People like William W. Johnstone

William Wallace Johnstone (October 28, 1938 – February 8, 2004) was an American author most known for his western, horror and survivalist novels.

Born and raised in southern Missouri, Johnstone was the youngest of four children. His father was a minister and his mother a school teacher. He left school when he was 15 and worked in a carnival and as a deputy sheriff. He later served in the United States Army and, upon returning to civilian life, worked in radio broadcasting for 16 years.

Johnstone started his writing career in 1970, but did not have any works published until 1979 (The Devil's Kiss). He wrote close to two hundred books in numerous genres, including suspense, horror, men's adventure, post-apocalyptic, and Westerns. His main publication series were Mountain Man, The First Mountain Man, Ashes (with Ben Raines as the protagonist), and Eagles. His own personal favorite novel was The Last of the Dog Team (1980). He also authored two novels under the pseudonym William Mason. His works have been translated into languages other than English.