Thu, April 24, 2025

The Damned Thing

Due to Cassandra Harold not being spared from the nasty cold in the household, we are re-airing the short horror story "The Damned Thing" by Ambrose Bierce. A man finds himself haunted by an unseen, malevolent force. Will he overcome it, will it drive him mad, or worse? "The Damned Thing" by Ambrose Bierce was originally published 1893 and is in the Public Domain. Thanks for listening and please share the show with your friends! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wed, April 16, 2025

The Beckoning Fair One Part 3

This week on Unpleasant Dreams , Cassandra Harold concludes her narration of the novella The Beckoning Fair One by Oliver Onions. We thank our listener again for the wonderful suggestion of this story. If you have a short story (that's in the public domain) that you would like Cassandra to perform, please let us know by contacting Jim Harold HERE . Please tell your friends about the show! The Beckoning Fair One was first published in 1911 and is in the public domain. -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thu, April 10, 2025

The Beckoning Fair One Part 2

This week on Unpleasant Dreams , Cassandra Harold continues narrating the novella The Beckoning Fair One by Oliver Onions. In her introduction this week, Cassandra gives us a mini lesson on "Free Indirect Discourse" and how it is used in this story. Stay tuned next week for the conclusion of the story and please tell your friends about the show! The Beckoning Fair One was first published in 1911 and is in the public domain. -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wed, April 02, 2025

The Beckoning Fair One Part 1

This week on Unpleasant Dreams , Cassandra Harold begins narrating the novella The Beckoning Fair One by Oliver Onions. First published in 1911, The Beckoning Fair One is a classic psychological horror novella about a writer, Paul Oleron, who moves into an old, abandoned house to work on his novel. This week Cassandra shares with us the first four chapters to set up the story. Thanks to a fan of the show for suggesting this great story! Stay tuned next week for more and please tell your friends about the show! The Beckoning Fair One is in the public domain. -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wed, March 26, 2025

The Shadows on the Wall

On this episode of Unpleasant Dreams , Cassandra entertains us with the short story The Shadows on the Wall by Mary E. Wilkens Freeman, published in 1903 and in the public domain. The Shadows on the Wall is a chilling tale of grief, guilt, and supernatural vengeance. After the sudden death of Henry Glynn, his sisters and surviving brother gather in the family home, only to be haunted by an ominous shadow on the wall—one that refuses to fade. As tensions rise and dark secrets emerge, the lingering presence suggests that some wrongs are not so easily buried. Are you noticing any shadows on your wall? Enjoy! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wed, March 12, 2025

The Dead Valley

Cassandra Harold is back on Unpleasant Dreams this week narrating the short story "The Dead Valley" by Ralph Adams Cram. Cram's reputation as a writer stems solely from six stories published in Black Spirits and White: A Book of Ghost Stories . "The Dead Valley" is his most well-known and frequently reprinted tale, which H.P. Lovecraft later praised for its masterful use of atmosphere and description to evoke a haunting sense of regional horror. Content Warning: This story includes the death of a dog, which some listeners may find upsetting. Please listen with care. "The Death Valley" was published in 1893 and is in the public domain. -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wed, March 05, 2025

The Monkey's Paw

This week on Unpleasant Dreams , Cassandra Harold is on vocal rest—doctor’s orders—so we’re revisiting her first Unpleasant Dreams reading from 2023: The Monkey’s Paw by W.W. Jacobs. This chilling tale is one of Jim Harold’s favorite short stories, and its haunting moral remains timeless—be careful what you wish for. Originally published in Harper’s Monthly in 1902, The Monkey’s Paw is now in the public domain. Thanks for listening, and don’t forget to share the show with your friends! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thu, February 27, 2025

Thurnley Abbey

In this chilling episode of Unpleasant Dreams , Cassandra brings to life Thurnley Abbey , a masterful ghost story by Perceval Landon. First published in 1908 and in the public domain, this unsettling tale follows a skeptical traveler who dismisses superstitions—until he finds himself spending the night in a cursed abbey with a horrifying secret. Thanks for listening and please share the show! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wed, February 19, 2025

Caterpillars

In this spine-chilling episode of Unpleasant Dreams , Cassandra Harold takes on the eerie tale Caterpillars by E.F. Benson, first published in 1912 and is in the public domain. A short story that twists the innocence of nature into something far more sinister. For Cassandra, this episode is a particularly unsettling one, as she has a deep fear of bugs—making the creeping horror of this story all the more real and terrifying. Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please share the podcast! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wed, February 12, 2025

The Body Snatcher

On this episode of Unpleasant Dreams , Cassandra reads the supernatural horror short story, The Body Snatcher by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. William Burke and William Hare gained notoriety for allegedly carrying out at least sixteen "anatomy murders"—murders committed for the purpose of providing fresh cadavers for medical study—over the course of roughly ten months in 1828. Their gruesome actions captured the public's imagination and made headlines, leaving a lasting impression that endured for many years. The case inspired authors like Robert Louis Stevenson, with The Body Snatcher being one of the most famous fictionalized retellings of the murders. The Body Snatcher is in the public domain and was published in 1884. We hope you enjoy! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wed, February 05, 2025

The Red Room

This week Cassandra reads H.G. Wells' The Red Room . The narrator of The Red Room is a 28-year-old who doesn't believe in the supernatural. He comes to Lorraine Castle with the intention of spending the night in the Red Room, a place rumored to be haunted. As Cassandra explains it, the story "intertwines the psychological with the supernatural in a delectable way." How do you personally deal with the fear of the unknown? Enjoy! H.G. Wells' The Red Room was first published in 1896 and is in the public domain. -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wed, January 29, 2025

A Quicksilver Cassandra

This week on Unpleasant Dreams , Cassandra Harold takes us on a journey through the whimsical and thought-provoking short story, "A Quicksilver Cassandra" by John Kendrick Bangs. Known for his wit and satire, Bangs weaves a tale that blends fantasy with a touch of the absurd, much like the prophetess Cassandra (not our Cassandra!) herself—gifted with the power of prophecy but cursed to have no one believe her. "A Quicksilver Cassandra" was first published in 1894 and is in the public domain. It was a part of Bangs' short story collection "The Water Ghost & Others." If you enjoy the show, share it with friends or anyone who enjoys a good blend of literature and musings from Cassandra. -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wed, January 22, 2025

'Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad'

This week on Unpleasant Dreams , Cassandra reads the eerie ghost story “Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad” by M.R. James. First published in 1904 and now in the public domain, this chilling tale is part of James’ Ghost Stories of an Antiquary collection. The story’s title is inspired by a 1793 poem of the same name by Robert Burns, which Cassandra also reads in this episode. Thanks for listening, and be sure to share the podcast with your friends! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wed, January 15, 2025

The Upper Berth

This week on Unpleasant Dreams , Cassandra Harold brings to life F. Marion Crawford’s eerie tale "The Upper Berth." In this haunting short story, the dark secrets of a haunted cabin aboard a ship unfold, as a man becomes entangled in a chilling mystery that blurs the line between the living and the dead. "The Upper Berth" was published in 1886 and is in the public domain. We hope you enjoy this week's reading! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wed, January 08, 2025

The Open Window

In this episode of Unpleasant Dreams , Cassandra Harold brings the eerie and unexpected world of Saki (H.H. Munro) to life with a reading of his classic short story, The Open Window . Published in 1914, Saki was known for his sharp wit and dark humor, and crafts a tale of deception and suspense that leaves the listener questioning what’s real. "Romance at short notice was her speciality." The Open Window was published in 1914 and is in the public domain. Enjoy! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wed, December 18, 2024

A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol is perhaps the most loved classic holiday story of all time. Cassandra Harold, once again shares her narration of the full version of Ebenezer Scrooge's tale by Charles Dickens. Did you know that while the phrase "Merry Christmas" first appeared in written form in 1536, it was Charles Dickens who helped popularize its use in Victorian society through A Christmas Carol ? Did you know the term "Scrooge" came to be synonymous with a miser and was officially added to the Oxford English Dictionary with this meaning in 1982? Enjoy this super sized Christmas edition of Unpleasant Dream s. Merry Christmas and God Bless Us Every One! This episode includes the complete story. A Christmas Carol  by Charles Dickens, originally published 1843 and is in the Public Domain. -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wed, December 11, 2024

The Story of the Goblins Who Stole a Sexton

Do you enjoy classic ghost stories—especially those with a festive twist? This week on Unpleasant Dreams , Cassandra Harold has a special treat for you: a reading of Charles Dickens' The Story of the Goblins Who Stole a Sexton . You might be thinking, "Wait, didn't Dickens write the iconic Christmas ghost story A Christmas Carol? " That's true! But The Story of the Goblins was published seven years earlier and actually served as an inspiration or prototype for A Christmas Carol . In this spooky tale, a grumpy sexton (a type of undertaker or gravedigger) refuses to embrace the Christmas spirit. That is, until a group of mischievous goblins kidnap him and attempt to change his outlook on life. Originally published in 1836 as part of The Pickwick Papers , this story is in the public domain. Enjoy and Happy Holidays! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thu, December 05, 2024

The Real Story of Krampus

December 5th is Krampusnacht! In honor of this special occasion, we revisit the real story of Krampus in today’s holiday edition of Unpleasant Dreams ! Oh, and be sure to be good. You wouldn’t want to upset The Krampus… Find the original article by EM Hilker that this episode is based on  HERE Episode originally released in 2021. SOURCES AND FURTHER READING Alchemist., The. “ Witch Bells and How to Use Them .”  Magical Recipes Online , 19 May 2019. Retrieved 5 December 2021. Armstrong, Patti Maguire. “ An Exorcist Explains Why the Devil Hates Bells So Much .”  NCR . Retrieved 5 December 2021. Billock, Jennifer. “ The Origin of Krampus, Europe’s Evil Twist on Santa .”  Smithsonian.com . Smithsonian Institution, 4 December 2015. Retrieved 5 December 2021.  Brom.  Krampus: the Yule Lord . Harper Voyager, 2012.  “ Devils – Afraid of Bells .”  Encyclopedia.com . Retrieved 5 December 2021. Hart, Sandra Merville. “ Ten Christmas Songs That Mention Bells .” Sandra Merville Hart, 6 December 2018. Retrieved 5 December 2021. History.com Editors. “ Halloween .”  History.com , A&E Television Networks, 18 November 2009. Retrieved 5 December 2021.  Hix, Lisa. “ You’d Better Watch Out: Krampus Is Coming to Town .”  Collectors Weekly , 11 December 2012. Retrieved 5 December 2021.  Little, Becky. “ Meet Krampus, the Christmas Devil Who Punishes Naughty Children .”  History.com . A&E Television Networks, 5 December 2018. Retrieved 5 December 2021. Littlechild, Chris. “ The Terrible Tale of Hans Trapp, the Christmas Scarecrow .”  Ripley’s Believe It or Not! , 8 December 2020. Retrieved 5 December 2021.  Loh-Hagan, Virginia.  Krampus: Magic, Myth, and Mystery . Cherry Lake Publishing, 2019.  “ Guardian Bells .”  Motorcycle Minds , 28 November 2019. Retrieved 5 Dece

Thu, November 21, 2024

Jabberwocky and The Hunting of the Snark

Cassandra Harold engages in some whimsy and nonsense this week on Unpleasant Dreams , reading two poems by Lewis Carroll. "Jabberwocky" was published in 1871 and is considered one of the greatest nonsense poems written in English. The poem has given us the nonsense words and neologisms such as "galumphing" and "chortle". It was included in Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass , the sequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland . Then, Cassandra tells us Carroll's poem "The Hunting of the Snark" which was published in 1876. It is also considered a nonsense poem. There are many analyses about what the poem means, with some people indicating it is an allegory for the search for happiness. What do you think? Both poems are in the Public Domain. Enjoy! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wed, November 13, 2024

What Was It? A Mystery

Do you like stories of terror and horror? You are in for a treat this week as Cassandra Harold tells us the short story, "What Was It? A Mystery". Written by Fitz-James O'Brien and first published in Harper's Magazine in 1859. It is in the Public Domain. This story is among the earliest modern tales to include the concept of "invisibility," predating H.G. Wells's 1897 work, "The Invisible Man." Enjoy! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wed, November 06, 2024

The Boarded Window

Halloween has passed but the spooky stories continue on here on Unpleasant Dream s. Cassandra Harold reads the short story, The Boarded Window , by Ambrose Bierce on this week’s episode. It was written in 1891, and is in the Public Domain. Enjoy! — Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers’ intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library’s guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wed, October 30, 2024

The Vampyre

Happy Halloween! Cassandra Harold reads the short work of prose fiction, "The Vampyre," by John William Polidori on this week's Unpleasant Dreams . It was written in 1819, was published in New Monthly Magazine that year, and is in the Public Domain. "The Vampyre" is believed to have started the romantic vampire genre. We hope you enjoy! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wed, October 23, 2024

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

What would you do if you were on your way to a wedding and a sailor stops you tell you a story about life or death? This week Cassandra Harold tells us The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. This poem was first published in 1798 and is in the Public Domain. Cassandra is narrating an 1834 edition. This famous poem features popular phrases that are still used today : "albatross around one's neck"  and "Water, water, every where, / Nor any drop to drink". Enjoy! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wed, October 16, 2024

The Music of Erich Zann

This week's Unpleasant Dreams features a horror story written by H.P. Lovecraft. Cassandra Harold narrates the short story, "The Music of Erich Zann." "The Music of Erich Zann" was written in 1921 and first published in 1922 and is in the Public Domain. -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wed, October 09, 2024

The Masque of the Red Death

Join us this week on Unpleasant Dreams as Cassandra Harold tells us the story of Edgar Allen Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death." "The Masque of the Red Death" (originally published as "The Mask of the Red Death: A Fantasy") is a short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1842 and is in the Public Domain. -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S4 E56 · Wed, October 02, 2024

A Ghost Story

Believe it or not, Mark Twain actually wrote a classic ghost story. Appropriately enough, it was called, "A Ghost Story" and it is our Season 4 premiere. Much more to come this fall! It is great to be back and thanks for your patience! We'll be back next week with more chilling Unpleasant Dreams. "A Ghost Story"  by Mark Twain, was originally published in 1870 and is in the Public Domain. Our narrator is Cassandra Harold. -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain:  https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mon, May 13, 2024

The Power of Darkness - Unpleasant Dreams 55

This week on Unpleasant Dreams we dive into an eerie tale that tests the boundaries of darkness and the sway it holds over the mind. Our story is Edith Nesbit's "The Power of Darkness." "The Power of Darkness"  by Edith Nesbit, originally published 1905 and is in the Public Domain. Our narrator is Cassandra Harold. Link: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/33028 -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain:  https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3 E54 · Fri, April 12, 2024

The Old Nurse's Story - Unpleasant Dreams 54

Tune in for this classic Victorian ghost story written in 1852 by Elizabeth Gaskell. "The Old Nurse’s Story"  by Elizabeth Gaskell, originally published 1852 and is in the Public Domain. Your narrator is Cassandra Harold. -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3 E53 · Wed, March 13, 2024

Vale Of The Corbies - Unpleasant Dreams 53

Cassandra shares the troubling tale of "The Vale of Corbies" written by Arthur J. Burks. "The Vale of Corbies"  by Arthur J. Burks, originally published 1926 and is in the Public Domain. You can find the original at The Internet Archive here: https://archive.org/details/WeirdTalesV06N05192511/page/n31/mode/1up Please tell your classic horror loving friends about Unpleasant Dreams ! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3 E52 · Wed, February 28, 2024

The Night Wire

A hard boiled journalist encounters something that shakes him to his core. That is the premise of H.F. Arnold's classic short story, The Night Wire . You can find it here: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Night_Wire   "The Night Wire"  by H.F. Arnold, originally published 1926 and is in the Public Domain. Cassandra Harold is our narrator. Thank you for listening and please share with your friends who enjoy classic horror! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3 E51 · Wed, February 14, 2024

The Tell-Tale Heart - Unpleasant Dreams 51

Happy Valentine's Day! Here's the perfect story for a day dedicated to our hearts. It's The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe. Enjoy! "The Tell-Tale Heart"  by Edgar Allan Poe, originally published 1843 and is in the Public Domain. Cassandra Harold is our narrator. -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3 E50 · Wed, January 31, 2024

Goblin Market - Unpleasant Dreams 50

Join Cassandra on a journey to the mysterious Goblin Market on this edition of Unpleasant Dreams! "Goblin Market"  by Christina Rossetti, originally published 1862 and is in the Public Domain. Thank you for listening and please share the show your friends! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3 E49 · Wed, January 17, 2024

The Yellow Wallpaper

The Yellow Wallpaper is a horror tale from 1892 which details a woman's decent into madness. Yet, it is much more and is considered a classic of feminist literature. The author is Charlotte Perkins Gilman and you can find the full text at Project Gutenberg. "The Yellow Wallpaper"  by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, originally published 1892 and is in the Public Domain. Your narrator is Cassandra Harold. Thank you for listening and share the show with your friends right from your favorite podcast app. -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3 E48 · Mon, December 18, 2023

A Christmas Carol - Unpleasant Dreams 48

A Christmas Carol is perhaps the most loved classic holiday story of all time. Cassandra shares her narration of the full version of Ebenezer Scrooge's tale by Charles Dickens. This episode includes the complete story. "A Christmas Carol"  by Charles Dickens, originally published 1843 and is in the Public Domain. Enjoy this super sized Christmas edition of Unpleasant Dream s. Merry Christmas and God Bless Us Every One! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3 E47 · Sun, December 17, 2023

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde – Pt 2 – Unpleasant Dreams 47

Cassandra shares the conclusion of the terrifying tale of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde! You can find the classic original,  The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde  by Robert Louis Stevenson, at this link:  https://www.gutenberg.org/files/43/43-h/43-h.htm#chap02 "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"  by Robert Louis Stevenson, originally published 1886 and is in the Public Domain. Thank you for listening and please tell your friends who love classic horror! Stay tuned for the full version of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens in our next episode to be released in the week before Christmas! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3 E46 · Wed, October 25, 2023

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Pt 1

For this special Halloween edition, Cassandra shares the terrifying tale of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde! This is part one.  You can find the classic original, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, at this link: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/43/43-h/43-h.htm#chap02 "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"  by Robert Louis Stevenson, originally published 1886 and is in the Public Domain. Thank you for listening and please tell your friends who love classic horror! Happy Halloween! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3 E45 · Fri, October 13, 2023

The Mask - Part Two

We delve into the conclusion of Robert W. Chambers’ “The Mask,” a tale that intertwines love, art, and the audacity of human ambition. What happens when an artist’s quest for eternal beauty crosses the unforgiving lines of mortality? Join us as we explore a story that ventures beyond the surface, examining the emotional and psychological toll of capturing perfection—at a price. Your narrator is Cassandra Harold. You can find the original text of this classic 1895 story here:  https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/8492/pg8492-images.html#THE_MASK "The Mask"  by Robert W. Chambers, originally published 1895 and is in the Public Domain. Thank you for listening and please tell your friends who love classic horror! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3 E44 · Wed, August 30, 2023

The Mask - Part One - Unpleasant Dreams 44

We delve into Robert W. Chambers' "The Mask," a tale that intertwines love, art, and the audacity of human ambition. What happens when an artist's quest for eternal beauty crosses the unforgiving lines of mortality? Join us as we explore a story that ventures beyond the surface, examining the emotional and psychological toll of capturing perfection—at a price. Your narrator is Cassandra Harold. This is Part One. You can find the original text of this classic 1895 story here:  https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/8492/pg8492-images.html#THE_MASK "The Mask"  by Robert W. Chambers, originally published 1895 and is in the Public Domain. Thank you for listening and please tell your friends who love classic horror! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3 E43 · Wed, August 09, 2023

A Voice In The Night - Unpleasant Dreams 43

A terrifying tale of a lost soul on the sea crying for any help he can find for himself and his doomed wife. Cassandra Harold narrates the classic short story, "A Voice In The Night" by William Hope Hodgson. "A Voice in the Night"  by William Hope Hodgson, originally published 1907 and is in the Public Domain. Please share this episode with your friends who love classic horror! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3 E42 · Wed, July 12, 2023

A School Story - Unpleasant Dreams 42

Classmates exchange mysterious tales about their "ordinary" Latin teacher. Their banter spirals into a gripping saga of ghostly encounters, where reality blurs with the realm of the unknown. Cassandra Harold reads this classic tale, A School Story by M.R. James on this edition of Unpleasant Dreams . You can find the short story here: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/9629 "A School Story"  by M.R. James, originally published 1911 and is in the Public Domain. Here's wishing you pleasant dreams!!! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3 E41 · Wed, June 28, 2023

A Suspicious Gift -- Unpleasant Dreams 41

Ever get an offer too good too be true? That's the terrifying predicament of our subject on this week's Unpleasant Dreams . Cassandra Harold narrates this classic short horror story. Source of  A Suspicious Gift by Algernon Blackwood: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14471 "A Suspicious Gift"  by Algernon Blackwood, originally published 1906 and is in the Public Domain. Follow Cassandra’s Instagram here:  https://instagram.com/unpleasant_dreams_podcast Thanks for listening and please share the show with your friends! And…may all your dreams be pleasant! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3 E40 · Wed, June 14, 2023

The Damned Thing -- Unpleasant Dreams 40

A man finds himself haunted by an unseen, malevolent force. Will he overcome it, will it drive him mad, or worse? Cassandra Harold narrates this classic Ambrose Bierce short horror story. Source of The Damned Thing : https://www.gutenberg.org/files/23172/23172-h/23172-h.htm "The Damned Thing"  by Ambrose Bierce, originally published 1893 and is in the Public Domain. Follow Cassandra’s new Instagram here:  https://instagram.com/unpleasant_dreams_podcast Thanks for listening and please share the show with your friends! And…may all your dreams be pleasant! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3 E39 · Thu, May 18, 2023

A Midnight Visitor - Unpleasant Dreams 39

A man gets a most unwelcome visitor late at night! Cassandra Harold is your narrator. You can find A Midnight Visitor by John Kendrick Bangs at The Gutenberg Project: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/8377/pg8377.html "A Midnight Visitor"  by John Kendrick Bangs, originally published 1904 and is in the Public Domain. Follow Cassandra’s new Instagram here:  https://instagram.com/unpleasant_dreams_podcast Thanks for listening and please share the show with your friends! And…may all your dreams be pleasant! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3 E38 · Wed, May 03, 2023

Count Magnus - Part 2 - Unpleasant Dreams 38

https://jimharold.com/count-magnus-part-two-unpleasant-dreams-38/A writer becomes fascinated by a mysterious Count and his manor. This episode is the thrilling conclusion. Cassandra Harold is your narrator. You can find COUNT MAGNUS at The Gutenberg Project:  https://gutenberg.org/cache/epub/8486/pg8486-images.html#chap06 "Count Magnus"  by M.R. James, originally published 1904 and is in the Public Domain. Follow Cassandra’s new Instagram here:  https://instagram.com/unpleasant_dreams_podcast Thanks for listening and please share the show with your friends! And…may all your dreams be pleasant! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3 E37 · Wed, April 19, 2023

Count Magnus - Part One - Unpleasant Dreams 37

A writer becomes fascinated by a mysterious Count and his manor. This episode is part one. Tune in next week for part two! Cassandra Harold is your narrator. You can find COUNT MAGNUS at The Gutenberg Project: https://gutenberg.org/cache/epub/8486/pg8486-images.html#chap06 "Count Magnus"  by M.R. James, originally published 1904 and is in the Public Domain. Follow Cassandra’s new Instagram here:  https://instagram.com/unpleasant_dreams_podcast Thanks for listening and please share the show with your friends! And…may all your dreams be pleasant! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3 E36 · Thu, March 09, 2023

Fall of the House of Usher - Part 2 - Unpleasant Dreams 36

Cassandra narrates the Edgar Allan Poe classic,  The Fall of the House of Usher. This episode is part two! You can find part one  HERE . Cassandra Harold is your narrator. You can find The Fall of the House of Usher at Project Gutenberg:  https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/932 "The Fall of the House of Usher"  by Edgar Allan Poe, originally published 1839 and is in the Public Domain. Follow Cassandra’s new Instagram here:  https://instagram.com/unpleasant_dreams_podcast Thanks for listening and please share the show with your friends! And…may all your dreams be pleasant! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3 E35 · Thu, March 02, 2023

The Fall Of The House Of Usher - Unpleasant Dreams 35

Cassandra narrates the Edgar Allan Poe classic, The Fall of the House of Usher. This episode is part one. Tune in next week for part two! Cassandra Harold is your narrator. You can find The Fall of the House of Usher at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/932 "The Fall of the House of Usher"  by Edgar Allan Poe, originally published 1839 and is in the Public Domain. Follow Cassandra’s new Instagram here: https://instagram.com/unpleasant_dreams_podcast Thanks for listening and please share the show with your friends! And…may all your dreams be pleasant! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3 E34 · Wed, February 15, 2023

August Heat

A man experiences the “strangest day of his life” and we are witnesses to this tale worthy of  The Twilight Zone . The heat can do strange things… August Heat  was written by W. F. Harvey in 1910. You can find the text at Project Gutenberg Australia here:  http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0605761.txt "August Heat"  by W.F. Harvey, originally published 1910 and is in the Public Domain. Cassandra Harold is your narrator. Follow Cassandra’s new Instagram here:  https://instagram.com/unpleasant_dreams_podcast Thanks for listening and please share the show with your friends! And…may all your dreams be pleasant! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3 E33 · Wed, February 08, 2023

Afterward - Part Two

An American couple comes to England hoping to find a haunted manor. Did they find it? Listen to the conclusion of this spine tingling tale to find out! Written by Edith Wharton in 1910. Source: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/306/306-h/306-h.htm "Afterward"  by Edith Wharton, originally published 1910 and is in the Public Domain. Cassandra Harold is your narrator. Follow Cassandra's new Instagram here:  https://instagram.com/unpleasant_dreams_podcast Thanks for listening and please share the show with your friends! And, may all your dreams be pleasant! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3 E32 · Thu, February 02, 2023

Afterward - Part One - Unpleasant Dreams 32

An American couple comes to England hoping to find a haunted manor. Did they find it? Listen to this episode of Unpleasant Dreams to find out! Part One. "Afterward"  by Edith Wharton, originally published 1910 and is in the Public Domain. Cassandra Harold is your narrator. Follow Cassandra’s new Instagram here: https://instagram.com/unpleasant_dreams_podcast Thanks for listening and please share the show with your friends! And...may all your dreams be pleasant! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3 E31 · Wed, January 25, 2023

H.P. Lovecraft's Dagon

A terrifying tale of the sea is the subject of one of HPL's early tales, Dagon . Cassandra Harold narrates. You can find the text here: https://www.steve-calvert.co.uk/public-domain-texts/h-p-lovecraft-dagon.html "Dagon"  by H.P. Lovecraft, originally published 1919 and is in the Public Domain. Follow Cassandra's new Instagram here: https://instagram.com/unpleasant_dreams_podcast Thanks for listening and please share the show with your friends!  -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3 E30 · Wed, January 18, 2023

The Monkey's Paw

For Season 3, Unpleasant Dreams is back with a new format! Cassandra is now turning her attention to classic spooky stories! This week she shares the cautionary and terrifying tale of The Monkey's Paw by W.W. Jacobs. Be careful what you wish for! You can find The Monkey's Paw at Project Gutenberg here: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12122 "The Monkey’s Paw"  by W.W. Jacobs, originally published 1902 and is in the Public Domain. Thanks for listening and please share the show with your friends!  -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S2 E29 · Thu, December 15, 2022

Tragic Death Dreams of The Hmong People

A real-life series of deaths of young Hmong men inspired Wes Craven to create Nightmare On Elm Street . We tell this tragic story on this week's Unpleasant Dreams . EM Hilker is our writer and researcher with additional writing by Cassandra Harold. Jim Harold is our Executive Producer. Find the original article by EM Hilker HERE . SOURCES “ Brugada Syndrome .”  Mayo Clinic , Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 5 May 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2022. “ Hmong .”  International Institute of Minnesota , 17 January 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2022.  Kruse, Colton. “ Dying in Your Dreams: Freddy Krueger Syndrome Is Real .”  Ripley’s Believe It or Not! , 21 July 2017. Retrieved 27 July 2022. Madrigal, Alexis C. “ The Dark Side of the Placebo Effect: When Intense Belief Kills .”  The Atlantic , Atlantic Media Company, 14 September 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2022.  McCann, Erin. “ Freddy Krueger Is Loosely Based on the Disturbing True Tale of 18 People Inexplicably Dying in Their Sleep. ” Ranker, 14 June, 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2022. Morgan, Thaddeus. “ How a Terrifying Wave of Unexplained Deaths Led to ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’. ”  History.com , A&E Television Networks, 30 October 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2022.  Stromberg, Joseph. “ What Is the Nocebo Effect? ” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 23 July 2012. Retrieved 6 August 2022. Sugg, Richard.  The Real Vampires: Death, Terror, and the Supernatural . Amberley Publishing, 2019.  Tofield, Andros. “ Pedro Brugada MD: The Spanish Cardiologist Who Together with His Brother Josep Brugada, First Described the Brugada Syndrome .”  OUP Academic , Oxford University Press, 7 March 2020. Retrieved 5 August 2022. Vatta, Matteo, et al. “ Genetic and Biophysical Basis of Sudden Unexplained Nocturnal Death Syndrome (SUNDS), a Disease Allelic to Brugada Syndrome .” 

Mon, October 31, 2022

The Raven - Read By Cassandra Harold

The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe as read by your host, Cassandra Harold. "The Raven"  by Edgar Allan Poe, originally published 1845 and is in the Public Domain. Our little Halloween gift to you from Unpleasant Dreams . Boo! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on  Unpleasant Dreams  are in the U.S. public domain, published before 1928. For more on public domain and copyright, visit the Cornell University Library's guide on public domain: https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thu, September 29, 2022

Dyatlov Pass

The mysterious disappearance of a group of nine Soviet hikers in 1959 has puzzled the world for decades. What happened? Was it simply horrible weather? A secret weapons test? Or, something otherworldly? That is the subject of this very Unpleasant Dream. EM Hilker is our writer and researcher with additional writing by Cassandra Harold. Jim Harold is our Executive Producer. CLICK HERE  for EM Hilker’s original article. SOURCES Borzenkov, Vladimir. “ Trek Categories and Sports Ranks .”  Dyatlov Pass . Retrieved 17 August 2022.  Eichar, Donnie.  Dead Mountain: the Untold Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident . Chronicle Books, 2013. Hadjiyska, Teodora, and Igor Pavlov. “ Dyatlov Group .”  Dyatlov Pass . Retrieved 17 August 2022. Gaume, Johan, and Alexander M. Puzrin. “ Mechanisms of Slab Avalanche Release and Impact in the Dyatlov Pass Incident in 1959. ”  Nature News , Nature Publishing Group, 28 January 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2022. “ Nikita Khrushchev. ”  History.com , A&E Television Networks, 9 November 2009. Retrieved 15 August 2022. Niziol, Tom.  “Whirls, Curls, and Little Swirls: The Science Behind Von Karman Vortices. ”  Weather Underground . Retrieved 18 August 2022.  Osadchuk, Svetlana. “ Mysterious Deaths of 9 Skiers Still Unresolved .”  The St. Petersburg Times , 19 February 2008. Retrieved 10 August 2022. Solly, Meilan. “ Have Scientists Finally Unraveled the 60-Year Mystery Surrounding Nine Russian Hikers’ Deaths? ”  Smithsonian.com , Smithsonian Institution, 29 January 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2022.  Speltz, Lorin. “ Salo .”  Russiapedia . Retrieved 17 August 2022.  Wedin, B, et al. “‘ Paradoxical Undressing’ in Fatal Hypothermia. ”  Journal of Forensic Sciences , U.S. National Library of Medicine, July 1979. Retrieved 18 August 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S2 E27 · Wed, August 31, 2022

The Circleville Letters

A seemingly idyllic Ohio town becomes the setting for one of the most mysterious cases of the 20th Century. Sinister letters are sent for years, a life is lost, while others are ruined and the whole matter remains a puzzle to this very day. EM Hilker is our writer and researcher with additional writing by Cassandra Harold. Jim Harold is our Executive Producer. CLICK HERE  for EM Hilker’s original article. TRANSCRIPT CLICK HERE for a full transcript and sources   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wed, August 10, 2022

Did This Movie Kill John Wayne?

Did shooting a 1956 movie in the irradiated Utah desert eventually kill John Wayne and a host of his co-stars and crew? It seems very possible and that is the just the start of tragedy on this week’s edition of Unpleasant Dreams. -BetterHelp- The Paranormal Podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. BetterHelp is professional therapy done securely online, available to people worldwide. They have a special offer for my listeners: get 10% off your first month at  BetterHelp.com/dreams EM Hilker is our writer and researcher with additional writing by Cassandra Harold. Jim Harold is our Executive Producer. CLICK HERE  for EM Hilker’s original article. -TRANSCRIPT- CLICK HERE for a full transcript. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S2 E25 · Thu, July 28, 2022

Houdini, Seances and Arthur Conan Doyle

Houdini was the greatest magician in history…few realize that one of his best friends was the creator of Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle! They quickly bonded over their interest in Spiritualism but that was only the beginning of the story… -BetterHelp- The Paranormal Podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. BetterHelp is professional therapy done securely online, available to people worldwide. They have a special offer for my listeners: get 10% off your first month at  BetterHelp.com/dreams EM Hilker is our writer and researcher with additional writing by Cassandra Harold. Jim Harold is our Executive Producer. TRANSCRIPT & SOURCES CLICK HERE for a full transcript and source list. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wed, July 13, 2022

Weird Numbers Stations

Numbers stations are real and very weird. What are these and what are the successors to these bizarre transmissions? We delve into the mystery in this edition of Unpleasant Dreams . CLICK HERE  for E.M. Hilker’s original article. TRANSCRIPT CLICK HERE for a full transcript. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S2 E23 · Thu, June 30, 2022

What In The World Are The Georgia Guidestones

Granite columns in the middle of rural Georgia were placed in 1980 containing strange guidance for future generations. Who put them there and why? That is the subject of this week's Unpleasant Dreams . CLICK HERE for E.M. Hilker's original article. Show Art Photo Credit: Quentin Melson via Wikipedia -TRANSCRIPT- CLICK HERE for a full transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wed, June 15, 2022

The Enfield Poltergeist

This UK poltergeist case is possibly the most famous in history, inspiring many books and the motion picture,  The Conjuring 2 . It is the subject of tonight’s edition of Unpleasant Dreams! Primary writing is by EM Hilker with supplementary writing by Cassandra Harold. Cassandra Harold hosts and Jim Harold is the Executive Producer. -TRANSCRIPT- CLICK HERE for a full transcript. CLICK HERE for the original article by EM Hilker -SOURCES- Brennan, Zoe. “ Enfield Poltergeist: The Amazing Story of the 11-Year-Old North London Girl Who ‘Levitated’ above Her Bed .”  Daily Mail Online , Associated Newspapers, 4 May 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2022. “ Brimsdown .”  Hidden London . Retrieved 3 June 2022. “ The Enfield Poltergeist: Living The Horror .”  YouTube , New Line Cinema, 2016. Accessed 4 June 2022.  Guglielmi, Jodi. “ Inside the Real Story That Inspired The Conjuring 2. ”  People.com , updated 13 May 2022. Retrieved 23 May, 2022.  Hyde, Deborah. “ The Enfield ‘Poltergeist’: A Sceptic Speaks .”  The Guardian , Guardian News and Media, 1 May 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2022. “ Interview With a Poltergeist .”  YouTube , Channel 4, 2007. Posted April 2015. Accessed 4 June 2022.  Playfair, Guy Lyon.  This House is Haunted: The Amazing Inside Story of the Enfield Poltergeist . White Crow Books, 2011. “ Poltergeist .”  New World Encyclopedia,  10 May 2009. Retrieved 4 June 2022. Smith, Duncan. “ Enfield Poltergeist Case Offers New Proof of Paranormal Existence. ”  Enfield Independent , 31 August 2010. Retrieved 3 June 2022, Ward, Diarmaid. “ Ten Myths about Council Housing. ”  City Monitor , 26 April 2022. Retrieved 3 June 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S2 E21 · Wed, June 01, 2022

The Curse of Little Bastard

The death car of James Dean, Little Bastard, is said to have brought doom to many who crossed its path. Today, we explore the legend of The Curse of Little Bastard on Unpleasant Dreams ! TRANSCRIPT CLICK HERE for the transcript and original article -SOURCES- Beath, Warren Newton.  The Death of James Dean . Grove Press, 1986. Berg, Nik. “ The Curse of James Dean’s ‘Little Bastard’ Porsche 550 Spyder .”  Hagerty UK , 14 December 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2022. Coombs, Cathy. “ The Unexpected and Early Death of Promising Actor James Dean .”  Medium , Medium, 10 February 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2022. “ Famous Cursed & Haunted Cars: Most Famous Spooky Cars .”  Famous Cursed & Haunted Cars | Most Famous Spooky Cars . Retrieved 1 March 2022. Fitzgerald, Craig. “ Cursed Cars: James Dean’s Haunted ‘Little Bastard’ Porsche 550 .”  BestRide , 29 October 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2022. Hintz, Charlie. “ Little Bastard: The Disappearance of James Dean’s Cursed Car .”  Cult of Weird , 26 September 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2022. “ James Dean Unpublished Crash Site Photograph’s Up for Auction .”  Old Cars Weekly , Old Cars Weekly, 8 August 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2022.  JP. “‘ Little Bastard’: the Silver Spyder Porsche/Dean Mystery Revisited .”  The Selvedge Yard , 5 December 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2022. Lerner, Preston. “ What Really Happened to James Dean’s ‘Cursed’ Porsche .”  CMG Worldwide . Retrieved 1 March 2022. Parker, Ryan. “ Alec Guinness Warned James Dean About His Car One Week Before Deadly Crash .”  The Hollywood Reporter , The Hollywood Reporter, 11 July 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2022.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mon, May 16, 2022

Human Cannibalism and The Donner Party

The sad tale of the Donner Party is one of the most grisly in American history. So much tragedy on this edition of  Unpleasant Dreams . ARTICLE Find the original article by EM Hilker  HERE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S2 E19 · Mon, May 02, 2022

Spontaneous Human Combustion

We explore the terrifying and fascinating phenomena of Spontaneous Human Combustion on this edition of  Unpleasant Dreams . JIM’S SPRING BOOK GIVEAWAY& NEWSLETTER Never miss anything going on at the Spooky Studio and qualify for Jim’s Spring Book Giveaway (some restrictions apply), sign up for Jim’s FREE newsletter  HERE ARTICLE Find the original article by EM Hilker HERE TRANSCRIPT CLICK HERE for a full transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wed, April 20, 2022

The Betty and Barney Hill UFO Abduction Case

Betty and Barney Hill UFO abduction case is the perhaps the most famous in the history of the phenomena. We share their story on this edition of Unpleasant Dreams. JIM HAROLD’S SPRING BOOK GIVEAWAY & NEWSLETTER Never miss anything going on at the Spooky Studio and qualify for Jim’s Spring Book Giveaway (some restrictions apply), sign up for Jim’s FREE newsletter  HERE ORIGINAL ARTICLE CLICK HERE for the original article by EM Hilker TRANSCRIPT CLICK HERE for the full transcript. SOURCES AND FURTHER READING Dickinson, Terence, et al. “ The Zeta Reticuli (or Ridiculi) Incident .”  Astronomy.com . Retrieved 8 February 2022.  Fox, Margalit. “ Betty Hill, 85, Figure in Alien Abduction Case, Dies .”  The New York Times , The New York Times, 23 Oct. 2004. Retrieved 8 February 2022. Lacina, Linda. “ How Betty and Barney Hill’s Alien Abduction Story Defined the Genre .”  History.com , A&E Television Networks, 4 September 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2022. Marden, Kathleen and Stanton T. Friedman.  Captured! The Betty and Barney Hill UFO Experience .  Weiser, 2007. Pflock, Karl and Peter Brookesmith, eds.   Encounters at Indian Head: The Betty and Barney Hill UFO Abduction Revisited . Anomalist Books,  2007. Robinson, J. Dennis. “ Historic Portsmouth: Simon Says ‘It Was a Dream’ .”  Seacoastonline.com , Portsmouth Herald, 28 May 2020. Retrieved 14 February 2022.  Skomorowsky, Anne. “ Alien Abduction or ‘Accidental Awareness’? ”  Scientific American , Scientific American, 11 November 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2022. Todd, Iain. “ Zeta Reticuli: Facts About the Binary Star System .”  BBC Sky at Night Magazine , 18 May 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2022. “ UNH Innovation Spotlight – Betty and Barney Hill Collection .”  UNHInnovation , 20 October 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2022 Learn more about you

S2 E17 · Mon, April 04, 2022

The Strange and Sad Case of Teresita Basa

Did a murdered woman serve justice to her murderer from beyond the grave? It appears so and that is the subject of the Season Two premiere of  Unpleasant Dreams ! TRANSCRIPT CLICK HERE for a full transcript   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S1 E16 · Fri, April 01, 2022

Sat, February 26, 2022

Season Two Coming SOON

Season Two of Unpleasant Dreams is coming soon in April. Thank you for your kind words and support.  Please keep following, subscribing and telling your friends about the show...have them listen to the archive! Wishing you pleasant dreams! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mon, January 03, 2022

Chupacabra

The mysterious Chupacabra is the subject of this week’s  Unpleasant Dreams ! Find the original article by EM Hilker that this podcast is based on  HERE PODCAST TRANSCRIPT It often happens as the dusk settles itself gently over the lush rainforest.  You might think farm animals, confined to pens or herded by human and canine protectors, wouldn’t have a sense of their own vulnerability or the existence of predators. But somewhere, deep down in their basest primal instincts that reach back to the dawn of time, they must have known it was coming. Even before the whiff of the rank animal in the cool evening air hits them, they have to have known. It was fast, though, and that was a blessing. It didn’t toy with them, or drag it out. It was fast. The unlucky ones watched it happen to another animal first, smelled the creature and the blood and knew deep down it was bad, and they were next; the lucky ones never saw the chupacabra. The humans who cared for the animals would never forget what it left behind.  FIND THE REST OF THE TRANSCRIPT & SOURCES HERE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mon, December 20, 2021

Christmas Ghost Stories

Spooky (Christmas) ghost stories are the subject of this week’s Unpleasant Dream s. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! Find the original article by EM Hilker that this podcast is based on  HERE PODCAST TRANSCRIPT Yuletide is a season of warmth and joy, at least according to Hallmark. There you sit by the fireside, sipping hot chocolate, bathed in the warm glow of the lighted tree, the flickering lights from the menorah or yule log, filled with contentment. But outside (at least in the Northern parts of the globe) the bone-bare branches claw at your window as the cold, dry wind blows snow in small spirals, lifting the ethereal sparkling flakes back into the black sky. On the nights that they’re visible, the stars shine like a careless scattering of diamonds in the darkness, seemingly so close you could pluck them out of the sky. It’s bitterly cold, and very still; and it is perhaps in that stillness that you begin to feel just a little bit uneasy. Let’s face it...  FOR A FULL TRANSCRIPT AND SOURCES CLICK HERE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mon, December 06, 2021

The Real Story of Krampus

The real story of Krampus is the subject of today’s holiday edition of Unpleasant Dreams! Oh, and be sure to be good. You wouldn’t want to upset The Krampus… Find the original article by EM Hilker that this podcast is based on  HERE PODCAST TRANSCRIPT A fresh blanket of snow glistens in the cold light of the moon, a contrast to the warm glow of street lamps, wrapping the city streets in the cozy blanket of early winter. Twinkling across the surrounding fields in the night, mirroring the light of the moon in a million broken rays, the landscape is nevertheless stark beyond the forests surrounding the city.  The creatures come from there, beyond the city, thickly furred and sharply clawed, from dank caves and deep, dark, ancient places. Some have feet and some have cloven hooves, some one of each; the thick layer of snow softly crunching under feet and hooves both in a smudge of sound as they scatter across the landscape and toward the small, neat houses. Their faces, pallid and gnarled and very nearly demonic, turn from moon-silver to a pale bronze as they approach the warmly-lit city streets, chains and bells clinking gently as they draw near. CLICK HERE FOR A FULL TRANSCRIPT AND SOURCES Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mon, November 22, 2021

The Beast of Gevaudan

A beast that terrorized the French countryside is one of history’s greatest mysteries. The Beast of Gévaudan is the subject of this episode of Unpleasant Dreams. PODCAST TRANSCRIPT Apprehensive they went, clasping each other tightly, into the night. It was so, so quiet outside of the footsteps of their  papa , clomping along hurriedly, unsteadily ahead. The unnatural still of the night seeped into all three children’s blood, making them shiver as the moon poured silver upon them. They didn’t need to go out to look for her. They knew. The Beast had butchered someone in the village not even two days ago. And now, tonight, maman  hadn’t come home with the flock. Papa , now far up ahead, let out a strangled cry, indecipherable. It was followed by the sound of vomiting. They ran to their father and tried not to look at whatever was up ahead of them, but they looked. They quickly buried their small, tear-streaked faces against their papa’s generous, sturdy body. But they saw, and it would be years before they would be able to close their eyes without seeing it again. Their  maman ’s body lay ahead of them, twisted and mauled. Where they expected to see  maman ’s sweet face and her tumbling waves of reddish hair, there was only a dark smear. It took her head. The youngest, huddled behind papa, widened her eyes in wonder and whispered, “ loup garou .”  FOR THE REST OF THE TRANSCRIPT AND SOURCES GO HERE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S1 E11 · Mon, November 08, 2021

Did This Physician Murder His Wife? The Sheppard Murder Case Part 2

Part two of our program on The Sheppard Murder case which spawned the American “Trial of The Century” before OJ. A physician is suspected of murdering his wife in a quiet, affluent 1950s Midwestern bedroom community. Did Sam Sheppard kill Marilyn Sheppard? That is the topic of this week’s edition of Unpleasant Dreams. --- Cassandra Harold is your host. EM Hilker is our principal writer and researcher with additional writing by Cassandra Harold. Jim Harold is our Executive Producer. Unpleasant Dreams is a production of Jim Harold Media. A copy of EM Hilker’s original article can be found  HERE -PODCAST TRANSCRIPT- Perhaps the most thorough and well-balanced of the Sheppard trials was the one held long, long after  Marilyn Reese Sheppard’s death . In the first installment of this saga, we discussed the first trial of her husband and accused killer, Sam, some of the questionable decisions made by the trial judge, and the media circus that surrounded it; we also explored briefly his retrial in the 1960s where the evidence intended to prove Sam’s motive was kept from the jury and where the science of the time, much of which has been debunked over the roughly 40 years since the retrial, favoured Sam’s innocence. This was the opportunity, in many ways, to finally reach the truth; a sequestered jury untainted by a riotous media, the benefits of the 50 years of advancement in both biological and behavioral sciences , and all the evidence on the table,   At last, the chance to accurately assess whether or not Sam H. Sheppard murdered his wife. FOR THE REST OF THE TRANSCRIPT CLICK HERE – FURTHER READING AND SOURCES – Affleck, John. “ Bailey Testifies in Sheppard Case .”  AP NEWS , Associated Press, 16 Feb. 2000. Retrieved 9 October 2021.  “ AMSEC 04 — Richard Eberling Background Investigation .”  EngagedScholarship@CSU , 9 Mar. 1995. Retrieved 9 October 2021. “ Blood 5: Transfer Bloodstains – Crime Scene .”  Google Sites . Retrieved 9 October 2021. Butterfield, Fox. “ New Clues in an Old Murder Case .”  The New York Times , The New York Times, 5 Feb. 1997. Retrieved 9 October 2021.  DeSario, Jack and William D. Mason.  Dr. Sam Sheppard on Trial .  Kent State University Press, 2003.  “<a href="https://www.abc.ne

S1 E10 · Tue, November 02, 2021

Did This Physician Murder His Wife: The Sheppard Murder Case

The Sheppard Murder case spawned the American "Trial of The Century" before OJ. A physician is suspected of murdering his wife in a quiet, affluent 1950s Midwestern bedroom community. Did Sam Sheppard kill Marilyn Sheppard? That is the topic of this week's edition of Unpleasant Dreams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S1 E9 · Tue, October 26, 2021

The Strange Death of Edgar Allan Poe

For our Halloween episode, we explore the strange death of the master of the macabre himself, Edgar Allan Poe. --- Cassandra Harold is your host. EM Hilker is our principal writer and researcher with additional writing by Cassandra Harold. Jim Harold is our Executive Producer. Unpleasant Dreams is a production of Jim Harold Media. You can find EM Hilker's original article HERE PODCAST TRANSCRIPT There is much that can be said about Edgar Allan Poe, but in terms of his literary habits, little that needs to be. Much more famous in death than he was in life, he was nevertheless a literary critic of some renown in his own time. His true love, however, was lurid, ghastly fiction. Poe unknowingly fathered the genre of detective fiction, through his tales of  C. Auguste Dupin . The most well-known Dupin story was  The Murders in the Rue Morgue , which served to set the stage for Sherlock Holmes and his ilk. He is best known now for his gothic fiction, morbid tales filled with crumbling stone castles and candle-lit catacombs, of demonic foes and bitter sweet revenge. He brought us  The Raven ,  Hop-Frog ,  The Fall of the House of Usher . The creative mind of Poe was deep and dark and mysterious as a night ocean.  … but little is so mysterious as Poe’s own death.... FIND THE REMAINDER OF THE TRANSCRIPT HERE SOURCES – FURTHER READING Anon. “Poe’s Death Theories.”  Poe’s Death | Edgar Allan Poe Museum | Richmond, VA ,  www.poemuseum.org/poes-death . Retrieved 5 Sept. 2021 Birch, Doug. “The Passing of Poe: What Really Happened to the Master of the Macabre in the Days Leading up to His Death Here 145 Years Ago?”  Baltimoresun.com , 24 Oct. 2018,  www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1994-10-02-1994275208-story.html . Retrieved 5 Sept. 2021 Edgar Allan Poe: A Life from Beginning to End . Hourly History, 2018. Kindle ed. Eschner, Kat. “Who Was the Poe Toaster? We Still Have No Idea.”  Smithsonian.com , Smithsonian Institution, 19 Jan. 2017,  www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/who-was-poe-toaster-we-still-have-no-idea-180961820/ . Retrieved 5 Sept. 2021  Ge

S1 E8 · Tue, October 12, 2021

The Sounds of Death

Aural death omens that are believed to be harbingers of doom across cultures around the globe. Tune into some of the sounds of death on this episode of Unpleasant Dreams. That is, if you dare. Cassandra Harold is your host. EM Hilker is our principal writer and researcher with additional writing by Cassandra Harold. Jim Harold is our Executive Producer. Unpleasant Dreams is a production of Jim Harold Media. PODCAST TRANSCRIPT There’s something of the foreboding in an unexpected sound piercing an otherwise placid stillness; perhaps it’s an eerie hoot borne through the evening hush, or the lull of the afternoon suddenly shaken by a grandfather clock chiming loudly off-time. It might be a mysterious whistling where there ought not be anyone to whistle, or a heavy knocking from an empty doorway. It chills the blood and brings to mind strange, dark suspicions of things to come. Aural death omens. Those sounds that herald the approach of death. Common across cultures all over the world, generations of people have heard them and known, deep down, that they signal an ending. Sometimes it’s the cry of an animal; sometimes it’s the full brassy ring of a bell or the chime of an old broken clock, or an inexplicable knocking or a strange, ghostly figure. Aural death omens can often take the form of an animal messenger. Perhaps one of the most interesting living aural death omens was made famous in Edgar Allen Poe’s short story The Tell-Tale Heart: “He was still sitting up in the bed listening; –just as I have done, night after night, hearkening to the death watches in the wall.” The “death watches” being referred to were, of course, the deathwatch beetle, a woodboring beetle that makes a peculiar tap-tap-tap sound from within the walls of the home or building they’ve infested. As author Laura Martisiute suggests, the beetles’ tap-tap-tapping became associated with the long sleepless vigils held by the bedsides of the dying, during which the sounds of the beetle would persist throughout the otherwise quiet night. Over time, people came to believe that the tap-tap-tap was forecasting death rather than simply accompanying it, and they came to dread it… during the long, silent nights. Birds, the natural predator of beetles, are also a common source of aural death omens. Owls in particular are generally seen as magical birds for both good and ill across many countries and cultures. And as such, they are also commonly considered death-signalling birds across vast geographical expanses. The Hottentot in Southern Africa believe that the hooting of an owl predicts death, as do a number of Native American tribes, and people in Mexico and India. A relative to the owl, the tawny frogmouth, also has a cry that portends death throughout Asia and Australia. FIND THE REST OF THE TRANSCRIPT & SOURCES HERE <

S1 E7 · Mon, October 04, 2021

Did Robert Johnson Sell His Soul At The Crossroads?

Did bluesman Robert Johnson sell his soul to the Devil himself? That is the legend of the crossroads and we explore it on this edition of  Unpleasant Dreams . — Cassandra Harold is your host. EM Hilker is our principal writer and researcher with additional writing by Cassandra Harold. Jim Harold is our Executive Producer. Unpleasant Dreams is a production of Jim Harold Media. You can find the original article by EM Hilker HERE MUSIC Noé Socha (Simple Blues Boy) via  Premium Beat SOURCES AND FURTHER READING Belard, Angelie.  Hoodoo for Beginners: Working Magic Spells in Rootwork and Conjure with Roots, Herbs, Candles, and Oils . Hentopan Publishing, 2020.  Butler, J. M. “ Crossroads myth .”  Mississippi Encyclopedia . 4 March, 2019. Accessed 25 September 2021. Conforth, Bruce M., and Gayle Wardlow.  Up Jumped the Devil: The Real Life of Robert Johnson . Chicago Review Press Incorporated, 2019.  Graves, Tom.  Crossroads: the Life and Afterlife of Blues Legend Robert Johnson . Rhythm Oil Publications, 2012.  Lewis, John. “ Robert Johnson Sells His Soul to the Devil. ”  The Guardian . Guardian News and Media, 15 June 2011. Accessed 25 September 2021. Oakes, Brian, director.  Devil at the Crossroads , Netflix Remastered, 2019. Accessed 25 September 2021.  Quinn, Shannon. “ 18 People Who Allegedly Sold Their Soul to Pure Evil .”  HistoryCollection.com . 28 September 2018. Accessed 25 September 2021. Roberts, Maddy Shaw. “ Niccolò Paganini Was Such a Gifted Violinist, People Thought He Sold His Soul to the Devil .”  Classic FM . Classic FM, 1 Feb. 2019. Accessed 25 September 2021. Rolling Stone. “ The 27 Club: A Brief History .”  Rolling Stone . 8 December 2019. Accessed 25 September 2021. Yronwode, Catherine. “ Foot-Track Magic .”  Foot-Track Magic in the Hoodoo Tradition . Accessed 25 September 2021. PODCAST TRANSCRIPT It’s an old, old story. The shadowed, dusty crossroads sit lonely in the sultry, oppressive summer night, seemingly waiting for the y

S1 E6 · Mon, September 27, 2021

The Bell Witch

The Bell Witch haunting is one of the oldest American hauntings on record and it is the subject of this week’s unpleasant dream. -- Cassandra Harold is your host. EM Hilker is our principal writer and researcher with additional writing by Cassandra Harold. Jim Harold is our Executive Producer. Unpleasant Dreams  is a production of Jim Harold Media. You can find EM Hilker’s original article  HERE. Sources & Further Reading: 1868 article in the Courier-Journal:  https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7660018/the-courier-journal/ An Authenticated History of the Bell Witch  by Martin Van Buren Ingram  https://web.archive.org/web/20021022185219/http://bellwitch02.tripod.com/the_red_book.htm Bell Witch Folklore Centre  https://web.archive.org/web/20020924085754/http://bellwitch02.tripod.com/ Bell Witch Cave official site http://www.bellwitchcave.com/ Pat Fitzhugh’s Bell Witch site http://www.bellwitch.org/story.htm The Bell Witch Poltergeist by Joe Nickell https://skepticalinquirer.org/2014/01/the-bell-witch-poltergeist/ The Terrifying True Story of the Bell Witch http://thesouthernweekend.com/bell-witch/ PODCAST TRANSCRIPT The Bell Witch haunting is one of the most famous American hauntings on record, not only for the extent of the hauntings but because it is credited as the only American haunting to result in the death of a living person. John Bell Sr died 200 years ago, and much of the haunting occurred years prior to that.  To date, there are a half dozen movies based on the story with more having been influenced by it; there is a doom metal band called Bell Witch, and several songs by other musicians based on the tale. It has spawned other stories and even traveled in a slightly altered form to become folklore in Mississippi, where several Bell children settled in their adulthood.  The story itself is the story of the Bell family. In the very early years of the nineteenth century, John Bell Senior came to Robertson County, Tennessee with his wife, Lucy, and their young children. They settled along the Red River, near the modern town of Adams. Bell had been a barrel-maker in his youth, but had decided to turn to farming. He was quite successful in this, and by the time of his death, his farm would boast more than three hundred acres of land. He developed a good name for himself as well, and would eve

S1 E5 · Mon, September 20, 2021

Residual Hauntings and The Stone Tape Theory

Residual hauntings are often explained by the “Stone Tape Theory.” We delve into the history and thinking behind this theory on this week’s edition of  Unpleasant Dreams . --- Cassandra Harold is your host. EM Hilker is our principal writer and researcher with additional writing by Cassandra Harold. Jim Harold is our Executive Producer. Unpleasant Dreams is a production of Jim Harold Media. Sources & Further Reading: The Ninth Bridgewater Treatise  by Charles Babbage  http://www.victorianweb.org/science/science_texts/bridgewater/intro.htm Manual of Psychometry  by Joseph Rodes Buchanan:  https://amzn.to/35p9uws Sharon Hill’s excellent articles on the topic: The “Stone Tape Theory” of hauntings: A geological perspective Confusing speculative “language of stone” (Book Review) Spooky Rocks Ghost and Ghoul  by TC Lethbridge:  https://amzn.to/3mhkova Haunting and the Psychic Ether Hypothesis  by HH Price:   https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-24108-8_2 Secret Language of Stone  by Don Robins:  https://amzn.to/37G0Bl7 For Your Viewing Pleasure: Strangeries’ Youtube video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91nVUot4RcI Sharon Hill’s Spooky Geology video on the topic :  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a32y-vTmhE8 Edge of the Rabbit Hole’s episode discussing Stone Tape:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5d0rEJ0iSE Stone Tape  (1972):  https://amzn.to/37zePUF PODCAST TRANSCRIPT A mystery man. Neither interacting with the environment around him nor being affected by it. Almost as if the world around him was merely being replayed. Seen, but not truly there. Such a mysterious figure has all the hallmarks of a residual haunting. The oft-cited Stone Tape Theory is the proposed mechanism behind residual hauntings. The idea is that emotion unleashes energy that is then saved to the most common mineral on earth, quartz crystal. That emotional energy behaves as if it were being recorded on video tape; a recording which can then be replayed under the right conditions. This suggests that apparitions are not classic ghosts in the way that we

S1 E4 · Mon, September 13, 2021

The Fox Sisters

They were the biggest names in spiritualism and they were also frauds. We share the sad history of The Fox Sisters on this episode of Unpleasant Dreams . -- Cassandra Harold is your host. EM Hilker is our principal writer and researcher with additional writing by Cassandra Harold. Jim Harold is our Executive Producer. Unpleasant Dreams is a production of Jim Harold Media. Sources & Further Reading: Abbot, Karen. “The Fox Sisters and the Rap on Spiritualism.”  Smithsonianmag.com .  https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-fox-sisters-and-the-rap-on-spiritualism-99663697/ Retrieved 14 November 2020.  Buzzfeed Unsolved. “The Spiritual World of the Fox Sisters.”  Youtube . 2 October 2020.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPPgwh4yk2Q Lyttelton, George.  Dialogues of the Dead .  https://www.gutenberg.org/files/17667/17667-h/17667-h.htm  Retrieved 14 November 2020.  Nickell, Joe. “A Skeleton’s Tale”  Skeptical Inquirer  vol 32, no 4.  https://skepticalinquirer.org/2008/07/a-skeletons-tale-the-origins-of-modern-spiritualism/  Retrieved 15 November 2020. O’Connell, Rebecca. “The Rise and Fall of Five Claimed Mediums.”  MentalFloss .  https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/69973/rise-and-fall-5-claimed-mediums  Retrieved 14 November 2020.  Stuart, Nancy Rubin. “The Fox Sisters: Spiritualism’s Unlikely Founders.” Historynet.  https://www.historynet.com/the-fox-sisters-spiritualisms-unlikely-founders.htm  Retrieved 14 November 2020.  Wehrstein, KM and McLuhan, R. “Fox Sisters.” Psi Encyclopedia.  https://psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk/articles/fox-sisters Retrieved 14 November 2020. You can find EM Hilker’s full article that this podcast was based upon  HERE   and a transcript of the podcast version below: PODCAST TRANSCRIPT The Fox Sisters The spiritualism movement of the early-to-mid 1800s captured the hearts and minds of a great many people. Spiritualism was the belief that the spirits of the dead are not only able to communicate with us, but are eager to share their wisdom with the living world.  Spiritualism flourished at a time when Mesmerism was a growing interest on th

S1 E3 · Tue, September 07, 2021

Shadow People

Shadow People. What are they? We discuss these mysterious entities on this week’s edition of Unpleasant Dreams! Cassandra Harold is your host. EM Hilker is our principal writer and researcher with additional writing by Cassandra Harold. Jim Harold is our Executive Producer. Unpleasant Dreams is a production of Jim Harold Media. Further Reading Want to spend some time curled up with a book or your kindle and getting terrified? Here are some great books to start with: The Paranormal Researcher’s Guide to Shadow People  by Charis Branson The Hat Man: The True Story of Evil Encounter s  by Heidi Hollis The Hatman and the Shadow People  by Dominic Kelly Shadow People: Who are they and where did they come from?  By Dr. Terry King Is browsing websites more your deal? I recommend the following sites to start with: http://www.shadowpeople.org/   https://www.thoughtco.com/shadow-people-2596772 https://www.ranker.com/list/what-are-shadow-people/brandon-michaels Of course, you can find true tales of shadow people and other creatures on  Jim Harold’s Campfire podcast You can find EM Hilker’s full article that this podcast was based upon  HERE   and a transcript of the podcast version below: PODCAST TRANSCRIPT Shadow People: Darker than the night itself, moving silently in the shadows. They skulk furtively in the periphery of your vision, sometimes lurking darkly at the foot of a sleeping person’s bed, sometimes watching almost unnoticed from a corner of the room. They are enigmatic in more ways than simply the obvious. There is little agreement in the paranormal community on who they are, what they want, where they come from, and why they’re here; in fact, there isn’t much in the way of agreement on what constitutes a Shadow Person in the first place. There are, of course, agreed upon characteristics. They a

S1 E2 · Mon, August 30, 2021

The Tragic Tale of Elisa Lam

Perhaps the most mysterious death of the 21st century is that of Elisa Lam. We share the tragic story of this young woman on this edition of  Unpleasant Dreams . Cassandra Harold is your host. EM Hilker is our principal writer and researcher with additional writing by Cassandra Harold. Jim Harold is our Executive Producer. Unpleasant Dreams is a production of Jim Harold Media. SOURCES AND FURTHER READING: Anderson, Jake.  Gone at Midnight: The Mysterious Death of Elisa Lam . Citadel, 2020.  Anon. “Questions Remain Three Years After…”  LosAngeles.cbslocal.com .  https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2016/10/31/questions-remain-3-years-after-womans-body-was-found-inside-la-hotels-rooftop-water-tank/  Retrieved 16 February 2021.  Barrett, Christina.  The Mysterious Death of Elisa Lam . CreateSpace, 2016. Brown, Jack. “Body Language Analysis No. 2313: Elisa Lam Video in Elevator at Cecil Hotel.”  BodyLanguageSuccess.com.   https://www.bodylanguagesuccess.com/2013/02/nonverbal-communication-analysis-2313.html  Retrieved 16 February 2021.  Buzzfeed Unsolved. “The Bizarre Death of Elisa Lam.”  Youtube . 18 March 2016.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48jBi86ih5Q Moncrieff, JH. “Whatever Happened to Elisa Lam?”  JHMoncrieff.com .  https://www.jhmoncrieff.com/whatever-happened-elisa-lam/  Retrieved 16 February 2021.  Peters, Lucia.  Dangerous Games to Play in the Dark . Chronicle Books, 2019. Steel, Danielle.  How Elisa Lam Got Disappeared .  Sifox, 2017. Swann, Jennifer. “Elisa Lam Drowned in a Water Tank Three Years Ago, but the Obsession with her Death Lives On.”  Vice.com .  https://www.vice.com/en/article/3bkmg3/elisa-lam-drowned-in-a-water-tank-two-years-ago-but-the-obsession-with-her-death-lives-on-511 . Retrieved 16 February 2021.  You can find EM Hilker’s full article that this podcast was based upon  HERE  and a transcript of the podcast version below: PODCAST TRANSCRIPT It was early February of 2013 when some of the residents of the  Stay on Main  (formerly the Cecil Ho

S1 E1 · Mon, August 23, 2021

Black Eyed Kids

For our first episode, the subject is that of Black Eyed Kids. BEKs terrify experiencers with their solid black eyeballs and odd behavior. It is a fitting start to our journey into the unknown. Credits: Cassandra Harold is your host. EM Hilker is our principal writer and researcher with additional writing by Cassandra Harold. Jim Harold is our Executive Producer. Unpleasant Dreams is a production of Jim Harold Media. Sources and further reading: Dying for more stories of alleged BEK encounters? Please see the following articles: 16 Terrifying Encounters with ‘the Black Eyed Kids ’ compiled by Chrissie Stockton 10 Terrifying Stories About the Black-eyed Children  compiled by Lyra Radford   Witness Reports: My Friend Died After Meeting Black Eyed Children  by Greg Newkirk Witness Reports: I Let The Black Eyed Children into my Home and Now I’m Slowly Dying  by Greg Newkirk Dying for more analysis of the phenomenon? We recommend these books as an excellent starting place: The Black Eyed Children, 2nd ed .  By David Weatherly  T he Chilling, True Terror of the Black-Eyed Kids: A Monster Compilation – Second Edition  By G. Michael Vasey And, of course, the following article by the excellent Ryan Sprague: Can we Come In? The Lore of the Black Eyed Children  by Ryan Sprague You can find EM Hilker's full article that this podcast was based upon HERE and a transcript of the podcast version below: PODCAST TRANSCRIPT Whether it’s throughout the internet or around campfires, whispered furtively from friend to friend behind pints of ale in the darkened corners of a pub, or scribbled into journals late at night, incide

Trailer · Thu, August 19, 2021

Welcome To Unpleasant Dreams

Welcome To Unpleasant Dreams. Chilling stories told by Cassandra Harold. Topics include strange phenomena, mind benders, head scratchers and mysterious true crime cases. Unpleasant Dreams is a production of Jim Harold Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices