A FEW THINGS YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING.

The Ministry has received a number of perfectly reasonable questions.

We've gathered the answers here, partly for your convenience and partly because our Filing Department insisted.

WHAT EXACTLY IS THE MINISTRY OF LOST VOICES?

The Ministry of Lost Voices is an independent, story-driven mail club dedicated to remarkable women from history.

Every month, we recover the story of one extraordinary woman and bring it to life through a beautifully crafted Case File delivered to your letterbox.

Think historical discovery, personal storytelling, beautiful paper, a little mystery and the rather wonderful feeling of receiving something worth opening.

WHAT WILL I RECEIVE?

Every monthly case file is inspired by a different historical woman.

Inside, you can expect:

• A personal letter written in her imagined voice, inspired by historical research.

• A collection of historical details, images, reproductions or creative archival pieces that bring her world to life.

• Access to our secret Listening Room, where you can enjoy an imagined conversation with the woman behind the case file.

• A little clue pointing towards the next Lost Voice.

Your first delivery also includes your introduction to the Ministry and your personal custodian card.

Every woman has a different story, so every case file will be a little different too.

ARE THESE REAL WOMEN?

Every single one.

The women featured in our Archive genuinely existed.

Some are well known, others are far less familiar but all have stories we believe are worth discovering.

We research their lives, achievements, historical circumstances and surviving works before creating each case file.

ARE THE LETTERS ACTUAL HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS?

No, and we think it's important to be clear about that.

The letters are works of historical fiction, written in the imagined voices of real women.

They are inspired by documented lives, historical events, surviving writings and careful research.

The same principle applies to the conversations in our Listening Room.

The voice is imagined but the woman is not.

We never present invented conversations as genuine historical recordings or documents.

DO I NEED TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HISTORY?

Absolutely not.

There will be no exams, no compulsory reading and no one asking you to remember dates.

The Ministry is for curious people who love stories.

You don't need to know these women before opening their case files.

That's rather the point.

WHAT IS THE SECRET LISTENING ROOM?

The Listening Room is our private audio space, reserved for custodians.

With each case file, you'll receive access to a special audio experience in which we imagine sitting down with the woman whose story you've just discovered.

What might she say about her life? Her choices? Her ambitions? The world she lived in?

These conversations are fictional interpretations based on historical research, not authentic interviews.

Think of it as the conversation history never had the chance to record.

Headphones recommended, but tea is optional.

HOW OFTEN WILL I RECEIVE A CASE FILE?

One case file is released every month.

Each one introduces a different woman and a new chapter of the Archive.

Season 1: Twelve months, twelve women, twelve stories waiting to be discovered.

WHEN WILL MY CASE FILE ARRIVE?

Our case files are prepared and dispatched in monthly editions.

Order by the 20th of the month to be included in the next dispatch, scheduled around the 1st of the following month.

For example, orders placed by 20 October are scheduled for dispatch around 1 November.

Delivery times depend on your location and the postal service.

The Ministry can organise many things. Unfortunately, the international postal system remains outside our jurisdiction.

CAN I BUY JUST ONE CASE FILE?

Of course.

You can start with a single case file and discover whether the Ministry is your kind of place.

No lifelong commitment required.

Although we hope you'll want to stay.

WHAT MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE?

You can choose how long you'd like to stay inside the Archive.

ONE CASE FILE

One historical woman with one complete case file is a lovely place to begin.

THREE CASE FILES

Three months of discoveries, delivered one at a time.

SIX CASE FILES

Six remarkable women and half a year of stories.

THE FULL ARCHIVE of season 1: TWELVE CASE FILES

An entire year inside the Ministry, with twelve different women to discover.

Each option includes the corresponding case files and Listening Room access.

WILL MY MEMBERSHIP RENEW AUTOMATICALLY?

That depends on the purchase option you select.

A one-time purchase does not automatically renew.

If you choose an automatically renewing subscription, future payments are collected according to the billing schedule shown at checkout.

Please check your selected option before completing your order.

CAN I CANCEL OR PAUSE MY MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION?

Yes.

If you have an automatically renewing monthly subscription, you can manage it through your customer account.

You can cancel, pause or resume your subscription, and skip an upcoming renewal where that option is available.

Changes to future renewals do not refund case files already purchased or processed. Sales are final. 

Prepaid memberships follow the terms displayed when you purchase them.

CAN I GIVE A MEMBERSHIP AS A GIFT?

Absolutely.

In fact, we think a beautifully mysterious envelope arriving through the post makes a rather excellent present.

You can purchase a case file or a prepaid membership for someone else using their delivery address.

Please make sure the recipient's postal details are correct.

A small warning: they may develop an unexpected interest in historical women.

DO YOU SHIP INTERNATIONALLY?

The Ministry is based in Belgium, but our curiosity has never been particularly interested in borders.

International delivery is available to the destinations offered at checkout.

Shipping charges and estimated delivery times depend on the destination.

WHAT LANGUAGE ARE THE CASE FILES WRITTEN IN?

The Ministry creates stories in English and Dutch.

Please check the language indicated for the product or edition you are purchasing.

Our audio experiences are also produced in English and Dutch.

CAN I CHOOSE WHICH WOMAN I RECEIVE?

Part of the pleasure of the Ministry is the surprise.

Each month, the Archive opens a new case file, and all custodians in that edition discover the same woman.

We do leave clues, however.

And you're very welcome to investigate.

CAN I BUY PREVIOUS CASE FILES?

Our case files are created in limited monthly editions.

Previous editions may occasionally return to the Archive, depending on availability, but we cannot guarantee that every past case file will remain for sale at reduced prices.

Some files, once closed, are rather difficult to retrieve.

WHAT IF MY LETTER DOESN'T ARRIVE?

First, allow a little extra time for postal delivery, particularly for international orders.

If your case file still hasn't arrived after a reasonable delivery period, contact us with your order details.

We'll investigate and help you find a solution.

The Department of Missing Correspondence takes these matters very seriously.

IS THE MINISTRY SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN?

Our case files are primarily written for adults and older teenagers who enjoy history, storytelling and discovery.

Some women's lives involve difficult historical subjects, including war, persecution, violence or injustice.

We approach these topics thoughtfully and with respect.

IS THIS REALLY MADE BY A PERSON?

Yes. Hello. It's me.

I'm Valerie, the person behind the Ministry.

I research the women, write the stories and develop the creative world that surrounds each case file.

The Ministry is a small, independent creative project, not a faceless subscription factory.

Every case file is made with care, curiosity and a slightly unreasonable amount of enthusiasm.

CAN I SUGGEST A WOMAN FOR THE ARCHIVE?

Please do.

If you know a remarkable woman whose story deserves more attention, we'd love to hear about her.

Famous, forgotten, misunderstood, overlooked or simply extraordinary.

Send your suggestion through our contact page.

The Ministry is always accepting leads.

STILL HAVE A QUESTION?

Something we haven't covered?

A mystery that requires further investigation?

Or perhaps you simply want to say hello?

Our correspondence department would be delighted to hear from you.

valerie@valeriethys.com

The Ministry of Lost Voices

Recovering the voices history almost forgot.

Ex silentio, vox.