My name is Kimberli Pierantoni. I’m 21 years old. I’m majoring in Communication at Laramie County Community College.
I’ve been openly writing poetry, non-fiction and songs for five years now. I am an artist. I do a lot of photography, drawings, dancing and I play music. For my writings I have gone to a few literature conferences.I have taken a class in mass media and literacy.
Readers: Kimberli will be reporting on entertainment in the Northern Colorado region and around the state of Wyoming, primarily Cheyenne. She also will be writing features articles. She’s a great writer with a lot of talent.
New York Times Bestselling Author, Craig Johnson, who is a Wyoming resident, answered questions about writer’s block, reviews and why he enjoys writing.
Johnson is the author of the Walt Longmire series of mystery books. The latest, “As the Crow Flies” was released on May 15. He’s currently on tour. The A&E television new drama series, “Longmire,”which is based on his mystery series will air on June 3 at 10 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. “Longmire” will continue to air on Sundays at 10 p.m. EDT.
There is more detailed information about Johnson under the category Author on Life is as Sweet as Cotton Candy.
“Longmire” Season 1 The first TV episode of “Longmire,” produced by Warner Horizon Television, airs June third at 10 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on A&E. courtesy image
You can see videos of “Longmire” under Johnson’s Longmire tab on his official website.
Q: You’ve written eight books and a number of short stories …do you ever have a day where you face writer’s block?
Johnson: “Generally, no. Sometimes the well is depleted, but there’s always something there.”
Q: If so how do you work through writer’s block?
Johnson: “My advice to students is always to go back and look at what you did yesterday; I bet it’s not perfect… Usually that jerks you loose and gets you started again.”
Q: Has a terrible review or comment ever blocked your writing?
Johnson: “No.”
Q: How do you deal with those negative comments?
Johnson: “It’s just an opinion; your opinions on your own writing should override anyone else’s. There are always going to be people who don’t like or appreciate your work for whatever reason—just take those reviews or comments and toss them in the Toxic File,and move on.”
Q: Do you have days where you feel like you just don’t want to write?
Johnson: “Sure, then I go out and do ranch work; you’d be amazed at how quickly you want to get back inside and write after shoveling manure for a few hours…”
Q: What inspires you to write?
Johnson: “For me, writing has become like breathing; I don’t have to be inspired to write, it just comes naturally. Good characters, turns of phrase—but mostly, a good story are what gets me going.”
Q:What do you like the most about writing books?
Johnson: “The freedom to do what I want to do how I want to do it,entertaining people and having a platform for my stories, opinions and beliefs.”
Q:Can you tell my readers about your main character Sheriff Walt Longmire and where the inspiration for him came from?
Johnson: “I was looking for an individual that would be emblematic of the American west, but still complex enough to be compelling to readers. Walt is what I refer to as a detective for the disenfranchised; he cares about the cases that no one else does. He’s an elected official that’s responsible to his community and I like that better than the ‘lone-wolf’ style characters that kill forty people before the book is over. Walt is a little ‘over’—over age,over weight, overly depressed, and facing a lot of the things that the readers face every day and I think that keeps him real.”
Q: What kind of advice would you give a writer who longs to be published?
Johnson: “Write what you want and with your heart, everything else is a dead end.”
Who is your all time favorite mystery novelist?
Johnson: “TonyHillerman”
What are you working on now?
Johnson: “Just finished ‘A Serpent’s Tooth’the next Walt Longmire novel.”
C.J. Box is a Wyoming resident and is the New York Times Bestselling Author of the Joe Pickett book series. His latest book in the series came out in March, “Force of Nature.” He also has written several stand alone novels, short stories and essays.
No. 12 in the Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett series, “Force of Nature” by C.J. Box
Box took time out of his busy schedule to answer questions about writer’s block, reviews, (the good, bad and in between), and his latest projects that he has going on. Possibly a movie ?
In an e-mail interview Box said, “Sometimes I wish I had more time, but I’ve never been ‘blocked.’”
However, Box did give some advice and wise words to writers who do face writer’s block from time to time and how to move on from it. Find out more in the Q and A below.
Blue Heaven is one of C.J. Box’s stand alone novels
Box has won numerous awards including an Edgar Alan Poe Award for Best Novel for his 2009 book, “Blue Heaven” His other awards include the Anthony Award, Prix Calibre 38 (France), the Macavity Award, the Gumshoe Award, the Barry Award, and the 2010 Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association Award for fiction.
For Life is as Sweet as Cotton Candy international readers you could possibly find Box’s books in your language. His books have been translated into 25 languages.
Here is C.J. Box’s Q and A:
Q: How would you describe writer’s block?
Box: “A writer without ideas.”
Q: What advice would you give someone who thinks they have writer’s block?
Box: “Write your way out of it.”
Q:How can they avoid writer’s block in the future?
Box: “Don’t wait for inspiration. Treat writing like a job. Working people can’t have “working block” or they’ll not have a job very long.”
Q:Has a bad review ever given you writer’s block?
Box: No.
Q: How do you deal with bad and good reviews, or are you not phased by reviews?
Box: “I’m more interested in the aggregate than individual reviews. If the reviews are 95% positive I don’t worry about the 5% that aren’t.”
Q: What do reviews mean to you?
Validation.
Q: Have you ever had to deal with rejection when you were trying to get your first book published ?
Box: “Of course. It took five years to get the first novel published.”
Q:How did you deal with the rejection and what helped you get past that?
Box: “I moved on and kept going because I believed in the novel.”
Q: On a whole new topic can you tell my magazine readers what you have in the works right now?
Box: “I finished a new stand-alone a few months ago and I’m currently working on the new Joe Pickett novel. Because my book tour for FORCE OF NATURE was long I feel pressed for time.”
Q: Has Hollywood been knocking on your door ?
Box:“Blue Heaven” and “Nowhere to Run” are under option for feature films. “Blue Heaven” is supposed to start filming in the fall with Jack Nicholson, Joe Pesci, and Josh Brolin are attached to it.” You can see Josh Brolin soon in theaters in “Men In Black III” http://www.meninblack.com/
Kimberli Pierantoni guest writer for Life is as Sweet as Cotton Candy
Introducing Guest Writer Kimberli Pierantoni.
” I’m 21 years old and I’m majoring in Communication at Laramie County Community College. I’ve been openly writing poetry, non-fiction and songs for five years now. I am an artist. I do a lot of photography, drawings, dancing and I play music. For my writings I have gone to a few literature conferences. I took a class in mass media and literacy. Here is one of my poems … keep reading Life is as Sweet as Cotton Candy to read more of my work.”
Mr. Fear
Laughter plays upon my eyes,
Here I stand center stage spotlight on me,
My voice strings the crowd along.
A portrait of me hung on the wall, similar as the faded pages of a book
The audience takes a closer look,
I draw them in, appearing through my magic mirror.
A chill creeps up my spine, staring back at the crowd,
Whilst the fog settles in thick as smoke, soon to surrender to fathom,
My fist pounds against the surface of the mirror, shimmering shards hit the floor,
Time stands still, my breathe captured in the odd echoes,
Laughter broke the silence and the fear within evaporates.
The new TV series based on Craig Johnson's books, "Longmire" premieres on A&E, Sunday, June 3rd at 10pm EST.
By Karen Cotton, editor of Life is as Sweet as Cotton Candy
“As The Crow Flies,” will be released by Penguin Publishing on May 15th.
Fans of New York Times Bestselling Author, Craig Johnson, have a lot to look forward to this spring and early Summer.
Johnson, who calls Wyoming home, will have a brand new TV series, “Longmire,” on the A&E TV network this June. The show is based on his mystery novels.
His eighth book in his Walt Longmire series, “As The Crow Flies,” will be released by Penguin Publishing on May 15th.
“As the Crow Flies,” Johnson said, will answer some of the lingering questions in his Walt Longmire book series.
Johnson added, “But it’ll probably just raise more (questions). I feel that’s the life-blood of a series, the complexity of the characters and I don’t see the lives of my characters getting easier.”
Even though Johnson’s novels are in a series, he said they can also be read stand-alones.
“Some are better than others. “The Cold Dish” is of course best, but there’s also “Another Man’s Moccasins,” “The Dark Horse,” “Junkyard Dogs,” or the new one “As the Crow Flies,” Johnson said.
There is something that Johnson loves about writing his Walt Longmire book series, “The freedom to do what I want to do, and how I want to do it, entertaining people and having a platform for my stories, opinions and beliefs.”
If you haven’t read Johnson’s seven books, and you aren’t familiar with Walt Longmire, he’ll bring you up to speed.
“I was looking for an individual that would be emblematic of the American west, but still complex enough to be compelling to readers,” Johnson said. “Walt is, what I refer to as, a detective for the disenfranchised; he cares about the cases that no one else does. He’s an elected official that’s responsible to his community and I like that better than the ‘lone-wolf’ style characters that kills forty people before the book is over. Walt is a little ‘over’—over age, over weight, overly depressed, and facing a lot of the things that the readers face every day and I think that keeps him real.”
The first TV episode of “Longmire,” produced by Warner Horizon Television, airs June third at 10 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on A&E.
“I was there the entire filming of the pilot, and it was great, a little weird, but great,” Johnson said. “Something like having a houseplant on your kitchen table for ten years and then coming down one morning and having it talk to you—strange, but wonderful.”
Robert Taylor, who is best known for his role in “The Matrix,” will star as Walt Longmire, the sheriff of Absaroka County, Wyoming and leading man of Johnson’s book series.
Lou Diamond Phillips portrays Longmire’s friend and confidant, Henry Standing Bear. Phillips was in the TV show “Numb3rs,” and you may recognize him in another western role. He starred as
the outlaw, Jose Chavez y Chavez in “Young Guns” and its sequel.
Katee Sackhoff of “Battlestar Gallactica is Vic, the new deputy serving with Longmire, Longmire’s daughter, Cady, is portrayed by Cassidy Freeman of “Smallville” and “The Vampire Diaries” fame. Bailey Chase of “Damages” is Branch, a young deputy who runs against Longmire for re-election. The “Longmire” show also introduces new actor, Adam Bartley as The Ferg.
Johnson said the cast and actors of “Longmire” are great.
“Maybe a little different from what I’ve had in my head for the last ten years, but really marvelous,” he said. “There are a few differences with Walt and Henry being a little younger and Vic being a blonde, but I think the thing they (and I) really wanted was talented people who could embody the roles and I think they’ve done that.”
When asked if he wrote his own screenplay for the TV show Johnson said, “I’m what they call an Executive Creative Consultant, which means I know where the Porta-Potties are on set… Actually, They sent me DVD’s of the actors and actresses they were considering; which Hollywood NEVER does. They talk to me about episodes and then send me the scripts and have me go through them and make changes. They’ve asked me about costuming, vehicles, set dressing, you name it.
A lot of Hollywood Heavy Hitters have worked on bringing Johnson’s bestselling mystery series to your TV screen.
The writers and executive producers of “Longmire” are Hunt Baldwin and John Coveny who both wrote the screenplay for “The Closer” and “Trust Me”. Greer Shephard and Michael M. Robin (“The Closer,” “Nip/Tuck”), also are executive producers of “Longmire”. The director and executive producer of “Longmire” is Christopher Chulack who is known for the projects “Southland,” and “ER”.
“They know what they’re doing; it’s nice,” Johnson said.
Johnson had this to say when he was asked about how he felt about the whole “Longmire” project, “It’s actually been pretty wonderful. Everybody told me that they’d write me a check and say see-ya, but they’ve pretty much kept me in-the-loop. A TV show is different from a novel, so I’ve kind of taken the attitude that it’s a different universe but pretty much the same characters and place.”
For several years now, I’ve donated my photography to Wyoming Art for the Cure. The event is celebrating its tenth year this year. and the silent and live auction funds go toward the Wyoming Affiliate of Susan G. Komen foundation.
A couple of years ago my mom had a breast cancer scare, but luckily it was only a scare. It was frightening to think that my mother had the C word. I couldn’t imagine life without her. She is healthy and going strong now and never needed any treatment. Yet, in 2007, over 40,000 women fought the brave fight against breast cancer, but lost their lives, according for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
I have lost several friends to breast cancer, including a friend that I called grandma Meg.
I remember going to the cancer center with Meg. She stood beside the fish aquarium and told me about breast cancer and how they were going to treat her with chemotherapy on the other side of the door that led to that doctor’s area. I was in my early teens at the time. She was a brave woman and put up a big fight and did it ever so gracefully. She was one of my grandma’s best friends and she was also like a grandma to me.
Help fight breast cancer together with Wyoming Art for the Cure this Friday, April 20th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
According for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2007 202,964 women were diagnosed with breast cancer, and 40,598 women died from the disease
* 2007 is the latest statistic for USCS
The CDC site continues to say “Except for skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women. CDC supports breast cancer surveillance and research, and provides free or low-cost mammograms to underserved women.
This year is the 10th anniversary of the Wyoming Art for the Cure. Regional artists donate their work for the silent and live auction that will be held this Friday, April 20 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets are $50 per person, at the door, which includes light fare. You must have a ticket to enter the event.
Location: Little America Hotel and Convention Center, 2800 W. Lincolnway, Cheyenne, Wyoming
The proceeds from Wyoming Art for the Cure benefit the Wyoming Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
Here is a link about how Wyoming Art for the Cure began:
My name is Kimberli Pierantoni. I’m 21 years old. I’m majoring in Communication at Laramie County Community College.
Life is as Sweet as Cotton Candy 