Craig Johnson (author)

Craig Allen Johnson (born January 16, 1961) is an American novelist, short story writer, and playwright. He lives in Ucross, near Buffalo, Wyoming. As of March 2015, Johnson has written numerous short stories and 13 novels, including the Walt Longmire novels adapted as a popular eponymous TV series, and won multiple writing awards.

The author's 12 Sheriff Walt Longmire novels to date include The Cold Dish (first in the series) and The Dark Horse (which received starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly, and was named one of Publishers Weekly's best books of the year in 2009). Two Longmire novels (The Dark Horse and The Cold Dish) were Dilys Award finalists, and another (Death Without Company) was named the Wyoming Historical Association's Book of the Year. The Dark Horse was a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. Hell Is Empty, selected by Library Journal as the Best Mystery of the Year, was a New York Times best seller, as was As the Crow Flies. Other New York Times best selling titles were A Serpent’s Tooth, Any Other Name and the short story collection Wait for Signs.

The former A&E TV series Longmire (now on Netflix), based on Johnson's novels, premiered on June 3, 2012. Longmire debuted as A&E's #1 original-series premiere of all time with 4.1 million total viewers. All existing episodes (including those originally made for A&E) are now available to view on Netflix; season 4, 5 and 6 were made for Netflix after A&E had cancelled the series. Longmire is filmed in New Mexico. The sixth and final season will air in 2017 on Netflix.

Johnson's success is celebrated in an annual festival, called Longmire Days, in Buffalo, Wyoming. The author, many of the actors, and (on occasion) the publishers and producers attend this huge event. Close to 10,000 people visit this small town (the real life inspiration for the series' fictional setting, Durant, Wyoming

Johnson lives in Ucross, Wyoming and is a board member of the Mystery Writers of America (MWA).

Craig was born in Huntington WV and grew up near Garden Farms subdivision. He attended Beverly Hills Jr High. He is a widower. Johnson was a Special Officer with the New York City police department, as a community service.