I can be reached via e-mail at holly.jahangiri@gmail.com
For each visitor to this Web page, certain information is collected by statistical counters, such as domain name, IP address, geographic location (where your ISP is located), etc. This is not personally identifiable information, just statistical information that helps me to see where most of my visitors come from and what content seems to have the greatest appeal to them.
I collect only the domain name, but not the e-mail address of visitors to the Web page; the e-mail addresses of those who communicate with me via e-mail; aggregate and browser-specific (but not personally identifiable) information on what pages visitors access or visit; information volunteered by visitors, such as name, email address, or URLs that visitors may choose to share when posting comments to our blog. Visitors have the option to post comments anonymously and share no personal information at all. Registration is not required.
The information I collect (via third-party stat counters) is used for internal review and is then discarded; it is used to improve the content of my Web site; it will be disclosed when legally required to do so, at the request of U.S. governmental authorities conducting an investigation, to verify or enforce compliance with the policies governing this Web site and applicable laws or to protect against misuse or unauthorized use of the Web site.
With respect to cookies: I bake cookies. I make really good Tollhouse cookies, as a matter of fact. I don't know much about Internet cookies, but I know that certain "gadgets," "widgets," "stat counters," and third-party ad servers use cookies to record user-specific information such as that described in the first paragraph. I look at the information provided by the stat counters to see what interests you, but beyond that...I really don't know where it goes. Most browsers let you block cookies, and you won't hurt my feelings if you do. It may throw off my stat counter, so it'd be really cool if you didn't - but your privacy is more important to me than a bunch of statistics. Shoot, I'm a writer, not a mathematician. All those pretty graphs don't mean a whole lot to me, anyway.
If you do not want to receive e-mail from me in the future, please don't subscribe to anything on this site. You know, my grandmother always said, "You have to write letters to get letters." That's kind of true of emails from me, too. If you don't want emails from me, don't send me any. If you get some you weren't expecting, let me know by sending an e-mail at the above address. It may be a "spoof" and I'd like to stop that practice every bit as much as you would.
With respect to Ad Servers: To try to bring you offers that are of interest to you, I may have relationships with other companies that I allow to place ads on my Web pages. ("Relationship" may be an overly broad term.) As a result of your visit to my site, ad server companies may collect information such as your domain type, your IP address, and clickstream information. For further information, consult the privacy policies of:
http://www.google.com/privacy.html
From time to time, I may use customer information for new, unanticipated uses not previously disclosed in our privacy notice. (Yeah, when pigs fly. I'm adding this simply as a CYA, in case I missed something in this privacy policy. I'm not deliberately "collecting information" about anyone. Even if I did, I'm so scatterbrained, most days, I'd probably just lose it. In a really safe place, like my empty Recycle Bin.) If my information practices change at some time in the future, I will post the policy changes right here on my Web site to notify you of these changes and I will use for these new purposes only data collected from the time of the policy change forward. (You can tell that last sentence was auto-generated, can't you?) If you are concerned about how your information is used, you should check back here at my Web site periodically. (Because, you know, I'm not collecting your email address, so I can't send you a personalized note.)
Upon request I offer visitors the ability to have inaccuracies corrected in any contact information they may have provided in their communications directed to me or to the site. In other words, if you do want to get email from me - let me know what your email address IS, and keep me in the loop if it changes.
This site is not designed for use by, nor does it target, visitors under age 13. As a parent, I feel that it is a parent's responsibility to be aware of what their child(ren) are doing on the Internet. I don't request any personally identifiable information from anyone, and certainly not from minor children. As the author of books for children, young adults, and adults, I recognize that certain content here may appeal to younger visitors. They are welcome to visit with their parents' approval and/or supervision. I may occasionally write about topics more suitable for adults than for children, and I may occasionally let loose with a naughty word - but I guarantee that unless they are homeschooled or raised in a convent, children have heard any words I know by the time they reach middle school. (My kids, in fact, taught ME a few new ones.) I strongly suspect that my own children occasionally do read my blog, but then I encourage my kids to read banned books, such as Fahrenheit 451 and Harry Potter. I respect your right as a parent, not to. Please use your parental discretion to determine whether this site's content is appropriate for your kids.
I support the First Amendment. I do not delete comments merely because the author expresses disagreement with me - in fact, I welcome respectful debate and discussion. However, I reserve the right to delete comments on my blog for excessive profanity, threats, or abuse of other visitors to the site.
Any threats or illegal activity will be promptly reported to law enforcement for investigation.
If you feel that this site is not following its stated information policy, you may contact us at the above email address or The DMA's Committee on Ethical Business Practices at mgoldberger@the-dma.org.