Privacy Policy

1. Information I Collect

Information you provide directly

You may provide personal information when you contact me, subscribe to my newsletter, reply to an email, register or apply for a Beta or ARC reader programme, participate in a giveaway or survey, submit reader feedback, or take part in another voluntary activity.

This information may include your name, email address, message content, application answers, reader preferences, review-platform information, feedback, consent choices, and any other information you choose to provide.

Newsletter information

If you subscribe to my newsletter, MailerLite processes your email address and related subscription information on my behalf. This may include your name, subscription status, signup date, email preferences, delivery status, and basic engagement information.

Reader Registry information

If you register or apply for a Beta or ARC reader programme, the website may collect your name, email address, programme preference, consent record, application responses, invitation and application status, participation history, feedback, review information, and related administrative records.

Reader Registry records are used to administer reader programmes, communicate with applicants and participants, measure programme performance, manage consent, maintain audit records, and protect the integrity of advance or unpublished material.

Technical information

Basic technical information may be collected automatically by the website host, security tools, application logs, or server logs. This may include your IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, referring page, pages visited, date and time of access, and similar technical information.

This information is generally used to operate and secure the website, diagnose problems, prevent abuse, investigate errors, and maintain normal service.

Local browser storage and interactive features

The Reader Hub and similar interactive features may use local browser storage or similar technology to remember progress, preferences, unlocks, or interactions on your device. This information is intended for site functionality and reader enjoyment, not advertising or behavioural profiling.

2. How I Use Personal Information

I may use personal information to:

• respond to messages and requests;
• send newsletters and author updates to subscribers;
• manage subscriptions, preferences, and unsubscribe requests;
• verify email addresses;
• administer Beta and ARC reader registration, applications, invitations, participation, feedback, and review workflows;
• maintain consent, suppression, security, and audit records;
• operate, secure, troubleshoot, and improve the website and related services;
• prevent spam, abuse, fraud, unauthorised access, or technical problems;
• comply with legal obligations and protect legal rights, privacy, safety, and property.

I do not sell personal information.

3. Newsletter and Email Communications

If you subscribe to the newsletter or consent to reader-programme communications, I may send emails about books, writing, releases, events, promotions, giveaways, reader updates, application status, invitations, programme administration, and related author communications.

You may unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time using the unsubscribe link included in those emails. Reader-programme or transactional messages may still be sent where necessary to administer a request, application, participation, consent withdrawal, or other service you initiated.

MailerLite is used to manage subscriber records and send email communications. MailerLite processes subscriber information as a service provider on my behalf and maintains its own privacy and data-processing terms.

4. Third-Party Service Providers

I may use trusted third-party providers to operate the website and communicate with readers. These providers may process limited personal information only as needed to provide their services.

Providers may include website hosting and security services, MailerLite, email delivery services, database and backup services, and external retailers or platforms linked from the website.

Third-party providers have their own privacy policies and practices. I am not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites or services that you access independently.

5. Links to Other Websites

This website may contain links to book retailers, publisher pages, social media platforms, review sites, event platforms, and other external resources.

When you follow an external link, the third party's own privacy policy, terms, and practices apply. I do not control third-party websites and am not responsible for how they handle personal information.

6. Cookies and Local Storage

This website may use cookies, local storage, or similar technologies for basic functionality, security, newsletter forms, reader-programme forms, and interactive reader features.

At the effective date above, the website does not use cookies for third-party advertising or third-party behavioural analytics.

You can control or delete cookies and local storage through your browser settings. Blocking or deleting them may affect some website features.

7. Legal Bases for Processing

Where applicable law requires a legal basis for processing personal information, I rely on one or more of the following:

• your consent, including newsletter and reader-programme consent;
• performance of a service or action you requested;
• legitimate interests in operating and securing the website, communicating with readers, administering reader programmes, and maintaining records;
• compliance with legal obligations.

You may withdraw consent for marketing communications at any time. Withdrawal does not affect processing already carried out lawfully before withdrawal.

8. How Long Information Is Kept

Personal information is kept only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy.

Newsletter information may be kept while you remain subscribed and afterwards where necessary to maintain unsubscribe or suppression records.

Reader Registry records may be retained for the duration of an application or programme and afterwards where reasonably needed for programme administration, security, audit, consent history, dispute resolution, legal compliance, or the protection of unpublished material.

Contact messages, server logs, security records, backups, and technical records may be retained for reasonable operational, security, recordkeeping, or legal periods.

9. Security

I take reasonable administrative and technical steps to protect personal information from unauthorised access, misuse, loss, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, encryption, secure tokens, audit records, backups, and restricted administrative access.

No website, database, email system, or internet transmission is completely secure. Absolute security cannot be guaranteed.

10. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to request access to personal information, ask for correction, request deletion or anonymisation, object to or restrict certain processing, withdraw consent, unsubscribe from marketing messages, or complain to a relevant privacy authority.

To make a privacy request, email info@stevensheeley.com. I may need to verify your identity before completing a request.

11. Children’s Privacy

This website is intended for a general audience and is not directed to children under 13. I do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided personal information, please contact me so appropriate steps can be taken.

12. International Processing

This website may be accessed from different countries. Personal information may be processed in Australia and in countries where hosting, email, database, security, or other service providers operate. Those countries may have privacy laws that differ from those in your location.

13. Changes to This Policy

I may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When I do, the effective date at the top of the page will be updated and the current version will be posted here.

14. Contact

For questions, requests, or concerns about this Privacy Policy or personal information, contact:

Steven Sheeley
info@stevensheeley.com