THE CROWLEY CLARK INDIE AUTHOR SCHOLARSHIP & SHADOWS OF THE FATHERS LAUNCH CELEBRATION

SHADOWS OF THE FATHERS LAUNCH CELEBRATION & CROWLEY CLARK INDIE AUTHOR SCHOLARSHIP

 

OFFICIAL RULES, TERMS, AND CONDITIONS

 

UPDATED SEPTEMBER 30, 2026

 

These Official Rules were amended and restated as of September 30, 2026 to simplify entry into the Crowley Clark Indie Author Scholarship and to clarify the distinction between the Indie Author Scholarship and the Reader Launch Sweepstakes. All eligible entries and applications submitted before September 30, 2026 remain valid as described below.

 

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. THE INDIE AUTHOR SCHOLARSHIP MAY BE ENTERED DIRECTLY AND FREE OF CHARGE. NO PURCHASE, PREORDER, OR LIBRARY REQUEST IS REQUIRED TO APPLY FOR OR RECEIVE THE SCHOLARSHIP.

 

Void where prohibited by law.

 

 

1. SPONSOR

 

The Shadows of the Fathers Launch Celebration, Reader Launch Sweepstakes, and Crowley Clark Indie Author Scholarship are sponsored and administered by Crowley Clark LLC (“Sponsor”).

 

 

2. TWO SEPARATE PROMOTIONS

 

This campaign includes two separate opportunities:

 

POOL 1: READER LAUNCH SWEEPSTAKES

 

A chance-based reader giveaway. Entry methods, entry limits, prizes, and winner selection are described below.

 

POOL 2: CROWLEY CLARK INDIE AUTHOR SCHOLARSHIP

 

A skill-based author competition evaluated through an anonymous peer-review voting process.

 

Participation in one pool is not required to participate in the other.

 

Reader Sweepstakes entries, purchases, preorders, and library requests do not improve an author's standing in the Indie Author Scholarship.

 

 

3. ELIGIBILITY

 

POOL 1: READER LAUNCH SWEEPSTAKES

 

The Reader Launch Sweepstakes is open only to legal residents of the United States, Canada (excluding Quebec), the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand who have reached the age of majority in their jurisdiction of residence at the time of entry.

 

POOL 2: CROWLEY CLARK INDIE AUTHOR SCHOLARSHIP

 

The Indie Author Scholarship is open globally to independent, self-published, or aspiring authors who have reached the age of majority in their jurisdiction of residence, subject to Sponsor's ability to lawfully deliver the award in the recipient's jurisdiction.

 

Scholarship eligibility is not limited to the countries listed above for the Reader Launch Sweepstakes.

 

Both promotions are void where prohibited or restricted by law.

 

 

4. PROMOTION PERIOD

 

Entries and applications are accepted beginning at 1:00 PM Central Time (CT) on August 28, 2026.

 

The Reader Launch Sweepstakes and Indie Author Scholarship close at 11:59 PM Central Time (CT) on Saturday, October 24, 2026 (“Entry Deadline”).

 

Entries or applications received after the Entry Deadline will not be considered.

 

 

5. CAMPAIGN ENTRY FORM AND READER LAUNCH SWEEPSTAKES

 

Sponsor uses a single official campaign entry form to administer the Reader Launch Sweepstakes, track Verified Launch Support, and accept Indie Author Scholarship applications.

 

Participants are not required to participate in all components of the campaign.

 

A person may use the form solely to apply for the Indie Author Scholarship without making a purchase, preorder, library request, or Reader Sweepstakes entry.

 

A person may also use the form to submit qualifying preorder, purchase, or library-request activity for Verified Launch Support and, where eligible, the Reader Launch Sweepstakes.

 

The official campaign entry form contains fields applicable to multiple components of the promotion. Participants should complete only the portions applicable to the component or components in which they wish to participate.

 

Fields relating to a purchase, preorder, or library request are not required to submit a Scholarship application.

 

Fields relating to a Scholarship application are not required to submit a Reader Launch Sweepstakes or Verified Launch Support submission.

 

A submission will be considered for a particular component only if all information required by these Official Rules for that component has been provided.

 

 

6. HOW TO ENTER THE READER LAUNCH SWEEPSTAKES

 

A valid Reader Sweepstakes entry may be obtained through either of the following methods:

 

METHOD A — COMMERCIAL PURCHASE

 

Submit confirmation of a unique qualifying preorder or purchase of any digital ebook, physical paperback, or audiobook format of SHADOWS OF THE FATHERS by Crowley Clark through an authorized retailer.

 

Qualifying retailers may include Amazon, Apple Books, Rakuten Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Spotify, Bookshop.org, or other authorized retailers.

 

METHOD B — FREE ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF ENTRY

 

Submit confirmation of a free digital library hold, tag, request, or “Notify Me” action for SHADOWS OF THE FATHERS through a qualifying public-library system or application, such as Libby, Hoopla, or another qualifying library platform.

 

Method B is completely free of charge and carries the same Reader Sweepstakes entry value as Method A.

 

A claimed qualifying action is eligible for verification only when the participant has provided the information or proof required by the applicable entry method.

 

NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN THE READER LAUNCH SWEEPSTAKES.

 

 

7. READER SWEEPSTAKES MULTIPLE-ENTRY POLICY

 

Each unique qualifying purchase/preorder and each unique qualifying library-platform request may constitute one separate Reader Sweepstakes entry when submitted in accordance with these Official Rules.

 

For example, qualifying actions involving different book formats, authorized retailers, or distinct qualifying library systems may generate separate Reader Sweepstakes entries.

 

Each claimed Reader Sweepstakes entry must be separately submitted or otherwise recorded through the official campaign entry process and may be subject to verification by Sponsor.

 

Duplicate, fraudulent, manipulated, or otherwise invalid submissions may be disqualified.

 

Multiple Reader Sweepstakes entries may increase a participant's mathematical odds of winning Pool 1 because Pool 1 is selected randomly from valid entries.

 

However, multiple Reader Sweepstakes entries provide NO advantage whatsoever in the Indie Author Scholarship.

 

 

8. POOL 1: READER LAUNCH SWEEPSTAKES PRIZES

 

BASELINE PRIZE POOL

 

Fifty (50) audiobook download codes for SHADOWS OF THE FATHERS, narrated by Eric G. Dove.

 

BESTSELLER-TIER GRAND PRIZE

 

If the applicable campaign milestone is reached, one (1) Grand Prize “Indie Super Supporter Pack” consisting of:

 

• One Kindle Paperwhite;

 

• One pair of Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation;

 

• One Apple HomePod Mini; and

 

• A $250 USD book subscription or bookstore gift card from the bookstore of the winner's choice.

 

The approximate total prize value is $800 USD.

 

Where permitted and administratively available, the winner may elect to receive $800 USD cash in place of the physical Grand Prize package.

 

 

9. POOL 1: WINNER SELECTION

 

Reader Launch Sweepstakes winners will be selected at random from eligible Reader Sweepstakes entries using Random.org or another comparable third-party random-selection method selected by Sponsor.

 

Odds of winning depend on the total number of eligible Reader Sweepstakes entries received.

 

For Canadian residents only: If a Canadian resident is selected as a potential Pool 1 winner, the potential winner will be required to correctly answer, without assistance, a time-limited mathematical skill-testing question administered by Sponsor before being confirmed as a winner.

 

 

10. POOL 2: HOW TO APPLY FOR THE INDIE AUTHOR SCHOLARSHIP

 

Applying for the Crowley Clark Indie Author Scholarship is completely free.

 

Scholarship applications are submitted through the same official campaign entry form used to administer Verified Launch Support and the Reader Launch Sweepstakes.

 

Scholarship applicants are not required to participate in the Reader Launch Sweepstakes or submit any Verified Launch Support action.

 

To apply, an applicant must submit:

 

(a) the applicant's name and contact information;

 

(b) confirmation that the applicant is an independent, self-published, or aspiring author and has reached the age of majority in the applicant's jurisdiction of residence; and

 

(c) an original synopsis of the applicant's current fiction or nonfiction book project of 250 words or fewer.

 

A Scholarship application is complete only when the applicant has provided all information required by this Section.

 

NO PURCHASE, PREORDER, LIBRARY REQUEST, RECEIPT, ORDER NUMBER, OR OTHER PROOF OF SUPPORT FOR SHADOWS OF THE FATHERS IS REQUIRED TO APPLY FOR OR RECEIVE THE SCHOLARSHIP.

 

One Scholarship application per author will be evaluated.

 

If multiple Scholarship applications are received from the same author, only the first timely, complete, and eligible application will be considered.

 

 

11. SCHOLARSHIP JUDGING IS INDEPENDENT OF BOOK SUPPORT

 

Purchasing, preordering, or requesting SHADOWS OF THE FATHERS from a library provides no advantage in Scholarship judging.

 

Participating in the Reader Launch Sweepstakes provides no advantage in Scholarship judging.

 

Submitting multiple Reader Sweepstakes entries provides no advantage in Scholarship judging.

 

Only one synopsis per author is evaluated, regardless of the number of Reader Sweepstakes entries or Verified Launch Support actions associated with that author.

 

 

12. VERIFIED LAUNCH SUPPORT

 

“Verified Launch Support” is the metric used to determine the funding level of the Crowley Clark Indie Author Scholarship.

 

Verified Launch Support consists of qualifying:

 

(a) preorders or purchases of SHADOWS OF THE FATHERS through authorized retailers; and

 

(b) free library holds, requests, tags, or “Notify Me” actions for SHADOWS OF THE FATHERS through qualifying public-library systems;

 

provided that the qualifying action is submitted or otherwise verified through Sponsor's official campaign entry process.

 

Scholarship applications do not count toward and do not increase Verified Launch Support.

 

Use of the same campaign entry form for Scholarship applications and launch-support submissions does not cause a Scholarship application to count as Verified Launch Support. Only a separately identified and verified qualifying preorder, purchase, or library action counts toward Verified Launch Support.

 

Duplicate or unverified qualifying actions do not increase the Verified Launch Support total.

 

Reader Sweepstakes entries do not independently increase Verified Launch Support beyond the underlying qualifying launch-support action.

 

Sponsor will periodically update the displayed Verified Launch Support total at crowleyclark.com/contest.

 

 

13. INDIE AUTHOR SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING LEVELS

 

Crowley Clark LLC has committed a minimum Scholarship award of $1,000 USD.

 

The final Scholarship amount may increase based on Verified Launch Support received by the close of the Promotion Period:

 

TIER 1

 

Fewer than 2,500 Verified Launch Support actions:

 

$1,000 USD Scholarship

 

ALREADY UNLOCKED AND COMMITTED.

 

TIER 2

 

2,500 through 4,999 Verified Launch Support actions:

 

$2,500 USD Scholarship

 

TIER 3

 

5,000 or more Verified Launch Support actions:

 

$5,000 USD Scholarship

 

The applicable Scholarship funding level will be determined based on qualifying Verified Launch Support received by the Entry Deadline.

 

 

14. INDIE AUTHOR SCHOLARSHIP SELECTION

 

Following the Entry Deadline, Sponsor will remove identifying author information from eligible synopses before presenting them for peer review.

 

For purposes of Scholarship voting, a “verified author” means an individual who submitted a complete and eligible Scholarship application by the Entry Deadline.

 

Verification is based on completion of an eligible Scholarship application and does not require or relate to any purchase, preorder, or library request.

 

Verified authors who submitted an eligible synopsis will be provided access to a private ballot containing eligible anonymized synopses and may cast a vote in accordance with voting instructions provided by Sponsor.

 

Authors may not vote for their own submissions.

 

The eligible synopsis receiving the highest number of verified peer votes will be selected to receive the Indie Author Scholarship, subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with these Official Rules.

 

In the event of a tie for the highest verified vote total, Sponsor will conduct an additional anonymous peer-review vote among the tied submissions using the same eligible voting pool. If a tie remains after the additional vote, Sponsor may conduct additional tie-breaking rounds using the same process until one submission receives the highest verified vote total.

 

 

15. APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED BEFORE SEPTEMBER 30, 2026

 

All Scholarship applications validly submitted before September 30, 2026 remain valid under these amended Official Rules and will receive the same evaluation and consideration as applications submitted on or after September 30, 2026.

 

No previously submitted eligible Scholarship application needs to be resubmitted.

 

Applicants who previously submitted proof of a qualifying purchase, preorder, or library request as part of their Scholarship entry are not disadvantaged by the removal of that requirement. Their Scholarship applications remain fully eligible.

 

Any qualifying purchase, preorder, or library request previously submitted remains eligible to count toward Verified Launch Support and, where applicable, the Reader Launch Sweepstakes, subject to these Official Rules.

 

 

16. WINNER NOTIFICATION AND PRIZE DELIVERY

 

Potential winners will be notified using the email address provided with their entry or Scholarship application.

 

Sponsor intends to notify winners within thirty (30) days following the Entry Deadline.

 

Potential winners may be required to confirm eligibility and provide information reasonably necessary for Sponsor to deliver the applicable prize or Scholarship award.

 

If a potential winner fails to respond to Sponsor's notification within seven (7) business days, is determined to be ineligible, declines the prize or award, or cannot lawfully receive the prize or award, an alternate winner may be selected using the same selection method applicable to the relevant pool.

 

The Indie Author Scholarship will be paid in U.S. dollars through a payment method reasonably selected by Sponsor and the recipient, subject to availability, applicable law, payment-platform restrictions, and any information or documentation required to complete the payment.

 

Winners are responsible for any taxes, reporting obligations, fees, or other obligations arising from receipt of a prize or Scholarship award unless applicable law requires otherwise.

 

 

17. VERIFICATION, FRAUD, AND DISQUALIFICATION

 

Sponsor reserves the right to verify eligibility, entries, applications, qualifying launch-support actions, and compliance with these Official Rules.

 

Sponsor may disqualify entries, applications, votes, or launch-support submissions that Sponsor reasonably determines are fraudulent, manipulated, automated, duplicated in violation of these Official Rules, submitted using false information, or otherwise inconsistent with the fair administration of the promotion.

 

Sponsor may take reasonable steps to protect the integrity of the anonymous Scholarship peer-review process.

 

 

18. PRIVACY AND PUBLICITY

 

Personal information collected in connection with these promotions will be used to administer the Reader Launch Sweepstakes, Indie Author Scholarship, Verified Launch Support tracking, winner notification, and related promotion administration.

 

Personal information will not be sold by Crowley Clark LLC.

 

By accepting a prize or Scholarship award, a confirmed winner grants Sponsor permission to announce the winner's name and winning status through Sponsor's website, social media, newsletter, and related promotional channels, except where prohibited by law.

 

Any use of personal information remains subject to Sponsor's posted Privacy Policy and applicable law.

 

 

19. GENERAL CONDITIONS

 

Sponsor reserves the right, subject to applicable law, to interpret and administer these Official Rules in good faith and to address circumstances not expressly covered by these Official Rules in a manner intended to preserve the fairness and integrity of the applicable promotion.

 

If fraud, technical failure, platform interruption, unauthorized intervention, or another circumstance beyond Sponsor's reasonable control materially affects the integrity or administration of either promotion, Sponsor may take reasonable corrective action permitted by applicable law.

 

The Reader Launch Sweepstakes and Indie Author Scholarship are void where prohibited or restricted by law.

 

 

20. SEVERABILITY

 

If any provision of these Official Rules is determined to be invalid, unlawful, or unenforceable in a particular jurisdiction, that determination will not affect the validity or enforceability of the remaining provisions to the extent permitted by law.

 

 

21. QUESTIONS

 

Questions regarding the Reader Launch Sweepstakes, Indie Author Scholarship, eligibility, or these Official Rules may be submitted through the contact information provided at crowleyclark.com.

 

 

22. EFFECTIVE DATE

 

These amended and restated Official Rules are effective September 30, 2026.

 

The amendment is intended to simplify and expand access to the Indie Author Scholarship while preserving previously submitted eligible applications and Reader Sweepstakes entries.

 

© 2026 Crowley Clark LLC. All Rights Reserved.