I have created a poster that features cover art from hundreds of science fiction books and magazines, sort of a visual history of the genre. Of course a couple of Ray Bradbury covers are on it. My intention is to get as many SF authors as possible to sign it. But I live in Florida and I cannot get out to California for any of Ray's book signings. I want to send this print to Ray and ask him to sign it and send it back to me. I would of course cover all shipping costs. But I don't know who to entrust with it. To be honest I don't want to risk it being damaged, lost, stolen, or destroyed by someone at his publisher (they might take offense to my using old cover art in the montage). I'd rather send it through someone who knows Ray personally. Can anyone here help? Please e-mail me privately:

blessedbeads@hotmail.com

Sincerely,
Frank

Paging Nard Kordell!

Impractical project...by the time you reach all those authors, either the poster will be in tatters from all the mailing and handling, or someone you send it to will not return it.
Not to doubt your word, but the idea of mailing it around to a bunch of authors...hmm.

If you ARE for real, you should secure the poster carefully in a two-piece section of white cardboard, and visit a bunch of conventions to get your signatures...

Franky Baby:

Exactly how large is this thing?

You can send just about anything if you specially pack it well and willing to spend the money it takes to send it and insure it on the best way possible.

Could you send pieces and then reassemble it - sort of like a friendship quilt?

The poster is 72 by 48 inches, exactly proportional to a book cover, and features 484 book and magazine covers (2 inches by 3 inches each) from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein to now, some 200 years of science fiction history.

I plan on carrying the poster to conventions to meet the authors in person and have them sign it in front of me. In October I'll be attending NecronomiCon in Tampa to meet Harry Turtledove, Vernor Vinge, and Bruce Boston. Next May I'll be working at Oasis20 in Orlando to meet Joe Haldeman, Larry Niven, Jack McDevitt, and Robert J Sawyer.

In between these two cons is when I wanted to send out my poster to be signed by authors whom I cannot meet either because they live too far away or they no longer attend conventions.

I can think of at least four such authors: Fred Pohl, Ray Bradbury, Kurt Vonnegut, and Arthur C Clarke.

If I can find someone I trust who knows Bradbury personally and can forward my poster for him to sign, I would then humbly beg Bradbury to forward my poster to Clarke, whom I could not otherwise reach.

My concern is that once both Bradbury and Clarke have signed my poster, it essentially becomes priceless. They won't trust me with their personal addresses and I am forced to trust middle-men with my precious print. Going through publishers is awkward because they will accuse me of using copyrighted art on my poster and will think that I just want to sell it later for big money.

That is not my intention at all. I will keep my poster for as long as I live and gather as many signitures on it as possible and I'll will it to the science fiction museum and hall of fame in Seattle.

That's my ambition with this thing. Impossible? Maybe, but I'm going to try anyway.

Well Franky, I could have him sign it for you, but six foot by four foot is a mighty big poster to try to handle for signing purposes. I will assume it's rolled. I may see him next week, and I know I'll see him again in November, and probably before that, although I can't say for sure.

Do you have a complete list of all the authors represented? I know several out here and could probably get some other signatures for you.

How about posting a photograph of the thing, so we can get an idea of what we're dealing with.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Doug Spaulding,

quote:

Going through publishers is awkward because they will accuse me of using copyrighted art on my poster and will think that I just want to sell it later for big money.

And you said...'after Clarke and Bradbury sign it, it essentially becomes priceless.'

First, it is insignificant whether publishers accuse you of using their copyrighted material. If you have it on the poster you created, and without permission from the copyright owners, then you ARE in copyright violation...a Federal offense, by the way.

If you had one of the covers from my own books on that poster without permission, I would personally be quite miffed. It is obvious to me from your comments about 'priceless' and worrying about using copyrighted material, what you really are doing.

To everyone else: Adventure Books stands firm against infringement, no matter where it originates. I don't apologize for it. That's why there is a U.S. Copyrights Office and people go there to register their work.

Sometimes things really ARE as simple as they appear.
Robert M. Blevins
Head Editor
Adventure Books of Seattle

Advice: Go to the coms and stand in line like everyone else. Be prepared to drop a donation into the virtual coffee can. Before you do, get the backing of a nice little museum who will take charge of the poster when you are finished...otherwise...

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Robert M Blevins,

Advice: Go for it baby! What you’ve put together shows a lot of respect for the artists in the field--both visual and literary--and even if you do make a buck off it, it will serve as free advertising for the people involved. Snort!

You mention some obviously valid points, Mr. Blevins. Rest assured, I did not use any covers from titles in Adventure Books of Seattle's catalogue.

In fact, most of the cover art I chose is more than fifty years old, and more than half the authors I represented are sadly dead.

This montage of cover art was created with love and respect for the genre and the authors I've spent my life reading. I'm sorry you see it otherwise.

In the meantime, I won't give up reaching for the stars, I'll just print a bigger poster...

By the way, who took that lovely photo of the Seattle skyline on the homepage of Adventure Books? Did you take it yourself? Is it a stock photo you purchased from an agency? Do you have permission from the photographer?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Franky Baby,

It seems to me that Robert M Blevins is pretty concerned that no one steps on his toes, and that he gets the money due him where his works are concerned. But, in a previous post, he didn't seem to care that Mr. Bradbury gets no money at all for all the work published or performed in Russia, saying that Mr. Bradbury can afford that loss. Hmm!!

What a novel idea Franky Baby!

Maybe Blevins is miffed because you don't have one of his covers?!!

Children, children, lets stop all of this trivial bickering. I'm sure that Ray in his giving spirit would recognize the difference between copyright piracy and homage due the great writers that might sign the poster. I say let the anti-piracy police worry over it, thats why they put those little tags on mattresses you know...

If the image is one of a kind and only for the use of the person who created it, and not for reproduction, I fail to see how it's in copyright violation. As Ray said of an independent film done without permission--and if these aren't his exact words, they are darn close--it's perfectly all right to have it, you just can't do anything with it. (Bearing in mind that an independent film is, at least, the original work of its own creators, that is, not incorporating anyone else's artwork, either still under copyright or not.)

quote:

In fact, most of the cover art I chose is more than fifty years old, and more than half the authors I represented are sadly dead.

Copyright extends to around 76 years beyond the death of the author, in many cases. H.G. Wells' stuff, for example, is still under copyright, since he died in 1940. I care not a whit about AB covers, and even the copyright question, really. My point is that your proposal would make a lot more sense if you had a sponsor...a place this poster would eventually reside...besides your living room. A museum? Even local to where to you live would be good.

If you really are able to gather all those signatures on this gigantic poster, it belongs in say... Paul Allen's little place in Seattle. He's a BIG sci-fi fan and would probably make a nice donation to a worthy charity of your choice. Otherwise, what is the point? It begins to sound most commercial. I'm not cynical, just realistic. It doesn't have to be Allen's sci-fi museum, of course. I only mentioned that to make a point. Get a sponsor, even if it's local.

Embroiderer: I never said Ray shouldn't be paid for his works in Russia because he could afford it. Ray is included on the dedication page in my Mars novel 'The 13th Day of Christmas.'

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Robert M Blevins,