Shadows & Starlight

Dear Night Owls,

After a long silence beneath the stars, we’re back—with stories to tell, shadows to chase, and starlight to share.

In this brand-new episode of the Shadows & Starlight podcast, Lila and Elyra return to the mic to explore:

✨ The emotional weight of time – and what it means to live, lose, and begin again.🎧 The release of the Lila & The Dark Audiobook, narrated by the incredible Grace Noble.🌆 A first glimpse into City & Shadows – a sequel set 100 years later in New Orleans, where chaos and desire step onto the stage.📚 Fantastic FREE Fantasy book recs from this month's promo—perfect for stargazers and dreamers.🎉 And a heartfelt congratulations to Sharon Barnes, Top 10 Finalist in the 2025 Indie Book Awards for Shanghai Sunset!

“Stories don’t always end. Some just wait... in the quiet between chapters.”

🕯️ Whether you've been walking in the dark or waiting for a light—this episode is for you.

🎙️ Listen now on Substack, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite podcast app:

📖 Check out the Lila & The Dark audiobook, now available on Audible, Apple Books, Google Play, Kobo, and more.🔗 https://storyoriginapp.com/universalaudiobooklinks/fed4bfee-4b7c-11f0-b681-3bd3c15c3fad

As always—Keep your books close, your lanterns alight, and never stop dreaming… in Shadows & Starlight.

🖤—Chris (and the girls in the dark)

— A Tribute Episode of Shadows & Starlight —

In this special tribute episode, we step into realms of inspiration and strength through the lens of Shadows & Starlight. Join Lila & Elyra as they explore the cozy wonder of Quincy’s Tavern and the mythic empowerment of Tank Tolman—two creators whose work has brought comfort, motivation, and light into countless lives… including my own.

While I haven’t been able to reach them for official permission, this episode is made with heartfelt respect, gratitude, and admiration for everything they’ve built.

🎧 In This Episode:

* ✨ Step into the world of Quincy’s Tavern, where storytelling and comfort food fuel the weary soul. This magical space is brought to life not only by Quincy’s warmth and imagination, but also with the creative touch of his partner, McKenzie Catron

* ⚔️ Explore Tank Tolman’s realm, where myth meets motivation and strength is forged through community. Tank also shares his strength through a fitness app and community program inspired by Norse mythology.

* 💬 Hear my personal reflections on how their content helped shape this podcast—and helped me through dark days.

🔗 Want to See the Real Magic?

This tribute only scratches the surface. Go experience their amazing work first-hand:

🧙‍♂️ Quincy’s Tavern

📺 YouTube Channel🌐 Official Site📎 More links

🛡️ Tank Tolman

📺 YouTube Channel📎 More links

⚠️ Important Note:

This is a tribute episode only. No original video or audio content from Quincy or Tank is included. Only two publicly available images were used in the podcast artwork, and all rights remain entirely theirs.We are not affiliated with or endorsed by either creator. This is a fan-made expression of appreciation.

💭 Final Thoughts

There’s only one Quincy. Only one Tank.Together, they’ve created spaces where people feel seen, empowered, and healed—one story at a time.

I hope this episode encourages more people to find their work and experience the same spark of magic I did.

🕯️ So keep your taverns warm, your hammers steady,And never stop dreaming…In Shadows & Starlight.

📚✨ Join Us for the Author Extravaganza!🗓️ Saturday, April 26th | 📍 Stewart County Public Library🕚 Author Talks: 11 AM – 12 PM🤝 Meet & Greet + Book Sales: 12 PM – 1 PM

Love books? Love stories that stay with you? Then come spend a story-filled Friday with five incredible authors — from high-stakes MMA fiction to supernatural mysteries, mythic fantasy, historical drama, and stories that explore the beauty hidden in the dark.

📖 Featuring:• Sharon Barnes – Shanghai Sunset• George Muuldin – The Old Man and Charlie Hunter• Julie Lomax – The Costly Wish• S.L. Weiss – Cursed & Atlantis• Chris Ross – Lila & The Dark

📚 Books will be available for purchase.👥 Bring a friend, meet the authors, and discover your next favorite story.

✨ Come for the stories. Stay for the connection.We’d love to see you there!

Welcome back, wanderers—

This week’s episode dives into forgotten names, quiet revelations, and the shadows we bury the deepest. From a haunting Lore Drop to three unforgettable book spotlights, The Voice in the Dark is a reminder that silence doesn’t always mean stillness… sometimes, it’s just the breath before the story begins.

🎙️ What to Expect in This Episode:

* A Lore Drop from Elyra: "The One Who Forgot" — a poetic reflection on memory, myth, and the pieces of ourselves we hide

* Three powerful reads that echo the theme of lost voices and rising courage

* Banter, musings, and an honest behind-the-scenes moment about why this episode almost didn’t happen

📚 Featured Books:

🦁 The Great Awakening by Jim Dougherty

A fantasy epic where two sisters must journey across a fractured kingdom to uncover the fate of their parents—and their own place in a world at war.🔗 JimDoughertyCreative.com

📖 Pandora Unleashed by A. A. Warne

In this mythology retelling, Pandora falls from Olympus not once, but three times—each fall reclaiming a piece of her stolen power.🔗 aawarne.com📚 Universal Book Link

🌊 Whispers of the Selkie by Lisa A. Moore

A moody, mystical tale about family secrets, selkie lore, and the voice of the sea that refuses to let you forget who you are.📖 First chapter available in the show notes🔗 Available on Amazon

💭 Behind the Shadows

This episode came from a raw, unpolished place—and that’s what makes it special. It wasn’t meant to be shared at first. But sometimes the most vulnerable stories are the ones we need to hear the most.

📆 Coming Soon

🎧 Episode 9: Enchanted Realms and Heroic DreamsA tribute to two legendary TikTok creators whose motivational shorts remind us that modern heroes don’t always wear cloaks—they just speak with conviction.

🎙️ Bonus Episode:Exclusive news from behind the scenes of City & Shadows—updates, sneak peeks, and what’s next in the world of Lila & Elyra.

🌌 Let’s Wander Together

✨ Share this episode with a fellow dreamer🕯️ Comment, reply, or send us your thoughts—we read every word📚 Explore more at crbooks.ink or follow us right here on Substack

🎧 Production Credits

* Voices of Lila & Elyra professionally rendered with ElevenLabs.io

* Intro & Outro music: “Shadows & Starlight” — created and produced by pREC.ice

🖤 Final Sign-Off

So keep your books close, your lanterns alight,And never stop dreaming… in Shadows & Starlight.

In this haunting bonus episode of Shadows & Starlight, we present “When the Silence Breaks”—an original spoken word poem that explores the fragile quiet left behind when truth is buried, voices are silenced, and complacency takes root.

Set in the spirit of quiet resistance and poetic justice, this piece follows the echoes of forgotten names, hidden flames, and a silence that can no longer hold.

Featuring voices from Lila and Elyra, ambient sound design, and our signature dark lyrical tone, this episode is a meditation on shame, memory, and awakening.

✨ Featured in this Episode:

* Original Poem: When the Silence Breaks

* Voices: Lila & Elyra (created using ElevenLabs AI)

* Music & Sound Design: pREC.ice

* Produced by: Chris Ross

🎙️ Curious about ElevenLabs?

If you’d like to experiment with AI-generated voices for your own creative work, you can try ElevenLabs using our affiliate link here.

🕯️ As a Thank You...

We’re thrilled to invite you to explore the🎁 Shadows & Starlight YA Fantasy Giveaway

Discover new voices, magical worlds, and upcoming releases from talented indie authors—all in one curated collection.

Here are just a few of the titles you’ll find in the giveaway:

You can browse the full collection and claim free previews or exclusive content now.🔗 Check out the giveaway here

📚 Stay Connected

For behind-the-scenes content, book recommendations, and upcoming episode teasers, visit our website or subscribe to the Shadows & Starlight newsletter.

📬 crbooks.ink | Follow on BlueSky: @crbooks.bsky.social

Thanks for reading Shadows & Starlight Podcast! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Next full episode drops soon. Until then…Keep your books close.Your lanterns alight.And never stop dreaming…of Shadows & Starlight.

In this episode of the Shadow & Starlight Podcast, Lila and Elyra dive into The Forest Exiles Saga by Mark J. Engels, a thrilling urban fantasy series packed with shapeshifters, espionage, and high-stakes action. They break down each book in the series, exploring the dangerous world of modern-day werecats and the forces that seek to control them. If you love Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series or Brad Magnarella’s Blue Wolf books, this is an episode you don’t want to miss!

📚 Featured Books in This Episode:

* Werecats Emergent – A teenager’s life is forever changed when she unexpectedly transforms into a lynx, unleashing a deadly bloodlust that puts her family at risk.

* Werecats Convergent – On the run after a disastrous mission, Pawly must decide whether to reveal her true nature to save the one she loves or risk losing him forever.

* Werecats Resurgent – The epic conclusion! A high-stakes heist, a deadly trap, and a final showdown that will determine the fate of the werecats forever.

📖 Where to Find The Forest Exiles Saga:Search for The Forest Exiles Saga or the individual book titles on Amazon, or use the direct links below:🔗 The Forest Exiles Saga (3 book series)

🌐 Learn More About the Author:Visit Mark J. Engels' official website: mark-engels.com

🎵 New Theme Song!We’ve updated our podcast with a brand-new theme song that truly captures the magic and mystery of Shadow & Starlight! Let us know what you think!

📢 Exciting News!Our podcast is now available on Apple Podcasts! 🎉 Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review so we can continue bringing you the best in fantasy and urban fantasy books.

💬 Join the Conversation!What books are you reading right now? Have a favorite shapeshifter series? We’d love to hear from you! Drop us a message or comment—we might feature your recommendations in a future episode.

🌟 Want to be featured on a future episode?We love spotlighting indie and dark fantasy authors! If you’re interested in having your book featured on the Shadow & Starlight Podcast, reach out to us at [email protected], visit CRBooks.ink, or join the conversation directly through our podcast community chat.

✨ Subscribe & Stay Connected:🔗 Listen on Substack: Shadows & Starlight Podcast🍎 Find us on Apple Podcasts: Shadows & Starlight🌙 Follow us on our site: CRBooks.ink

🕯️ Keep your books close…

your lanterns alight…

and never stop dreaming…

of Shadows & Starlight. 🌙✨

📜 Shadows & Starlight – Episode 6 Show Notes

🎙 Episode Title: Shadows, Magic, and the Weight of Fate📅 Release Date: March 28th, 2025

📖 Welcome back, wanderers!

This week’s Shadows & Starlight is packed with adventure, magic, and a few too many books to cover in just one episode—so we had to split it into two parts! We might be catching our breath after this one, but trust us, the journey was worth it.

In Part 1, we explore stories of supernatural intrigue, hidden truths, and epic quests. Whether you're in the mood for vampires, ancient prophecies, or heroes who refuse to back down, there's something here for you.

✨ Featured Books – Part 1:

🔹 Flash Flood by Melissa Gunn – A demigoddess with a water affinity… and a rain allergy. Things get complicated when she meets a teenage werewolf.🔹 Last Ember of Azrith by Rowan Ashborne – A half-dragon warrior and an elf princess fight against an empire that wants them both destroyed.🔹 Exceptional by M. J. Fabula – A wish for superheroes comes true—but the reality is far darker than the comics ever showed.🔹 A Wonderful Day for a Quest by Michael D. Young – A washed-up wizard, a prophecy with a missing piece, and the fate of magic bean burritos on the line.🔹 On Being Jen by S. R. Mallery – Some lives look perfect from the outside… but what if you could step into them and see the truth?🔹 Lila & The Dark by Chris Ross – Before Lila stepped fully into the shadows, she had one last choice to make. The prequel to City & Shadows.🔹 A Force of Nature by Janna Ruth – Nature spirits have been wrecking cities for centuries, and Rika is one of the only people who can see them. Now, she's been dragged into the war.🔹 Alice in Vampireland by Theophilus Monroe – A former vampire hunter turned rogue, Alice must prove herself to the very council she once hunted.🔹 Balance of Shadows by Cassie Carter – Light and shadow were never meant to be divided—but when the truth is uncovered, it could set the world on fire.🔹 Witch in the City by Tara Heavey – A mother’s visit to London takes a turn when the Morrigan herself arrives… and sets her sights on Rosaleen’s daughter.🔹 Beyond the Blood Veil by Nicholas Woode-Smith – A detective-turned-vampire takes on a child trafficking ring… with her talking, shapeshifting, Taylor Swift-obsessed cat by her side.🔹 Curse of the Blessed by Ren Blake – Hunter Academy exists to eliminate mind readers. Theo is a mind reader. Survival? Not guaranteed.🔹 The Spiral by A.G. ZoderoT – Embark on Drakko's Epic Journey Through Uncharted Realms and Unveil the Primordial Struggle of Light and Darkness.🔹 The Ascent by A.G. ZoderoT – To seek the boundless is to embrace the void within.🔹 A Drop of Blood by Janna Ruth – Magic, Vampires & Family Drama🔹 Kings of Sea and Sky by Katie Cherry – Don’t attempt to befriend something that eats people.🔹 Rising from Dust by Katie Cherry – Don’t attempt to befriend something that eats people.🔹 Daughter of Flood and Fury by Levi Jacobs – Aletheia was born a heresy: a girl with a man’s magic, in a city where monks and witches are mortal enemies

🎧 Listen to the full episode to hear Lila & Elyra’s take on these books, complete with their usual banter, deep dives, and the occasional breath-catching break.

📌 Episode Highlights:🔹 Book discussions full of adventure, magic, and mystery🔹 A huge lineup of stories—so big we had to split this into two parts!🔹 Elyra blaming Lila for unexpected cardio (again)🔹 A shoutout to Quincy’s Tavern—because every good adventure needs a warm hearth and a good meal

📍 Find the Books Here:

Find all the books here (More may be added)

📢 Don’t miss Part 2! Subscribe to Shadows & Starlight on Substack to get the next round of incredible reads!📖 Newsletter & Podcast

💬 Which book caught your attention the most? Hit reply and let us know!

Until next time, keep your lanterns lit, your books close, and always… save some breath for Part 2.

Last year, I was honored to place in the Top 10 finalists for the Thomas Dabney Mabry Creative Writing Contest at the Clarksville Writers Conference with my short story, My Father’s Castle. The story is close to my heart, written shortly after my father’s passing, and it means so much to me that it resonated with others.

If you’re curious, you can read My Father’s Castle here. It explores themes of love, memory, and legacy, all inspired by personal experiences.

This year, I’m excited to be submitting another story to the contest. While I can’t share anything about it yet, I hope it connects with readers as much as last year’s did. Writing is always a journey, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to participate again.

Thank you to the Clarksville Writers Conference for encouraging creativity and providing a platform for writers to share their work. I wish you luck with this year’s submission!

Available on libraries OverDrive and Libby apps.

Tonight, Lila & Elyra step away from the usual chatter for something a little different—a poem, woven between shadow and starlight. No questions, no answers. Just something to listen to.

Take a moment, let the words settle, and join us for this short but special episode.

We’ll be back soon with a full episode—until then, stay in the shadows... or the starlight.

📚 Want to learn more about Lila & The Dark?Visit crbooks.ink for book updates, behind-the-scenes content, and more!

🎁 Enter My StoryOrigin Giveaway!Get exclusive stories and giveaways by checking out my StoryOrigin bundle here!

📩 Contact & ConnectFor inquiries, collaborations, or just to say hi, reach out at [email protected] or follow along on social media.

🎧 Subscribe & Stay TunedDon’t miss upcoming episodes! Follow Shadows & Starlight on your favorite podcast platform and leave a review—it helps more listeners find the show.

Shadows & Starlight – Bonus Episode 2: Calling All Writers! A Contest You Don’t Want to Miss

Episode Description:Writers, this is your chance! In this bonus episode, Lila and Elyra are spreading the word about the Thomas Dabney Mabry Creative Writing Contest, part of the Clarksville Writers Conference. Whether you're a seasoned writer or just starting out, this contest offers a fantastic opportunity to get your work recognized—and win cash prizes.

The deadline has been extended to March 15, 2025, so there’s still time to submit your best short story and take your shot at winning. Tune in as Lila and Elyra break down everything you need to know, from submission rules to what’s at stake!

How to Enter the Writing Contest:

📌 Submission Guidelines:

* Maximum of 3,500 words, double-spaced.

* Font: Times New Roman or Courier New, 12pt size.

* The manuscript should have only the title on it—no names.

* Submissions must be unpublished and not under contract.

📌 Entry Fee & Submission Process:

* $35 per entry (no refunds).

* Send two attachments in your email:

* Your manuscript (PDF format, no identifying info).

* A cover sheet with your name, manuscript title, phone number, email, and mailing address.

* Email your submission to the address in the show notes.

* In the subject line, format it like this: TMCWA 2025 – [Your Story Title].

📌 Prizes:🏆 1st Place: $250 + free admission to the 2026 Clarksville Writers Conference.🥈 2nd Place: $150.🥉 3rd Place: $100.

Plus also some wonderful prize baskets!

📌 Judging & Winner Announcement:

* A panel of judges will select the Top 10 entries.

* The Head Judge, Shana Thornton, will decide the final winners.

* Winners will be notified between mid-March and mid-April 2025.

* Prizes will be announced at the Clarksville Writers Conference—attendance is not required to win.

📌 For more details on the contest and the conference, visit:🌐 ClarksvilleWritersConference.com

📢 Know a writer? Share this episode with them!

#WritingContest #IndieAuthors #ShadowsAndStarlight #ClarksvilleWritersConference #WritersLife #ShortStoryContest