User:Irregularwhale/sandbox

Casey K. Johnston

Casey K. Johnston (born February 1, 1990) is an American teacher, artist, and author. He's been certified and worked as a phlebotomist (CPT-1), Nurse's aide (CNA), and monitor technician.

Born to Californian natives, Johnston lived in several different cities in mid and southern California. Johnston was born in Bakersfield, moved to Arroyo Grande where he graduated high school. Initially planning to go into the military to become a medic to kick-start a medical career, his plans changed with the emergence of epilepsy. Instead, Johnston returned to Bakersfield where he earned his AA at Bakersfield College, his CPT-1, his CNA license, and his CDT-1. He then moved to Sacramento California where he earned his bachelors in Liberal Arts at California State University Sacramento. He returned to Bakersfield again to pursue a credential in teaching.

After graduating Bakersfield College, Johnston worked as a CNA while trying to establish himself as an author. In 2014 Johnston published his first book: Parker’s Odysseys after the Apocalypse, which he intended to be a short 3 novel series. After sales return was unable to make back the money spent publishing the book, the other novels in the series remain unpublished. Since then, he’s attempted to start three other book series which he hasn’t attempted to publish due to monetary restraints. He is currently working on a title: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, while earning his teacher’s license.

Books
Parker’s Odysseys after the Apocalypse is based in southern California and follows the main character, known only as Parker. Originally a World War III veteran, Parker works as a “runner” for Fort Montaña, whose duties include escort missions and delivering messages between Montaña and other forts. These missions are especially hazardous due to highwaymen and humans infected with a deadly virus similar to the pop-culture zombie virus. Parker is also haunted by a nameless apparition which constantly mocks him whenever he is alone. The first book cumulates with him saving the fort after an attempted sabotage which could have destroied the fort and massacred it’s residents. The series would pick up again with the introduction of new characters and greater inter-fort trade and politics. However, the series is forstalled until Johnston has time and funds to re-tool and publish.

Other projects include Gulliver's Voyage (based in a plausible future North America), Steampunk (based in a pre-Victorian area Europe), and The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice is set in a modern-day America which had been conquered by a powerful wizard called Paragon. The wizard crowns himself king and ushers in an age where magic users and races considered to be myths now live openly in the world. In this new America, magic is power and is the key to prestige. The story follows three characters, a newly adopted foster child, a time displaced gorgon, and a veteran of the United States military. The main character, the foster child, is a young human boy named Jay Wren. He wants nothing more than to become a wizard and agrees to do anything to gain the power and prestige he was denied by fate. The secondary character is Elenore Radcliffe. Elenore is a gorgon who thought she was a “normal” girl for most of her life. Now she’s trying to learn how to be close to someone without experiencing the crippling fear of being rejected or killing them. Finally, Jacob Morrigan is a rebel leader who learned a dark secret from the past and is struggling to maintain his desire to overthrow the nigh invincible wizard-king Paragon.

Art
Johnston is a talented artist who is proficient in several different mediums. He has experience with sketching, painting, sculpting, and wood-working. Johnston has created scenes using charcoal and pencil. He is able to use ink, watercolor, acrylic, and oil paints for portraits and still life. He has sculpted a variety of figurines using wax and clays. Finally, he has experience in wood working and has built several furniture pieces.