John Shirley is an American writer, primarily known for his works in horror, fantasy, science fiction, noir fiction, and westerns. He was born on February 10, 1953. Shirley has an extensive bibliography, including novels, short stories, TV scripts, and screenplays. Notably, he was a co-screenwriter for The Crow, and he has published over 84 books, including 10 short-story collections.

Some of his acclaimed works are the Bram Stoker Award-winning story collection Black Butterflies: A Flock on the Dark Side, and novels like Stormland, Suborbital 7, Axle Bust Creek, and the Spur Award-winning novel Gunmetal Mountain. He has also delved into historical fiction with Wyatt in Wichita, a novel about Wyatt Earp, and non-fiction with Gurdjieff: An Introduction to His Life and Ideas.

Beyond writing, Shirley is a musician who has fronted his own bands and written lyrics for bands such as Blue Öyster Cult. He remains an influential figure in both literature and music.