I believe that everyone who sets about writing in earnest does his work, as a friend of mine phrased it, on something – tea, or coffee, or tobacco.¹

The weary words of the unfortunate Rev. Mr Jennings – a character doomed by the tragic flaw of loving tea much too "extravagantly". For my own purposes tonight I turn (as always) to reliable ol' red wine – a substance not generally noted for whipping one's nerves up into states of high agitation. I urge club members to follow this lead.

Those who persist in slurping down mugs of hot 'tay' (God help them) do so at their own risk.

Should you require an alternative stimulant (to get the synapses fizzing) then please feel free to sample some of the delights contained on either of the Dreadful Thoughts mix/muxtapes:

1) "O, Whistle and I'll Come to You – Eerie Musicks for Dreadful Thoughts"

2) "Dreadful Thoughts Two …Dread by Dawn"

Scrub the face, mutter a prayer or two, tuck the children in and let's get cracking.

1. "Green Tea" in The Wordsworth Collection of Irish Ghost Stories (Wordsworth, 2005), pg. 24. [back]

From god-like ferrets, to ghostly doggies, and on (this evening) to a "cursed" & withered simian extremity – our mammalian carnival of horrors just keeps on truckin'.

More than any of the five authors we've discussed thus far, W. W. Jacobs' popular reputation rests heavily (if not exclusively) on but one tale (and what an influential and oft-parodied tale it is) – "The Monkey's Paw" (1902).

The popularity of the story has not only guaranteed it the status of evergreen "horror anthology" staple, but also allowed/encouraged it to cross over into the realms of children's literature.¹ Thus it was, in a mediocre children's miscellany, that I first came across a (no doubt abridged) version of it. The mixture of sadness, profound loss and (off-screen) horror stayed with me for years. In this, I very much doubt I'm alone.

So here I am (and we are) many years on – ready, willing and eager to discuss it (while getting mildly pissed, or caffeinated). To keep us company we have the second volume in the "club's" ongoing mixtape/muxtape series – "Dreadful Thoughts Two: Dread by Dawn". Listen to it, wallow in it, and thank our resident DJ Niall Munnelly for putting it all together.

I'm a terrible man for "further ado" – so (without any more of it) let's get comfortable, and begin…

1. And wider pop-consciousness. [back]

Hewn from the molten plasticks of hell flame it has come. The dread mark that speaks of pain, of pestilence and of putridity. Long hath man (and woman) sought the avoidance of its vile company…its terrible curse! Those who bear it shall know no happiness. Comfort and joy – distant memories shall these things be! Abandon all hope thou who pinneth it to thy jacket, manbag or handbag.

*Cough* …by that I mean, of course, that the Dreadful Thoughts badges have arrived. Hoorah! There may be some slight spiritual/occult peril involved in their ownership but fuck it – they just look so damn cool.

Those of you who've contributed to the "DT Story Club" discussions thus far – one each of these shall you have. Just email me your addresses (sign a short legal document in your own blood) and this must-have fashion item will be winging its way to you before you can say, "Oh God! What have I done?!"

In other "Club" news – Niall Munnelly, Lord of the Mixtapes, has set up a little Dreadful Thoughts Muxtape page for us. There are slots to upload 12 songs in all, with Niall having started the ball rolling by choosing the first track (taken from Krzysztof Komeda's Rosemary's Baby soundtrack). What I'd like DT "members" to do is to upload a suitably spooky track of their choice to the page in question. When the 12 slots are filled we should have a delightful "tape" to listen to while we join in the discussions, read the tales, or (indeed) write our own.

I'll send out a few emails with the Muxtape log-in details. If I miss anyone (or if anyone who hasn't yet joined in the discussions would like to contribute) just drop me a line and let me know.

Fresh blood is always very, very welcome…I'm serious. Don't be shy.