Forum: Author Hangout

In Britain and Australia, we often say someone is 'sacked' or 'given the sack' from a job, and we would describe something as being a 'sackable offence'.

While that's true, the jargon used by Human Resource Departments tends to be more pretentious eg 'terminated' rather than 'sacked'.

For the benefit of Americans, in this context 'terminated' doesn't usually mean 'killed', although there are a few obvious exceptions - Dr David Kelly, Princess Di ;)

AJ

Meanwhile, upper management rationalise their actions by saying positions have been 'rationalised'.

I'm somewhat out of touch but last I heard, 'downsizing' had been superseded by 'right-sizing' ;)

AJ

Do you also fire, sack or terminate a no longer wanted lover, or do you have to ditch them?

That's been covered in a song - 50 ways to lose a lover.

Do you also fire, sack or terminate a no longer wanted lover, or do you have to ditch them? Or maybe you can ditch an employee, too?

Typically, you either disappear or leave a simple text "Done. See 'ya."

In Britain and Australia, we often say someone is 'sacked' or 'given the sack' from a job, and we would describe something as being a 'sackable offence'.

"Fireable" is probably a uniquely American usage. It isn't typically used by HR departments, or in corporate announcements, but often, when company employees or executives are discussing details with HR or their lawyers, they'll ask "is this a fireable offense" (i.e. if I fire this cocksucker, will the company end up paying hundreds of millions and I'll be sacked due to why I consider him a jackass).

Los Vegas might be an exception. The street walking style of prostitution is illegal, but as I understand it, the generally higher class call-out prostitution services are not.

That's true, but 'legal' prostitutes are licensed, and the license is typically tied to a particular 'ranch', NOT prestigious hotels!

I would strongly suggest you do not use the name of a real hotel. You can be sued putting them in a bad light.

Excellent writing challenge. You could use just about every detail you know about the Plaza to create your fictional hotel. Done well enough, the reader will enjoy the story just as much as if it took place in the real Plaza (which I believe is no longer a hotel).

bb

I was thinking a no sexual contact (by staff) service. Toys, restraints, and expertise the hotel could supply legally.

A second problem in the real world is a business's reputation. Just because it isn't illegal, doesn't mean customers will approve. The hotel's services will become public knowledge, and then reputable customers will avoid the hotel. Of course they may get a short term boost in reservations by those who hope the services extend into illegal activity, but business's need long term customers to survive.

In our fantasy worlds, illegal and legal but immoral conduct is permissible. If we build a fantasy society based on sexual activities that are considered immoral in our real world, the hotel can get away with your idea. In that world, sexual contact between customer and staff could be defined as a good thing.

As Authors, we control the morality of the environment in which we write. I forget the Author, title, and details of the book, but in the story the MC is driving to another city. He is tired so he pulls into a Relaxation Station to rest and relieve his sexual tensions. All legal and moral in that Author's society and it definitely made the point that sexual morality had changed from what it is now.

I've done something similar in one of my stories by making prostitution legal and moral and placing a person from our society in that setting in order to show the reader that the morality of the fantasy social structure in which the MC was raised is very different from our society's morality.

Your points are well taken, but evade the question

If you are asking the question in regard to the real world, a non-evasive answer would require me having knowledge of the country and area in which the hotel is located, the laws applicable to the local area, the moral code of the society, and the specific activities in which the hotel and its employees would engage.

If you are asking in regard to a fictional story, then there are no limits.

It is already commonly believed that top hotels do call girl referrals, which is outright illegal if true.

In some places, prostitution is legal, so the effects of providing such a service in such an area could only be assessed in the terms of the area's moral code.

If you are asking in regard to a fictional story, then there are no limits.

The original question seemed to ask what would be the 'standard procedure' at most high-quality hotels, so that's how most of us directed our answer. Of course, in fiction you can create all kinds of scenarios, but in most cases, where a companies reputation means their success or failure over time, they'll largely ignore what patrons do inside their facilities, but won't tolerate anyone who threatens their livelihood by drawing undesirable attention to them brand.

That doesn't mean such activities don't happen (double negative there), but it means the management will at least attempt to keep such services at arm's distance, at least. Thus my advice about keeping the employees direct supervisor out of the story.

The original question seemed to ask what would be the 'standard procedure' at most high-quality hotels, so that's how most of us directed our answer

Yes, his question was:

This raised the question, what sort of services would an elite hotel provide for its guests.

However, I also noticed that everything before that question was about his fictional story. Everything after the question was about the story and integrating ideas into the story.

As you said, real world hotels don't provide the types of services Pocketrocket seems to be asking for, and Management discourages their employees from becoming involved in such activities. Yes the activities happen, but I doubt the activities are sanctioned or supported by the hotel.

With that in mind, we can certainly provide him with ideas that a fictional hotel might provide. In one of my stories, the MC called up a TV menu with pictures of the Hotel's stable of prostitutes and a description of their specialties, which guests could order for the night. Don't bother looking for the MCs escapades weren't described, and explaining why I added the scene would take too long.

Thus my advice about keeping the employees direct supervisor out of the story.

Good advice if he wants it close to reality. Otherwise, it won't matter. So the real question is, what is Pocketrocket trying to achieve in his story - something close to reality or just pure fiction?

Good advice if he wants it close to reality. Otherwise, it won't matter. So the real question is, what is Pocketrocket trying to achieve in his story - something close to reality or just pure fiction?

He seemed intent on using a real-world hotel. In that case, you can't paint it in that kind of fantasy world (at least not without risking a lawsuit if they somehow discover it). He needs to decide whether he wants reality, fiction or fantasy. But, as he describes it, it didn't seem like it would take that much of a stretch if he simply switched around a few characters.

He seemed intent on using a real-world hotel.

It 'seemed' to whom?

I didn't get the impression he wanted to use a real-world hotel. I did get the sense that he wanted to use services that a real-world hotel would provide.

As you said, real world hotels don't provide the types of services Pocketrocket seems to be asking for, and Management discourages their employees from becoming involved in such activities. Yes the activities happen, but I doubt the activities are sanctioned or supported by the hotel.

It's funny how celebs can end up in a luxury hotel in a strange city where they don't know anyone and they always seem to be able to obtain hard drugs to make the parties in their suites go with a swing :(

AJ

I would strongly suggest you do not use the name of a real hotel. You can be sued putting them in a bad light.

Yet another reason for using the concierge approach. That way, the hotel is not at fault, the entirely fictional concierge is the only one committing an illegal act. It avoids hostile, defensive reactions, it sounds more plausible (i.e. the entire hotel chain isn't entirely corrupt) and it adds a mild story complication which allows you to interject conflicting personalities between the various parites (i.e. what does the girl have to go to get the concierge to supply the information without anyone having to explicitly state what they desire). But then, I like story complications, and tend to seek them out rather than trying to minimize them.