Oh, a sound investment!
I was also an early and fanatical reader buy my thing was ghosts. Started with Lord Halifax, Borley Rectory and, like you, Dennis Wheatley. I then moved on to the not-so-Fortean Pan Books of Horror Stories. I joined one of those book clubs that used to be advertised in the Sunday Supplements that was all paranormal based, so I got into Colin Wilson, Lyall Watson, Ley Lines, witchcraft, OOBE. Later one of my friends had a brother who introduced me into the world of ritual magic, Golden Dawn and Ophiel and he also took me on my first trip to the famous Atlantis Bookshop near the British Museum.
Yes, same. It was ghosts first. My nan used to tell wonderful ghost stories, things that had happened to her or people in her family. Then I discovered the Unwin book of Ghosts (I think) and Peter Underwood. Still love his books. They’re almost ‘cosy’. Lovely to sit down and read with a cup of tea on a dark autumn afternoon.
Yes, and the same goes for little boys.
Most of Underwood's output is now on Kindle, and very reasonably priced.
A fair few are on Audible too, and I find listening easier now, as I can listen and do something else at the same time.
Underwood was bloody good at it as well as prodigious. Paul Bestall and I had a long chat about his work on the Mysteries & Monsters podcast last year, and how it was a shame he fell out with the Ghost Club as who knows how much more could have come of their continued collaboration.
I think there’s been a thread (or it at least came up) about this way back, as I did this as well, and have memories of being able to float downstairs as a child (if I concentrated). I‘m pretty sure other people on the forum had the same dreams.
Floating Downstairs / Floating Down Stairs
Oh god I remember reading that on in the decade before last. Always something slightly terrifying about Muppets and Sesame Street and Emu. I remember the late 2000s reading stories like this deep into the small hours. I remember someane as a child being terrified by a penguin emerging from a TV set late at night trying to get him to eat his sandwiches. I miss this days of the utterly deranged IHTM stories!
Well that certainly doesn't hurt.
I saw this recently. Nick Cave is possibly my favourite artist and also probably the last one I’d imagine going to a party as ScoobsA few years ago I picked up an adult-sized Scooby Doo suit which was great fun to wear to my little relatives' birthday parties.
Never had so many hugs in my life!
Eventually I gave it to a nephew who'd hankered for it. He works in event electricals and does DJing.
He'd sometimes change into it halfway through a DJing gig and punters would look hard, then shrug and carry on throwing shapes.
Like 'Is that Scooby Doo? Yup, it's Scooby Doo. Or this is GOOD shit.'
Pfft, I wore it better.
