does Nokia feature heavily in Charlies Angels, but the company asked that some scenes be re-edited so that the mobile was more visible. So, the history of art is full of patronage. And Weldon says she wanted to write a book about women's relationship with jewellery anyway, so good luck to her. And cynically, it might eventually mean more books getting printed. I don't have a problem with Weldon doing it, she saw a gap and went for it. But the more I read about globalisation and how big companies put in money and then expect complete control and acquiesence - I wonder if writers are going to lose their freedom to write what they want. Are Nike and Coke going to have their lawyers look over the piece before it goes out, to make sure what they've paid for is completely satisfactory ? and, to be honest, has product placement made for better movies ? Has all this advertising revenue subsidised ticket prices ? (No) Has it been spent on the movie to make the storylines tighter, the effects better (No) Or is it just profit ? I read something recently about ITV, which struck a chord. "In the last ten years, ITV has realised that it is not about selling adverts in order to have money to make programmes, it is about delivering an audience to advertisers as cheaply as possible. " I.e making tv is not ITV's business, their business is selling advertising space. Once commercial considerations come on board, bland homogenisation is never too far behind.

Don't often quote poetry, but this snippet by old-fashioned John Betjemen seems to sum up a lot of the modern world... "So spake the brewers PRO A man who really ought to know for he is paid for saying so "

Whilst there aren't anywhere near enough entrapraneurs, the restrictions of involving yourself creatively with big business may outweigh the opportunity. This seems to be the thrust of your debate. Do you think that the writer in residence does such a different sort of job? Is the financial gain relevant? Perhaps Fay Weldon is constructing this as Writer in Residence at the Jewellers. Whilst I'm inclined to the cynical, I'd certainly like to read this story to see what I think her angle is.

I noticed a letter in the paper this morning, informing the world that Dickens plugged a brand of boot polish in two books, and Jane Austen gave Broadwood pianos a quick mention too. The prominent Bass bottles in Manet's "Bar at the Folies-Bergere" I did know about. Strangely.. I doubt whether either of the above scribblers were moved by financial considerations, but maybe Jane got a lifetime supply of pianos. Maybe Charlie-boy was never seen without immaculate boots! Who knows.. or cares? Who actually knows how much Douglas Adams was slipped by the Pan-Galactic Drinks Corporation Inc.? Most works of art and music were the result of some sort of financial sponsorship, though of course that's not as obvious as it is in a book, where the product is mentioned for all to see - that being the point. I doubt, though, whether we can get away from advertising - overt or discreet. Footballers' shirts are plastered with adverts, as are the grounds, and all that income simply translates into ever more ridiculous wage bills. The fans don't benefit. Every TV programme now is stuffed with placed items, whereas it wasn't that long ago that items such as cereals, soap powders, etc., had the names crudely taped over to stop rivals complaining. No, I reckon that for better or worse - probably worse - the trend's here to stay. Even the literary prizes plug such names as (Bastard brewery-closing) Whitbread. Incidentally, there's no truth in the malicious rumour that my latest story "Sid goes out for a delicious pint of Dank and Gloomy's fine old ales and stout" is in any way sponsored, just because it contains ninety-three references to Dank and Gloomy. (95) Mm, that reminds me.. must pop out for a refreshing free pint of Dank and Gloomy's (96) Old Throatstripper. Yummy.