Shannon Holmes didn’t enter the literary world through classrooms or creative writing programs—he wrote his first novel from a prison cell.

Born and raised in the Bronx, Shannon served five years for drug-related charges. While incarcerated, he picked up a pen for the first time—not to write a letter home, but to write what would become his breakout novel: B-More Careful. With no formal training and only a GED, Shannon tapped into something real, raw, and revolutionary.

That debut sold over 500,000 copies, landed him a two-book deal with Simon & Schuster, and helped establish the entire street lit genre. He followed up with bestsellers like Bad Girlz, Never Go Home Again, and made history by becoming the first street lit author with a hardcover release.

In this episode of Dog in the Yard, Shannon opens up about writing from behind the wall, signing major publishing deals, and using literature to flip his narrative. From incarceration to inspiration, this is a story about hustle, redemption, and the power of storytelling.