Johnny Mains
Encyclopedia
Johnny Mains is a Scottish
editor and writer of horror fiction
.
Mains is a life-long fan of The Pan Book of Horror
stories and created a fan site for the thirty book series. This in turn led him to release his first anthology as editor, Back From the Dead: The Legacy of the Pan Book of Horror Stories, which features sixteen new stories and five reprints from the original series. Authors featured include such Pan luminaries as Basil Copper
, Christopher Fowler
and Nicholas Royle
. The book was released through Mains' Noose and Gibbet imprint at the World Horror Convention
in March 2010. and won the Best Anthology Award at the 2011 British Fantasy Society Awards.
At the World Horror Convention
in March 2010, Mains was responsible for the biggest gathering of Pan Horror authors for a panel on the history of the series and the dealings the authors had with its editor, Herbert Van Thal
.
Mains was appointed Project Editor for the re-issue of the 1959 Pan Book of Horror Stories. The book was published, with a new introduction in October 2010 to critical acclaim.
Mains is a regular contributor to 'The Paperback Fanatic', a magazine devoted to pulp paperbacks. His interviews for the magazine have included Basil Copper
, David F. Case
, Shaun Hutson
and John Holmes.
in October 2010. Containing fourteen stories of the 'odd and twisted' the tone of the stories are very Pan Horror in style, though the collection does include several ghost stories, one of which; 'Reconvened: The Judge's House' is an unofficial sequel to Bram Stoker
's short story 'The Judge's House.' Mains also edited the first Obverse Quarterly book 'Bite Sized Horror' that featured stories by Reggie Oliver
and Conrad Williams amongst others.
In October, Zoghogg TV announced that Mains' story 'The Bag Lady' would be turned into a mini series, and there are also plans to release this story as a graphic novel.
.
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
editor and writer of horror fiction
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
.
Biography
Johnny Mains is an award winning editor and horror historian whose main area of expertise is British horror anthologies. He also writes short stories, the first of which, The Spoon, appeared in The Third Black Book of Horror Stories.Mains is a life-long fan of The Pan Book of Horror
Pan Book of Horror
The Pan Book of Horror Stories was a paperback series of short horror story anthologies published by Pan Books Ltd. The series ran to thirty volumes, the first published in 1959.The series was initially collected and edited by Herbert Van Thal...
stories and created a fan site for the thirty book series. This in turn led him to release his first anthology as editor, Back From the Dead: The Legacy of the Pan Book of Horror Stories, which features sixteen new stories and five reprints from the original series. Authors featured include such Pan luminaries as Basil Copper
Basil Copper
Basil Copper is a prolific English writer and former journalist and newspaper editor. He became a fulltime writer in 1970.In addition to horror and detective fiction, Copper is perhaps best known for his series of Solar Pons stories continuing the character created as a tribute to Sherlock Holmes...
, Christopher Fowler
Christopher Fowler
Christopher Fowler is an English thriller writer. In addition to his numerous horror, satire and crime novels, he has also written a Sherlock Holmes audio drama for BBC 7 entitled The Lady Downstairs...
and Nicholas Royle
Nicholas Royle
Nicholas Royle is an English novelist.Born in Manchester, Royle has written five novels - Counterparts, Saxophone Dreams, The Matter of the Heart, The Director’s Cut and Antwerp. He also claims to have written more than 100 short stories, which have appeared in a variety of anthologies and...
. The book was released through Mains' Noose and Gibbet imprint at the World Horror Convention
World Horror Convention
The World Horror Convention is an annual professional gathering of the World Horror Society and other interested parties.-Site selection:Historically, all World Horror Conventions have been held in the United States or Canada, usually alternating between east and west sides of the country...
in March 2010. and won the Best Anthology Award at the 2011 British Fantasy Society Awards.
At the World Horror Convention
World Horror Convention
The World Horror Convention is an annual professional gathering of the World Horror Society and other interested parties.-Site selection:Historically, all World Horror Conventions have been held in the United States or Canada, usually alternating between east and west sides of the country...
in March 2010, Mains was responsible for the biggest gathering of Pan Horror authors for a panel on the history of the series and the dealings the authors had with its editor, Herbert Van Thal
Herbert Van Thal
Herbert Maurice van Thal , better known as Bertie, was a bookseller, publisher, agent, biographer, and anthologist. His grandfather was a distiller , and was a director of the theatre proprieters, Howard and Wyndham...
.
Mains was appointed Project Editor for the re-issue of the 1959 Pan Book of Horror Stories. The book was published, with a new introduction in October 2010 to critical acclaim.
Mains is a regular contributor to 'The Paperback Fanatic', a magazine devoted to pulp paperbacks. His interviews for the magazine have included Basil Copper
Basil Copper
Basil Copper is a prolific English writer and former journalist and newspaper editor. He became a fulltime writer in 1970.In addition to horror and detective fiction, Copper is perhaps best known for his series of Solar Pons stories continuing the character created as a tribute to Sherlock Holmes...
, David F. Case
David F. Case
David F. Case is an American writer of short stories and novelist.-Biography:David F. Case was born in 1937 in upstate New York. He spends much of his time in either London or Greece. Outside of the horror genre, Case has written over 300 books under at least 17 different pseudonyms, ranging...
, Shaun Hutson
Shaun Hutson
Shaun Hutson is a writer of novels including horror novels and dark urban thrillers. A native of Letchworth Garden City in Hertfordshire, England, Hutson now lives and writes in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire....
and John Holmes.
Other Works
Mains' debut collection 'With Deepest Sympathy' was published by Obverse BooksObverse Books
Obverse Books is a British publisher, best known for publishing books relating to the character Iris Wildthyme. The imprint was founded by Stuart Douglas in 2008 to provide an outlet for adult-oriented fiction relating to Doctor Who,...
in October 2010. Containing fourteen stories of the 'odd and twisted' the tone of the stories are very Pan Horror in style, though the collection does include several ghost stories, one of which; 'Reconvened: The Judge's House' is an unofficial sequel to Bram Stoker
Bram Stoker
Abraham "Bram" Stoker was an Irish novelist and short story writer, best known today for his 1897 Gothic novel Dracula...
's short story 'The Judge's House.' Mains also edited the first Obverse Quarterly book 'Bite Sized Horror' that featured stories by Reggie Oliver
Reggie Oliver
Reggie Oliver is an English playwright, biographer and writer of ghost stories.-Life and career:Reggie Oliver was educated at Eton and University College, Oxford , and has been a professional playwright, actor, and theatre director since 1975.He has worked in radio, television, films, and...
and Conrad Williams amongst others.
In October, Zoghogg TV announced that Mains' story 'The Bag Lady' would be turned into a mini series, and there are also plans to release this story as a graphic novel.
Lest You Suffer Nightmares
Mains is credited with writing the first biography on van Thal. Lest You Should Suffer Nightmares was published as an addendum to Back From the Dead: The Legacy of the Pan Book of Horror Stories. It was reprinted (with additional information) and published as a stand alone book by Screaming Dreams in September 2011 with artwork by Les EdwardsLes Edwards
Les Edwards is a British illustrator known for his work in the horror, science fiction and fantasy genres, and has provided numerous illustrations for book jackets, posters, magazines, record covers and games during his career...
.
Short Stories
- The Bear and the Fish Writers Cafe Anthology 2006 (Writers Cafe)
- The Spoon The Third Black Book of Horror (Mortbury Press)
- With Deepest Sympathy The Fourth Black of Horror (Mortbury Press)
- The Trapper Pantechnicon (e-zine)
- First Foot Estronomicon (Screaming Dreams)
- Gun Money* Pantheon (magazine)
- George V Voices From The Past (H&H Books)
- Final Draft Graveyard Rendezvous (Black Hill Books)
- The Jacket Alt-Dead (Hersham Horror)
- Head Soup Aklonomicon (Aklo Press)
- The Cure The Unspoken (tba)
- I Wish 13 (tba)
Collections
With Deepest Sympathy- Reconvened: The Judge's House
- With Deepest Sympathy
- Gun Money
- Jesus Wept
- The Bag Lady
- Falling in Love with a Dead Boy
- Losing the Plot
- Bloody Conventions
- The Spoon
- The Trapper
- Life Through a Lens
- The Family Business
- Stour Bridge
- Final Draft
Anthologies
- Back From the Dead: The Legacy of the Pan Book of Horror Stories (Noose & Gibbet)
- Bite Sized Horror (Obverse Books)
Essays and Interviews
- A Brief History of the Horrors - Pan Book of Horror Stories (Pan Books)
- An Interview with Basil Copper - Brighton Shock (WHC 2010/PS Publishing)
Noose and Gibbet
- Back From The Dead: The Legacy of the Pan Book of Horror Stories
- The Mask and Other Stories - Herbert van Thal
- Party Pieces: The Horror Fiction of Mary Danby (Sept. 2012)