Copyright Registration in Publishing Contracts

Do Not Register Copyright Until the Work is Published (or Within a Month or So of Publication). Generally you do not register copyright in unpublished works, as the copyright protections provided by registration are designed to protect copyirghtable works at & after publication. Copyright protections attach to all qualifying works at the moment of creation, whether or not the work is registered. Works should be registered with the copyright office within three calendar months of initial publication, in order to benefit from all the legally-available protections. Also, if someone infringes the copyright on your unpublished work, you should (read: must) register

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Leaving Bad Luck Behind You – Shinto Style

Most Shinto shrines in Japan offer visitors the chance to receive a fortune (o-mikuji), either free of charge or (more commonly) for a nominal donation or fee. Unlike Western “fortunes,” the fortune slips at Shinto shrines sometimes foretell negative futures as well as positive ones. Traditionally, worshippers tie these negative fortunes to a pine tree or rack of wires at the shrine, set up for this purpose. According to Shinto belief, a negative o-mikuji tied to a tree or wires will remain at the shrine and not follow the worshipper home — meaning it won’t come true.

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Starting up the Mountain at Fushimi Inari Taisha

(This blog picks up where last week’s tour of Fushimi Inari left off. To start at the beginning, click here.) Fushimi Inari’s primary altar stands just past the massive entry gates. Although the shrine has many altars – large ones as well as lesser ones (some dedicated to Inari and others to different kami, though most of them are Inari’s since it’s Inari’s sacred mountain).  Behind the main altar, and to the left, stands the first and widest of the many staircases that lead visitors up the sacred mountain. Three sub-shrines with collection boxes sit at the top of the first large staircase, along with

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Noh Stage at Fushimi Inari Taisha

Nō drama (sometimes Romanized as “Noh”) is a Japanese art that originated in the 14th century. Performers wear masks, and perform in a highly ritualized manner on stages that haven’t changed much in five hundred years. This stage, located at Fushimi Inari Shrine (just south of Kyoto) dates back several hundred years, and features in my upcoming Hiro Hattori novel, The Ninja’s Daughter (which releases from Seventh Street Books on August 2):

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Komainu: Sacred Lion-Dogs of Japan

Komainu: Sacred Lion-Dogs of Japan

Many Japanese shrines and temples feature guardian komainu.  These lion-dog statues, commonly carved from stone, watch over the entrance to the inner shrines at many Shinto holy sites. At some, the statues are hidden from view, but others, like Fushimi Inari Taisha, have komainu on display as well. In addition to guarding the inner sanctum, many shrines and Buddhist temples have komainu on display at the entry gates. Traditionally, komainu are placed at the entrance to a holy site to ward off evil spirits. Some of the statues have open mouths, while other komainu‘s mouths are closed. The open-mouthed statues, known as a-gyō, are saying “a,” the first letter of the Sanskrit

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On the Road Again…

This morning, I put my son on a plane for an 11-week internship outside Tokyo, Japan. Posting may be light this week, but I promise we’ll get back to our regularly-scheduled program by Friday. In the meantime, permit me to offer you a seahorse, as thanks for stopping by:  

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A Warning About Nondisclosure Clauses in Publishing Deals

I’m guestblogging at Writers in the Storm today, discussing the dangers of nondisclosure and confidentiality clauses in publishing contracts — and how to avoid them. Whether you’re looking for a publisher, considering a contract, or already under contract and writing another book, this is important information, and can help you protect yourself and your legal rights. I hope you’ll click through to Writers in the Storm. And if publishing law is not your thing, here’s a happy Kyoto penguin to brighten your day:

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