J. J. Carlson was born and raised in the rural Midwest. After graduating high-school, he enlisted in the United States Air Force. He then rode a desk for four years before transferring to an elite Special Tactics unit.

In his new position, Carlson was privileged to work with Special Operations Forces personnel from the Army, Navy, and Marines.

His training took him to exotic locations around the world, and he completed two combat deployments in Afghanistan.

After his second term of enlistment, he separated from the Air Force to spend more time with his family and pursue higher education. While grinding through academia, Carlson resumed one of his favorite past times—storytelling.

Now, Carlson writes fiction full-time. His writing bears the tragedy, comradery, pain, and redemption he has seen throughout life. Having been witness to the darkest sides of humanity, Carlson seeks to bring about awareness and change through his novels and gives a portion of his proceeds to charitable organizations that fight human trafficking around the world.