Quote:
Originally Posted by Fbone
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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...and this is EXACTLY why we need copyright reform. If there was a fixed term with the option to renew every few years, this wouldn't happen. Disney could keep the mouse by renewing the copyright every 10 years, but if an author dies and his/her heirs don't care about renewing the copyright, it falls into the public domain.
Shari