Unpleasant Dreams

As the holidays return, so does one of our favorite traditions—Cassandra Harold’s evocative reading of A Christmas Carol. Dickens’ ghostly tale of reckoning, regret, and redemption takes on a particularly eerie tone in this retelling. A familiar story, re-aired for the season, and perfect for listening with your family and friends by flickering candlelight or by a holiday fire. Enjoy this super sized Christmas edition of Unpleasant Dreams. 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

After a brief hiatus, Unpleasant Dreams returns with a chilling classic from the early 20th century. This week, Cassandra Harold narrates E.F. Benson’s “The Room in the Tower,” a haunting tale first published in 1912 that explores the terrifying power of dreams—and what happens when they begin to bleed into reality. As always, Cassandra’s evocative narration brings this eerie story to life in a way that lingers long after the final word. Dim the lights and settle in—your nightmares await. “The Room in the Tower” is in the public domain. If you enjoy the show, please share it with family and 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

This week we revisit "A Midnight Visitor" by John Kendrick Bangs . One night, a stressed and overworked man is overcome with fear after a ghostly encounter in his home. Bangs was an American author and the creator of the Bangsian fantasy genre, where the use of the afterlife is the main setting in which its characters, act and interact. The short story was published in 1894 as part of the anthology The Water Ghost and Others 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

This week on Unpleasant Dreams, Cassandra Harold is back narrating the eerie story, The Haunted Orchard . What better way to celebrate spring than a haunted orchard! Written by Richard Le Gallienne, the story touches on themes like memory, loss, and the invisible bond between the living and the dead. With a series of vivid and emotional moments, Le Gallienne tells a tale that draws you in and makes you think about how the past sticks with us and shapes our lives today. The Haunted Orchard was published in 1912 and is the public domain. Thank you 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 Dreams. 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