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b"Bram StokerBram Stoker was an Irish author born in 1847 in Dublin. Stoker is probably the best known horror writer in the world (after Steven King!) and is famous for his fantastically best-selling novel Dracula.\\xa0Interestingly, Stoker spent his first years in bed, stricken by an unknown illness , and then he went to school even becoming an athlete there!After school he got his Bachelor of Arts degree at Trinity College and then got a Master of Arts in 1875.\\xa0Stoker\\u2019s early career was in the Irish Civil Service but on the side became the theatre critic for the Dublin Evening Mail, which was partly owned by Sheridan le Fanu, another Irish author of ghost stories who we have featured on the Classic Ghost Stories Podcast.\\xa0Stoker also knew fellow Irish author Oscar Wilde. I guess Dublin was a small town in those days, especially in literary circles.In 1876, he became acquainted with the forceful English actor, Henry Irving after he wrote a nice review of Irving\\u2019s performance (Hint. You never know what good will come from nice reviews!)Stoker became Irving\\u2019s manager and followed him around Britain, which entailed a stay at Whitby (a place I love, and was last at just before Christmas) in 1880. Of course this is where Dracula comes ashore.\\xa0Stoker died aged 64 in London.Though he is most famous for Dracula, Stoker obviously wrote other stories.\\xa0This one, Dracula\\u2019s guest, which was later published as a short story was intended as the first chapter of the novel Dracula.\\xa0In it, we have our nameless hero setting off on a day trip from Munich on Walpurgis Nacht.\\xa0At the end, we realise that this young man is to be the guest of Dracula who writes from Bistritz in Transylvania.The hero of this story is obviously Jonathan Harker and Stoker\\u2019s publisher obviously saw no need for the first chapter in Munich, so Dracula begins in Bistritz.The style is very similar to Dracula.\\xa0The hero does what all heroes in horror stories do, he goes somewhere he shouldn\\u2019t. Stoker paints a picture of Central Europe hooching with vampires.\\xa0Young Mr Harker wanders into the tomb of the vampire countess from Styria (interestingly where Le Fanu (whom Stoker knew) set his story Carmilla \\u2014 see previous episodes of this podcast.\\xa0He is pulled out of the tomb by a might grasp, presumably Dracula\\u2019s and Dracula presumably blasts the poor vampire countess in her marble tomb with lightning, then sits on him, in the form of a wolf, keeping him warm in the icy cold.\\xa0It\\u2019s a long way from Transylvania to Munich, but as Stoker reminds us: The Dead Travel Fast.MusicMusic is by the marvellous\\xa0https://theheartwoodinstitute.bandcamp.com/album/witch-phase-four (Heartwood Institute)Download Charles Dickens The Signalman Free Mp3\\xa0https://bit.ly/dickenssignalman (Subscribe to our list and keep in touch with the podcast. Learn of new episodes and bonus Content.\\xa0)Support our work PLUS you get a free story right now!(The Story Link is in the Thank You Email)Show Your Support With A Coffee!https://ko-fi.com/tonywalker (Buy the thirsty podcaster a coffee...)Final Request: The SurveyI want to know what you want. If you have three minutes, I'd be grateful to know what you think of\\xa0The Classic Ghost Stories Podcast.https://my.captivate.fm/Click%20here%20to%20go%20to%20the%20Survey (Click here to go to the Survey)Support the showVisit us here: www.ghostpod.orgBuy me a coffee if you're glad I do this: https://ko-fi.com/tonywalkerIf you really want to help me, become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/barcudMusic by The Heartwood Institute: https://bit.ly/somecomeback\\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices"