Who we are
Our website address is: https://gillianfosterauthor.com.
Comments
When visitors leave comments on the site we collect the data shown in the comments form, and also the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help spam detection.
An anonymized string created from your email address (also called a hash) may be provided to the Gravatar service to see if you are using it. The Gravatar service privacy policy is available here: https://automattic.com/privacy/. After approval of your comment, your profile picture is visible to the public in the context of your comment.
Media
If you upload images to the website, you should avoid uploading images with embedded location data (EXIF GPS) included. Visitors to the website can download and extract any location data from images on the website.
Cookies
Suggested text: If you leave a comment on our site you may opt-in to saving your name, email address and website in cookies. These are for your convenience so that you do not have to fill in your details again when you leave another comment. These cookies will last for one year.
If you visit our login page, we will set a temporary cookie to determine if your browser accepts cookies. This cookie contains no personal data and is discarded when you close your browser.
When you log in, we will also set up several cookies to save your login information and your screen display choices. Login cookies last for two days, and screen options cookies last for a year. If you select “Remember Me”, your login will persist for two weeks. If you log out of your account, the login cookies will be removed.
If you edit or publish an article, an additional cookie will be saved in your browser. This cookie includes no personal data and simply indicates the post ID of the article you just edited. It expires after 1 day.
Embedded content from other websites
Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g. videos, images, articles, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website.
These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracking your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website.
Who we share your data with
If you request a password reset, your IP address will be included in the reset email.
How long we retain your data
If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely. This is so we can recognize and approve any follow-up comments automatically instead of holding them in a moderation queue.
For users that register on our website (if any), we also store the personal information they provide in their user profile. All users can see, edit, or delete their personal information at any time (except they cannot change their username). Website administrators can also see and edit that information.
What rights you have over your data
If you have an account on this site, or have left comments, you can request to receive an exported file of the personal data we hold about you, including any data you have provided to us. You can also request that we erase any personal data we hold about you. This does not include any data we are obliged to keep for administrative, legal, or security purposes.
Where your data is sent
Visitor comments may be checked through an automated spam detection service.
PRIVACY POLICY
Last updated: 31.07.2026
This Privacy Policy explains how personal data is collected, used, stored, and protected in connection with the official Gillian Foster author website available at https://gillianfosterauthor.com
The Website is operated as an informational author website presenting Gillian Foster’s books, fictional settings, writing, and professional activities.
Data Controller
The controller of personal data processed in connection with the Website is:
Katarzyna Dammicco acting under the author name Gillian Foster
Email: gillianfosterauthor@gmail.com
In this Privacy Policy, the expressions “Gillian Foster”, “I”, “me”, and “my” refer to the data controller identified above.
Questions concerning this Privacy Policy or the processing of personal data may be sent to the email address provided above.
Scope of This Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy applies to personal data processed when you:
● visit or browse the Website;
● contact Gillian Foster directly by email;
● send a professional, media, rights, representation, literary-event, book-club, or reader enquiry;
● click a link leading to an external website or social media platform;
● contact the data controller regarding your data-protection rights.
The Website does not provide user accounts, public comments, online purchases, payment services, or newsletter subscriptions.
The Website does not use a contact form. Any communication is initiated voluntarily by the visitor through their own email service.
Personal Data That May Be Processed
Technical and server data
This information may include:
● your IP address;
● the date and time of the visit;
● the address of the page or resource requested;
● browser type and version;
● device type;
● operating system;
● referring website or page;
● server response status;
● information concerning technical errors, attempted misuse, or security incidents.
This information is normally contained in server logs and is necessary for the secure and reliable operation of the Website.
The data controller does not use server-log information to create individual visitor profiles or to identify visitors who merely browse the Website.
Email correspondence
● your email address;
● your name or professional title, if provided;
● the name of your organisation, agency, media outlet, publisher, book club, or other entity, if provided;
● the content of your message;
● information contained in your email signature;
● any attachments or links that you choose to provide;
● the date, time, and technical metadata associated with the correspondence;
● information necessary to respond to or manage your enquiry.
Providing personal data by email is voluntary. However, without an email address or sufficient information concerning your enquiry, it may not be possible to respond.
Please do not send sensitive personal data, identity documents, financial information, medical information, or other confidential information unless it is strictly necessary and has been specifically requested.
Purposes and Legal Bases for Processing
Personal data may be processed for the following purposes.
Operating and securing the Website
● display the Website correctly;
● maintain the Website and its technical infrastructure;
● detect errors and technical problems;
● prevent spam, attacks, misuse, unauthorised access, or other security threats;
● investigate security incidents;
● create essential technical statistics;
● protect the rights, property, and security of the data controller, visitors, and service providers.
The legal basis is the legitimate interest of the data controller in maintaining a secure, stable, and functional author website, pursuant to Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation.
Responding to correspondence
● read and respond to your message;
● manage professional or reader enquiries;
● discuss interviews, media appearances, podcasts, articles, literary events, or collaborations;
● manage book-club enquiries or invitations;
● discuss publishing, representation, translation, film, television, or other rights;
● maintain necessary records of correspondence.
Depending on the nature of the enquiry, the legal basis is:
● Article 6(1)(f) GDPR — the legitimate interest in communicating with readers, media representatives, publishing professionals, literary organisations, and other persons interested in Gillian Foster’s work; or
● Article 6(1)(b) GDPR — taking steps at your request before entering into an agreement or performing an agreement.
Legal obligations and claims
● comply with a legal obligation;
● respond to a lawful request from a court, authority, or other authorised body;
● establish, exercise, or defend legal claims;
● document compliance with data-protection obligations.
The applicable legal basis is:
● Article 6(1)(c) GDPR — compliance with a legal obligation; or
● Article 6(1)(f) GDPR — the legitimate interest in establishing, exercising, or defending legal claims.
Cookies and Similar Technologies
The Website is intended to use only cookies or similar technologies that are strictly necessary for:
● displaying the Website;
● maintaining security;
● managing basic technical functions;
● ensuring correct communication between the visitor’s browser and the server;
● remembering privacy or security settings, where applicable.
Strictly necessary technologies do not require consent where they are essential to provide a service expressly requested by the visitor or to carry out the transmission of electronic communications.
The Website does not currently use:
● advertising cookies;
● behavioural-marketing cookies;
● tracking pixels;
● profiling technologies;
● cross-site advertising technologies;
● Google Analytics;
● Meta Pixel;
● cookies used to personalise advertising.
Because the Website does not use optional analytics, advertising, or marketing technologies, it may not display a consent banner offering acceptance of such technologies.
You may nevertheless control or delete cookies through your browser settings. Disabling technically necessary cookies may affect the proper operation or security of certain parts of the Website.
If optional analytics, advertising, embedded-media, or marketing technologies are introduced in the future, they will not be activated before the visitor has received appropriate information and, where required, given valid consent. This Privacy Policy and the Website’s cookie settings will then be updated.
Hosting Provider
The Website is hosted using services provided by:
IT Perspective sp. z o.o., operating under the Getspace bran
The hosting provider is authorised to process personal data only to the extent necessary to provide its services, comply with applicable law, protect its infrastructure, and follow the data controller’s documented instructions where it acts as a processor.
Email Service Provider
Email correspondence sent to gillianfosterauthor@gmail.com is processed using services provided by Google.
Google may process information contained in emails, email metadata, attachments, and account-security data in accordance with the terms and privacy rules applicable to its services.
Depending on Google’s technical infrastructure and the circumstances of processing, personal data may be processed in countries outside the European Economic Area.
Where personal data is transferred outside the European Economic Area, such transfers should be based on a lawful transfer mechanism recognised under the GDPR, such as:
● an adequacy decision adopted by the European Commission;
● standard contractual clauses approved by the European Commission;
● another legally recognised transfer safeguard.
Visitors should avoid sending unnecessary or highly sensitive information by ordinary email.
Other Recipients of Personal Data
Personal data may be disclosed to the following categories of recipients where necessary:
● hosting, server, and technical-support providers;
● email and electronic-communications providers;
● website administrators or developers acting under appropriate authorisation;
● IT-security or backup-service providers;
● legal, tax, accounting, or professional advisers where their assistance is necessary;
● courts, public authorities, regulators, law-enforcement bodies, or other authorised entities where disclosure is required by law;
● professional representatives, publishers, agents, producers, event organisers, or other parties where this is necessary to respond to an enquiry and has been requested or reasonably expected by the person making the enquiry.
Personal data is not sold to third parties.
Personal data is not shared with third parties for their own unsolicited advertising purposes.
International Data Transfers
The hosting provider is expected to process Website data primarily within Poland or the European Economic Area.
Some service providers, particularly providers of email, security, or technical infrastructure, may process data outside the European Economic Area.
Where such a transfer occurs, reasonable steps will be taken to ensure that the transfer is lawful and that an appropriate level of protection is provided, including through adequacy decisions, standard contractual clauses, or other safeguards permitted under applicable data-protection law.
Where such a transfer occurs, reasonable steps will be taken to ensure that the transfer is lawful and that an appropriate level of protection is provided, including through adequacy decisions, standard contractual clauses, or other safeguards permitted under applicable data-protection law.
Information about the safeguards applicable to a particular transfer may be requested by contacting:
gillianfosterauthor@gmail.com
Data-Retention Periods
Personal data is retained only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected. In particular:
Server logs
Logs may be retained for a longer period where they are connected with a security incident, attempted attack, legal claim, or investigation.
General correspondence
Correspondence that no longer serves a practical, evidentiary, professional, or legal purpose will be deleted or anonymised.
Professional and contractual correspondence
● for the duration of the discussions or professional relationship;
● for the duration of any resulting agreement;
● for the applicable limitation period for legal claims;
● for any longer period required by law.
Data-protection requests
Legal claims and obligations
Your Data-Protection Rights
Subject to the conditions and limitations established by applicable law, you may have the right to:
● obtain confirmation as to whether your personal data is being processed;
● request access to your personal data and receive a copy of it;
● request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data;
● request erasure of personal data;
● request restriction of processing;
● object to processing based on legitimate interests for reasons relating to your particular situation;
● receive personal data you have provided in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format where the right to data portability applies;
● request that data be transferred to another controller where technically feasible and legally applicable;
● lodge a complaint with a competent data-protection supervisory authority.
The right to erasure is not absolute. Certain data may continue to be retained where this is necessary to comply with a legal obligation or to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.
The right to data portability applies only in circumstances specified by the GDPR, particularly where processing is based on consent or a contract and is carried out by automated means.
The right to data portability applies only in circumstances specified by the GDPR, particularly where processing is based on consent or a contract and is carried out by automated means.
Requests relating to personal data may be sent to:
gillianfosterauthor@gmail.com Additional information may be requested where reasonably necessary to confirm the identity of the person making the request and to prevent unauthorised disclosure of personal data.
Right to Object
Where personal data is processed on the basis of a legitimate interest under Article 6(1)(f) GDPR, you have the right to object to that processing for reasons relating to your particular situation.
Following a valid objection, the relevant data will no longer be processed unless there are compelling legitimate grounds for continuing the processing that override your interests, rights, and freedoms, or the processing is necessary for the establishment, exercise, or defence of legal claims.
Right to Lodge a Complaint
If you believe that your personal data has been processed unlawfully, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority responsible for data protection.
In Poland, the competent supervisory authority is: You may also contact the supervisory authority in the European Union Member State of your habitual residence, place of work, or place of the alleged infringement.
President of the Personal Data Protection Office
Prezes Urzędu Ochrony Danych Osobowych
Automated Decision-Making and Profiling
Personal data processed through the Website is not used for automated decision-making that produces legal effects or similarly significant effects.
The Website does not profile visitors for advertising or behavioural-marketing purposes.
Social Media and External Links
The Website may contain ordinary links to Gillian Foster’s profiles on platforms such as Instagram or Facebook, as well as links to other external websites
Unless expressly stated otherwise, these are standard links rather than embedded social media feeds, tracking widgets, or plug-ins. When you click an external link, you leave the Website. The operator of the external website or social media platform may then process your personal data independently in accordance with its own privacy policy, cookie policy, and terms of service. The data controller does not control and is not responsible for the privacy practices, security, or content of external websites. You should review the privacy information provided by the relevant external service before using it.
Embedded Content
The Website is intended not to load embedded content from third-party services such as: If third-party content is added in the future, it should either: This Privacy Policy will be updated if embedded content is introduced.
● YouTube;
● Vimeo;
● Spotify;
● Google Maps;
● Instagram;
● Facebook;
● X;
● TikTok.
● be loaded only after the visitor gives any legally required consent; or
● be displayed as an ordinary link or privacy-protected placeholder that does not connect to the external provider until the visitor chooses to activate it.
Children’s Privacy
The Website is a general informational author website and is not designed to collect personal data from children.
Children should not send personal data by email without the knowledge and assistance of a parent or legal guardian. If the data controller becomes aware that personal data concerning a child has been submitted unnecessarily, reasonable steps will be taken to delete it, unless continued retention is required by law.
Data Security
Reasonable technical and organisational measures are used to protect personal data against: These measures may include encrypted connections, access controls, secure passwords, software updates, backups, server-security measures, and limiting access to persons who require it for authorised purposes. However, no method of internet transmission or electronic storage can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Visitors should therefore exercise care when sending information by email.
● unauthorised access;
● accidental loss;
● unlawful disclosure;
● alteration;
● destruction;
● misuse.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy may be updated where: The current version will always be published on this page together with its effective or last-updated date. Material changes affecting the way personal data is processed will be communicated in an appropriate manner.
● the Website’s functions change;
● new service providers are introduced;
● the purposes or methods of processing change;
● analytics, newsletter, sales, comments, embedded media, or other features are added;
● applicable law or regulatory guidance changes.
Contact
Questions, requests, or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or the processing of personal data may be sent to:
Gillian Foster
Data controller: Katarzyna Dammicco
Email: gillianfosterauthor@gmail.com
Please include “Privacy Request” in the subject line where your message concerns the exercise of data-protection rights.