I have a copyright question.

[SqueekSSqueekS]

I don't know if this is the right place but.....

I was adopted when I was three. My birth mother wrote me a letter-actually several letters- when I was 18. I wanted to use them- or pieces of them- in a book I am writing. Would I run into a copyright issue? Would I have to get her permission to use the excerpts? And if so, would I have to pay her a percentage of the sales - if, God willing, the books do sell? And vice versa, I wrote her one letter back and I'd like to use pieces of it in the book as well- assuming she still has it. Would I run into the same copyright issue. Or is it mine because she gave it to me? And is my letter hers because I gave it to her?

I can pretty much sum up what the letters said, and I could absolutely make something up and use the letters as a base foundation, but I was thinking artistically-and it would look more personal- if I used the original handwriting- like scan it in to the book.

I can do without this part, it was just an idea.

 

[sdcougar]

There is no copyright issue with your personal letters.
There is the personal issue of whether to ask your mother if she is comfortable with your using them.

 

[maxlovesgod]

As far as I know you can publish your personal correspondence without any legal issues butwould you feel comfortable telling the world such things?