Terry C. Johnston – a Great Western Author

Ernestine, the Editor of NSNT agrees that book reviews are in order. Now in the process of reading/researching Sitting Bull in depth, she says, “Reading is very good. We, the writers are so happy that you the readers are reading us, but suggest that you read more.” Thus, from time-to-time book reviews will be provided in NSNT for those tribal and non-tribal readers who are fascinated with the history of the Great Plains Tribes, especially the wars which marked that era. As descendants of those players, some of us are privy to the oral history versions and yet not so well acquainted with the militaristic details. In order to learn about that side, some reading/ research is necessary.

Terry C. Johnston’s books provide that side of the story. Johnston, T. C., (1947-2001), an American author of western fiction wrote 31 novels and had more than 10 million books in print.

He brought what could be dry history to life making the history easy to learn. That is because its accurate, empathic to the tribal point of view when writing fiction. He told stories through the eyes and heart of protagonists like Seamus (pronounced Shawmus) Donegan, an Irish guy who was in the midst of it all and married to Northern Cheyenne women. That is a primary reason, I love the reads. Of Irish heritage myself, I can see and readily identify with that somewhat conflicted feller. If I had been alive then Seamus would have found it hard to avoid me. Through Seamus, Johnston engages readers to laugh, cry, pound a fist in frustration or to simply ponder injustice, which affected both sides.

Johnston was born in Arkansas City, Kansas. His parents were a junior college president and a teacher. He gained a BA from Central State University in Edmond, Oklahoma. As a young man, he traveled and worked various jobs, all the while becoming a student of the Old West. Johnston published his first novel, Carry the Wind, in 1982 after it had been rejected by 29 publishers; it won the Western Writers of America’s Medicine Pipe Bearer’s Award. Johnston wrote this story while he worked as a lease manager for Northwest Auto in Northglenn, Colorado, using the company’s word processor after work to write, sometimes working through the night. He settled near Billings, Montana.

Johnston is best known for two major works: a series of nine historical novels spanning the Rocky Mountain Fur Trade era and its eventual demise told through the eyes of another protagonist, Titus “Scratch” Bass; and a larger number of novels about the Indian wars of the West, the Plainsmen Series, following the conflicts through protagonist Seamus Donegan. Another series of books was based on a possibly true story of a relationship General Custer had with a Cheyenne girl.

Johnston told his wife that when he killed off Scratch or whenever Scratch died, he wouldn’t last too long afterwards. Johnston died of colon cancer on March 25, 2001, only a month after being diagnosed. In his memory The Terry C. Johnston Memorial Scholarship Fund was established at Montana State University Billings, as well as donations made to the Custer Battlefield Preservation Committee and the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance.

Johnston’s work was prolific. It includes the Bass/Paddock Trilogy (Bass’ middle years); Son of the Plains (Custer novels); Jonas Hook: Titus Bass (Bass’ early years): (Bass’ latter years) and the Plainsmen Series. Listing all of Johnston’s books would make you dizzy. However, a good start would be BLOOD MOON, telling the story of how the U.S. Army, in the worst of conditions, in harsh winter, finally tracked down Crazy Horse and his Cheyenne patriots. Otherwise, when you get hooked on Johnston, build a book case to hold the volumes. I did that, to hold the treasures.

Check Terry Johnston’s books out. You will be glad you did. They might make you cry; might get you on the fight (too little too late), but they will certainly get you to thinkin’ and reflectin’. History tends to repeat itself. With that, pray for us now. Iraq and all. We are not always right and they are not always wrong. Lesson learned from Terry C. Johnston.

(Contract Clara Caufield at acheyennereview@gmail.com)

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