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kyburgAn important message from Connor Cochran, publisher of Conlan Press:
Peter S. Beagle, the author of THE LAST UNICORN, needs your help.
It sounds like the setup for a movie: Genius Artist creates brilliant work, inspiring millions, but gets cheated out of his share by greedy, uncaring media conglomerates. Reduced to the edge of poverty, the Artist struggles to somehow support and care for his aging, infirm mother, after her life savings are squandered by the person she trusted to take care of them.
Only it isn't a movie, it's real life. The victim is my good friend Peter S. Beagle, and I'm determined to do something about it.
It's why I became his business manager. It's why I set up Conlan Press in the first place: to publish Peter's newest works, reissue his older ones, build direct connections between him and his worldwide audience, and make sure he gets what he deserves out of every copy sold.
But right now Peter needs even more support. His mother, Rebecca Beagle (known to her friends as "Rebbie"), is over 100 years old and her medical bills are climbing steadily. Meanwhile the multi-billion dollar English company that controls the rights to the animated version of THE LAST UNICORN has sold more than five hundred thousand videotapes and DVDs of the film during the last year alone, without paying Peter a penny of what they owe him for his rights. If they had paid him even 10 cents per copy, it would have made a huge difference in his life. But they won’t even admit they owe the money — because they don’t think that poor struggling Peter will ever be able to put together the funds to sue them and prove otherwise.
You can change that.
If you are a fan of Peter's work, or just someone who cares about the rights of artists, please help by making a donation right here. Anything at all is helpful, and I do mean anything — every dollar brings us closer to the day when this story finally has a happy ending.
You can help support Peter directly in this difficult time by sending him a donation or by buying his books through Conlan Press (www.conlanpress.com).
(Note: Credit card numbers entered on the PayPal donation form must be typed without any spaces or dashes.
PayPal donations are processed for Peter through Connor Cochran Inc.)
You do not have to be a PayPal member to use the system to donate by credit card. If you are a PayPal member, you also have the option of donating directly from a checking account. How much you donate is up to you -- a little or a lot, it all helps.
If you want to send a check or money order (we don't recommend sending cash), please make it out to PETER S. BEAGLE and mail it to:
PETER S. BEAGLE SUPPORT FUND
c/o Conlan Press
2565 Third Street, Suite 306
San Francisco CA 94107
Peter thanks you for your support, and will respond personally to each donation.
--
Yes, I believe it. Gimme a break.
(Jim, dear. We REALLY need to get that eBay thing going....)
Peter S. Beagle, the author of THE LAST UNICORN, needs your help.
It sounds like the setup for a movie: Genius Artist creates brilliant work, inspiring millions, but gets cheated out of his share by greedy, uncaring media conglomerates. Reduced to the edge of poverty, the Artist struggles to somehow support and care for his aging, infirm mother, after her life savings are squandered by the person she trusted to take care of them.
Only it isn't a movie, it's real life. The victim is my good friend Peter S. Beagle, and I'm determined to do something about it.
It's why I became his business manager. It's why I set up Conlan Press in the first place: to publish Peter's newest works, reissue his older ones, build direct connections between him and his worldwide audience, and make sure he gets what he deserves out of every copy sold.
But right now Peter needs even more support. His mother, Rebecca Beagle (known to her friends as "Rebbie"), is over 100 years old and her medical bills are climbing steadily. Meanwhile the multi-billion dollar English company that controls the rights to the animated version of THE LAST UNICORN has sold more than five hundred thousand videotapes and DVDs of the film during the last year alone, without paying Peter a penny of what they owe him for his rights. If they had paid him even 10 cents per copy, it would have made a huge difference in his life. But they won’t even admit they owe the money — because they don’t think that poor struggling Peter will ever be able to put together the funds to sue them and prove otherwise.
You can change that.
If you are a fan of Peter's work, or just someone who cares about the rights of artists, please help by making a donation right here. Anything at all is helpful, and I do mean anything — every dollar brings us closer to the day when this story finally has a happy ending.
You can help support Peter directly in this difficult time by sending him a donation or by buying his books through Conlan Press (www.conlanpress.com).
(Note: Credit card numbers entered on the PayPal donation form must be typed without any spaces or dashes.
PayPal donations are processed for Peter through Connor Cochran Inc.)
You do not have to be a PayPal member to use the system to donate by credit card. If you are a PayPal member, you also have the option of donating directly from a checking account. How much you donate is up to you -- a little or a lot, it all helps.
If you want to send a check or money order (we don't recommend sending cash), please make it out to PETER S. BEAGLE and mail it to:
PETER S. BEAGLE SUPPORT FUND
c/o Conlan Press
2565 Third Street, Suite 306
San Francisco CA 94107
Peter thanks you for your support, and will respond personally to each donation.
--
Yes, I believe it. Gimme a break.
(Jim, dear. We REALLY need to get that eBay thing going....)
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no subject
Date: 2005-09-01 03:26 pm (UTC)Thank you!
Date: 2005-09-01 04:13 pm (UTC)Re: Thank you!
Date: 2005-09-01 04:41 pm (UTC)Re: Thank you!
Date: 2005-09-07 02:59 pm (UTC)News item for A FINE AND PRIVATE PLACE fans! Through the company I set up to get his books back out there properly, Conlan Press, Peter and I will be bringing A FINE AND PRIVATE PLACE back into print in a hardcover edition (with lovely illustrated endpapers and a foldout map of the cemetery) before the end of the year, assuming all goes reasonably well.
-- Connor Cochran
no subject
Date: 2005-09-01 10:32 pm (UTC)I didn't know this or I wouldn't have bought The Last Unicorn DVD.
Which the DVD sucks, Full screen, not digital remastering, and no Extras!
*looks at site* Squeek! Audio book! <3
The good news is, he's going to get some of my money.
Now where did I put my credit card...
Thank you very much!
Date: 2005-09-07 02:50 pm (UTC)Thanks for caring so much about Peter.
One tiny extra clarification: yes, the American DVD sucks, but Peter and I are working on changing that. The American company that did the release (Lions Gate Films) just took the crappy masters they were given by the English owners of the film, Granada Media, and didn't know there were better ones to be had. The Lions Gate people are actually pretty nice (so far!) and aren't responsible for what has happened to Peter. That's all Granada's fault.
How nice are they? Well, right now Peter and I are negotiating with them to help produce a fully-restored and digitally remastered DVD that *won't* suck, and will have extras, and be widescreen, etc., etc. I can't say for certain that this WILL happen, but so far they seem extremely receptive.
People getting Peter's RAVEN email newsletter will be kept up to date on all the details, and what they can do to help (sign up at either his under-development personal site, http://www.peterbeagle.com, or else our company site, http://www.conlanpress.com).
Thanks again!
Connor Cochran
business manager for Peter S. Beagle
Re: Thank you very much!
Date: 2005-09-07 08:56 pm (UTC)Glad to be of service.
(Is that who ended up with all the Rankin-Bass properties? Yeesh.)
Re: Thank you very much!
Date: 2005-09-09 10:21 am (UTC)(Love your picture, by the way -- I'm a big fan of 9 Chickweed Lane, and we are currently negotiating to publish the strip in book collections.)
Granada ended up with LAST UNICORN because it was financed and owned by ITC. Don't know where the other Rankin-Bass projects wound up.
-- Connor Cochran, business manager for Peter S. Beagle
no subject
Date: 2005-09-04 12:10 am (UTC)