John Gordon (author) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John William Gordon
Gordon in 2006
Born	(1925-11-19)19 November 1925 Jarrow, Tyne & Wear, England
Died	20 November 2017(2017-11-20) (aged 92) Norwich, Norfolk, England
Occupation	Writer
Nationality	English
Education	Wisbech Grammar School
Genre	Teenage supernatural fiction
Notable works	The Giant Under the Snow; The House on the Brink; The Ghost on the Hill; The Burning Baby and Other Ghosts

John (Jack) William Gordon (born November 19, 1925 – died November 20, 2017) was an English writer. He is famous for his exciting young adult books, especially those with supernatural stories.

He wrote sixteen fantasy novels, including The Giant Under the Snow. He also published four collections of short stories and over fifty individual short stories. One of his books was a memoir about his teenage years.

Most of Gordon's novels are in the supernatural fantasy and horror genres. They often feature teenagers as the main characters. These adventures are usually set in the Fens, a mysterious area that inspired Gordon when he was young. His stories sometimes include old English folklore, like the scary doom dog called Black Shuck.

His short stories have appeared in more than 50 different books and magazines. His work has been translated into many languages, like Russian, Japanese, Italian, and Spanish.

John Gordon's Life Story

John Gordon was born in Jarrow, a town in the North-East of England. When he was twelve, his family moved to Wisbech in the Fens, a very flat, rural area. This big change had a huge effect on him. The Fens inspired many of his popular stories, such as The House on the Brink.

During World War II, Gordon served in the Royal Navy. He worked on ships called minesweepers and destroyers. After the war, he became a journalist, writing for newspapers. While working in Norwich, he wrote his first novel, The Giant Under the Snow.

Even though Norwich and its cathedral inspired parts of his first book, the Fens were the main setting for most of his stories. As a reporter, he cycled many miles around the Fens. He once said that the flat fenland was "like an open book" that filled his mind with stories.

Many of his books feature real places in Wisbech. These include Peckover House, Wisbech Museum, and Wisbech Castle grounds. Other places in the Fens, like Pingle Bridge in Upwell and the River Nene, also appear in his stories.

John Gordon's wife, Sylvia, helped him a lot with his writing. She was important in editing and organizing his work throughout his career. He passed away in Norwich at the age of 92.

John Gordon's Books

Novels

• The Giant Under the Snow (1968)
• The House on the Brink (1970)
• The Ghost on the Hill (1976)
• The Waterfall Box (1978)
• The Edge of the World (1983)
• The Quelling Eye (1986)
• The Grasshopper (1987)
• Ride the Wind (1989) – This is a sequel to The Giant Under the Snow
• Secret Corridor (1990)
• Blood Brothers (1991)
• Gilray's Ghost (1995)
• The Flesh Eater (1998)
• The Midwinter Watch (1998) – This book was named The Guardian Children's Book of the Week
• Skinners (1999)
• The Ghosts of Blacklode (2002)
• Fen Runners (2009)

Short Story Collections

• The Spitfire Grave and Other Stories (1979)
• Catch Your Death and other ghost stories (1984)
• The Burning Baby and other ghosts (1992)
• Left in the Dark: The Supernatural Tales of John Gordon (2006)

Books He Helped Edit

• The Walker Book of Ghost Stories (1990)
• Best New Horror 4 (1993)
• The Young OXFORD Book of Ghost Stories (1994)
• The Puffin Book of Horror Stories (1994)
• Dancing with the Dark (1997)
• The Mammoth Book of Dracula: Vampire Tales for the New Millennium (1997)
• Best New Horror 18 (2007)

Autobiography

• Ordinary Seaman – a teenage memoir (1992)