Shawn Warner ('01 BS, Computer Science and Engineering; '94 MSW)

One UT Arlington alumnus has been a paratrooper, therapist, engineer, and is now a bestselling author of the Amazon chart-topper, Leigh Howard and the Ghosts of Simmons-Pierce Manor.

Shawn M. Warner ('01 BS, Computer Science and Engineering; '94 MSW) was holding a book signing at a Fort Worth Kroger in early July when a shopper shared their interaction online, garnering 3.5 million likes.

The young adult mystery novel had a slow start after its November 2022 publication, but the exposure catapulted the book to the top of Amazon charts. Warner has since been featured on The Today Show and Good Morning America.

Warner was inspired to write a book that would be entertaining for young adults and encourage more to read. Seeing the book reviews come in indicating families are reading it together has been heartwarming for him, he shared.

"I was reading for fun as a kid," Warner said. "It gave me an escape, like a pause at the end of the day. I want to get back to that, and I don't think there's enough of that out there."

While he has always loved writing, Warner pursed other academic and career interests initially, first receiving a master's in social work from UT Arlington, and later returning to study computer science and engineering. He is also a veteran and served as a paratrooper in the U.S. Army.

"I always tell the story that I tried to write my first book at six years old," Warner said. "I tried to recreate one of the books I was reading at the time. I've always wanted to write."

About 15 years ago, he began homeschooling his children, left the workforce, and decided to pursue writing further.

Although he has followed a few career paths, he says there is a common thread he's learned among all his experiences. "Whether it was working in the military, as a social worker, or as an engineer, I learned how important it is to maintain the highest standards of professionalism for yourself," Warner said. "It crosses over all degrees and all technology; how important it is to be a team player."

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