Privacy Policy · How we collect, use, and protect your data

Overview

This Privacy Policy explains how the Chronicles of Wordcraft imprint, operated by R. R. Thalore (“we”, “us”, “our”), collects, uses, and protects information about people who visit our website, join our mailing lists, download our puzzle bonuses, or interact with our content and press materials (“you”, “your”).

We know you are trusting us with your information. We use it carefully, keep it only as long as necessary, and never sell it. This Policy should be read together with our Terms of Use, Permissions & Licensing, Disclosures, and other legal pages in the Legal hub.

We are not a large corporation with complex products; we are a small creative imprint that relies on a few carefully chosen service providers to deliver newsletters, host this site, and process analytics.

1. When this Policy applies

This Policy applies when you interact with any of the services we control (the “Services”), including:

• The main website rrthalore.com and any pages under it (for example, /books, /legal, /join).
• Email newsletters, automated sequences, and one-off announcements we send through our email service provider.
• Puzzle bonus packs, sample pages, downloads, and library resources we host or link to from our own site.
• Our press kit and other brand assets that we make available to reviewers, media, and partners.

This Policy does not cover third-party websites and services we link out to (bookstores, social platforms, affiliate partners, or tools we recommend). Those providers have their own privacy policies which we do not control.

2. Information we collect

The information we collect depends on how you interact with us. We group it into a few broad categories:

2.1 Information you choose to give us

• Contact details, such as your email address and name when you join a waitlist, request a bonus pack, or contact us.
• Preferences and feedback, such as which deity or series you care about, puzzle types you vote for, or suggestions left through our feedback tools.
• Support messages, including information you share when you write to us about download issues, printing questions, or other troubleshooting.
• Press and partnership information, such as where you plan to feature our books, which materials you request, and links you send to your coverage.

2.2 Information we collect automatically

When you visit our site, some information is collected automatically by our hosting and analytics tools:

• Log and device data (for example: IP address, browser type, operating system, basic device configuration, pages viewed, and the date/time of requests).
• Usage and interaction data, such as which pages you visit, how far you scroll, which buttons you click (for example, “Download bonus pack” or “Join waitlist”), and whether you open or click our emails.
• Approximate location, inferred from your IP address on a city/region level, so we can understand where readers are coming from and protect against abuse.
• Cookie and similar identifiers, which help us remember your preferences and control which analytics or marketing tags are active.

2.3 Information from third parties

We may receive limited information about you from:

• Email service providers (for example, MailerLite or similar services), which tell us whether you opened an email, clicked a link, or unsubscribed.
• Bookstores and marketplaces (for example, print-on-demand retailers), which may provide us with sales statistics but not your full payment card details.
• Analytics and measurement tools, which give us aggregated insights (such as page views, traffic sources, and conversion rates).
• Affiliate and referral partners, who may tell us that a purchase or sign-up was attributed to a link we shared, without sharing your full payment card information.

3. How we use your information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

3.1 To provide the Services

• Delivering puzzle bonuses, digital downloads, and reader resources you request.
• Sending newsletters, release announcements, and waitlist updates you sign up for.
• Responding to support requests, feedback, and questions you send us.
• Operating suggestion boxes and voting tools that help decide which puzzle books or features we build next.

3.2 To improve and protect our work

• Understanding which pages, bonus packs, and campaigns are helpful so we can refine them (for example, measuring which legal pages people actually read).
• Testing new designs, layouts, or features to keep the site readable and consistent with the Chronicles of Wordcraft brand.
• Monitoring for suspicious activity, abuse of download links, or misuse of our puzzle content, artwork, or press materials.

3.3 To enforce rights around press materials and intellectual property

We may use log data, download records, and publicly available information to investigate potential misuse of our press kit, crest, logos, puzzle interiors, or other intellectual property. For example, we might:

• Track which press-kit files are accessed and from which general regions, to monitor unusual patterns (high-volume scraping, automated downloading, or repeated attempts from blocked IP ranges).
• Compare public uses of our brand assets with our Terms of Use and Permissions & Licensing rules.
• Preserve relevant logs or correspondence if we need to send a takedown notice, respond to a DMCA-style request, or protect our legal rights.

We use this information only to protect the integrity of our brand and content, not to build advertising profiles.

3.4 To communicate with you

• Sending transactional messages (for example, “here is your bonus pack” or “you requested a password reset”).
• Sending marketing or editorial messages (for example, newsletters or “what to read next”) where allowed by law and where you have not opted out.
• Asking for feedback on products you have shown interest in or already purchased.

3.5 Legal bases (for readers in the EU/UK)

Where applicable, we rely on the following legal bases under data-protection law:

• Consent – for example, when you tick a box to join a mailing list.
• Contract – where processing is necessary to deliver something you requested (such as a download or purchased product).
• Legitimate interests – for example, improving the site, preventing abuse or fraud, and enforcing our rights, in ways that do not override your privacy interests.

4. Cookies and similar technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies (such as local storage and script-based tags) to operate the site and understand how people use it. Broadly, we group them into:

• Essential cookies – required to keep the site running securely, route traffic through our hosting/CDN, and remember core consent choices. These are always on.
• Analytics cookies – help us measure traffic, see which pages are popular, and understand which downloads or forms are working. We use privacy-focused analytics tools and aggregated reporting where possible.
• Marketing / affiliate tags – used sparingly to measure the effectiveness of specific campaigns or affiliate links (for example, when we recommend a tool and use a tracked link).

You can manage which non-essential categories are active using the “Manage Cookies” link in the footer, which opens our on-site consent controls. You can also adjust cookie settings in your browser, though blocking certain cookies may affect how the site functions.

5. How we share information

We do not sell your personal information. We share it only in limited situations:

• Service providers – We use trusted providers for hosting, content delivery, email, form handling, analytics, link tracking, and file storage. These providers process data on our behalf and are bound by contracts that limit how they can use it.
• Payment processors and stores – When you purchase a book from a retailer (such as a print-on-demand platform), your payment details go directly to that retailer or its payment processor. We receive only limited information, such as units sold, region, and sometimes your general order details.
• Affiliate and sponsorship partners – If you click an affiliate link or use a referral code, our partners may attribute a purchase or sign-up to us. Our separate Disclosures page and Affiliate & Partnerships page explain how this works.
• Legal and rights protection – We may disclose information when we reasonably believe it is necessary to comply with a law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request; to enforce our Terms of Use or other agreements; to protect our rights, property, or safety; or to investigate and address misuse of our puzzle content, artwork, or press assets.
• Business changes – If we ever undergo a major reorganisation (for example, transferring the imprint into a new publishing entity), we may transfer relevant data as part of that process, subject to this Policy or an equivalent one.

When we share information, we seek to share only what is necessary for the specific purpose and, where possible, in aggregated or pseudonymised form.

6. International transfers

We are based in Canada, but many of our service providers store or process data in other countries, including the United States and member states of the European Union. This means your information may be transferred to or stored in a jurisdiction with different data-protection rules than your home country.

Where required by law, we rely on appropriate safeguards (such as standard contractual clauses or equivalent mechanisms offered by our providers) to help protect your information during these transfers.

7. How long we keep your information

We keep your information only as long as we have a valid reason to do so, including for:

• Delivering services or products you have requested.
• Maintaining your subscription to a mailing list (until you unsubscribe).
• Operating and improving the website and related tooling.
• Keeping appropriate business records and complying with legal or tax obligations.
• Protecting our rights and the integrity of our intellectual property (for example, preserving logs related to suspected misuse of puzzle content or press assets).

When we no longer need information, we will either delete it or anonymise it so that it is no longer linked to an identifiable person, subject to retention limits imposed by our service providers.

8. Your choices and rights

8.1 Email and marketing preferences

• Every email we send through our mailing provider includes an Unsubscribe link at the bottom. Clicking it will remove you from that list.
• Where available, we may also provide an “Email preferences” link so you can fine-tune which series or topics you hear about.

8.2 Cookies and tracking

• Use the Manage Cookies link in the footer to adjust which non-essential categories (analytics and marketing) are active on this site.
• You can also configure your browser to block or delete cookies. Doing so may affect some site features but is entirely your choice.

8.3 Access, correction, and deletion

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you, ask us to correct inaccurate information, or ask us to delete certain data.

To exercise these rights, email us at [email protected] with “Privacy Request” in the subject line. For security, we may ask you to verify your identity before fulfilling your request.

8.4 Additional rights for EU/UK residents

If you are in the EU or UK, you may have additional rights under local law, including:

• The right to restrict or object to certain types of processing.
• The right to data portability for information you provided to us.
• The right to lodge a complaint with your local data-protection authority if you believe we have not handled your data correctly.

We will respond to requests in line with applicable law. Some rights may be limited where we have overriding legitimate interests or legal obligations (for example, retaining certain records for tax purposes).

9. How we protect your information

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your information, including secure hosting, access controls, and limited internal access to personal data. We choose reputable providers and avoid collecting more information than we need.

However, no website or internet transmission is perfectly secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, and you should take care when choosing passwords and when sharing information online.

If we become aware of a data incident that significantly affects your rights or freedoms, we will take appropriate steps to investigate and, where required by law, notify you and/or relevant authorities.

10. Children’s privacy

Chronicles of Wordcraft is primarily aimed at adults, older teens, and educators who enjoy mythology and puzzles. It is not directed at children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information without appropriate consent, please contact us so we can investigate and, where appropriate, delete that information.

11. Links, affiliates, and external content

Our site includes links to third-party sites and services—for example, bookstores, tools for other creators, and social platforms. We may also use affiliate links or sponsorships when we recommend a product we genuinely use.

Your use of those external sites is governed by their own privacy policies and terms. We encourage you to review them carefully. Our own approach to affiliate links and sponsorships is explained in more detail on our Disclosures page and Affiliate & Partnerships page.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party sites, even when we link to them or recommend them.

12. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Policy from time to time to reflect new services, changes in how we handle data, or updates in applicable law. When we make material changes, we will:

• Update the “Last reviewed” date in the footer of this page, and
• Where appropriate, mention the update on our Release & Updates page or in relevant newsletters.

If you continue to use our Services after changes take effect, you are agreeing to the updated Policy. If you do not agree, you should stop using the Services and adjust your cookie and email preferences.

13. How to contact us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, how we use your information, or how it interacts with our Permissions & Licensing, Terms of Use, Disclosures, or DMCA policies, you can reach us at:

[email protected]

Please include “Privacy Policy” in the subject line so we can route your message correctly.