Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Indiana

Re: using trademark names when writing a book

The example you used, where you are writing a story and simply have one of your characters watching the Sammy Terry show, sounds like fair use, not a ocpyright infringement. (Some editors indicate that Sammy Terry is a registered copyright or trademark, as applicable, of so and so.) Since you have assumed the mantle of authorship, you should read some books about writers and the law. Keep them at your bedside, then read them to put yourself to sleep. You can find them at your library, Amazon or your friendly bookstore. Just use search terms like "writer copyright," and you will discover dozens of books. Good luck.