Born in the Bay Area but raised in Napa, California, Michael R. Johnston discovered science fiction and fantasy at a young age, and never looked back.

After graduating from high school, he took ‘a year’ off college. In the decade that followed, he worked as a sandwich maker, a process server, a data entry clerk and then IT Manager. Then he decided to go back to school, earning his degree from CSUS. In 2006 he became a high school English teacher. After a few years on the job, he took up writing again. B

They say you should write the books you want to see on the shelves, and as an openly bisexual man, Michael wants more stories where gay and bi men get to be the dashing heroes, so his books tend to focus on gay and bisexual protagonists.o

In 2019, his debut novel The Widening Gyre was heralded by Publishers Weekly as a ‘promising debut.’ The second part of the trilogy, The Blood-Dimmed Tide, was released in 2020; Don Sakers of Analog called the two books ‘fine thrillers with many resonances for today’s world.’ What Rough Beast, the trilogy’s finale, will be released in 2022. He’s got plenty more where those came from.

He currently lives in Sacramento, California, with his wife, daughter, three cats, and a hellkitten. When he’s not writing or teaching, he spends time with his family, plays video games, and daydreams of other times and places. Follow him on Twitter @MREJohnston or find out more at mjohnstonbooks.com.