Hi all,
 
After excitedly sending a batch of songs in for the project, I have 2
questions which are stumping me:
 
1) Years ago, I sent my "Daring Young Emmett" song (tune: "Man on the Flying
Trapeze") to Fara Shimbo (hi Fara if you're on the list!) and she published
it in *Weasel Help Monthly." does she own my song now, or do I?  I have my
e-mail and my Microsoft Word copies--are those still mine?  I know she owns
the one in the magazine so I can't photocopy it, but how about the others,
can I send those to people or put them in the proposed filksong collection?
 
2)About two months ago I sent a ferret fakelore piece to *Modern Ferret.*
(Hi Mary & Eric, how are you?) I was hoping they'd put it in the magazine in
the readers' fiction section...but remember, they moved, and Eric was sick,
and a magazine takes time...plus, of course, they have a whole passel of
fuzzbeans to watch over...so I haven't heard from them yet, and... people
are asking me for copies of the story.  I've been telling them no.  I
haven't even sent it to the list 'cause I'm being so careful.... is this
good, or am I being silly?
 
I thought if you have something under consideration for publication you are
not allowed to distribute it in any way until you have a definite
rejection--otherwise it's considered a 'simultaneous submission' and you're
not only disqualified, but you can be sued.  Is this correct?
 
this is the piece which I'd love to see as a children's picture book, but I
can't see trying to sell major publishers on it 'cause I anticipate (sniff)
rejection from them...and because I envision it as a book, I don't want to
put it in the same lighthearted everybody-use-it category as the filksongs.
 
I'm certainly not a lawyer, so I am certain I could be mistaken and could be
just being overly cautious...but I am a (children's) librarian and I'd feel
absolutely positively horribly guilty if I inadvertantly broke the laws..
(hey, I'm an oldest kid, too, that adds to it!) (and if I knew everybody
wouldn't come stomping on my head I'd also say I was raised "C-th-l-c" but
if I said *that* I know I'd get flamed.  .  .right?)
 
So all you law folk out in Ferretdom, thanks!
 
And thanks to all creative writers of songs, stories, articles, web pages
and magazines 'cause y'all inspire me so,
 
(trying to Do The Right Thing) Kate, owned by Madison and Montgomery
[Posted in FML issue 2309]