PRIVACY POLICY
This policy was last updated on 15th March 2021.
If you are about to subscribe to my blog or newsletter website, email me, or contact me on social media (or if you have already done any of these things), you should read this notice.
The general information about website security, links to third party websites and use of Google Analytics (‘Cookies’) applies to all visitors.
New General Data Protection Regulations came into force on 25th May 2018. Although they are designed primarily for large organisations, please be assured that I take your privacy extremely seriously. That’s why I only ever ask you for the information I need and I never sell lists or email addresses.
By subscribing to my blog you consent to having blog posts delivered to your email address. My list of blog subscribers is managed via a plug in on my website, and so the information is not exported to a third party provider. For details of my website security, see below.
By subscribing to my newsletter you consent to receiving details of newsworthy events and incidental information, which may include but will not be limited to a free eBook, details of new releases, special offers, competitions and giveaways. I do not store your Personal Information. Instead, my list of newsletter subscribers is managed on a third party site called Mailerlite. When you sign up to my newsletter, you consent that I can:
- Transfer your contact information to Mailerlite
- Store you contact information in my Mailerlite account
- Send you newsletters/emails from my Mailerlite account
- Track interactions (e.g., click and open rates) for email marketing purposes.
All Mailerlite forms collect your email address, IP address, and add their own timestamp which serves as evidence that you have provided consent. I do not have access to the Distribution Lists of other Mailliterlite users and they do not have access to mine.
Read Mailerlite’s Privacy Policy here.
Alternatively, if you obtain a free book via the third party site Bookfunnel, at the point of download you will be given the option of signing up for my newsletter. In all cases signup to my newsletter is optional and separate from the option of taking a free book.
Read Bookfunnel’s Privacy Policy here.
In order to demonstrate that you have elected to sign up to my newsletter, either directly or via Bookfunnel, after you complete your details, you will receive an email asking you to confirm your intention. This process is known as ‘double opt-in.’
If I meet you at an event and you provide me with your name and email address/other contact details on the understanding that I will sign you up to my blog or newsletter, you will receive an email asking you to confirm that you want to join the lists.
UNSUBSCRIBING
You can stop receiving blog posts and newsletters at any time by following the unsubscribe instructions included at the foot of every blog post or email I send you.If you unsubscribe from my blog or newsletter, your data will be automatically deleted.
BETA READERS and ARC READERS
If you have either asked to join or have accepted a personal invitation to join my teams of beta readers or advance review copy readers, I will assume that your email is consent to process your Personal Information.
LEGITIMATE BUSINESS INTEREST
If you contact me via the contact form on my website or email me directly, I will simply reply, relying on lawful basis of processing (in other words, I will not ask for your consent before replying). I will not enter your details on any database without your consent, but your name and email address will automatically be stored as a ‘contact’ on my email provider. I may also store the email/email chain if it contains details I think I may need to refer back to, especially if it contains a review of my work.
SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS
If you comment on my social media accounts or on YouTube, records of those transactions will be held by the relevant social media channels. I have access to databases of followers on Twitter and Facebook. In these instances, I am not the data processor. However, I use strong passwords and two factor authentication on these sites.
MINORS
I do not knowingly collect or maintain Personal Information from individuals under 16 years of age, and no part of my website is designed or intended to attract people under the age of 16. Protecting the privacy of children is very important to me. If you are under 16, do not use or provide any information on the website or provide any information about yourself to us, including your name, address, telephone number, e-mail address or any screen name or user name you may use. If I obtain knowledge that a user is under the age of 16, I will take steps to remove that user’s Personal Information from my databases.
HOW LONG WILL YOU KEEP MY PERSONAL INFORMATION FOR?
If you have subscribed to my blog or newsletter, but you do not open my emails, I may delete your Personal Information. You can unsubscribe at any time (see above).
If you are a beta reader or advance reader, I will retain your Personal Information until you advise me that you no longer wish to be a beta reader or advance reader.
CAN I SEE WHAT PERSONAL DATA YOU ARE HOLDING ABOUT ME?
Yes. If you ask to see your data, I will usually email you a screenshot/s of your entry/entries and the text from any emails. Information will be provided free of charge, unless your request is excessive or if you ask for duplicate information.
WHAT IF MY PERSONAL INFORMATION IS WRONG?
You can ask me to correct your Personal Information at any time.
CAN I ASK YOU TO STOP PROCESSING MY PERSONAL INFORMATION?
Absolutely. You can also exercise your right to request to be forgotten.
I will only decline to do so if there is a legitimate reason to retain it, in which case you will still have the right to object to use of your Personal Information, or to ask me to only use it in certain ways.
For social media, you have control of your own accounts and can change the settings so that I will no longer have access to your data.
WEBSITE SECURITY
My website is hosted by One.com, who run constant security scans. The website uses strong password-protection and only I have access. (See below – Data Breaches)
GOOGLE ANALYTICS
I use Google Analytics on my website. This means that Google Analytics is the Data Processor, I control what data is sent to them.
You can read Google’s Privacy Policy here. As of 1 May 2018, they are “working hard to prepare for the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation.”
Google Analytics is a ‘Cookie’. Cookies allow the local temporary storage of details regarding your specific information and preferences when visiting a website. For example, it takes note of how many people visit my website, how they navigated it website, how long they spent on each page, etc. I don’t collect data on individual visitors (i.e. Personal Information), only a summary of statistics of visitors browsing my website.
DATA BREACHES
I use strong password-protecting on my computer, website and social media. If my computer, website or social media accounts were compromised, I would notify you at the earliest opportunity, seek advice and take steps to follow that advice immediately.
LINKS TO OTHER WEBSITES
My website, blog posts and newsletters contain links to other websites. Once you use these links, you will leave my website. I am not responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites. Please exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.