Phantasmagoria #12 - Halloween Special

Artwork by Alberto Segate

Phantasmagoria #12 will be a Halloween Special - and will also include my science fiction story Gwargens, which has only previously been published in 1995 in Beyond #3.

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Phantasmagoria Magazine #11 out now

Now available to purchase on Kindle - PHANTASMAGORIA MAGAZINE issue 11! The print version will be on sale by tomorrow (Friday 2nd August).
Fantasy artist Allen Koszowski! Stephen Jones and Randy Broecker talk 'Terrifying Tales to Tell at Night'! Lina Leandersson on starring in 'Let the Right One In'! 'The Exorcist'!
Interviews with horror authors Peter Coleborn, Jan Edwards, Sam Stone, David J. Howe and Dave Jeffery!

Also: Neil Gaiman's 'Good Omens', 'Stranger Things', 'Midsommar', 'Black Mirror', 'Friday the 13th', Russell Holbrook, classic female horror authors, 1920s horror films, Aurora monster models, Comic Book Guys, Jim Pitts, Stevie Brennan, original fiction, reviews and much more!
Amazon UK link

Ginger Nuts of Horror reviews A Distasteful Horror Story

"A Distasteful Horror Story is an unusual and audacious debut novel, combining Mains’ love of genre with a rollocking and twisty narritive and a payoff that will, I’m sure, be hotly debated for some time to come. I found it to be a disturbing joy to read."

To read the full review click on this link.

A Distasteful Horror Story by Johnny Mains reviewed in Phantasmagoria Magazine #11

The next issue of Phantasmagoria Magazine will contain a review of Johnny Mains' A Distasteful Horror Story:

A DISTASTEFUL HORROR STORY by Johnny Mains

Review by Trevor Kennedy for Phantasmagoria Magazine. 

The narrator of this very darkly humorous novel is a horror fanboy - a huge fanboy, in fact. Especially for the British literary scene, excitedly attending as many of the conventions as possible with an enthusiastic glee. He’s been an obsessive collector of horror-related books, film props and other memorabilia all his life, growing up in the 1980s binging on Video Nasties and other related pastimes. All set to the backdrop and trauma of his girlfriend’s brutal murder at the hands of her father when they were mere teenagers, naturally. The Wonder Years, this is not (thankfully!).
The man at the centre of things is looking back upon his life so far - from the highs (interviewing Stephen King for Fear magazine and hanging out with other genre stars), to the lows (errr… let’s just say they’re pretty graphic and crazy) - from the comfort of his relatively new home, a prison cell where he is spending some time at Her Majesty’s pleasure for a little incident that resulted in him murdering the popular (and fictional) horror author, Carson Fisher. But as this reflective plot develops, it turns out that Carson is not quite the hero the narrator once thought he was and a revenge plan is soon on the cards. I mean, what would you do?
This book is a fascinating read on many levels so I’ll try my best to convey this without losing myself somewhat. Bear with me.
First and foremost, it works as an outright (very) dark comedy/revenge/horror story, at times rather extreme and almost flirting with the bizarro sub-genre. Fans of this type of material will enjoy it for that reason alone, especially if you have as warped a sense of humour as I do (it’s only fiction, people - calm down!). But there is a lot more to it than just that.
Admittedly, I often have a habit of personalising my reviews, and it’s one I’m conscientiously trying to break, but it is totally necessary in this case. Murder and much other nasty stuff aside, I actually found myself relating to a lot of what the ‘anti-hero’ in the prison cell is recounting, especially the nostalgic tributes to 1980s non-mainstream childhood pastimes, like the under-appreciated magic of VHS, watching obscure foreign films late at night on Channel 4, old horror anthology paperbacks, and more. The fact that the author and I were born in the same year and (presumably) have similar interests dating back to our younger days, is, of course, an obvious factor in me liking and ‘getting’ this book more than perhaps people with more mainstream interests will. But it’s not a mainstream book anyway, so my point here is sort of a moot one.
I also found myself smiling broadly at the narrator’s rants about modern life, especially certain aspects of social media. This book is arguably even in part an angry satire of twenty-first century life, Brett Easton Ellis-style, Johnny Mains looking back on those halcyon days of his youth through the eyes of his character, rose-tinted glasses affixed (maybe).
Another really enjoyable aspect of this book is how Mains blends real-life people and names within the genre community into his tale alongside his fictional creations like Carson Fisher, in a very humorous meta manner. They’re all there - Stephen King, Stephen Jones, Ramsey Campbell, Les Edwards, Harlan Ellison, Tanith Lee etc. And when the main character lands a job at Fear magazine, it really did bring a grin to my face.

Additionally, along with the extreme violence and horror, there are also some very well-observed digs at fandom in general, and other pop culture staples (Jimmy Savile included!). The picture it paints of prison life is remarkably accurate and well-researched (I think!) as well.

This book is never going to be everyone’s cup of tea - it is niche in quite a few ways - but so what? It wasn’t written to have a broad appeal anyway. Aficionados of the British genre scene (and the scene as a whole) will generally love it, and I include myself in that category too, of course.

It’s a read that is rather hard to put down, with all its erratic, deranged madness, brutal murders, horror lore references, and savage commentary on a plethora of issues.

Unfair amazon review

Just saw one of the most unfair and daftest reviews ever on amazon:
"I bought this with huge anticipation and a surge of nostalgia but read no further than the first 'story', which was just a very unpleasant account, not what I would call a story."
One story out of twenty read by this "reviewer" and this simpleton thinks that's enough to award the anthology one star out of five! I am constantly amazed at the sheer stupid effrontery of some people. I really am.

Link

A Distasteful Horror Story by Johnny Mains now available on Kindle

I am pleased to announce that Johnny Mains' A Distasteful Horror Story is now available on Kindle.

Amazon UK £5.00

Amazon USA $6.27

Ginger Nuts of Horror reviews A Distasteful Horror Story

"A Distasteful Horror Story is an unusual and audacious debut novel, combining Mains’ love of genre with a rollocking and twisty narritive and a payoff that will, I’m sure, be hotly debated for some time to come. I found it to be a disturbing joy to read."

To read the full review click on this link.

A Distasteful Horror Story by Johnny Mains is now available on Amazon

A Distasteful Horror Story by Johnny Mains is now available to order on amazon, price £11.99.

"A darkly humorous, satirical look at the tight-knit world of horror writers - and their fans. Contains no scenes of violence against actual books, only their authors”Johnny Mains has been prominent in the horror genre ever since his 2010 debut anthology, Back from the Dead: The Legacy of the Pan Book of Horror Stories, which won the British Fantasy Award in 2011 for best anthology. Mains has been at the forefront of the UK’s new wave of horror, editing Best British Horror (Salt Publishing and NewCon Press), Dead Funny: Horror Stories by Comedians (edited with Robin Ince), and The Screaming Book of Horror.Mains has also written several collections of his own stories: With Deepest Sympathy (2010), Frightfully Cosy and Mild Stories for Nervous Types (2012) and A Little Light Screaming (2015).Mains has also written the introduction to Stephen King’s 30th anniversary edition of Thinner, and has discovered ‘lost’ works of fiction by Algernon Blackwood, Edith Nesbit and Daphne Du Maurier.
"Johnny Mains is the Herbert van Thal of our age" - The Independent
"Mains' knowledge of fantastical fiction is enormous" - Robin Ince
"Mains is the Minister For Horror" - Charlie Higson"

Amazon UK £11.99
Amazon USA $15.99

A Distasteful Horror Story by Johnny Mains

Started the process to get A Distasteful Horror Story by Johnny Mains published within the next few days. Providing there are no unexpected glitches the book should be available in paperback on amazon later this week, priced £11.99.

"A darkly humorous, satirical look at the tight-knit world of horror writers - and their fans. Contains no scenes of violence against actual books, only their authors”

Johnny Mains has been prominent in the horror genre ever since his 2010 debut anthology, Back from the Dead: The Legacy of the Pan Book of Horror Stories, which won the British Fantasy Award in 2011 for best anthology. Mains has been at the forefront of the UK’s new wave of horror, editing Best British Horror (Salt Publishing and NewCon Press), Dead Funny: Horror Stories by Comedians (edited with Robin Ince), and The Screaming Book of Horror.
 
Mains has also written several collections of his own stories: With Deepest Sympathy (2010), Frightfully Cosy and Mild Stories for Nervous Types (2012) and A Little Light Screaming (2015).
Mains has also written the introduction to Stephen King’s 30th anniversary edition of Thinner, and has discovered ‘lost’ works of fiction by Algernon Blackwood, Edith Nesbit and Daphne Du Maurier.
 
"Johnny Mains is the Herbert van Thal of our age" - The Independent
"Mains' knowledge of fantastical fiction is enormous" - Robin Ince
"Mains is the Minister For Horror" - Charlie Higson

Cover artwork: David Whitlam

Jessica Jones - Season 3

Finally finished binge-watching the new series of Jessica Jones.

Of all the Netflix Marvel series this is one of the best, alongside The Punisher and Daredevil, with Luke Cage running a close fourth. Interestingly, Luke Cage makes a brief, guest appearance in the final episode.

In season three Jessica teams up with her sister, who has now aquired powers of her own, and is only too willing to use them. Perhaps "too willing" are the key words, but I'll say no more to avoid spoilers.

The main villain is a man without powers other than those he has trained himself for, such as martial arts, and who resents and hates those who he believes have cheated - the empowered super heroes, who have abilities they haven't earned through hard work and dedication. He is also a sadistic serial killer who enjoys photographing the agony he puts his victims through when he has them securely fastened to a chair.

It's dark, convoluted, with some truly shocking twists.

Krysten Ritter, who plays Jessica, is excellent as usual, looking deceptively delicate, till you see her in action.

Signs are that this will be the final season, but I hope not. And if Netflix have dropped it or had it taken off them by Marvel, I sincerely hope that any further seasons have the same cast, and definitely the same actress playing the main character.

The Haunted House of Horror (1969)

I thought I knew all the British horror films of the 1960s and early 70s, definitely those produced by Hammer, Amicus and Tigon, but a 1969 just cropped up on Amazon Prime in HD, starring Frankie Avalon, Dennis Price, George Sewell, and Richard O'Sullivan, The Haunted House of Horror, which I have never even heard of, much less watched when it was originally released. It's an unusual film, more a crime thriller than a horror movie, though it does have its horrific moments (it's reminiscent in this of the Christopher Lee movie from that period, Theatre of Death), and was a lot more fun than I originally expected.

Set during the swinging sixties, it at least managed to get the look and feel of the times better than its contemporary, Hammer, usually did. Of course it helped that it was filmed then, but it's surprising how film makers so often failed even then to get it right. Some lovely colour photography too. And the street scenes are brilliant, especially of Carnoby Street. The "haunted house of horror" itself definitely looked the part.

Curious fact: The film was selected by Quentin Tarantino for the First Quentin Tarantino Film Fest in Austin, Texas, 1996.

Surprisingly, I have just read that "the film was drastically re-written, re-shot and re-cut by writer/director Gerry Levy (under the name Peter Marcus) at the insistence of one of the US producers. Original writer/director Michael Armstrong's commentary on at least one version of the DVD goes into this in detail. Relatively little of the material outside the house was originally in the film and much of what remains was used differently. None of the material featuring George Sewell was shot by Armstrong and only one scene with Dennis Price (in the nightclub) was his. The motivation of the killer was changed and the relationships between the young people were considerably softened."

Dracula - the musical

I hadn't heard of this musical before, but it definitely sounds interesting.

reverbnation.com

Never To Die by Dracula, the musical

Doctor Sleep

It's not often I see a trailer for a film which really catches my attention, but the one for Doctor Sleep looks promising. I haven't read the Stephen King novel it's based on, but after Kubrick's version of The Shining maybe that's not a bad thing. The book will always be there to dip into afterwards.