Question

In 2016, kelly writes like the wind, a novel about marathoners and ultra marathoners. kelly does not register the work with the appropriate government office. under federal copyright law, kelly’s work is protected

Answer 1

Under government copyright law, Kelly's work is secured for the life of the creator in addition to seventy years. 
The Copyright Act of 1976 is a United States copyright law and remains the essential premise of copyright law in the United States, as corrected by a few later instituted copyright arrangements.