Directory of Lost Causes (By Quentin S. Crisp)

Are You Morbid?

First published on Opera, Fri 23rd Apr, 2004.

I come bearing tidings. The time for the release of my second collection of short stories is at hand. The collection is called Morbid Tales and will be published by Tartarus Press. The cover artwork can now be viewed at their website, and, in fact, in this journal entry, I hope.




I had some trouble with the title of the collection. I wanted to call it "You Put the Dirty Pictures in My Head!", but this was judged unsuitable, along with a number of other titles I devised. Eventually I drew up a list of about thirty or forty titles and this one, that I had put in more or less as a joke, was the one that was chosen. I say 'joke,' but it's very much an in-joke. The title is a reference to a mini-album by the seminal death metal band Celtic Frost, which was called Morbid Tales. There was also a song of the same title on their next mini-album, Emperor's Return. I say 'song,' but I'm using the word very loosely. I don't think there was ever much singing involved. There is a refrain in the song that goes, "Are you morbid?" and this will probably be the quote used in the front of the collection. What does it mean? Search me! Maybe it's a warning not to enter if you are unprepared. Maybe it's a riddle asking you to ponder whether what you believe to be the author's morbidity is in fact your own. Or maybe it's just a silly quote I put in on a whim.


In other news, a new story of mine is now up on the website Gothic Fairy Tales. The story is called 'The Temple' and can be found here.

Just one more question: Are you morbid?


PS - Since I posted this entry I remembered that a book launch for Morbid Tales is dues to be held at Fantasy Centre Bookshop on Holloway Road on the fourth of June, from six o'clock to seven thirty. If your answer to the question heading this entry is 'Yes,' then you might want to come along and pur-chase a copy. Signed, of course.


PPS. ATTENTION, ALL YOU MORBID ONES! THIS NOTICE HAS BEEN ADDED ON THE FIFTH OF JUNE, 2004:


Well, it's saturday the fifth of June. Last night there was a morbid book launch for Morbid Tales at Fantasy Centre on Holloway Road. And a morbid time was had by all...


But it occurred to me that I'm really not doing enough to ... er... promote myself, and my great new album, I mean book, Morbid Tales. Kills 99% of all known household germs.


Anyway, if you were foolish enough not to come to the book launch, don't hang yourself from the nearest rafter JUST YET. Because not only will there be another signing, in Twickenham, but I shall also be reading from MORBID TALES. And it's free, and there'll be booze. What more do you want? Come on and do something NEW... and morbid.


Insert these details into your memory banks:


As part of the Twickenham Festival, the author Quentin S. Crisp will be signing copies of and reading from his new collection, MORBID TALES.


Thursday the 17th of June. I quote from the official Twickenham Festival leaflet:


"MEET QUENTIN S CRISP
7.30pm The Bookstore, King Street
Quentin S Crisp will be reading from his new collection of short stories, Morbid Tales.
Free, but booking essential.
Call on 020 8744 3030"


Good night and thank you!