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I recently heard from a backlist publisher that the effort locating the rights holder(s) often becomes a legal nightmare if not an impossibility. He gave an example of one deceased author whose estate eventually had spread to 12 people across the US. Each would have to be located and agree to terms. Then a title search performed to make sure no one was missed that could later sue or the rights sold by a long forgotten relative. The legal fees were more than he possibly would have earned selling a midlist sci-fi title.
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