Terms

These are the terms for The Small Hours. I’ve kept them short and in plain language, because you should be able to read the whole thing. By subscribing, you agree to them.

What this is

A subscription to one-to-one written correspondence. You write about whatever is on your mind, and one real person writes back. I write as Cal, which is my working name.

It isn’t available on demand. Replies are written by a person and take time. If it’s been longer than it should be, I’ll say so rather than pretend.

What this isn’t

It isn’t therapy, counselling, medical advice or a crisis service. I’m not qualified for any of those and I won’t act as though I am. It isn’t dating, romance or a route to either.

If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, please call or text 988, any time, free. If typing is easier, text TALK to 741741. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For domestic violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788. Don’t wait on a letter for any of these.

Who can subscribe

You need to be 18 or older.

Price, billing and cancelling

It’s $25 a month, billed monthly by Stripe, and it renews each month until you cancel. Your card statement will say THESMALLHOURS.

You can cancel whenever you like from your settings, and nobody will ask you why. You keep access until the end of the month you’ve paid for. If the price ever changes, I’ll tell you at least 30 days before it applies to you. Refunds are covered on the refunds page.

Your letters

What you write belongs to you. I don’t publish it, sell it or share it. How it is stored and who else touches it is on the privacy page.

Keeping it good for both of us

Please don’t send anything illegal, threatening or abusive, and don’t use the letters to harass anyone. Correspondence stays here, on this site.

Either of us can end it. You can cancel at any time. I can also end a correspondence if it stops being right for it to continue. If I do, I’ll tell you clearly and refund the part of the month you haven’t used.

The usual limits

The Small Hours is provided as it is. I’ll do my best to keep it running and to keep up, but I can’t promise it will never be down or that every reply will arrive when you hope. To the extent the law allows, my total responsibility to you is limited to what you paid in the three months before the issue came up.

These terms are governed by the laws of North Carolina. If they change in a way that matters, I’ll tell you before the change applies.

Questions

Write to hello@thesmallhours.net.