Privacy Policy

Last updated: September 21, 2026

Dear Stormy (“we,” “us,” or “Stormy”) is operated by Dear Stormy LLC, a company based in the United States, and lives at dearstormy.com. This policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, and what we do with it. The short version: we collect as little as we can, we never sell it, and letters to Stormy are published anonymously. Always.

Letters to Stormy

When you send a letter through the Contact page, we receive the text of your letter, the pen name you choose (if any), and your email address only if you choose to give it. Your email is used solely to let you know when your letter runs or to answer a question about it. It is never published, never added to a mailing list without your consent, and never shared with anyone.

Before a letter is published, we remove or change names, places, and other details that could identify you. You can ask us to take a published letter down at any time by emailing Stormy@DearStormy.com.

Information we collect

• Information you give us: letters, pen names, optional email addresses, and anything you send us directly by email.
• Shop orders: if you buy something, we collect your name, shipping and billing address, email, phone number, and order details so we can fulfill the order. Payments are processed by our payment provider; we never see or store your full card number.
• Newsletter: if you subscribe to the Dear Stormy newsletter, we collect your email address so we can send it to you. Every email includes an unsubscribe link.
• Automatic information: like most websites, our servers and analytics tools collect basic technical data such as browser type, device, pages visited, and approximate location based on IP address.

Cookies

We use cookies and similar technologies to keep the shop cart working, remember your preferences, and understand how people use the site. You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings; some parts of the shop may not work without them.

How we use information

• To publish anonymized letters and Stormy’s replies.
• To fulfill and ship orders and provide customer support.
• To send the newsletter and other updates you have asked for.
• To keep the site secure and improve how it works.
• To comply with legal obligations.

Who we share information with

We do not sell your personal information. We share it only with service providers who help us run the site, and only as needed for them to do their job. These currently include our web host, payment processors, our print-on-demand fulfillment partner (Printful) for shop orders, our newsletter platform (Substack), and analytics providers. Each of them is bound by its own privacy policy.

Some articles and pages contain affiliate links. If you buy through one, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate partners may set their own cookies; we do not share your personal information with them.

Your choices and rights

You can ask us to see, correct, or delete the personal information we hold about you, unsubscribe from emails at any time, and ask us to remove a published letter. Depending on where you live, you may have additional rights under laws such as the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) or the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). To exercise any of these, email Stormy@DearStormy.com. We will respond within 30 days.

Data retention and security

We keep information only as long as we need it for the purposes above or as required by law. Order records are kept for tax and accounting purposes. We use reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information, but no website can guarantee perfect security.

Children

This site is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child has sent us information, contact us and we will delete it.

Changes to this policy

If we change this policy, we will post the new version here with an updated date. Continued use of the site after a change means you accept the updated policy.

Contact

Questions about privacy? Email Stormy@DearStormy.com. Stormy doesn’t snitch, and neither do we.