What happens to your details

What I collect

When you fill in the contact form, you send me four things:

• your name
• your email address
• the reason you're writing
• your message

That's all. I don't ask for your age, your address or your phone number. I don't ask for anything about your school. If you email me directly instead, I get whatever you put in the email.

There's a second form, on the book page, where you can tell me what you thought of chapter one. That one sends me three things:

• your rating out of 5
• your first name
• what you wrote

It also records whether you ticked the box saying I can put your review on the website. It does not ask for your email address, your age, your surname or your school, and there's nowhere to type them. Please don't put them in the review box either – if you do, I'll take them out.

Why I need it

I need your email address so I can reply. I need your name so I know who I'm talking to. The reason and the message tell me what you want, so I can be useful rather than vague.

What I do with it

I read your message. I write back. Then it sits in my email until I delete it.

If you ask about a school visit, I might keep your message while we sort out the details. That's still just me reading it and replying.

What I never do

• I never sell your details. Not for any amount of money.
• I never give them to anyone else, and I never swap them.
• I never add you to a mailing list. You will not get a newsletter from me.
• I never put your message on the internet or in a book without asking you first.

If you want to know when the book goes on sale, email me and ask. I'll tell you once, when it's on sale. That's a note in my calendar, not a list you've been signed up to.

How to get your details deleted

Email me at hello@kimjohnstonwrites.com and say you'd like your message deleted.

You don't have to give a reason. I'll delete it and email you back to say it's done.

You can also ask me two other things:

• What have you got about me? I'll send you a copy.
• You've got something wrong. Tell me and I'll fix it.

If you're a young reader

This bit is for you.

Before you send me your name and email, check with a parent, carer or teacher. Show them this page. It's a good habit on any website, not only mine.

If they'd rather write to me instead of you, that's completely fine. I'd still love to know what you thought of the book, even that bit.

The review form on the book page doesn't ask for your email address at all, so it's a safer thing to fill in. Two things to know before you do. First, put your first name only – not your surname, not your school. Second, the box that says I can put your review on the website really does mean the website, where anyone can read it, so check with a parent, carer or teacher before you tick it. Leave it unticked and I'll still read what you wrote.

If you're a parent, carer or teacher

A message sent through this form comes to me and to nobody else. I don't build a list, I don't run ads, and I don't pass anything on.

The review form on the book page collects less: a rating, a first name and the review itself. No email address, no age, no school. Nothing a young person sends is published unless they ticked the permission box, and even then it's my choice whether to use it – ticking the box is not a guarantee it goes up. If it does, their first name is the only identifying thing that appears.

If you'd like me to delete something a young person has sent me, or take a published review down, email me and I'll do it. You don't have to explain why.