Privacy Policy

Overview

This site is the personal website of Jonathan Cook, author of the Handler’s Inventory series. It is not a commercial platform. I collect minimal information to operate the site, deliver the newsletter, and run the Harlan’s Desk interactive feature. I do not sell your data to anyone.

Information I Collect

Newsletter Signup

When you subscribe to the newsletter, I collect your email address. This is sent to and stored by MailerLite, a third-party email service provider based in the EU. I use MailerLite to send newsletters and manage the subscriber list. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in any email.

Harlan’s Desk (AI Chat Feature)

When you use Harlan’s Desk, the following data is collected:

• Your conversation messages are stored in a MongoDB database to help improve the experience. Each conversation is associated with a randomly generated visitor ID stored in your browser’s local storage — this is not linked to your real identity.
• Your IP address and browser user-agent string are recorded alongside conversations for rate-limiting and abuse prevention.
• Your messages are sent to Anthropic for processing via their API. Anthropic’s data handling is governed by their own privacy policy. Messages sent through their API are not used by Anthropic to train their models.

Please do not include personal, financial, or sensitive information in your messages to Harlan’s Desk. It is a fictional character, not a confidential service.

Analytics

This site uses Vercel Analytics to collect anonymous, aggregated page-view data. This does not use cookies, does not track you across sites, and does not collect personal information.

Server Logs

Like most websites, the hosting provider (Vercel) may automatically collect standard server log data such as your IP address, browser type, and pages visited. This data is used for security and operational purposes.

Cookies and Local Storage

This site does not use tracking cookies. The only browser storage used is a single local storage entry containing a randomly generated ID for the Harlan’s Desk feature. This ID is not linked to your identity and is used solely to associate your chat conversations across visits. You can clear it at any time through your browser’s settings.

Third-Party Services

This site shares data with the following services:

• MailerLite — email addresses for newsletter delivery
• Anthropic — conversation messages for AI responses in Harlan’s Desk
• MongoDB Atlas — conversation storage for Harlan’s Desk
• Vercel — site hosting and anonymous analytics

Each service is governed by its own privacy policy. I do not share your data with anyone else.

Data Retention

Newsletter subscriber data is retained until you unsubscribe. Harlan’s Desk conversations are retained indefinitely for quality-improvement purposes but may be periodically purged. If you would like your conversation data deleted, contact me at the address below.

Children’s Privacy

This site is not directed at children under 13. I do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided information through this site, please contact me and I will delete it.

Your Rights

You may request access to, correction of, or deletion of any personal data I hold about you. To make a request, email me at hello@jonathancookauthor.com.

Changes to This Policy

I may update this policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated date. Continued use of the site after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

Contact

If you have questions about this privacy policy or your data, email me at hello@jonathancookauthor.com.