Visiting Author Series brings "Dracula" author's blood relative to UNG

Even if you have not read Bram Stoker's "Dracula," most everyone is familiar with the vampiric title character and the various pop culture interpretations – including more than 200 films – since the Gothic horror novel was published in 1897. However, few know about the author, an Irishman who worked as a business manager for a London theater and wrote novels on the side.

On Sept. 26-28, the University of North Georgia (UNG) Visiting Author Series will bring one of Stoker's blood relatives to campus – Dacre Stoker, the great-grand-nephew of Bram Stoker and co-editor of "The Lost Journal of Bram Stoker: The Dublin Years." He also is the best-selling co-author of "Dracula the Un-Dead," the official, Stoker-family endorsed sequel to "Dracula."

Dr. Leverett Butts, associate professor of English at UNG, invited Stoker to visit UNG after meeting him at a conference.

"I met Dacre earlier this year when we both participated on panels for AnachroCon," Butts said. AnachroCon is an annual conference dedicated to history-related interests. "After discussing his editing work for his great-grand-uncle Bram's journals and his own creative work and research, I thought he'd be a good fit for our program."

Stoker’s compelling and informative keynote presentation, Stoker on Stoker: The Mysteries Behind the Writing of Dracula, weaves together the details of Dracula’s history with Stoker family lore, and Bram Stoker’s life in Dublin and London. Then it separates fact from popular fiction, revealing the truth about all things Stoker and Dracula. Illustrated with Dacre’s own collection of never-before-published, and seldom-seen historic images, Stoker on Stoker is a glimpse behind the scenes of the life and writing of one of the least known authors and one of the world's most famous books.

UNG's Visiting Author Series brings contemporary writers such as Stoker to UNG to discuss their work with students and the community.

"This will give students an opportunity to see what is involved as far as research and writing discipline in putting together a publishable manuscript," Butts said. "They will also have the opportunity to ask a published author questions of their own."

Stoker will speak at all five UNG communities.

• Sept. 26, noon: Blue Ridge Mountain Arts Center
• Sept. 26, 7 p.m.: UNG's Dahlonega Campus, Hoag Auditorium
• Sept. 27, noon: UNG's Cumming Campus, Room 125
• Sept. 27, 7 p.m.: UNG's Gainesville Campus, Nesbitt 3110-A
• Sept. 28, noon: UNG's Oconee Campus, Room 522

All presentations are free and open to the public.

Stoker, who has spoken across the U.S. and around the world, has consulted and appeared in recent film documentaries about vampires in literature and popular culture. He hosts tours to Transylvania to explore both the life and times of the historic Vlad Dracula lll and the locations where Bram Stoker set his famous novel.

Since its inception in 1996, the Visiting Author Series, which is sponsored by UNG's Department of English, has included poets, novelists, memoirists, and non-fiction writers.