TIME TRAVELLER TWO:
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

l.  Q:  What about conflicting copyrights?
    A:  The copyright here in the U.S. has long expired (circa 1951) for Wells’ THE TIME MACHINE, on which I based BTTM.  That was the first thing I checked on.  At that time (1982), I assumed that all copyrights were standardized world-wide (bad assumption;  they were not).  Facing a host of problems and other struggles, I finally finished BTTM in 1989 and sent it to my hoped-for publisher at the time.  I was then notified of the copyright problem in Europe.  The European copyrights were in force from the death of the Author, plus 50 years, meaning the world copyright for Wells would become free and clear in 1997.
    I contacted the Wells Estate, and they refused me permission (i.e., would not license me) to sell the book in Europe -- no reason given.  Since major publishers have world-wide distributions, they are not likely to publish any work with an “encumbered” copyright (i.e., free and clear in the U.S., but still in force elsewhere).  The Estate suggested I wait until 1997 until the European copyrights ran out.  I gave them that courtesy and waited those extra seven years, and longer.
    In late 2000 I found another publisher who promised to have BTTM in circulation by early 2002.  He breached Contract, wanting to change the date to September ‘02.  I refused, and the Contract was voided.  I decided to publish BTTM myself and began advertising it in late ‘01.  At that time I learned the unpleasant fact that, unknown to me or my latest publisher, European copyright rules had changed again in 1995, adding another 20 years after the author’s death.  European copyrights for Wells would now be in force till 2017 (death, plus 70 years).
    I sought the advice of an attorney and established my guidelines for selling the book here in the U.S. only, and a few other countries where Wells copyrights are no longer in force.  The bitter lesson here for anyone planning a derivative work is:  don’t do it!  Even with permission, there are still too many problems down the line.  I have no choice but to settle for U.S. sales only -- for now.

2.  Q:  Were you starting a second “TIME MACHINE” sequel?
    A:  Yes.  I was about 1/3 finished, when I learned the unpleasant facts about the European copyright changes.  The attorney says my new work is also “encumbered” because I am also using some of the names (e.g., Weena, Eloi, Morlocks, etc.) and places created and mentioned in the original Wells story.  The new novel is definitely a continuation of BTTM, which is also encumbered.  I have stopped work on it for now, and am concentrating on another unrelated novel.

3.  Q:  Do you plan to finish that second sequel?
    A:  Yes, if U.S. sales for BTTM warrant the effort.  This second sequel continues the story of the Time Traveller’s family.  It is now the year 3215, 11 years later;  Bindy is a young lady still faced with her share of problems, being raised in a “time-travel” environment.  Her father (the original “Time Traveller”) has just passed away of old age, and Gimm (Weena) has to decide what to do with the rest of her life.  She makes a very unusual decision.
    And you also will learn more about Narra’s 8028th- Century existence.  There is much more, tying up some loose ends of BTTM, but creating many more.  Because, for any time traveller, there is even less resolution than those ordinary folks like you and me, whose lives are entrapped in time’s normal progression.

4.  Q:  Why the continuing delays in getting BTTM published?
    A:  This latest delay is only one incident in a whole series of events.  My original intended publisher, fascinated with my project, passed away before any serious work could get started.  Other publishers indicated interest, but changed their minds;  most would not touch a work with an encumbered copyright because of their worldwide distribution setups.
    And then there were agents and agents.  Some were mildly interested, others were unconscionably rude.  Most of them did NOTHING.  My latest publisher simply and calmly decided to breach our Contract (as mentioned elsewhere).
    The whole name of the publishing game is stall, stall, stall.  Serious writing is not an undertaking for the faint-hearted.  The setbacks come hard and brutal -- often from people you love and respect most.
    Only those heartiest of determined souls who are willing to take hit after savage hit, be knocked down beaten and bloodied, and still be willing to get up for more -- only those prepared for some of the cruelest setbacks, doomed to ride an unending emotional roller-coaster to hell -- those and only those should ever attempt this kind of undertaking and be prepared to ride those treacherous storm waves until finally deposited back on solid land.  The sharks and other predators are out there waiting;  you have to fend them off the best you can.
    I’m one of those souls who feels a human being has EVERY RIGHT to do the kind of work he or she enjoys most.  People shouldn’t have to sell chunks of their lives to hateful work in order to support a bare and meaningless existence.  That shouldn’t have to be the fate of anyone’s short life here on this Earth.  One should be able to enjoy that life -- and fight for the right to do so.  The fight has been long and difficult for me.

5.  Q:  Did you build the “Enchanted Tree” sound-actuated electronic sculptures at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, the Omniplex in Oklahoma City, and other museums elsewhere?
    A:  Yes.  I’m the “electronic artist” who built these light sculptures.  Various other smaller sculptures reside in the St. Louis Museum of Science and London’s Science Museum;  numerous others are privately owned.
    I’ve chosen not to do any further electronic sculpture work because it’s extremely difficult, time-consuming, and, for the TEDIOUS work involved, provides far less compensation than any living wage.  I’ll help keep up and maintain the sculptures already built, but will not be doing any more new projects in lieu of my Number-One passion -- writing.  I have many literary works desperate and overdue to see print, and they’ll finally get their long-needed attention.

6.  Q:  I tried to access your webpage and got a nasty child pornography site instead.
    A:  This is one of the risks of the Internet.  Unfortunately, under our present system, the Internet being as unregulated as it is, there’s just no way to guard against something like this.  Hopefully the criminal justice department will soon deal with it.  I’ve advertised in several science fiction magazines;  and after the ads were set months ahead, my advertised URL host went bad, deleted my webpage, and directed my URL address to the porn site.  By the time I started getting complaints, it was too late to do anything about it.  I’ve run the following “APOLOGIES” ad in one form or another in the affected magazines, to be followed by new ads with my new web host:
    “APOLOGIES.  I am Burt Libe, author of BEYOND THE TIME MACHINE, whose ads have appeared in this magazine.  My webpage host has gone bad in the worst possible way -- without warning, deleting my webpage and shunting my URL to a smut site.
    “My sincerest apologies to those who tried to access my webpage concerning my book, only to find a vicious child pornography site.  Hopefully, I’ll have my day in Court with the perpetrators.
    “Those outraged may file complaints with the F.T.C., Internet Fraud Watch, or send them to me at P.O. Box 1196, Los Altos, Ca. 94022;  and I’ll forward them to the appropriate agencies.
    -- B.L.”

****Please E-mail any further questions to:
 “Burt” <timetravellertwo@netzero.net>