Interview by Paul Salfen
Diary of a Wimpy Kid meets The Last Kids on Earth in the hilarious illustrated CONFESSIONS OF A DORK LORD middle-grade series, and Book #2: GRAVE DANGER.
In this new epic adventure, Johnston recasts the villain figure as the hero, whose nickname is Wick – because let’s be honest, it’s always the villain that gets to do all the fun stuff and has the coolest powers. According to NPR, “While Harry has a scar, Wick has allergies. Harry is a star Quidditch player, Wick ranks AFTER last place in the Castle Ogres’ Index of Muscle, Mayhem, and Magic….. Wick is no Harry Potter. Actually, Wick is who Harry Potter would be if Harry Potter were a real kid, and that’s the appeal.”
Michael Johnston was born in 1973 in Cleveland, Ohio. As a child and a teen he was an avid reader of science fiction and fantasy. He studied architecture and ancient history at Lehigh University and during a lecture on the history of ancient Egypt, the seed of an idea was born. He earned a master’s degree in architecture from Columbia University, graduating at the top of his class. Michael worked as an architect in New York City before moving to Los Angeles. Sparked by the change of locale, a visit to the desert, and his growing dissatisfaction with the architectural industry, he sought a way to merge his interests in architecture and history with his love of fantasy. By day he worked as an architect, but by night he wrote and researched an epic fantasy novel inspired by the history of ancient Egypt and the tragic story of King Lear. After working this way for several years, he shut down his successful architecture practice and resolved to write full time. He now lives and writes in Los Angeles with his wife and daughter.
You can find Michael on twitter @mjohnstonauthor
