Bram Stoker was the author of Dracula, his work was key in the development of the myth of the Vampire. He was born in Dublin, Ireland and at the age of 16 attented Trinity College at Dublin University. He graduated with honours in science and eventually earned his M.A.

    In 1873 he was offered the editorship of a new newspaper called the Irish Echo, part time and without pay. The paper failed and in 1874 he resigned. His first bit of horror writing The Chain Of Destiny, appeared as a serial in the Shamrock in 1873. His frist book, a collection of childrens stories called Under The Sunset was published in 1882. In 1890 Stoker began work on his most famous novel, Dracula.

    Stoker's decision to write Dracula seems to have been occasioned by a nightmare, a vampire rising from his tomb. He had read Carmilla several years ago. He added his own research and modeled his main character after a 15th century Prince.

    Published in 1897, there was little to suggest that Stoker considered Dracula more than a good horror story. He received mixed reviews. The year after Dracula was published, Stoker's career took a downward turn. Stoker continued to write, Miss Beauty (1898), The Mystery of the Sea (1902), The Jewel of the Sever Stars (1903), The Man (1905) and the most successful, Lady of the Shroud (1909). Possibly the most important of his post-Dracula work, a collection of short stories called Dracula's Guest and Other Weird Stories (1914), was published after his death.

    Although Stoker did borrow the characteristics of Vlad Dracula, he added many features. Hollywood also had it's own interpritation and moved away from Dracula - the man to Dracula - the myth. Shape shifting, turning into a bat or mist is all myth, Dracula never had that power, at least as a mortal. And while 100 years have passed since the first publication, interest in Dracula - the man is increasing.
 

    Bram Stoker's Dracula sits at number 2 of the all time best sellers list, number one belongs to the Bible.

Source - Black and White photo and some text
The Vampire Book - The Encyclopedia Of The Undead
By J. Gordon Melton

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