TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Your use of this Website constitutes your full acceptance of these Terms and any future amendments. These Terms apply to all visitors, users, customers, and contributors, regardless of whether you are browsing, purchasing, commenting, or engaging in any other activity on the site.

By using this Website, you represent and warrant that:

• You are at least 13 years of age;
• If you are under 18, you have the consent of a parent or legal guardian;
• You have the legal capacity to enter into a binding agreement;
• You will comply with all applicable laws and regulations in your use of the Website.

All content on this Website, including but not limited to text, images, graphics, photographs, audio clips, video clips, logos, trademarks, book excerpts, historical documents, blog posts, downloadable materials, and design elements, is the exclusive property of Liz Carson Keith, her publishers, or authorized third parties, and is protected under U.S. and international copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

Specifically:

• The Virginia Governess (the novel), its title, characters, plot, and associated content are copyrighted works owned by Liz Carson Keith.
• All blog posts, articles, historical commentary, and educational materials published on the Website are original works protected by copyright.
• The use of real historical letters, family documents, and archival material is done under the author’s rights of preservation, interpretation, and fair use for educational and literary purposes.

You are expressly prohibited from:

• Reproducing, distributing, modifying, or creating derivative works from any content without prior written permission;
• Using any content for commercial purposes, including but not limited to resale, public performance, or incorporation into other products;
• Downloading, copying, or scraping content via automated tools (e.g., bots, crawlers) without authorization;
• Removing or altering any copyright, trademark, or proprietary notices.

Any unauthorized use may result in civil or criminal liability.

Subject to your compliance with these Terms, Liz Carson Keith grants you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to:

• View, download (for personal, non-commercial use only), and print one copy of content for personal, educational, or research purposes;
• Share links to blog posts or public pages, provided proper attribution is given to The Virginia Governess and the Website;
• Use content in academic or literary discussions, book clubs, or classroom settings, so long as no profit is derived and full credit is provided.

This license does not permit:

• Mass distribution, republication, or syndication of content;
• Use in any manner that suggests endorsement by the author or the Website;
• Use of content in political, religious, or controversial campaigns without express permission.

You agree to use the Website lawfully and responsibly. Prohibited activities include, but are not limited to:

• Uploading or transmitting any content that is defamatory, obscene, threatening, discriminatory, or otherwise objectionable;
• Impersonating any person, including the author, employees, or other users;
• Engaging in any form of harassment, trolling, or hate speech;
• Attempting to gain unauthorized access to the Website’s servers, databases, or user accounts;
• Using the Website to collect personal information about others (e.g., “phishing” or data harvesting);
• Disrupting the Website’s operation through viruses, malware, denial-of-service attacks, or spam.

The Website may include comment sections, forums, or community features. All user-generated content is subject to moderation. The author and website administrators reserve the right to remove, edit, or reject any submission that violates these Terms or community standards.

This Website and the novel The Virginia Governess contain historical content reflective of the American Civil War era (1860s), including:

• Period-accurate language, including racial slurs (e.g., the use of the n-word);
• Depictions of slavery, social hierarchy, and cultural attitudes of the 19th-century American South.

These elements are presented not to endorse or promote offensive ideologies, but to:

• Accurately portray the historical context in which the story is set;
• Reflect the real letters and voices of the time, as preserved by the author’s ancestors;
• Facilitate honest discussion about America’s complex past.

We recognize that such language and themes may be disturbing or triggering. The author has addressed this directly in the Author’s Note included in the novel and on the Website. We encourage respectful, informed dialogue about history, race, and memory.

By using this Website, you acknowledge that the inclusion of historical language and themes is for educational, literary, and historical accuracy purposes, and not an expression of the author’s or website’s views.

The Website may contain links to third-party websites, such as:

• Online retailers (e.g., Amazon, Barnes & Noble);
• Historical societies (e.g., United Daughters of the Confederacy);
• Genealogy resources;
• Educational institutions or archives.

These links are provided for convenience and informational purposes only. Liz Carson Keith and the Website operators:

• Do not control or endorse the content, policies, or practices of third-party sites;
• Are not responsible for the accuracy, legality, or safety of external content;
• Assume no liability for any damages or losses arising from your use of linked sites.

You access third-party websites at your own risk.

The Website may offer:

• Direct sales of signed copies of The Virginia Governess;
• Merchandise (e.g., bookmarks, tote bags, historical recipe kits);
• Digital downloads (e.g., study guides, teaching resources).

By making a purchase, you agree to:

• Provide accurate and complete billing and shipping information;
• Pay all listed prices plus applicable taxes and shipping fees;
• Accept that digital products are non-refundable once downloaded;
• Understand that physical items will be shipped within a reasonable timeframe (typically 5–10 business days);

All sales are final unless otherwise stated. Returns and exchanges are only accepted for damaged or incorrect items, and must be reported within 14 days of delivery.

Your privacy is important. Please review our separate Privacy Policy, which explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information (e.g., name, email, purchase history).

In summary:

• We do not sell or rent your data to third parties;
• We use cookies to improve site functionality and user experience;
• You may opt out of marketing emails at any time;
• We comply with applicable data protection laws, including the CCPA and GDPR, where applicable.

THE WEBSITE AND ALL CONTENT ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

• Accuracy, completeness, or reliability of information;
• Fitness for a particular purpose;
• Non-INFRINGEMENT;
• Freedom from viruses or technical errors.

While every effort is made to ensure historical accuracy, the Website includes fictionalized interpretations of real events and letters. It is not intended as a substitute for professional historical, medical, or legal advice.

Liz Carson Keith makes no representation that the Website will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free.

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, LIZ CARSON KEITH, HER AFFILIATES, AND WEBSITE PROVIDERS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING FROM:

• YOUR USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE WEBSITE;
• ANY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN CONTENT;
• UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR ALTERATION OF YOUR DATA;
• ANY THIRD-PARTY CONTENT OR LINKS;
• ANY CONDUCT OR CONTENT OF OTHER USERS.

IN NO EVENT SHALL LIABILITY EXCEED THE AMOUNT YOU PAID FOR ANY PRODUCT OR SERVICE IN THE PREVIOUS SIX MONTHS. IF YOU HAVE NOT PAID FOR ANYTHING, LIABILITY IS LIMITED TO $100.

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Liz Carson Keith, the Website, and its officers, agents, and affiliates from any claims, damages, liabilities, costs, or expenses (including attorneys’ fees) arising from:

• Your use of the Website;
• Your violation of these Terms;
• Your posting or transmission of user-generated content;
• Your breach of any third-party rights.

Liz Carson Keith reserves the right to modify these Terms at any time. Changes will be posted on this page with a revised “Last Updated” date. Your continued use of the Website after such changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms. We encourage you to review these Terms periodically.

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your access to the Website at any time, without notice, for conduct that we believe violates these Terms or is harmful to other users, the Website, or the author.

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Georgia, United States, without regard to its conflict of law principles.

Any dispute arising from or relating to the Website or these Terms shall be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Fulton County, Georgia. You consent to the personal jurisdiction of these courts.

For minor disputes, we encourage informal resolution via email at contact@thevirginiagoverness.com .

For questions about these Terms, requests for permission to use content, or concerns about the Website, please contact:

Liz Carson Keith
c/o The Virginia Governess
Email: contact@thevirginiagoverness.com
Mailing Address: [Insert P.O. Box or Address]
Website: www.thevirginiagoverness.com

These Terms, along with the Privacy Policy and any other policies linked herein, constitute the entire agreement between you and Liz Carson Keith regarding your use of the Website, superseding any prior agreements.

By using this Website, you affirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms and Conditions in their entirety. Thank you for visiting The Virginia Governess, a story of love, war, faith, and legacy, rooted in the real voices of the past.

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unlawful, void, or unenforceable, that provision shall be deemed severed, and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.