Craig Johnson (author)
{{Short description|American author}}
{{Infobox writer
| name = Craig Johnson
| image = Craig Johnson in Toulouse in 2011 022-edit.jpg
| imagesize =
| alt = Close-up on Craig Johnson
| caption = Johnson in 2011
| birth_name = Craig Allen Johnson
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1961|01|16}}{{citation needed|date=May 2016}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| resting_place =
| occupation = Novelist, short story writer.
| language = English
| nationality = American
| alma_mater = Marshall University
| period =
| genre = Mystery, Crime fiction, Detective fiction, Westerns
| subject =
| movement =
| notableworks = Walt Longmire series of novels
| spouse = Judy Johnson
| awards =
| website = {{URL|http://www.craigallenjohnson.com}}
| influences =
| influenced =
}}
Craig Allen Johnson (born January 16, 1961) is an American author who writes mystery novels. He is best known for his Sheriff Walt Longmire novel series. The books are set in northern Wyoming, where Longmire is sheriff of the fictional county of Absaroka. The series debuted in 2004 and as of March 2025, Johnson has written 21 novels, two novellas, and many short stories featuring Longmire. Some of the novels have been on The New York Times Best Seller list. In 2012, Warner Horizon adapted the main characters and the Wyoming settings of the novels for a television series. Johnson lives at a ranch where he built a residence in the small town of Ucross, Wyoming—population 25.{{Cite news|url=https://www.americancowboy.com/people/home-craig-johnson-54147|title=At Home with Craig Johnson|work=American Cowboy Western Lifestyle – Travel – People|access-date=2018-09-08|language=en}} Although he identified himself as a former New York police officer while promoting his early novels, a 2009 New York Times profile revealed this to be misleading.{{Cite news |last=Wadler |first=Joyce |date=2009-06-03 |title=In Wyoming, the Pieces Fall Into Place |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/garden/04cabin.html |access-date=2023-10-07 |issn=0362-4331}}
Career
=Books=
As of September 2021, Johnson has authored 23 books featuring Sheriff Walt Longmire. They have been translated into 14 languages and have won numerous awards, including the Nouvel Observateur Prix du Roman Noir and the SNCF Mystery of the Year.{{citation needed|date=January 2018}}
=TV adaptations=
The A&E TV series Longmire, based on Johnson's novels, premiered on June 3, 2012, with cast members Robert Taylor, Katee Sackhoff, Lou Diamond Phillips, Bailey Chase, Adam Bartley, A Martinez, Zahn McClarnon, and John Bishop.{{cite web |first=Patrick |last=Munn |website=TVWise |date=March 2012 |access-date=June 10, 2012 |url=http://www.tvwise.co.uk/2012/03/aes-new-drama-series-longmire-to-premiere-june-3rd/ |title=A&E's New Drama Series Longmire to Premier June 3}} Filmed in New Mexico,{{Cite news|title='Longmire' season 4 news: Production under way, series to pick up from events in the previous finale|last=Marifosque|first=Raphael|date=23 June 2015|work=Ecumenical News}} Longmire debuted as A&E's number-one original-series premiere of all time with 4.1 million total viewers.{{cite web |website=TV by the Numbers |url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/06/04/aes-longmire-debuts-as-the-networks-1-original-series-premiere-of-all-time-with-4-1-million-viewers-the-glades/136763/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606203431/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/06/04/aes-longmire-debuts-as-the-networks-1-original-series-premiere-of-all-time-with-4-1-million-viewers-the-glades/136763/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 6, 2012 |title=Network TV Press Releases: A&E's 'Longmire' Debuted as the Network's #1 Original Series Premiere of All Time with 4.1 Million Viewers + 'The Glades' |author=Seidman, Robert |date=June 4, 2012 |access-date=June 10, 2012}} After the third season, A&E canceled the series and subsequently seasons four to six were made for Netflix.{{cite news|url=http://www.yareah.com/2015/08/28/longmire-season-4-and-its-ups-and-downs-ten-things-you-should-know-about-its-epic-resurrection/|title=Longmire Season 4 And Its Ups And Downs. Ten Things You Should Know About Its Epic Resurrection|work=yareah.com|access-date=2017-01-06|archive-date=2015-08-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150828235259/http://www.yareah.com/2015/08/28/longmire-season-4-and-its-ups-and-downs-ten-things-you-should-know-about-its-epic-resurrection/|url-status=usurped}}{{cite web |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/744425/longmire-begins-production-on-season-five.html |title=New Mexico-filmed 'Longmire' to begin season 5 production |last=Gomez |first=Adrian |date=March 23, 2016 |website=Albuquerque Journal |access-date=January 4, 2016}}
Influence
The success of Johnson's novels is celebrated in an annual festival, called Longmire Days, held in the small town of Buffalo, Wyoming, the real-life inspiration for the series' fictional setting. Close to 12,000 people attend the festival each year, including the author, many of the actors from the TV series, and (on occasion) the publishers and producers.{{cite web |url=http://www.sheridanmedia.com/news/buffalo-chamber-releases-schedule-longmire-days-events86339 |title=Buffalo Chamber Releases Schedule For Longmire Days Events |last=Palmer |first=Aaron |date=May 17, 2016 |website=Sheridan Media |access-date=January 5, 2016 |quote=The series is based on the Longmire series of books, written by local author Craig Johnson. The books take place in fictitious Durant, Absoraka County, Wyoming and are based on people and places in and around Buffalo and Johnson County. |archive-date=May 19, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160519122028/http://www.sheridanmedia.com/news/buffalo-chamber-releases-schedule-longmire-days-events86339 |url-status=dead }}
Personal life
Craig Johnson grew up in Huntington, West Virginia, and attended college at Marshall University.{{Cite news|url=https://www.wvgazettemail.com/arts__entertainment/book-review-sheriff-walt-longmire-tackles-another-case/article_698563de-d67a-5129-bb05-607dd33f60c3.html|title=Book review: Sheriff Walt Longmire tackles another case|last=Casto|first=James E.|work=Charleston Sunday Gazette-Mail|access-date=2020-07-02|language=en}}
Johnson lives in Ucross, Wyoming, with his wife Judy.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/ruckus/books/longmire-author-craig-johnson-alike-in-many-ways/article_c67e1285-dc8a-5dfd-b93e-5ae477ae6ec6.html|title=Longmire, author Craig Johnson alike in many ways|last=Hergett|first=Rachel|work=Bozeman Daily Chronicle|access-date=2018-11-05|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.boisestatepublicradio.org/post/longmire-mystery-series-author-craig-johnson-and-western-star#stream/0|title=Longmire Mystery Series Author Craig Johnson And 'The Western Star'|last=Kustra|first=Bob|access-date=2018-11-05|language=en}}
Bibliography
=Walt Longmire series=
| class="sortable wikitable"
! Title !! Year !! {{text|ISBN}} 1st Edition ! class="unsortable"| Notes |
| The Cold Dish
| 2004 | {{ISBNT|9780143036425}} | |
| Death Without Company
| 2006 | {{ISBNT|9780143038382}} | |
| Kindness Goes Unpunished
| 2007 | {{ISBNT|9780143113133}} | |
| Another Man's Moccasins
| 2008 | {{ISBNT|9780143115526}} | 2009 Spur Award for Best Western Short Novel{{Cite news|url=http://westernwriters.org/winners/|title=Winners|date=2012-05-12|work=Western Writers of America|access-date=2018-11-06|language=en-US}} |
| The Dark Horse
| 2009 | {{ISBNT|9780143117315}} | |
| Junkyard Dogs
| 2010 | {{ISBNT|9780143119531}} | |
| Hell Is Empty
| 2011 | {{ISBNT|9780143120988}} | |
| Divorce Horse
| 2012 | {{ISBNT|9781101592649}} | eBook short story |
| As the Crow Flies
| 2012 | {{ISBNT|9780143123293}} | |
| Christmas in Absaroka County
| 2012 | {{ISBNT|9781101623718}} | collection of four eBook short stories |
| Messenger
| 2013 | {{ISBNT|9780143127826}} | eBook short story |
| A Serpent's Tooth
| 2013 | {{ISBNT|9780670026456}} | |
| Spirit of Steamboat
| 2013 | {{ISBNT|9780143125877}} | novella |
| Any Other Name
| 2014 | {{ISBNT|9780143126973}} | |
| Wait for Signs
| 2014 | {{ISBNT|9780143127826}} | collection of 12 short stories |
| Dry Bones
| 2015 | {{ISBNT|9780525426936}} | |
| The Highwayman
| 2016 | {{ISBNT|9780735220904}} | novella |
| An Obvious Fact
| 2016 | {{ISBNT|9780143109129}} | |
| The Western Star
| 2017 | {{ISBNT|9780143109136}} | |
| Depth of Winter
| 2018 | {{ISBNT|9780525522478}} | |
| Land of Wolves
| 2019 | {{ISBNT|9780525522508}} | |
| Next to Last Stand
| 2020 | {{ISBNT|9780525522539}} | |
| Daughter of the Morning Star
| 2021 | {{ISBNT|9780593297254}} | |
| Hell and Back
| 2022 | {{ISBNT|9780593297285}} | |
| The Longmire Defense
| 2023 | {{ISBNT|9780593297315}} | |
| First Frost
| 2024 | {{ISBNT|9780593830673}} | |
| Tooth and Claw
| 2024 | {{ISBNT|9780593834169}} | novella |
| Return to Sender
| 2025 | {{ISBNT|9780593830703}} | |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{external links|date=August 2019}}
{{Sister project links|display=Craig Johnson|commons=Category:Craig Johnson (author)}}
- {{official website|http://www.craigallenjohnson.com}}
- {{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-jul-20-ca-johnson20-story.html |title=Craig Johnson makes crime pay|work=Los Angeles Times|date= July 20, 2008}}
- {{cite news|url=http://bibliobs.nouvelobs.com/20090717/13808/le-cow-boy-du-wyoming |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090718223743/http://bibliobs.nouvelobs.com/20090717/13808/le-cow-boy-du-wyoming |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 18, 2009 |title=Le cow-boy du Wyoming|work=Le Nouvel Observateur|date= July 16, 2009}}
- {{cite news|url=http://www.buffalobulletin.com/articles/2010/07/26/news/local_news/doc4c4730fc95790996594400.txt |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130118132537/http://www.buffalobulletin.com/articles/2010/07/26/news/local_news/doc4c4730fc95790996594400.txt |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 18, 2013 |title=Television series based on Craig Johnson's Wyoming sheriff in the works|work=The Buffalo Bulletin|date= July 26, 2010 }}
- {{cite journal|url=http://mcfarland.metapress.com/openurl.asp?genre=article&issn=0742-4248&volume=28&issue=2&spage=95 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130128191907/http://mcfarland.metapress.com/openurl.asp?genre=article&issn=0742-4248&volume=28&issue=2&spage=95 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-01-28 |title=With a Little Help from His Friends: The Functions of Diversity in Craig Johnson's Walt Longmire Series|author= Schaffer, Rachel |journal=Clues: A Journal of Detection|volume= 28 |date=2010| issue=2 | pages=95–104 | doi=10.3172/CLU.28.2.95 |url-access=subscription |doi-access=free }}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Craig}}
Category:21st-century American novelists
Category:American mystery writers
Category:American Western (genre) novelists
Category:Writers from Huntington, West Virginia
Category:People from Sheridan County, Wyoming
Category:20th-century American dramatists and playwrights
Category:American male novelists
Category:American male dramatists and playwrights
Category:20th-century American male writers