I Met Craig Johnson!

I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Craig Johnson, the author of the series of Longmire mystery books I recommended several weeks ago, last Saturday at the Bookmark book fair in Winston-Salem. Johnson is a memorable character, one of those people who seem a bit larger than life, electrify personal interactions and occupy the entire room when they are speaking. He spent time with each person for whom he autographed a book, taking time to chat about this and that.

Personable, funny, a great story teller, he made me laugh until my sides hurt with his tales of how people have experienced his books, the people on whom the various characters are based, and how he views the world. Johnson is clearly excited by the popularity of his books, but has retained a down to earth personality and an eagerness to connect with his readers.

I also had the honor of meeting his wife, Judy, on whom the character of Deputy Victoria Moretti is based. She is the female version of her husband, approachable and fun to talk with.

Now I need to take a trip to Longmire Days in Buffalo, Wyoming, the town which became Durant, the seat of Absaroka County. I heard that a lot of people descended on that town for Longmire Days this past July, not only to meet Johnson but also the cast of the TV show based on his books. Now if they only had a rodeo there at the same time, my happiness would be complete.