Quote:
Originally Posted by elemenoP
I don't understand what any of that means (and I'm interested). His son can negotiate higher royalty rates than what? How often do they renegotiate the rates? Publishers would trip over themselves to land what contract? Not one with higher royalty rates, certainly? You mean a Steinbeck contract? Penguin has no exclusive?
|
Part of it confuses me too. Thomas Steinbeck, the eldest son, doesn't have control of the estate. The children of John's third wife, from another marriage, have control. John gave her power of attorney before he died, and she left control to her children, and not any of John's, when she died. So, he couldn't negotiate squat. The Steinbeck kids have been fighting for control for years. In '06, they were awarded the ability to, and attempted to, break all publishing contracts. However, this was overturned because the contracts that were existing at the time, were signed after Elaine Steinbeck (the third wife) got power of attorney.