Who we are
This website, https://annhbarlow.com, is operated by Ann Henrietta Barlow, writing as ANN H BARLOW.
I am responsible for how your personal information is collected and used through this website, including the reader newsletter and Readers’ Room.
For privacy questions or requests concerning your personal information, please email ann@annhbarlow.com.
Reader newsletter
If you join my reader list, I collect your email address and any name you choose to provide so I can send you book news, release updates and occasional insights into my writing.
I use MailPoet and the MailPoet Sending Service to manage subscriptions and deliver these emails. Subscription records can include your signup source, IP address, confirmation details and consent choices.
Joining the newsletter is voluntary. I rely on your consent to send marketing emails, and you can withdraw that consent at any time using the unsubscribe link in an email.
Optional email tracking
You can separately choose whether to allow tracking of email opens and link clicks. This helps me understand which newsletter content readers find interesting.
Tracking is optional and is not enabled unless you agree. You can receive the newsletter without agreeing to tracking, and you can change your choice through the manage-subscription link in your emails.
Readers’ Room
When you register for the Readers’ Room, I collect your email address, username, password in protected form, and any optional profile information you provide. The website may also record IP addresses and account activity to help prevent spam, investigate misuse and keep the forum secure.
Your username or display name, posts, replies and any profile details you make public can be seen by other visitors. Please avoid posting private information about yourself or anyone else.
I use this information to provide your account, support discussions and moderate the community. My lawful basis is legitimate interests: operating a reader community and protecting its members and the website.
Registering for the Readers’ Room does not, by itself, subscribe you to the reader newsletter. Newsletter signup and optional email tracking are separate choices.
To request account closure or discuss removing personal information from your posts, please email ann@annhbarlow.com.
Profile pictures and uploaded images
Readers’ Room members can upload a profile picture or provide a link to an externally hosted image. Profile pictures displayed alongside public posts or profiles are visible to other visitors.
The forum also supports WordPress avatars, which may use Gravatar to display a picture associated with your email address. This can involve providing Gravatar with a hashed version of your email address. For information about how Gravatar handles personal information, see https://automattic.com/privacy/.
Before uploading an image, remove any embedded location information, such as EXIF GPS data. Others may be able to download publicly accessible images and read that information.
Please upload only images you have permission to use, and avoid including private information about yourself or others.
Cookies
This website uses cookies and similar technologies to support its operation, remember your cookie choices and provide features such as signing in to the Readers’ Room.
Complianz manages the website’s cookie preferences. You can accept or reject optional cookies through the banner and change your choices later using the “Manage consent” tab.
Rejecting optional cookies does not prevent you from reading the public pages. Some features that depend on third-party services may require additional consent.
Please see the Cookie Policy for details of the services, cookies and storage periods. You can also delete existing cookies through your browser settings.
Who we share your data with
I use service providers to operate this website and its reader services. These include Namecheap EasyWP for hosting, MailPoet and its sending service for newsletter subscriptions and delivery, and Google reCAPTCHA for spam prevention.
These providers may process information needed to deliver their services, such as contact details, IP addresses and technical information. Their use of this information is also explained in their privacy notices.
Posts and profile information you choose to publish in the Readers’ Room may be visible to other visitors. Please avoid including private information in public posts.
Personal information may also be disclosed where required by law or where necessary to investigate misuse and protect the website and its users.
If you follow a link to Amazon or another external website, that website’s privacy policy applies to information you provide there.
How long we retain your data
I keep personal information for as long as it is needed for the purpose for which it was collected.
Newsletter subscription details are kept while you remain subscribed. After you unsubscribe, limited information may be retained to record your withdrawal of consent and prevent further marketing emails.
Per-subscriber email sending-status records are retained for six months after a newsletter is sent. This is separate from subscription details and consent records.
Readers’ Room account information is kept while your account remains open. If you request account deletion, public posts may remain to preserve discussions, but you can ask for identifying information to be removed.
Security records and backups may retain information for a limited period after it has been removed from the live website. Information may also be retained where needed to meet legal obligations or resolve disputes.
To ask about retention or request deletion, please email ann@annhbarlow.com.
Your data protection rights
Depending on the circumstances, you have the right to:
- Request a copy of your personal information.
- Ask for inaccurate or incomplete information to be corrected.
- Request deletion of your information.
- Ask for its use to be restricted.
- Object to certain uses of your information.
- Receive information you have provided in a portable format, where applicable.
Where I rely on your consent, you can withdraw it at any time. This does not affect the lawfulness of any use before you withdrew consent. You can unsubscribe from the newsletter using the link in any marketing email.
To exercise your rights, please email ann@annhbarlow.com. I may need to confirm your identity before providing personal information. Requests are normally free, and I will usually respond within one month.
You also have the right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office at https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/ or to your relevant local data protection authority.
Where your data is processed
Some service providers used by this website operate internationally. Your personal information may therefore be stored or processed outside the United Kingdom.
Google and Automattic, whose services include MailPoet, describe their international processing and transfer safeguards in their privacy information:
- Google: https://policies.google.com/privacy/frameworks
- Automattic: https://automattic.com/privacy/
For questions about where your information is processed or the safeguards that apply, please email ann@annhbarlow.com.