Privacy Policy

Information We Collect

The information we collect depends on how you interact with the Website.

Information You Provide to Us

We may collect personal information that you voluntarily provide when you:

• complete a contact form;
• sign up to receive newsletters, updates, or other communications;
• create or use an account or restricted area of the Website;
• contact or correspond with us; or
• otherwise provide information through the Website.

Depending on your interaction with us, this information may include your name, email address, account or login information, the contents of messages or correspondence, and other information you choose to provide.

Please do not provide sensitive personal information through the Website unless it is reasonably necessary for the purpose for which you are communicating with us.

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit or interact with the Website, certain information may be collected automatically through Squarespace and technologies such as cookies.

Depending on your device, browser, settings, and use of the Website, this information may include:

• your IP address;
• browser type and device information;
• operating system;
• referring and exit pages;
• pages viewed and other interactions with the Website;
• approximate geographic information derived from your IP address; and
• dates, times, and duration of visits.

We use this information to operate and secure the Website, understand how visitors use it, and improve our Website and services.

Cookies and Analytics

The Website is hosted through Squarespace and uses cookies and similar technologies to operate and secure the Website and to understand how visitors interact with it.

We use Squarespace’s built-in analytics tools to collect information about Website traffic and usage. This helps us understand information such as how many people visit the Website, which pages are viewed, how visitors reach the Website, and how visitors interact with Website content.

We restrict non-essential cookies unless a visitor consents to their use. When you visit the Website, you may use our cookie banner to accept non-essential cookies, decline them, or manage your cookie preferences.

You may change your preferences later using the Cookie Preferences control available on the Website.

Certain cookies that are necessary for the Website to function properly, maintain security, provide requested functionality, or remember certain settings may be used regardless of your preferences. Restricting non-essential cookies may affect certain Website features or functionality.

You may also be able to control or delete cookies through your browser settings.

How We Use Personal Information

We may use personal information collected through the Website to:

• provide, operate, maintain, and secure the Website;
• administer accounts and restricted areas of the Website;
• respond to questions, inquiries, contact forms, and correspondence;
• provide newsletters, updates, or other communications you request;
• understand Website traffic and usage;
• improve the Website and our services;
• detect, investigate, and prevent fraud, misuse, security incidents, or other harmful activity;
• comply with applicable legal and regulatory obligations;
• establish, exercise, or defend legal rights; and
• carry out other purposes disclosed to you when information is collected.

We may also use aggregated or de-identified information for legitimate business purposes where that information cannot reasonably be used to identify you.

Queries and QueryManager

When you follow a link from the Website to QueryManager, you leave the July First Literary Website. Information submitted through QueryManager is processed using that service and may include your name, contact information, query letter, information about your work, sample pages, manuscripts, attachments, and other information or materials you choose to submit.

Authorized July First Literary personnel may access and review information and materials submitted through QueryManager for purposes including evaluating submissions, communicating with writers, maintaining submission records, and administering our submissions process.

QueryManager may retain submission records, including records of rejected queries, in accordance with its own functionality, policies, practices, and legal obligations. Because QueryManager is a third-party platform, July First Literary cannot guarantee that a request directed to JFL will result in deletion of information maintained by QueryManager.

Your use of QueryManager is also governed by QueryManager’s own terms and privacy practices. We encourage you to review those policies before submitting information through the service.

July First Literary does not accept queries or submission materials from individuals under 18 years of age.

Newsletters and Substack

The Website may provide opportunities to subscribe to communications from July First Literary. If you provide your email address or other information to receive communications directly from us, we may use that information to provide the communications you requested and administer our mailing lists.

The Website also contains a link to The Bonfire, a July First Literary newsletter hosted through Substack.

When you follow that link, you leave the July First Literary Website and enter a website operated by Substack. Information you provide through Substack is processed using that service and is subject to Substack’s own terms and privacy practices.

Where July First Literary receives subscriber information through Substack, we may use that information to administer and distribute The Bonfire and related communications.

You may unsubscribe from promotional or newsletter communications at any time using the unsubscribe mechanism provided in those communications.

Accounts and Restricted Areas

Certain features or portions of the Website may require an account, password, or other access credentials.

If you use these features, we may process information necessary to establish, authenticate, maintain, and secure your access. Squarespace may also process information associated with these features as the provider of our Website platform.

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and should notify us if you believe your account or access credentials have been compromised.

Social Media and Other Third-Party Links

The Website contains links to social-media pages and may contain links to websites operated by authors, publishers, publishing professionals, service providers, and other third parties.

When you follow one of these links, you leave the July First Literary Website. The third party may collect information from you in accordance with its own privacy policy and practices.

July First Literary does not control and is not responsible for the privacy, security, or data practices of third-party websites or services.

How We Disclose Personal Information

We do not sell personal information in the ordinary meaning of the term.

We may disclose personal information when reasonably necessary to:

• service providers that help us host, operate, maintain, secure, or analyze the Website;
• providers that support our communications, newsletters, accounts, submissions, or other Website functionality;
• attorneys, accountants, consultants, and other professional advisers;
• government authorities, courts, regulators, or other parties when disclosure is required or permitted by applicable law or legal process;
• appropriate parties when reasonably necessary to protect the rights, property, safety, or security of July First Literary, our clients, Website visitors, or others;
• appropriate parties when reasonably necessary to investigate, prevent, or respond to fraud, misuse, security incidents, or unlawful activity; or
• parties involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, sale of assets, or similar business transaction involving July First Literary.

We may also disclose personal information at your direction or with your consent.

Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected and for legitimate business purposes, including maintaining appropriate records, administering our operations, complying with legal obligations, resolving disputes, and establishing or enforcing our rights and agreements.

Retention periods vary depending on the nature of the information, the purpose for which it was collected, and the system in which it is maintained.

Information provided through third-party services, including QueryManager and Substack, may also be retained by those providers in accordance with their own policies, practices, and legal obligations.

Data Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure.

However, no website, electronic transmission, network, or information-storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Accordingly, we cannot guarantee the absolute security of information transmitted to or maintained through the Website.

Children and Minors

The Website and July First Literary’s submission process are intended for individuals 18 years of age or older.

July First Literary does not accept queries or submission materials from individuals under 18 years of age.

We do not knowingly solicit personal information through the Website from children under 13. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 in circumstances requiring parental consent, we will take reasonable steps to address or delete the information as required by applicable law.

Your Privacy Rights

Depending on where you reside and subject to applicable law, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information. These rights may include the ability to request:

• access to certain personal information we maintain about you;
• correction of inaccurate personal information;
• deletion of certain personal information; or
• information regarding how certain personal information is collected, used, or disclosed.

The availability and scope of these rights vary by jurisdiction and may be subject to exceptions and limitations under applicable law.

In accordance with California law, California users may file complaints with the California Department of Consumer Affairs. If you are a California resident, you may also authorize a person registered with the California Secretary of State to submit requests on your behalf.

To make a privacy-related inquiry or request concerning information maintained by July First Literary, contact us at info@julyfirstliterary.com or via our Contact Form.

We may take reasonable steps to verify your identity before processing a request.

Information maintained independently through third-party services may need to be addressed directly with the applicable service provider. In particular, July First Literary cannot guarantee deletion of records retained through QueryManager or other third-party systems where those records are maintained subject to the provider’s systems, policies, practices, or legal obligations.

Nothing in this Privacy Policy is intended to provide privacy rights beyond those required by applicable law.

International Visitors

July First Literary is based in the United States and works with writers and publishing professionals internationally.

If you access the Website or provide information from outside the United States, your personal information may be transferred to, processed, or stored in the United States or other jurisdictions in which our service providers operate.

Privacy and data-protection laws in those jurisdictions may differ from the laws of your country of residence.

Where applicable law imposes additional requirements concerning our processing or transfer of personal information, we will process personal information in accordance with those requirements.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to the Website, our services, our business practices, technology, or applicable law.

When we make changes, we will update the Effective Date at the top of this Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

If you do not agree to any changes or updates to the Privacy Policy, you should immediately discontinue your use of the Website.

Severability

If any provision of this Privacy Policy is determined to be invalid, unlawful, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.