From the streets of Los Angeles to the page, Carl Shannon writes crime that bleeds truth.
Carl Shannon is an Army veteran and retired law enforcement officer who spent years navigating the complexities of California’s criminal justice system. What he witnessed in those corridors, the corruption, the compromises, the human cost of institutional failure, became the foundation for his unflinching crime fiction.
Before diving into noir, Carl made his mark in children’s literature with The Ugly Butterfly, an empowering story about bullying that resonated with young readers and parents alike. His forthcoming sequel, The Ugly Butterfly II: Chasing Shadows – A Son’s Search for His Father, deepens that emotional exploration.
But Howard Justice: The Rise of HJ represents a crime thriller that channels decades of law enforcement experience into a story of inherited trauma, systemic corruption, and the impossible choices that define us. Drawing from extensive research into parole culture, political corruption, and the psychology of trauma survivors, Carl crafts narratives that feel lived-in rather than imagined.
His screenplay adaptation of Howard Justice earned dual honors at the 2024 Top Indie Film Awards, winning both Best Feature Script and Best Writing, recognition that underscores the story’s cinematic power and cross-media appeal.
Now based in Houston, Texas, Carl balances his writing with family time, tennis matches, gym sessions, and his self-appointed role as amateur film critic. His mission is to tell the stories that conventional crime fiction won’t touch.
- The ones that make you uncomfortable.
- The ones that refuse easy answers.
- The ones that stay with you long after the last page.
That’s the Carl Shannon promise: no sanitized heroes, no convenient villains, just flawed people making choices in a system designed to break them.
Recognition
- Best Feature Script – 2024 Top Indie Film Awards
- Best Writing – 2024 Top Indie Film Awards
Published Works
- Howard Justice: The Rise of HJ (Crime Thriller, 2025)
- The Ugly Butterfly (Children’s Book)
The Ugly Butterfly II: Chasing Shadows (Coming Soon)
