diff --git a/assets/css/main.css b/assets/css/main.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..17f1a4f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/assets/css/main.css
@@ -0,0 +1,212 @@
+:root {
+  color-scheme: light;
+
+  /* Palette from the press's own brand notes: jewel-tone base (sapphire
+     header/footer, plum nav) with earth-tone accents swapped in for the
+     original emerald/gold accent pass (forest green, terracotta), gold kept
+     as a highlight color. See plan notes for the full mapping. */
+  --bg: #fffff0;       /* Ivory */
+  --bg-raised: #f7f0e3;
+  --fg: #444444;       /* Charcoal Gray */
+  --fg-muted: #6b6560;
+  --border: #e6ded0;
+
+  --sapphire: #1c3f75;
+  --plum: #a76d95;
+  --forest: #3d6b4a;
+  --gold: #d4af37;
+  --terracotta: #c1653b;
+  --rose: #f1c6d2;
+
+  --heading: var(--sapphire);
+  --accent: var(--terracotta);
+  --accent-fg: #ffffff;
+  --cta: var(--forest);
+  --cta-fg: #ffffff;
+
+  --radius: 0.5rem;
+  --max-width: 42rem;
+
+  --font-heading: "Merriweather", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;
+  --font-body: "Lato", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
+  --font-accent: "Dancing Script", cursive;
+}
+
+* { box-sizing: border-box; }
+
+body {
+  margin: 0;
+  font-family: var(--font-body);
+  line-height: 1.6;
+  background: var(--bg);
+  color: var(--fg);
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  min-height: 100vh;
+}
+
+a { color: var(--accent); }
+
+.skip-link {
+  position: absolute;
+  left: -9999px;
+  top: 0;
+  z-index: 100;
+  background: var(--cta);
+  color: var(--cta-fg);
+  padding: 0.75rem 1.25rem;
+  border-radius: 0 0 var(--radius) 0;
+}
+.skip-link:focus {
+  left: 0;
+}
+
+h1, h2, h3 {
+  font-family: var(--font-heading);
+  color: var(--heading);
+  line-height: 1.25;
+}
+
+/* Reserved for author names on individual author pages (not yet written —
+   content/authors/_index.md is still a stub). Wrap a name in
+   <span class="author-name"> once those pages exist. */
+.author-name {
+  font-family: var(--font-accent);
+  font-size: 1.3em;
+}
+
+header.site {
+  background: var(--sapphire);
+}
+header.site .inner {
+  max-width: var(--max-width);
+  margin: 0 auto;
+  padding: 1.25rem 1.5rem;
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: space-between;
+  gap: 1rem;
+  flex-wrap: wrap;
+}
+header.site .brand {
+  font-family: var(--font-heading);
+  font-weight: 700;
+  font-size: 1.1rem;
+  color: #ffffff;
+  text-decoration: none;
+}
+/* The nav gets its own Soft Plum band nested in the sapphire header, per
+   the brand notes' "Navigation Bar: Soft Plum" — distinct from the header's
+   own sapphire background rather than inheriting it. */
+header.site nav {
+  display: flex;
+  gap: 0.25rem;
+  background: var(--plum);
+  border-radius: var(--radius);
+  padding: 0.35rem;
+}
+header.site nav a {
+  color: #ffffff;
+  text-decoration: none;
+  font-size: 0.95rem;
+  font-weight: 600;
+  padding: 0.4rem 0.75rem;
+  border-radius: calc(var(--radius) - 0.2rem);
+}
+/* Forest green swap-in for the brand notes' original emerald hover. */
+header.site nav a:hover {
+  background: var(--forest);
+}
+header.site a:focus-visible {
+  outline-color: #ffffff;
+}
+
+main {
+  flex: 1;
+  max-width: var(--max-width);
+  margin: 0 auto;
+  padding: 4rem 1.5rem;
+  width: 100%;
+}
+
+footer.site {
+  background: var(--sapphire);
+  margin-top: 2rem;
+}
+footer.site .inner {
+  max-width: var(--max-width);
+  margin: 0 auto;
+  padding: 1.5rem;
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: space-between;
+  gap: 1rem;
+  flex-wrap: wrap;
+  font-size: 0.85rem;
+  color: #ffffff;
+}
+footer.site nav {
+  display: flex;
+  gap: 1.25rem;
+}
+footer.site nav a {
+  color: var(--rose);
+  text-decoration: none;
+}
+footer.site nav a:hover {
+  text-decoration: underline;
+}
+
+/* Gold sits at ~3:1 against both the forest-green button and the ivory
+   page background — enough for a border/accent, not enough for the button
+   label itself, so the label stays white (var(--cta-fg)) and gold shows up
+   as a highlight border instead. */
+.btn {
+  display: inline-block;
+  padding: 0.75rem 1.5rem;
+  border-radius: var(--radius);
+  background: var(--cta);
+  color: var(--cta-fg);
+  text-decoration: none;
+  font-weight: 600;
+  border: none;
+  border-bottom: 3px solid var(--gold);
+  font-size: 1rem;
+  cursor: pointer;
+}
+.btn:hover { opacity: 0.9; }
+
+a:focus-visible, button:focus-visible {
+  outline: 2px solid var(--cta);
+  outline-offset: 2px;
+}
+
+label {
+  display: block;
+  font-weight: 600;
+  font-size: 0.9rem;
+  margin-bottom: 0.35rem;
+}
+input, textarea {
+  width: 100%;
+  padding: 0.65rem 0.75rem;
+  border-radius: var(--radius);
+  border: 1px solid var(--border);
+  background: var(--bg-raised);
+  color: var(--fg);
+  font-family: inherit;
+  font-size: 1rem;
+  margin-bottom: 1.25rem;
+}
+input:focus, textarea:focus {
+  outline: 2px solid var(--cta);
+  outline-offset: 1px;
+}
+
+.field-honeypot {
+  position: absolute;
+  left: -9999px;
+  width: 1px;
+  height: 1px;
+  overflow: hidden;
+}
diff --git a/content/_index.md b/content/_index.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..74333c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/content/_index.md
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+---
+title: "Two Squirrels Press"
+description: "Two Squirrels Press — character-driven speculative fiction and poetry."
+---
+
+Two Squirrels Press publishes character-driven speculative fiction and poetry.
+
+More about our [books](/books/) and [authors](/authors/) is on its way.
diff --git a/content/authors/_index.md b/content/authors/_index.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6251cc4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/content/authors/_index.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+title: "Authors"
+description: "Authors published by Two Squirrels Press."
+---
+
+Coming soon.
diff --git a/content/books/_index.md b/content/books/_index.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..161f93b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/content/books/_index.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+title: "Books"
+description: "Books from Two Squirrels Press."
+---
+
+Coming soon.
diff --git a/content/contact.md b/content/contact.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fc67db0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/content/contact.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+title: "Contact"
+layout: "contact"
+description: "Get in touch with Two Squirrels Press."
+---
diff --git a/content/privacy.md b/content/privacy.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8f82d52
--- /dev/null
+++ b/content/privacy.md
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+---
+title: "Privacy Policy"
+description: "How Two Squirrels Press collects, uses, and protects your information."
+---
+
+_Last updated: July 2026_
+
+This policy explains what information Two Squirrels Press collects through
+use of twosquirrelspress.com, and what happens to it.
+
+## What Two Squirrels Press collects
+
+- Your name, email address, and message, when you submit the contact form.
+
+That's it — this site doesn't run a newsletter, doesn't sell anything
+directly, and doesn't use third-party analytics, ad trackers, or tracking
+pixels.
+
+## Why Two Squirrels Press collects it
+
+- To respond to messages sent through the contact form.
+
+## What Two Squirrels Press doesn't do
+
+- Two Squirrels Press doesn't sell or rent your information to anyone.
+- Two Squirrels Press doesn't share it with third parties except the
+  infrastructure providers necessary to run this site and deliver that
+  email — none of whom get to use it for their own purposes.
+
+## Your control over it
+
+- **Deletion**: reach out through [the contact form](/contact/) and Two
+  Squirrels Press will delete your information from these systems.
+
+## Security
+
+Your information is stored on infrastructure Two Squirrels Press controls
+directly, not handed off to third-party SaaS platforms. That doesn't make
+it invulnerable — no system is — but it does mean there's exactly one place
+your data lives, and one party accountable for it.
+
+## Changes
+
+If this policy changes in a way that matters, the date at the top of this
+page will be updated.
+
+## Questions
+
+[Get in touch](/contact/).
diff --git a/content/submissions/_index.md b/content/submissions/_index.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b3520b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/content/submissions/_index.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+title: "Submissions"
+description: "How to submit work to Two Squirrels Press."
+---
+
+Coming soon.
diff --git a/content/terms.md b/content/terms.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..95112b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/content/terms.md
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+---
+title: "Terms of Use"
+description: "Terms for using twosquirrelspress.com."
+---
+
+_Last updated: July 2026_
+
+These terms cover using twosquirrelspress.com and submitting the contact
+form.
+
+## Using this site
+
+This site is provided as-is, for informational purposes about Two Squirrels
+Press, its books, and its authors.
+
+## No warranty
+
+This site and its content are provided without warranties of any kind,
+express or implied. Two Squirrels Press makes a good-faith effort to keep
+things accurate and working, but doesn't guarantee any particular outcome
+from anything published here.
+
+## Liability
+
+To the extent the law allows, Two Squirrels Press isn't liable for damages
+arising from your use of this site or its content.
+
+## Changes
+
+These terms may be updated as the site changes. Material changes will
+update the date at the top of this page.
+
+## Questions
+
+[Get in touch](/contact/).
diff --git a/hugo.toml b/hugo.toml
index a3e0d31..2fb7af0 100644
--- a/hugo.toml
+++ b/hugo.toml
@@ -10,4 +10,36 @@ disableKinds = ["taxonomy", "term"]
 
 [params]
   env = "production"
-  author = "Will Estes"
\ No newline at end of file
+  author = "Will Estes"
+  description = "Two Squirrels Press — character-driven speculative fiction and poetry."
+  eec_base_url = "https://eec.twosquirrelspress.com"
+
+[[menu.main]]
+  name = "Books"
+  url = "/books/"
+  weight = 10
+
+[[menu.main]]
+  name = "Authors"
+  url = "/authors/"
+  weight = 20
+
+[[menu.main]]
+  name = "Submissions"
+  url = "/submissions/"
+  weight = 30
+
+[[menu.footer]]
+  name = "Contact"
+  url = "/contact/"
+  weight = 10
+
+[[menu.footer]]
+  name = "Privacy"
+  url = "/privacy/"
+  weight = 20
+
+[[menu.footer]]
+  name = "Terms"
+  url = "/terms/"
+  weight = 30
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/layouts/_default/baseof.html b/layouts/_default/baseof.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1e41432
--- /dev/null
+++ b/layouts/_default/baseof.html
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+<!DOCTYPE html>
+<html lang="{{ .Site.Language.LanguageCode | default "en" }}">
+<head>
+  <meta charset="utf-8">
+  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
+  <title>{{ if .IsHome }}{{ .Site.Title }}{{ else }}{{ .Title }} · {{ .Site.Title }}{{ end }}</title>
+  <meta name="description" content="{{ .Site.Params.description }}">
+  <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com">
+  <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com" crossorigin>
+  <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Merriweather:wght@400;700&family=Lato:wght@400;600;700&family=Dancing+Script&display=swap">
+  {{ $css := resources.Get "css/main.css" }}
+  {{ if hugo.IsProduction }}
+    {{ $css = $css | minify | fingerprint }}
+    <link rel="stylesheet" href="{{ $css.RelPermalink }}" integrity="{{ $css.Data.Integrity }}">
+  {{ else }}
+    <link rel="stylesheet" href="{{ $css.RelPermalink }}">
+  {{ end }}
+</head>
+<body>
+  <a class="skip-link" href="#main-content">Skip to content</a>
+
+  <header class="site">
+    <div class="inner">
+      <a class="brand" href="/">{{ .Site.Title }}</a>
+      <nav aria-label="Primary">
+        {{ range .Site.Menus.main }}
+        <a href="{{ .URL }}">{{ .Name }}</a>
+        {{ end }}
+      </nav>
+    </div>
+  </header>
+
+  <main id="main-content">
+    {{ block "main" . }}{{ end }}
+  </main>
+
+  <footer class="site">
+    <div class="inner">
+      <span>&copy; {{ now.Year }} {{ .Site.Title }}</span>
+      <nav aria-label="Footer">
+        {{ range .Site.Menus.footer }}
+        <a href="{{ .URL }}">{{ .Name }}</a>
+        {{ end }}
+      </nav>
+    </div>
+  </footer>
+</body>
+</html>
diff --git a/layouts/_default/contact.html b/layouts/_default/contact.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a2f7127
--- /dev/null
+++ b/layouts/_default/contact.html
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+{{ define "main" }}
+<h1>Get in touch</h1>
+<p style="opacity:0.85;">Tell us a bit about what's on your mind — we read every message ourselves.</p>
+
+<form id="contact-form" style="margin-top:2rem;">
+  <label for="name">Name</label>
+  <input type="text" id="name" name="name" required autocomplete="name">
+
+  <label for="email">Email</label>
+  <input type="email" id="email" name="email" required autocomplete="email">
+
+  <label for="message">Message</label>
+  <textarea id="message" name="message" rows="6" required></textarea>
+
+  <div class="field-honeypot" aria-hidden="true">
+    <label for="website">Leave this field empty</label>
+    <input type="text" id="website" name="website" tabindex="-1" autocomplete="off">
+  </div>
+
+  <button type="submit" class="btn">Send message</button>
+</form>
+<p id="contact-status" role="status" style="margin-top:1rem;"></p>
+
+<script>
+  (function () {
+    var form = document.getElementById("contact-form");
+    var status = document.getElementById("contact-status");
+    form.addEventListener("submit", function (e) {
+      e.preventDefault();
+      var payload = {
+        name: form.name.value,
+        email: form.email.value,
+        message: form.message.value,
+        website: form.website.value
+      };
+      var submitBtn = form.querySelector("button[type=submit]");
+      submitBtn.disabled = true;
+      status.textContent = "Sending…";
+      fetch("{{ .Site.Params.eec_base_url }}/contact", {
+        method: "POST",
+        headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+        body: JSON.stringify(payload)
+      }).then(function (res) {
+        submitBtn.disabled = false;
+        if (res.ok) {
+          form.reset();
+          status.textContent = "Thanks — we'll get back to you soon.";
+          return;
+        }
+        return res.text().then(function (msg) {
+          status.textContent = msg || "Something went wrong sending that. Try again, or email hello@twosquirrelspress.com directly.";
+        });
+      }).catch(function () {
+        submitBtn.disabled = false;
+        status.textContent = "Something went wrong sending that. Try again, or email hello@twosquirrelspress.com directly.";
+      });
+    });
+  })();
+</script>
+{{ end }}
diff --git a/layouts/_default/list.html b/layouts/_default/list.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..426e8db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/layouts/_default/list.html
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+{{ define "main" }}
+<h1>{{ .Title }}</h1>
+{{ .Content }}
+<ul>
+  {{ range .Pages }}
+  <li><a href="{{ .RelPermalink }}">{{ .Title }}</a></li>
+  {{ end }}
+</ul>
+{{ end }}
diff --git a/layouts/_default/single.html b/layouts/_default/single.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..17b274b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/layouts/_default/single.html
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{{ define "main" }}
+<h1>{{ .Title }}</h1>
+{{ .Content }}
+{{ end }}
diff --git a/layouts/index.html b/layouts/index.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..17b274b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/layouts/index.html
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{{ define "main" }}
+<h1>{{ .Title }}</h1>
+{{ .Content }}
+{{ end }}