Occupation editor Name Johnny Mains | Nationality Scottish Role Writer | |
Genre Horror fiction, Non-fiction Books With Deepest Sympathy: Fourteen Tales of the Odd and Twisted, Frightfully Cosy and Mild Stories for Nervous Types | ||
Johnny Mains (born 1976, Galashiels, Roxburghshire) is a Scottish editor and writer of horror fiction.
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Biography
Johnny Mains is an award winning editor, biographer and horror historian whose main area of expertise is British horror anthologies. He also the author of two collections of horror stories.
Mains is a lifelong fan of The Pan Book of Horror stories which 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 but was not commercially successful.
Other work
Mains' debut fiction collection 'With Deepest Sympathy' was published by Obverse Books in October 2010.
Mains has also edited the anthologies 'Bite Sized Horror' and 'The Screaming Book of Horror' for Obverse Books and Screaming Dreams in turn. He also edited Best British Horror, a collection of the best horror short fiction from 2013, and Dead Funny (with Robin Ince), a collection of horror stories by comedians, both for Salt Publications.
In October 2011, Zoghogg TV turned Mains' story 'The Jacket' into a short film at a cost of £50 all in. Mains has also appeared on the special features of a Hammer Horror documentary.
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 Edwards.