Who is C.L. Shivers
A storyteller at heart, I have always been drawn to the complexity of broken characters, the beauty in darkness, and the resilience found in even the most shattered souls. With a background in psychology and a love for dark fantasy, I weave tales of power, survival, and forbidden love—stories where emotions run deep, and choices are never easy. Writing isn’t just my passion; it’s how I explore the depths of human nature, crafting worlds where even the most fractured hearts can find their way home.
For me, writing isn’t just about telling a story—it’s about creating worlds that breathe, characters who ache, and emotions that linger long after the last page. I love weaving intricate relationships, exploring the depths of human resilience, and diving into the darkness that shapes us. Every book I write is a journey—one of survival, passion, and the battle between who we are and who we’re meant to be. If you love stories with deep emotional stakes, forbidden love, and characters who refuse to break, then you’re in the right place. Welcome to the worlds I craft—where every shadow holds a secret, and every heart has a choice to make.
FAQs
Why Tower of Ash?
The title Tower of Ash speaks to the heart of the story—power built on ruin, legacies forged in fire, and the haunting remnants of what once was. It represents the weight of the past, the destruction left in its wake, and the rise that comes after the fall. At its core, this series is about survival, about standing in the ashes of everything you’ve lost and choosing to fight anyway. Lailah’s journey is one of unraveling truths, reclaiming her power, and deciding whether to burn or rebuild. The tower may crumble, but from the ashes, something new will rise.
How does your background influence your writing?
I’m a therapist by training, with a Master’s in Mental Health Counseling and a PhD student in Developmental Psychology. That lens—of trauma, defense mechanisms, healing, and identity—bleeds into every character I write. I love crafting emotionally complex protagonists who don’t fit the mold: women who are angry, scarred, powerful, soft, and still figuring themselves out. It’s not about magic—it’s about what the magic costs. And just like authenticity, it demands sacrifice. The more real it is, the more it takes from you.
What inspired you to start writing dark fantasy romance?
I’ve always been drawn to stories that live in the space between beauty and brutality—where love is dangerous, power is personal, and broken people still choose to rise. Dark fantasy gave me the freedom to explore that space. I started writing during one of the most emotionally chaotic times in my life, and storytelling became a way to process the things I couldn’t say out loud. Romance, for me, isn’t soft—it’s survival. And fantasy gives it stakes that feel as high as they do in real life.
What inspired you to become an author?
I’ve always been drawn to storytelling, but I didn’t seriously consider becoming an author until later in life. My background in psychology and mental health counseling gave me a deep interest in human behavior, emotional conflict, and personal growth. Over time, writing became a natural extension of that—an outlet to explore the complexities of identity, relationships, and resilience.
What began as a creative outlet eventually evolved into a passion for building immersive worlds and emotionally driven narratives. Becoming an author allowed me to merge my academic background with creative expression, and connect with readers through characters who reflect the challenges and strength of real people.