Book progress: permissions and copyrights

Rachel Field and Spriggin, in a photograph from the Horn Book Magazine, March 1942 edition

            The most recent consuming business on my Rachel Field biography is copyrights and permissions. I have located her husband’s will in my files, contacted the Author’s Guild, read about “public domain,” “orphan works,” and “fair use,” and got several useful leads from fellow writers online. The Author’s Guild has been a boon beyond my expectations. As with any field, it is enormously encouraging to hear from colleagues who both offer support and share experiences.
            Everything looks good enough to move forward, and She Writes Press is willing to go with it, but lack of absolute clarity makes me anxious. 
            Next job – go through my manuscript again and identify the source for every poem and quotation from her works and letters. I’m getting tired of this book.
            Rachel, I wish I had you here with me. I crave your expertise and tenacity.
 
My 60th year in 60,000 words
Day 143: 141 words, TOTAL = 23,285; 36,715 remaining