Last updated: September 12, 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how Ghislaine Mahler (“I,” “me,” or “my”) collects, uses, protects, and shares information when you visit ghislainemahler.com, contact me, join my mailing list, leave a comment, create an account, or make a purchase.

Information I Collect

Information you provide

Depending on how you use the website, you may choose to provide:

• Your name and email address when you join my mailing list or request news about a book.
• Your name, email address, and any information you include when you use the Contact form.
• Your name, email address, billing address, shipping address, telephone number, and order details when you make a purchase.
• Account information if you create a customer account.
• Your name, email address, website address (if provided), and comment when you leave a comment on The Bench.

Please do not send sensitive personal information through the Contact form or in a public comment.

Payment information

Payments are processed securely by Stripe. I do not receive or store your complete credit or debit card number or security code. Stripe provides only limited transaction information needed to confirm and maintain a record of your payment, such as the amount, payment status, transaction identifier, and possibly the card type and last four digits. Stripe processes payment information according to its own Privacy Policy.

Information collected automatically

When you visit the website, the website and its hosting and security systems may automatically collect limited technical information, such as your Internet Protocol (IP) address, browser type, device type, requested pages, date and time of access, and information used to detect errors, spam, or malicious activity.

I do not currently use Google Analytics or another visitor-analytics service to track how people browse the website.

How I Use Your Information

I use personal information only when reasonably necessary to:

• Process, produce, ship, and support your order.
• Create and manage a customer account.
• Respond to questions or messages.
• Send newsletters or book announcements when you have chosen to receive them.
• Display and moderate comments.
• Maintain the security and proper operation of the website.
• Maintain accounting, tax, transaction, and legal records.
• Prevent fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.
• Comply with applicable laws and valid legal requests.

Where applicable, I process information because it is necessary to fulfill a purchase or respond to your request, because you have given consent, because I have a legitimate interest in operating and protecting the website, or because I must comply with a legal obligation.

Email Newsletters and Book Announcements

If you subscribe, your name, email address, subscription preferences, and related email activity are processed through MailerLite. MailerLite may record information such as delivery, opens, and link clicks so that messages can be delivered and their effectiveness understood. You may unsubscribe at any time by using the unsubscribe link included in every marketing email. MailerLite processes information according to its own Privacy Policy.

Information provided for an order or a Contact-form message will not automatically add you to the mailing list unless you separately choose to subscribe.

Orders, Production, and Shipping

The website uses WooCommerce to manage products, customer accounts, and orders. Certain made-to-order artwork is produced and shipped by Printify and its print providers. To fulfill those orders, necessary information—such as your name, shipping address, contact information, and product details—is shared with Printify and the applicable production and delivery providers. Printify handles information according to its own Privacy Policy.

Products fulfilled directly by me require your order and shipping information. Necessary delivery information may also be shared with postal and shipping carriers. Service providers receive information only for the functions they perform on my behalf or as otherwise permitted or required by law.

Comments

When you leave a comment on The Bench, the information entered in the comment form is collected along with your IP address and browser information to help detect spam. Your comment and chosen display name may be visible publicly; your email address is not displayed publicly.

If the Gravatar service is active, an anonymized code created from your email address may be provided to Gravatar to determine whether you use that service. After a comment is approved, a profile image associated with Gravatar may be visible with the comment. Gravatar is operated under Automattic’s Privacy Policy.

Cookies

The website uses essential cookies and similar local-storage technologies required for functions such as maintaining a shopping cart, completing checkout, keeping a customer signed in, remembering account or comment preferences, protecting forms, and maintaining website security.

These essential technologies do not exist to create advertising profiles. You can configure your browser to block or delete cookies, but some functions—including the cart, checkout, account login, and comment preferences—may not work properly afterward.

The website does not currently use advertising cookies or a visitor-analytics service. If that changes, this policy and any legally required cookie choices will be updated.

When Information Is Shared

I do not sell personal information, and I do not share it for cross-context behavioral advertising. I share information only as reasonably necessary with providers that help operate the website and business, including:

• WooCommerce and website hosting, maintenance, security, backup, and spam-prevention services.
• Stripe for payment processing.
• Printify, print providers, and shipping carriers for production and delivery.
• MailerLite for subscriptions and requested email communications.
• Professional advisers or government authorities when reasonably necessary to meet accounting, tax, legal, fraud-prevention, or security obligations.

Information may also be disclosed when required by law, court order, or another valid legal process; to protect the rights, safety, or property of customers, visitors, the public, or my business; or in connection with a future sale or transfer of the business, subject to appropriate confidentiality and notice where required.

How Long Information Is Kept

I retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected and to meet legal, accounting, security, and dispute-resolution obligations. The website is currently configured with the following WooCommerce retention periods:

• Inactive customer accounts: 2 years.
• Pending orders: 7 days.
• Failed orders: 7 days.
• Cancelled orders: 30 days.
• Refunded orders: 7 years.
• Completed orders: 7 years.
• Limited Stripe transaction data stored with orders: 7 years.

Completed or refunded orders may be anonymized after the applicable period so that non-identifying sales records can remain. Mailing-list information is kept until you unsubscribe or request deletion, subject to a limited suppression record that may be retained to honor your request. Contact messages are kept only as long as reasonably necessary to respond and maintain appropriate business records. Approved comments may remain with the related article unless removal is requested and legally appropriate. Technical logs and backups are retained according to operational and security needs and the practices of the relevant providers.

Security

I use reasonable administrative and technical safeguards, together with security measures provided by the website’s service providers, to protect personal information. No website, transmission method, or electronic storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

Your Privacy Choices and Rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to request access to, correction of, or deletion of personal information; to receive a copy of certain information; to withdraw consent; or to object to or restrict certain processing. These rights may be limited when information must be retained for transactions, taxes, fraud prevention, security, legal claims, or other lawful reasons.

You may unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time using the link in any such message. For other privacy requests, contact me using the information below. I may need to verify your identity before completing a request.

Children’s Privacy

Although this website features children’s books and art, its store, mailing-list forms, and Contact form are intended for adults. Children under 13 should not submit personal information, create an account, join the mailing list, leave a comment, or make a purchase without a parent or legal guardian. I do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided personal information, please contact me so that it can be removed.

Links and Embedded Content

The website may link to or display content from websites operated by others. Those services have their own privacy practices, and I am not responsible for their content or handling of information. Please review their policies before providing information to them.

International Processing

Some service providers may process information in the United States or other countries. Privacy laws may differ from those in your place of residence. Where required, providers use contractual or other safeguards for international transfers.

Changes to This Policy

I may update this Privacy Policy when the website, service providers, or legal requirements change. The revised policy will be posted on this page with a new “Last updated” date.

Contact Me

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to make a privacy request, please use the Contact page.