Privacy Policy

1. Who is responsible for your data?

The data controller for this website is the author, contactable at:

Email: info@shonaghpietersmacleod.com

This website is operated in accordance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), as applicable depending on your location.

2. What data is collected?

This website collects only what is necessary:

• Email address — if you choose to subscribe to the newsletter.
• Name — if you provide it when signing up or making contact.
• Message content — if you contact via the contact form or email.

No sensitive personal data (such as health, financial, or location data) is collected.

3. Why is your data collected?

Your data is used only for the following purposes:

• To send you the newsletter you signed up for (book news, updates, behind-the-scenes content).
• To respond to direct enquiries sent via the contact form or email.

The legal basis for processing your email for the newsletter is your consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR / UK GDPR). You can withdraw this consent at any time by unsubscribing.

4. Newsletter & third-party processors

The newsletter sign-up form is managed through a third-party form processing service. By subscribing, your email address is stored securely on their platform on our behalf. They act as a data processor and are contractually obligated to protect your data in accordance with applicable data protection law.

You can unsubscribe at any time using the unsubscribe link included in every newsletter email, or by contacting us directly.

5. Cookies

This website currently uses no tracking cookies, analytics tools, or advertising pixels. If this changes in the future, this policy will be updated and a cookie notice will be displayed.

6. How long is your data kept?

Your email address is kept for as long as you remain subscribed to the newsletter. If you unsubscribe, your data will be removed from the mailing list within 30 days. Email correspondence is kept for up to 12 months.

7. Who has access to your data?

Your data is not sold, rented, or shared with third parties for marketing purposes. It is only shared with the service providers used to operate this website, solely for the purposes described above.

8. Your rights

Depending on where you are based, you have rights regarding your personal data. These include:

• Right of access — you can request a copy of the data held about you.
• Right to rectification — you can ask for inaccurate data to be corrected.
• Right to erasure — you can ask for your data to be deleted.
• Right to restrict processing — you can ask for processing to be limited.
• Right to data portability — you can request your data in a portable format.
• Right to withdraw consent — you can unsubscribe or withdraw consent at any time.
• Right to object — you can object to processing based on legitimate interests.

These rights apply under both EU GDPR and UK GDPR. To exercise any of these rights, please contact: info@shonaghpietersmacleod.com

9. Right to complain

If you believe your data has been handled incorrectly, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your relevant supervisory authority:

• In the Netherlands: Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens — autoriteitpersoonsgegevens.nl
• In the UK: Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) — ico.org.uk
• Elsewhere in the EU: your national data protection authority — find your authority here

10. International transfers

This website is operated from the Netherlands. If you are accessing it from outside the EU or UK, please be aware that your data may be transferred to and processed in countries with different data protection laws. Where this occurs, appropriate safeguards are in place in line with GDPR requirements.

11. Changes to this policy

This policy may be updated occasionally, for example if new tools are added to the website. The date at the top of this page will always reflect the most recent version.