Bill,
As far as I know, Bill Brewer and Altered Cart are alive and kicking. His site looks completely overhauled since the last time I visited. I imagine he is just busy, one man teams have that problem. Even guys like me with a small team of 3 developers have trouble keeping up these days.
P.S. Sounds like you can certainly afford and perhaps need expert developer help. Reach out to us if you want a free consultation. 502-773-6454 or mike at babymonkeystudios.com or
http://xcartnext.com/support