Privacy policy

This page explains, in plain words, what we collect on secondstair.com, why, and what you can do about it. The site is run by [LEGAL NAME / COMPANY], [POSTAL ADDRESS]. Contact: [email protected].

What we collect

When you sign up: your first name (used only to greet you in emails), the name you chose to have printed, an optional dedication picked from our list, your email address, the date and time, and the page you signed up from. We keep a record of the exact wording you agreed to (version 2026-10-v2).

When you just read: we use Cloudflare Web Analytics, which counts visits without cookies and without identifying you. Your browser also stores two small notes on your own device (not sent to us): whether you already saw the sign-up pop-up, and whether you already signed up, so we don’t ask twice.

Why we collect it

To email you when a new book comes out — and, only if you ticked the separate box, to print your chosen name in the thank-you pages of our books. You can join for the book news alone; the printed name is never a condition. We send nothing in between — no newsletter, no promotions, no reminders — and we never sell, rent or share your email address. The legal basis for both is your consent, which you give by ticking the box and then confirming your email address (double opt-in).

Your name in our books

This part is optional, and the box is never ticked for you. If you leave it alone, nothing of yours is ever printed. If you tick it, we print only the name you typed in the “name to print” box in the thank-you pages of future Second Stair books, and show it on our thank-you wall. You choose it: your first name, an initial, or any name you like. We never print your last name, and never print your email address.

About the optional dedication. You can add someone, but only as a relationship chosen from a short list — “and a walking partner”, “and a best friend”. The form has no free text box for it, by design. We will never print another person's name, because that person never agreed to it and a printed book cannot be recalled.

The consent box is never ticked for you: you tick it yourself, and we record the exact wording you agreed to (version 2026-10-v2) with the date and time. Because printing a name is permanent, we also ask you to confirm by email before anything is published.

Changing your mind is easy and costs you nothing. Email [email protected] and we will remove your name from the website and from every edition printed after your request — and you can stay on the list for book news if you want to. We cannot recall copies that are already printed and sold, which is why we confirm first.

If you would rather hear about new books without your name in print, say so in a reply to the confirmation email and we will set that up by hand.

Where your data lives

Your name and email are stored by our email service, [Brevo (Sendinblue SAS, France, EU) / MailerLite], not on this website. The website is hosted by Cloudflare. Both act as our processors under data processing agreements.

Advertising

Some pages may show ads from [Ezoic / Mediavine / Raptive]. Where the law requires it, you’ll be asked for consent before any advertising cookies are set, and you can change your choice at any time from the privacy settings link shown with the ads.

How long we keep it

As long as you’re subscribed. If you unsubscribe, we keep only your email address on a suppression list so we never email you again by mistake, plus the consent record, which we need to prove how and when you agreed.

Your rights

Every email we send carries a one-click unsubscribe link in its footer. One click stops everything, immediately and for good; you don’t need to log in, give a reason, or ask us. You can ask us to see, correct, export or delete your data at [email protected]; we answer within 30 days. If you’re in the EU or UK, you can also complain to your data protection authority. California residents have the right to know, delete and opt out of any sale or sharing of personal information; we don’t sell it.

Children

Second Stair is written for adults. We don’t knowingly collect data from anyone under 16.

Changes

If we change this policy in a way that matters, we’ll tell subscribers by email before it applies.