1. Who I am

I'm A.D. Hamilton, an independent author based in the United Kingdom and the writer of The Iberian Chronicles. In this policy, "I", "me" and "my" refer to me.

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I am the data controller for the personal information described here. That means I decide how and why it is used, and I'm responsible for looking after it under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR). If you live in the European Union, the EU GDPR also protects you.

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Contact: info@adhamilton.co.uk

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I'm a one-person business, so you'll always be dealing with me directly.

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2. What information I collect

Information you give me when you sign up

• Your email address (required)

• Your first name (optional, so I can address emails to you)

• Anything you choose to send me when you reply to an email

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Information recorded about your subscription

• The date and time you signed up, the form or page you used (for example, a free book offer) and confirmation that you agreed to receive emails. I keep this as a record of your consent.

• Whether you open my emails and which links you click, plus general technical details such as your email app, device type and approximate location (country or city, worked out from your IP address).

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Information collected when you visit my website:

My website uses cookies and similar technologies, including the Meta (Facebook) Pixel. Section 9 explains these.

I don't ask for, and don't want, any sensitive information such as health details, religious beliefs or political views.

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3. How I use your information and why I'm allowed to

Data protection law requires me to have a "lawful basis" for each way I use your information. Here is what I do and the basis I rely on.

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Withdrawing consent: you can withdraw your consent at any time by clicking "unsubscribe" in any email or by contacting me. This doesn't affect anything I did with your information before you withdrew.

I don't use your information for automated decision-making or profiling that has legal or similarly significant effects on you.

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4. Who I share your information with

I never sell, rent or trade your personal information. I use a small number of trusted service providers ("processors") who handle it on my behalf, only on my instructions and under contracts that require them to keep it secure.

1. Wix - stores the list, sends the emails, hosts my website and its sign-up forms​​

2. Meta - Measures visits and performance on my website through Meta Pixel

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5. International transfers

Some of my providers store or process data outside the UK and EU, including in the United States. Where that happens, your information is protected by an approved safeguard, such as:

• the UK Extension to the EU–US Data Privacy Framework (the "UK–US data bridge"), where the provider is certified under it; or

• the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or Addendum, or the EU Standard Contractual Clauses.

You can contact me for more information about the safeguards a particular provider uses.

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6. How long I keep your information

I keep your details for as long as you're subscribed.

• If you unsubscribe, I stop emailing you straight away and delete your details within 30 days. The only exception is your email address, which I keep on a "do not contact" list so you aren't accidentally added again.

• If you stop opening my emails for 12 months, I may send you a message asking whether you'd like to stay subscribed. If you don't respond, I'll remove you.

• Records of your consent are kept while you're subscribed and for up to two years afterwards, so I can show you agreed to receive emails if ever asked.

• Emails you send me are kept only as long as needed to deal with them.

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7. Your rights

Under UK and EU data protection law, you have the right to:

• Be informed about how your information is used (this policy)

• Access the personal information I hold about you and receive a copy

• Correct information that is wrong or incomplete

• Erase your information ("the right to be forgotten")

• Restrict how I use your information in certain circumstances

• Data portability: receive your information in a common, machine-readable format, or have it sent to someone else

• Object to how I use your information. You can object to direct marketing at any time, and I will always stop.

• Withdraw consent at any time, by unsubscribing or contacting me

• Not be subject to automated decisions that have legal or similarly significant effects (I don't make any)

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How to use your rights: email me at [your contact email address]. It's free. I'll respond within one month. If a request is complex, I may extend this by up to two further months, and I'll tell you if so. I may ask you to confirm your identity first, to protect your information.

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If you live outside the UK and EU: some US states and other countries give you similar rights, such as the right to know what information is held about you, to have it deleted or corrected, and to opt out of its sale. Wherever you live, you can use any of the rights above by contacting me. I do not sell your personal information.

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8. Complaints

If you're unhappy with how I've handled your information, please contact me first. I'll acknowledge your complaint within 30 days, look into it without undue delay, keep you updated and let you know the outcome.

You also have the right to complain to the UK's data protection regulator, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):

• Website: ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint

• Helpline: 0303 123 1113

If you live in the EU, you can also complain to the data protection authority in your country.

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9. Cookies and tracking

On my website. Wix uses some essential cookies to make the site work. With your permission, I also use the Meta (Facebook) Pixel. It tells me when visitors from my Facebook ads view pages or join the mailing list, so I can measure which ads work and show relevant ads to people who have visited. Meta may combine this with information it already holds about you, under its own privacy policy.

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Non-essential cookies, including the Meta Pixel, are only set if you agree to them in the cookie banner. You can change your choice at any time through the cookie settings link on the site, or by adjusting your browser settings. You can also manage ad preferences in your Facebook account settings.

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In my emails. My emails contain small tracking images and tracked links that tell me whether an email was opened and which links were clicked. If you'd prefer not to be tracked, you can set your email app to block images automatically.

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10. Children

My mailing list is intended for adults. You must be 16 or over to subscribe. If I learn that I hold information about someone under 16, I'll delete it.

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11. Keeping your information secure

I use reputable providers with strong security measures, protect my accounts with secure passwords and two-factor authentication, and limit access to your information to me alone. No system is completely secure, but if a breach ever affected your information in a way that put you at high risk, I would tell you and, where required, the ICO.

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12. Changes to this policy

I may update this policy from time to time, for example if I change email provider. The date at the top shows when it was last updated. If I make a significant change to how I use your information, I'll let subscribers know by email.