For works created after January 1, 1978, U.S. copyright protection lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years. (Corporate copyrights and anonymous works receive protection for 95 years from publication or 120 years from creation, whichever expires first.) This means that authors must plan for control of their copyrights after death – for published and unpublished works alike. For this reason, all authors need an estate plan. The good news – and also the bad news – is that you actually have an estate plan already, whether or not you’ve created one. The law of every country (and
Read moreMonth: March 2013
Happy Halloween, Hermit!
I’ve mentioned our Halloween Hermit, Lazarus (named for an almost unfortunate molting incident, during which we believed him dead) but it recently occurred to me that he deserved a post of his own – even more so now that we’ve acquired a second Halloween Hermit, Spike: (That’s Spike at the front, trying to climb the glass, and Lazarus at the back on the left-hand side.) The Halloween Hermit (Trizopagurus (Ciliopagurus) strigatus) – also known as the orange-legged or striped hermit – is native to the Indo-Pacific region and features the brightest coloration of any hermit commonly found in private aquariums. The
Read moreAn Interview With Shannon Baker
Today we welcome Shannon Baker, author of the Nora Abbott Mystery Series, which debuted this month with the release of TAINTED MOUNTAIN (Midnight Ink, March 2013). Shannon Baker is lover of mountains, plains, oceans and rivers and can often be found traipsing around the great outdoors. Tainted Mountain, the first in her Nora Abbott Mystery Series, is set in Flagstaff, AZ, where she lived for several years and worked for The Grand Canyon Trust, a hotbed of environmentalists who, usually, don’t resort to murder. Shannon now makes her home in Boulder, CO. Tainted Mountain (Midnight Ink), the first book in
Read moreHNS 2013: for Writers, for Readers, for Florida Fun
Have you ever attended a writers’ conference? You should. Ancient tribal societies organized gatherings, a chance for allied tribes to meet, share news, and celebrate tribal events. Writers’ conferences are analogues to tribal bonfires, a time when modern skalds and readers gather to meet and learn from one another. I went to the Historical Novel Society’s 2011 conference as a lone-wolf historical novelist, and left a mystery writer with new friends who would soon become my critique group – and also the pillars of this author’s writing world. Could a conference really do all that? It could, and it did,
Read moreMarching Through Monthly Observances (2013)
March may have a reputation for “coming in like a lion,” but this one seems to have sneaked in more like a mountain lion hunting prey than its roaring savannah cousin. Translation: I missed this post last week, but we’re catching up now! For those who didn’t already know, March 2013 is official: Small Press Month (We’re looking at you, Independent presses – stay strong and keep up the good work!) Adopt a Rescued Guinea Pig Month (Maybe they need rescuing form the lions?) Frozen Food Month (Hold on, TV Dinner, I’m gonna let you finish … but ice cream
Read moreLeaving A Literal Legacy
Today’s Wednesday post is actually a re-post from last October, but I’m using it as the lead in to my new series dealing with the Legal Legacy of writing – how to deal with the fact that your copyrights outlive you. How to to address intellectual property rights in your will or trust. Intellectual property rights – including an author’s copyrights in his or her works – survive the author’s death. Under U.S. law, copyright lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years – the term is the same for unpublished works as it is for published ones.
Read moreMy Favorite Faviids
Although the members of family Faviidae make up the second largest group of stony corals, few people outside the aquarium hobby (and SCUBA divers) recognize them on sight. Brain corals are faviids, as are many other, less quickly recognized species. They tend to be colorful, slow-growing, and fairly easy to raise in captivity (under proper conditions) which makes them ideal specimens for reefkeepers like me. Beaked fish, like triggers and parrotfish, frequently chew on stony corals, but since my aquarium hosts no coral eating species, I can indulge in a faviid or two. One of my very first corals was a
Read moreAn Interview With Nancy Bilyeau
Please help me welcome Nancy Bilyeau, author of the upcoming historical thriller THE CHALICE (Simon & Schuster, March 5, 2013). I’m delighted that Nancy could join us the day before her release! Nancy Bilyeau is a novelist and magazine editor who has worked at Rolling Stone, InStyle, Good Housekeeping and, presently, DuJour magazine. It took her five years to research and write her debut novel, “The Crown.” She now lives with her husband and two children in New York City. “An intriguing and suspenseful historical novel”–Booklist 1. Where did you grow up? Will you share a favorite story from your
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