The small print

Privacy Policy

Last updated: November 5, 2026

What we know about you, which is very little, and what we do with it.

The short version

  • We never sell your personal information.
  • We collect your details only when you visit, sign up, buy, or send us something, and only to do what you asked.
  • Our analytics don’t use cookies and don’t follow you around the web.
  • We share details only with the services that help us run the press, or when the law requires it.

Questions

Lost Island Press runs this site. If you have a question about this policy or your information, write to info@lostislandpress.com.

What we collect, and why

  • When you visit. Anonymized IP addresses, cookies, access logs, and device information.
  • When you join the newsletter. Your first name and email, so we can send you promotional emails. Signing up is optional, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
  • When you buy. Your name, email, shipping address, and billing information (billing address, cardholder’s name, card details) at checkout, so we can verify payment and deliver your order. Billing information is stored only if you choose to save it for future purchases.
  • When you use our forms. Whatever you submit, such as applying to become a VIP reader or sending a manuscript for consideration. We use it only for the purpose stated on that form, and filling in a form is optional.
  • When you sign in. Your email address, so we can send you a sign-in link, and the one cookie that keeps you signed in. Details are in “Signing in and your account” below.

Signing in and your account

Some people can sign in to see their orders, review-copy deadlines, or beta-reading projects. There are no passwords.

  • How it works. You enter your email address and we send you a link. It works once and expires after 15 minutes. If we don’t have a record of that address, nothing is sent, and the page says the same thing either way.
  • One cookie. Once you sign in, we set a cookie that keeps you signed in for up to 30 days, or until you sign out. It’s only for signing in. It isn’t used for tracking or advertising, and it’s the only cookie we set ourselves.
  • What we keep. Your email, your name if you gave it, and a public username (a lowercase name starting with @, never your email address). We also keep your orders, any review-copy and beta-reading activity, and the comments you write on beta manuscripts.
  • Profile photo (optional). If you add one, we crop it to a square, shrink it, and remove any location or camera details from the file. Only people on our team, our authors, and our beta readers can see it, and only while signed in. You can remove it at any time.
  • Beta reading. Manuscripts are shared in confidence and marked with your name. Your comments and reading progress are visible to us and to the author. Your username (not your email) may be shown beside your comments to other readers on the same project.
  • Your choices. You can delete your account yourself from your account page, any time. That removes your username, name, photo and sign-in details, and your beta-reading comments if you choose. We keep order and payment records, because tax and accounting law requires it. To ask us to erase anything else we hold, write to info@lostislandpress.com.

Analytics on this website

  • We use GoatCounter, a privacy-friendly service, to count visits. It records anonymized data such as which pages are viewed, which site referred you, and your browser, device type, and country.
  • It uses no cookies, doesn’t follow you across other websites, and stores no personally identifiable information.
  • We use the counts to find bugs, spot interface problems, and see which content is popular.
  • If you’d rather not be counted, block GoatCounter with a content blocker or your browser’s privacy settings. The site works the same either way.

Who else sees your details

We don’t sell your personal information. We share it only, and at no financial gain to anyone, in these two cases:

  • Trusted service providers. Amazon Web Services (delivers our emails, including sign-in links), Stripe (processes payments), BookFunnel (delivers ebooks and audiobooks), and our printing and shipping partners. They’re bound by their own terms to keep your data confidential and use it only to provide their services to us.
  • When the law requires it. To comply with the law, to protect and defend our rights or property, or to prevent misuse of the site.

We have security measures in place to protect your information from loss, misuse, or alteration. We can’t guarantee they will prevent every incident.

Links to other websites

We sometimes link to external websites. This policy doesn’t cover them, so please read their privacy policies before sharing anything there.

If this policy changes

We may add to, change, or update this policy at any time. When we do, we’ll change the “Last updated” date above. If you keep using the site after that, you accept the changes.