Craig lives in Ucross, Wyoming and is known for his mystery novels that feature the character, Sheriff Walt Longmire.
The TV show, “Longmire,” used to air on A & E, until they stupidly cancelled it. Now Netflix calls the show its home.
Viewers are happy and the Long LIve Longmire Twitter campaign worked!
With that said Craig talked about what it’s like seeing his characters larger than life on TV, what he likes best about book signings and you can learn what he has in the works right now!
Q AND A with Craig Johnson
Q: What’s it like seeing your characters come alive on Netflix? And isn’t it great they picked the show and idea up? Yay!
Johnson: “It’s kind of like having a house-plant for seven years and suddenly it starts talking, were but wonderful. The deal I got from Warner Brothers was a package deal in which I got to meet the producers, directors and writers, which gave me an opportunity to gauge their interest in the material. They were really great folks who were really knowledgeable of the books and characters and had track records of how they’d gotten things done. That’s generally the problem with being optioned by Hollywood, you never know if the people you’re dealing with will ever get anything made. I’m a Cowboy author from a town of 25 in northern Wyoming, so for me it will always be about visibility for the books. Our producers were responsible for shows like The Closer and Nip/Tuck so I felt relatively confident—as confident as you can feel in Hollywood.
“I think the casting was crucial and when they made me a Creative Consultant, I figured they were serious. Warner started sending me dvd’s of the actors they were considering, so I wasn’t shocked by them—pretty much every actor I was rooting for got the roles.”
Q: What do you like the most about book signings and meeting your fans?
Johnson: “You pretty much said it yourself, meeting the folks that read my books and having the opportunity to talk with them in person. Email and social media are great, but I’m a face to face kind of guy. I’ve established tons of friendships over the years with people I only get to see once a year, if I’m lucky. These people are important to me in that they know the innermost workings of my mind by reading my books—and they still want to meet me? That’s pretty great.”
Q: What’s next? What are you working on next?
Johnson: “The next Walt Longmire novel is called, An Obvious Fact, and should be out in May. It takes place up in Hulett, Wyoming, (population 396, police force 1), the sister city to Sturgis and once a year it has about a half-million bikers in it… That seemed like something Walt, Henry and Vic should be involved in. Then I’ve got another novella akin to Spirit of Steamboat, The Highwayman that concerns a Highway Patrol-Person who is transferred to the Wind River Canyon and begins getting Officer-In-Need-Of-Assitance calls from another Highway Patrolman every night—the problem? He’s been dead for thirty years.
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.”
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.”
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