I’ve posted about the trials and tribulations of getting permissions to use old newspaper photos of Isaac in the biography. In some cases I’m quoted a price that seems high for something that’s valueless to the owner; in other cases the rights are ambiguous and I get unhelpful answers to my queries.
As far as I know, Isaac only wrote one extended autobiographical essay: My Satanic Adventure. I could re-write it for the biography, but why bother? Isaac told his own story better than I ever could.
I asked Phaedra if it would be OK to use the essay. She had no problem with it, but she thought it had originally been published in Gnostica in 1975, and Llewellyn Publications may have the rights to it. I wrote to them. Instead of giving me a hard time or quoting extravagant prices, I got the reply:
You have Llewellyn’s permission to use the article for your project. I can’t say if or when the article appeared in GNOSTICA, as our archives do not go back that far, but feel free to use it without fearing repercussions from Llewellyn. Good luck, and please let me know if you have other questions.
Kathy Schneider
Permissions Coordinator
I understand there are valid legal reasons for the responses I’ve received from other publications. That makes me appreciate Llewellyn’s response all the more. Thank you Kathy, thank you Llewellyn, thank you Goddess.
Now everyone go to Llewellyn Publications and buy a few of their books. They’re having a sale!
Woo-hoo!