According to this Associated Press article, Andre Norton’s literary legacy may be tied up in the courts for awhile. As far as I can tell, the dispute is over the meaning of the phrase in her will which refers to “royalties from all posthumous publication of any of my works.”

Apparently, one of her heirs believes that this should only apply to any posthumous works not previously published during Norton’s lifetime, while another believes that it refers to all posthumous publication of any Norton work, whether previously published or not.

I’m not a lawyer, so I have no idea what this all really means, or how long this will take to play out, or whether it will interfere with keeping Norton in print. But if nothing else, it should remind all writers to pay careful attention to their estates and to seek professional legal advice regarding the wording of their wills.