Terms of Service for The Bird and the Baby

Last Updated: July 2026

Welcome to The Bird and the Baby (the “Publication”), an independent literary workspace, audio network, and community platform managed by the author (the “Publisher”) and hosted via Substack. By subscribing to our free feeds, upgrading to a paid Hatchling membership, purchasing a Sovereign Seed Patron tier, or accessing our content and comments, you agree to comply with and be bound by the following Terms of Service (”Terms”). [1, 2]

1. The Scope of Content & Purpose

The Publication is an intellectual and artistic space designed to support the development and launch of the upcoming autobiography, The Sovereign Seed. Content published here explores sensitive personal themes, including traumatic childhood experiences, addiction, recovery, and panentheism. [1]

• Creative/Personal Nature: The text, essays, audio tracks, and discussions provided are artistic and personal expressions.

• No Professional Advice: No content on this platform constitutes medical, psychiatric, or professional addiction recovery therapy. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, please contact qualified emergency medical professionals in your jurisdiction.

2. Community Conduct & Safe Space Guidelines

Because of the vulnerable themes discussed in this circle, we enforce strict decorum rules in our interactive comment sections, discussion groups, and community threads: [1]

• Core Standards: All users must practice Radical Kindness and provide Respectful Feedback regarding the art and narratives shared by others. Demeaning, mocking, cynical, or abusive language is strictly forbidden. [1, 2]

• The One-Strike Policy: To guarantee safety for members processing personal trauma or recovery, the Publisher operates on an absolute One-Strike Policy. Any instance of harassment, gaslighting, bullying, hate speech, or malicious behavior will result in the immediate and permanent termination of your subscription and revocation of your access to the community. No warnings or appeals will be issued. [1, 2]

3. Subscription Tiers & Financial Transactions

Financial transactions on this platform are initiated through Substack and securely processed via Stripe. [1, 2, 3]

• Hatchling Tier (Monthly/Yearly): Grants access to private text archives, community comment privileges, weekly discussion threads, and podcast guest application eligibility. [1, 2]

• The Sovereign Seed Patron Tier (Founding Member): Includes all Hatchling perks, along with premium incentives like a physical signed copy of The Sovereign Seed upon publication, in-print acknowledgment, behind-the-scenes writing drafts, and specific physical merchandise items.

• Pricing & Billing: Subscriptions auto-renew on their specific monthly or yearly cycles. You may cancel your subscription at any time via your Substack user account dashboard. Free preview expirations and payment processing are bound by Substack’s platform terms. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

4. Podcasts & Community Participation

The Publication hosts two audio shows: Pretty Stupid and The InBetween Place.

• Guest Applications: Active Hatchlings have the privilege to submit an application to be a featured guest on The InBetween Place.

• No Guarantee of Selection: Submitting an application does not guarantee selection, scheduling, or publication as a podcast guest. The Publisher retains total editorial control over who is selected to appear on the show. [1, 2]

• Media Release for Guests: By applying for, recording, and appearing on The InBetween Place, you explicitly grant the Publisher a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free license to record, edit, publish, distribute, and monetize your voice, likeness, story, and discussed artwork across all audio streaming platforms and marketing channels. [1, 2, 3]

5. Intellectual Property & Copyright

• Publisher Content: All essays, literary passages, book outlines, drafts, audio recordings, podcast scripts, and visual art files related to The Sovereign Seed or The Bird and the Baby are the exclusive intellectual property of the Publisher and are protected by international copyright laws. You may not copy, republish, print, or distribute our text or audio without written consent. [1, 2, 3, 4]

• User/Subscriber Content: When you comment on threads or share your artwork on our forum, you retain your copyright. However, you grant the Publication a non-exclusive license to display your comments or public artwork to other members within the active Substack ecosystem. [1, 2]

6. Limitation of Liability

The Publisher and the Publication shall not be held liable for any emotional distress, personal disagreements between subscribers in the comments, or perceived issues resulting from reading the autobiographical materials or listening to the audio podcasts. You access this heavy, raw artistic space completely at your own discretion.