Charles Johnston

@charlesjohnston

Emmy Award winning screenwriter. Author of SLEEP WALK. Writer for Spectrum Culture. DETENTIONAIRE co-creator. charlesjohnston.ca

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Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· 2d

This is the biz in Pincher Creek - where my novella Sleep Walk is set - that I imagined when I wrote about the location Ron's Auto. It's on Main Street and even has a car graveyard. (The guy in this pic DID NOT like me taking this - for a moment there I thought I was about to get my ass kicked.)

A business called Sure Glass in Pincher Creek, taken from across the street. A man in the centre stares at the camera, annoyed that the picture is being taken.

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· 3d

At the end of the first chapter of my novella Sleep Walk, the main character Jamie has a deer stop in front of his car in the center of town and stare at him. In Pincher Creek, where the book is set, deer really do wander around, happily grazing on everyone's lawn.

A photo from the inside of a car looking out at a deer about to graze on someone's lawn.

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· 10d

Heading to Pincher Creek, Alberta, and making sure to pack some copies of my novella - especially since it's set there! 🥰

An open suitcase with a bunch of copies of the novella Sleep Walk packed on top of some clothes.

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· 11d

Saw my novella Sleep Walk advertised on the NYT front page this morning! books.friesenpress.com/store/title/....

Front page of the New York Times which includes a Kobo ad for a books that include Sleep Walk by Charles Johnston.

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· 24d

A fascinating book, very off its time, oozing paranoia, about a woman trying to raise four kids in Sacramento who is convinced someone is trying to kill her. Adding to its allure is the fact that Stanley Kubrick almost made it, but then hired Diane Johnson to help him adapt The Shining instead.

The cover of the book The Shadow Knows by Diane Johnson featuring a stylized image of a woman looking over her shoulder while she reads a book depicting a murder on its cover and someone spying on her over her other shoulder.

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· Jun 19

When Canada won their first FIFA World Cup match yesterday our neighborhood was quaking with excitement. Even our cat took notice!

A white cat shot from behind looking intently at a TV screen featuring a soccer match.

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· May 4

ALWAYS the first action figure picked when playing Star Wars. Happy May the 4th!

An old action figure of Boba Fett being held up.

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· May 2

Spotted at Toronto's College & Spadina intersection! My PR company (aka me and the fam) has been working overtime! 😅

A pole at Toronto's College & Spadina intersection that features a poster for the novella Sleep Walk, written by the owner of this account.

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· May 2

Happy #caturday! Here's mine watching the family eat breakfast intently, even after his own ample meal.

A portrait shot of a white cat sitting on a dining room chair with his front paws perched on the table like a little human watching his family eat breakfast.

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· Mar 30

Guitar pedals are so creative these days. I would've loved to have used this back in the day.

Hilarious guitar pedal, probably for a fuzz effect, that has The Dude from The Big Lebowski on it. There are four knobs: Walter, Donnie, Jesus, and Dude for bass, treble, tone and effect. The ember of The Dude's joint looks like it functions as an on / off light.

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· Mar 14

If only I could explain why he has to wear this damn thing... Happy #caturday!

A white cat laying on a bed wearing a cone after getting fixed at the vet. Despite the indignity of wearing one of these, and making everything so awkward, this cat looks like he's quite comfortable and content.

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· Mar 5

Happy World Book Day!!! #WorldBookDay #BookTalk #horror #mystery #thriller

A cover of the book Sleep Walk by Charles Johnston featuring a picture of someone walking down an alley at night in a Stephen King book from the '80s style.

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· Mar 5

A QR code for ordering the book Sleep Walk by Charles Johnston from FriesenPress

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· Mar 4

I might have to start playing guitar again just to justify buying this effects pedal.

A guitar effects pedal called "Nichorus Cage' with a cartoony picture of the actor in a moment from the movie Con Air. The pedal has rate and depth knobs as well as a switch for a 'deeper' effect.

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· Feb 20

It's a dream to be featured on the horror.org website! (Check out charlesjohnston.ca for more info about my novella Sleep Walk. And if you've read it, and feel like writing about it, leave me a review somewhere, anywhere - it helps a lot! ) #books #booktok #bookstagram

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· Feb 13

A box of physical copies of my novella SLEEP WALK have just arrived. Now it feels real! THANK YOU to EVERYONE who bought a copy and helped make it #2 on the @friesenpress.bsky.social bestseller list! (Check out my pinned post or charlesjohnston.ca to order one.)

Author Charles Johnston, in glasses and a cowboy shirt, in the living room of a condo, proudly holds up a copy of his novella SLEEP WALK above a box that contains 50 other paperback copies of the same edition.

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· Feb 9

My new novella SLEEP WALK is #2 on the FriesenPress bestseller list! Thank you to EVERYONE who bought a copy. I really appreciate it!!! ❤️ (charlesjohnston.ca for more info.)

A screenshot of a website page from the FriesenPress Bookstore that lists the novella SLEEP WALK as #2 on the bestseller list.

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· Jan 19

At first the premise for The Beast in Me seemed a bit generic to me but wow, what an excellent series! Superbly entertaining.

A production still from the Netflix series The Beast in Me. Claire Danes as Aggie Wiggs and Matthew Rhys as Nile Jarvis have met up at an outdoor party and are staring offscreen together enigmatically.

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· Jan 13

My wife, Alex Ganetakos, was nominated for a WGC Award! I'm so proud of her, and delighted that two of our dear friends, Lienne Sawatsky and Emer Connon, are nominated, too! 🥳🍾🎉

A screenshot that lists the nominees in the Children's category for the 2026 WGC Screenwriting Awards. JJ Johnson for both "Dino Dex" and "Jane", as well as Alex Ganetakos, Lienne Sawatsky and Emer Connon for three separate episodes of the series "Lana Longbeard."

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· Jan 8

Where's Wally? (aka Where's Waldo? in Canada and the US) but it's my new cat, Snowball.

A tall bookshelf in a study with a white cat at the very top peeking down.

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· Jan 7

DOWN CEMETERY ROAD is superb: electrifying performances, delicious writing, virtuoso direction. HIGHLY recommended.

A production still from the Apple TV series 'Down Cemetery Road' of the characters Zoë Boehm (Emma Thompson) and Sarah Trafford (Rita Wilson) standing together backlit by a sunset as they both look toward something Zoë is pointing to offscreen.

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· Jan 5

2026 is the year I publish my very first novella - I'm thrilled! My physical proof copy has just arrived. It's time for a little proofreading so I can officially get this out into the world.

The owner of this Bluesky account sitting at a dining table in a condo, proudly holding up a copy of the physical proof copy for his novella 'Sleep Walk'. There is a TV, a Christmas tree and a balcony in the background. The cover looks like a Stephen King book from the '80s with bright red garish font and an image of a silhouetted figure walking down an alley at night. The author has long brown hair (and a receding hairline). He is wearing glasses, a brown sweater, a red Toronto Raptors T-shirt and black sweat pants.

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· Jan 4

Meet Snowball! Our neighbor found it seemingly abandoned on New Year's Day. My son asked, "Can we keep it, Dad?" Even though I'm allergic to cats... how could I say no to this?

Picture of an adorable white cat on a rug, looking up to camera.

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· Jan 2

So bonkers that there's a collectible doll out there of my former roommate in Calgary!

A photo depicting a collectible doll of Agnes Lenz from the 2006 remake of the film Black Christmas.

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· Nov 19

Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum just keeps on giving. SO COOL it's been nominated for a Children's and Family Emmy Award. Also, Outstanding Sound Mixing and Sound Editing! #childrensemmys

A list of nominees for Outstanding Preschool Animated Series: Carl the Collector, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Molly of Denali, The Tiny Chef Show and Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum.

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· Nov 17

In 2022, a runner-up from Canadian Idol was sentenced to 5 years for sexual assault causing bodily harm. This Wednesday, November 19th, at 9:00pm on CBC TV and CBC Gem, “Breaking Idol” shows how one survivor took on a flawed legal system and secured this historic conviction.

A photo of a TV screen featuring a promo for an upcoming documentary called "Breaking Idol." It's Ep 10 of the latest season of The Passionate Eye. It's 60 minutes in length and for viewers 18+. There is also an image of a singer in front of a crowd and the back of the person's head who is at the heart of this story, the survivor who took on the systems unfairly designed to protect perpetrators to secure a historic conviction.

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· Aug 17

My screenplay, SLEEP WALK, won Best Feature Script at the 26th Toronto Film and Script Awards this weekend! A collaboration with Patrick White, it's about a sleepwalking mechanic who has to investigate himself when his co-workers start to go missing. Readable on my website at charlesjohnston.ca.

A laurel for the 2025 Toronto Film and Script Awards with 'winner' above it and olive branches on the side.

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· Jul 15

My son is enjoying our trip to Portugal!

A boy jumping for joy in a swimming suit in front of the a hotel in the Algarve, Portugal.

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· Jul 10

'Some Like It Hot' playing in the square across from my hotel in Porto. Feels like a dream.

A picture taken of a screen in a square in downtown Porto with Marilyn Monroe on it from a screening of the film 'Some Like it Hot'.

Charles Johnston@charlesjohnston· Jul 10

Saw this at a tile studio in Porto and it hit me as extra profound.