Privacy Policy
Last updated: November 1, 2026
This Privacy Policy explains how your personal information is processed when you visit my website and landing pages, subscribe to my newsletter, request reading material, apply for an advance reading copy, or contact me.
1. Who is responsible for your information?
The controller responsible for the processing described in this policy is:
Rina Thorne
c/o Autorenservice Gorischek
Am Rinnergrund 14/5
8101 Gratkorn
Austria
Email: hello@rinathorne.com
Autorenservice Gorischek provides a postal contact and forwarding service. Responsibility for the website, newsletter, and reader programmes remains with Rina Thorne.
2. Which pages does this policy cover?
This policy applies to:
- www.rinathorne.com and its individual pages;
- windsandwhispers.rinathorne.com;
- ashesandevermore.rinathorne.com;
- other Rina Thorne landing pages that link to this policy and use the processing arrangements described here.
External services reached through links have their own privacy policies.
3. Visiting the website and landing pages
The current public website and landing pages are hosted through MailerLite.
When you visit a page, the hosting infrastructure processes technical information needed to deliver, maintain, and protect the service. This includes information such as your IP address, the requested page, the date and time of access, browser and device information, and the referring page.
Images, fonts, scripts, and other page resources may be supplied through external content delivery infrastructure used by the hosting platform. Your browser connects to these services to retrieve the resources.
The purpose is to provide a functional website, investigate technical problems, and protect the service against misuse. The legal basis is the legitimate interest in secure and reliable website operation under Article 6(1)(f) GDPR.
Technical information is retained for the period needed to operate the service, investigate errors, and address security incidents. Information associated with an incident may be retained until the incident and any related legal claims have been resolved.
4. Newsletter subscriptions and reading samples
When you subscribe to Letters from Rina, I process your email address and any additional information you provide, such as your name or how you discovered the books.
I use this information to deliver the reading sample offered on the signup page, send associated welcome messages, and provide the author communications described when you subscribe.
These communications include writing updates, book announcements, glimpses into the characters and their world, and information about advance reading opportunities. The regular newsletter is normally sent about every two months. Additional messages may relate to requested material or a particular reading opportunity.
The legal basis for newsletter marketing is your consent under Article 6(1)(a) GDPR, together with the applicable Austrian rules on electronic marketing.
Where the signup process requires confirmation, you will receive an email containing instructions to complete your subscription. Records of the signup and confirmation may include timestamps, the signup source, and technical information used to document consent.
Providing your information is voluntary. An email address is necessary to deliver material and communications by email.
You can withdraw your consent at any time using the unsubscribe link in an email or by contacting hello@rinathorne.com. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before it.
5. MailerLite and email delivery
I use MailerLite to operate signup forms, manage subscriber information, send emails, and provide associated automated workflows.
For customers based in the European Economic Area, the service provider is MailerLite Limited, 88 Harcourt Street, Dublin 2, D02 DK18, Ireland.
MailerLite processes subscriber information on my behalf. This includes form submissions, subscription status, consent records, preferences, and information needed to administer the mailing list.
Further information is available in the MailerLite Privacy Policy and Data Processing Addendum.
Email interaction information
Where you consent to email interaction tracking, messages may contain a small tracking image and tracked links. These allow information about email opens and link clicks to be associated with your subscriber record. Related technical information may include the time of an interaction and information about the email client or device.
I use this information to understand which messages interest readers and improve future communications. The legal basis is your consent under Article 6(1)(a) GDPR.
You may withdraw consent by contacting me. You can also unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time. Tracking records are retained only while needed for the stated purpose and are deleted or anonymised when no longer needed.
6. Advance reader applications
When you apply for an advance reading copy, I process the information requested in the application form. This can include your name, email address, reading progress, intended review platforms, optional social profile links, and application answers.
I use this information to assess applications, organise the reader team, communicate about the reading opportunity, and arrange access to advance material.
Processing necessary to establish or carry out the participation arrangement you request is based on Article 6(1)(b) GDPR. Other programme administration is based on the legitimate interest in coordinating the reader programme under Article 6(1)(f) GDPR.
Required fields are identified in the form. Without the necessary contact and application information, I may be unable to consider an application or provide access to the material.
An application does not automatically authorise me to publish your personal information or reproduce your review. Any requested permission to quote a review or identify its author is separate and voluntary. Where publication is based on your consent, you may withdraw that consent by contacting me.
Application information is retained for the relevant reader programme and its associated follow-up. Afterwards, it is deleted unless it remains necessary for an ongoing participation arrangement, documented publication permission, or legal claims.
7. Reading material and BookFunnel
Reading samples, advance copies, or other digital material may be delivered through links to BookFunnel.
When you use a download service, it processes the information needed to provide access, deliver the material, and offer technical support. Depending on the delivery method, this can include your email address, the requested title, download information, and technical connection or device information.
An email address associated with a requested delivery may be provided to the delivery service where necessary to arrange access. The legal basis is Article 6(1)(b) GDPR for providing the material you request. Additional marketing communications require the relevant consent.
Further information is available in the BookFunnel Privacy Policy.
8. Cookies and similar technologies
The website and landing pages use technologies needed to display content, operate forms, maintain security, and remember essential choices.
Where storage or access on your device is strictly necessary to provide a service you request, it is used under the applicable Austrian telecommunications rules. Related personal-data processing is based on Article 6(1)(f) GDPR where necessary for secure and reliable operation.
Optional analytics technologies require your prior consent. Refusing optional analytics does not prevent you from accessing the website or subscribing to the newsletter.
You can review or withdraw optional website consent through the privacy or cookie controls provided on the relevant page. Browser settings also allow you to restrict or delete cookies. Blocking necessary technologies may affect some functions.
Google Analytics
Google Analytics is used on pages where it is enabled to understand website visits and interactions.
It processes information such as pages viewed, interactions, referral information, browser and device characteristics, and identifiers associated with cookies or similar technologies.
The purpose is to understand how visitors use the pages and improve their content and usability. The legal basis is your consent under Article 6(1)(a) GDPR, together with consent for optional storage or access on your device under the applicable Austrian telecommunications rules.
User-level and event-level data subject to the Analytics retention setting are retained for two months. Aggregated reports that no longer identify individual visitors may be retained longer.
Further information is available in Google’s information about Analytics and data protection.
Landing-page statistics
MailerLite’s landing-page tools can provide visit, signup, and interaction statistics. Where optional interaction measurement, visitor identifiers, or heatmaps are used, they require your consent.
The purpose is to assess the usefulness of the landing pages and improve the signup experience. Personal information is retained only while necessary for that analysis and is then deleted or anonymised.
9. Form protection with reCAPTCHA
The signup landing pages use Google reCAPTCHA to help distinguish genuine submissions from automated abuse.
The service analyses technical and interaction information to assess the risk associated with a visit or submission. It can process network, browser, device, and interaction information and use a security cookie.
The purpose is to prevent spam, fraudulent submissions, and misuse of the mailing-list service.
The legal basis is the legitimate interest in protecting forms and services under Article 6(1)(f) GDPR where the implementation qualifies for that basis. Where consent is required for the associated storage, access, or processing, the service is activated on that basis.
10. Contacting me and postal correspondence
If you contact me by email, I process your email address, message, and any information you include so that I can respond.
The legal basis is Article 6(1)(b) GDPR for correspondence relating to a requested contractual or participation arrangement, or Article 6(1)(f) GDPR for the legitimate interest in responding to other inquiries.
Correspondence is retained until the inquiry and directly related follow-up are complete, unless a legal obligation or legal claim requires longer retention.
If you write to the postal address above, Autorenservice Gorischek processes the information needed to receive and forward your correspondence. According to the service’s arrangements, correspondence with an obviously legal or official purpose may be opened, scanned, and forwarded electronically as well as by post.
11. Recipients and international transfers
Relevant recipients include hosting and email providers, MailerLite, the postal forwarding service, and the analytics, security, or download providers used for the particular interaction.
Service providers receive information only to the extent needed for their role. Providers acting as processors are subject to the applicable data-processing arrangements.
Some providers or their subprocessors may process information outside the European Economic Area.
Such transfers require an applicable legal safeguard, such as an adequacy decision covering the recipient or European Commission standard contractual clauses, together with supplementary measures where necessary.
You may contact me for information about the safeguards applicable to a particular transfer and how to obtain a copy.
12. Retention and deletion
I retain personal information only for the purposes described in this policy.
Subscriber information is retained while the subscription remains active. After withdrawal or an unsubscribe request, information no longer needed for another lawful purpose is deleted.
A limited suppression record may be retained to prevent further marketing. Records necessary to demonstrate consent or address legal claims may be retained until the applicable limitation period expires. The legal basis is Article 6(1)(f) GDPR, or Article 6(1)(c) GDPR where a specific legal obligation applies.
Deleted information may remain temporarily in protected backups until the relevant backup cycle expires.
13. Your rights
Subject to the applicable legal conditions, you have the right to:
- access your personal information;
- have inaccurate information corrected;
- request deletion or restriction of processing;
- receive information you provided in a portable format where the right to data portability applies;
- withdraw consent at any time;
- object to processing based on legitimate interests on grounds relating to your particular situation.
You may object to processing for direct marketing at any time.
To exercise your rights, contact hello@rinathorne.com. Proportionate information may be requested where necessary to verify your identity.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, particularly in the country of your habitual residence, place of work, or the alleged infringement.
In Austria, you can contact:
Österreichische Datenschutzbehörde
Barichgasse 40–42
1030 Vienna
Austria
Email: dsb@dsb.gv.at
Website: https://www.dsb.gv.at/
14. External links
Links to Amazon, Goodreads, and social platforms take you to separate services. Their privacy policies apply when you visit or interact with those services.
15. Changes to this policy
This policy will be updated when the website, landing pages, service providers, or processing arrangements change. The date at the beginning identifies the latest revision.
