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Okay, this isn't what you might be hoping for. This is information more in line with how to be sneaky in response to publishers who are behaving that way toward you by ignoring your emails. Basically, it's thinking in the manner of serving a summons.
We've all seen it in the movies and on TV. The man trying to issue a summons or subpoena approaches the individual named on the paper. However, he doesn't let on that he's trying to serve papers since that is a legal requirement in order to force someone into court. So, what does he do? He uses subterfuge in order to counter the possibility that the individual will claim not to be who he is. So, the server makes like he has a package for delivery or wants an autograph, if the individual being served is even remotely well known or a celebrity. When the individual acknowledges his identity, the server then whips out the paper and says, "You've been served." At that point, the individual has no choice but to accept the paper and later appear unless he wants to be in contempt.
Well, this concept can be used in emails, especially when a publisher is ignoring your missives for something such as a release of rights. Since such publishers are quite often... Oh, let's face it. This is for dealing with publishers like PublishAmerica and the like. Unfortunately, there are some smaller versions of PA. So, how do you get past their guarded email boxes after your first attempt is ignored? Simple. When you assign a topic to the Subject line, make it appeal to them. Just be creative. Title it with something like Need Ordering Information and mark it with your email program to send back a receipt when it's opened. After all, there's nothing like appealing to greed to obtain someone's attention. Then when that email is opened, you'll get back a notice showing it was received and opened. Now they can no longer claim not to have seen your correspondence. Furthermore, it can be used in court or arbitration to prove that they're deliberately ignoring emails with honest subject lines. Yes, that means you should also mark those earlier efforts using your email program to also provide a receipt. Then you can show that the email wasn't opened or at least some email programs can.
Of course, you should speak with a qualified attorney because he'll probably also want to follow up on the principle of "knowledge of an agent is knowledge of the company". Since the person opening the email will effectively be in the position of an agent of the company, it means that they can't claim the wrong person opened it. Well, they might, but you and your attorney can then show that they were deliberately avoiding you forcing you to approach through their ordering agent. The point being he's still an agent and he's probably obligated by law in many states to report such matters to the proper department.
Yes, I'll probably hear from a lot of folks about this, but keep in mind we're not discussing dealing with honest companies. We're trying to recover rights that were wrongly taken and the law doesn't prohibit being creative in order to establish contact. In fact, the law even allows police to be creative in obtaining information so long as they otherwise follow the law. So, why not you? Right?