10 Questions with Dacre Stoker
1. What made you want to write a sequel to Bram Stoker’s Dracula?
I had read Dracula when I was a college student in the late 1970’s, but it was not until Ian Holt contacted me in 2004 with the idea of collaborating on a sequel that I had thought about it. I was not a writer so was rather intimidated by the process, however I approached it like anything else I do, break it up in to small pieces that were doable and put the pieces together. I liked the idea of simply continuing the story that my great grand uncle Bram left behind, the term sequel was attached later.
2. What’s the greatest moment in your writing career?
I have to admit when the first box of copies of the Un-Dead arrived at my front door, that was the best!
3. Can you describe the writing process between yourself and Ian Holt, and how did you two link up for Dracula the Un-dead?
Ian had the idea from a screenplay of his to give Count Dracula a chance to represent his side of the story. By 2004 we felt that most Dracula fans identified with the Dracula character as a vampire version of the historic Vlad Dracula lll as he has been depicted in most movies. So we decided to continue Bram’s work but to develop all of the surviving (Dracula) characters so the reader could actually learn much more about them; where did they come from, how they knew each other, some of their personal issues. We obviously did the same with Count Dracula, we did not set out to make him good, we want to give him a backstory and fill in details of what Vlad the Impaler would be like if he was a vampire. It took us a while to settle on the final outline for the story. Ian had a basic premise that served as the backbone of the story, so everything stemmed from there. We constantly bounced ideas off of each other as we wrote our separate parts of the story. Our historic researcher Alex Galant provided plenty of good information about locations for us to consider and to work with. I did a lot of research into Bram’s writing of Dracula as well as finding out a lot of information about Bram’s personal life. This helped tremendously as I was able to contribute by writing sections of the book pertaining to Bram Stoker and Detective Cotford, a character who Bram originally slated to appear in Dracula.
4. What made you start writing?
Dracula the Un-Dead was my first serious effort.
5. Do you feel a responsibility for the legacy of Bram Stoker?
In a sense I do as scholars and pop culture fans alike have really only taken notice of Bram in the past 20 years. He died in 1912, so there is no one alive who ever met him and very few still living who remember meeting his son. So it is up to the present generation of Stokers to keep the focus on this interesting man, I take this role seriously.
6. You’ve spent a good deal of time in Romania. What’s it like going back to the home of the man who inspired the character of Dracula, and how have you been received in Romania?
I was very apprehensive going to Romania for the first time as I thought I would receive a cool reception. After all I had read for the past 5-6 years how fed up the Romanians were with the Dracula image looming over them; they have had tourists coming over with the pre conceived notions that Transylvania was full of bats and vampires and otherwise not to be taken seriously. Furthermore it was Bram Stoker who borrowed the name Dracula from Romania history for his Count character, essentially he turned a national hero into a pop culture icon. I can honestly say there are no grudges; most people whom I have met were pleased that I am on a mission to set the record straight about Vlad Dracula lll and assist them in encouraging responsible vampire tourism. Romania has very lovely parts, beautifully preserved and restored castles, churches and villages, a must see even if you are not a vampire buff.
7. Out of all of the film adaptations of Dracula, which do you think is the best?
I liked the original 1931 Todd Browning Dracula with Bela Lugosi, and I also really liked the 1992 Coppola version.
8. Who is the best actor ever to take the role of Dracula?
I just can’t narrow it down to one so I must provide my top 3 as so much has to do with advances in filmmaking, which contribute to the actors’ effectiveness. In no particular order: Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee and Gary Oldman.
9. What made you and Ian decide to start Dracula the Un-dead 25 years after the original novel leaves off?
We wanted the central character to be Quincey, the child born at the end of Dracula, so he needed to be old enough to carry the story. In addition, the dates needed to be adjusted just a bit to fit in the real fire at the Lyceum Theater, Bram Stoker’s last few months and the sailing of the Titanic.
10. In Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula is more of a villain, but in your novel, he is a dark hero. What made you change the direction of the character?
In Dracula the Un-dead he is still a bloodthirsty killer, but he starts to show his emotions, in a similar fashion that Anne Rice attached displays of emotions from her vampires in the popular Vampire Chronicles series. We believed that readers expected a well rounded vampire creature, as opposed to a zombie like killing machine.
I had read Dracula when I was a college student in the late 1970’s, but it was not until Ian Holt contacted me in 2004 with the idea of collaborating on a sequel that I had thought about it. I was not a writer so was rather intimidated by the process, however I approached it like anything else I do, break it up in to small pieces that were doable and put the pieces together. I liked the idea of simply continuing the story that my great grand uncle Bram left behind, the term sequel was attached later.
2. What’s the greatest moment in your writing career?
I have to admit when the first box of copies of the Un-Dead arrived at my front door, that was the best!
3. Can you describe the writing process between yourself and Ian Holt, and how did you two link up for Dracula the Un-dead?
Ian had the idea from a screenplay of his to give Count Dracula a chance to represent his side of the story. By 2004 we felt that most Dracula fans identified with the Dracula character as a vampire version of the historic Vlad Dracula lll as he has been depicted in most movies. So we decided to continue Bram’s work but to develop all of the surviving (Dracula) characters so the reader could actually learn much more about them; where did they come from, how they knew each other, some of their personal issues. We obviously did the same with Count Dracula, we did not set out to make him good, we want to give him a backstory and fill in details of what Vlad the Impaler would be like if he was a vampire. It took us a while to settle on the final outline for the story. Ian had a basic premise that served as the backbone of the story, so everything stemmed from there. We constantly bounced ideas off of each other as we wrote our separate parts of the story. Our historic researcher Alex Galant provided plenty of good information about locations for us to consider and to work with. I did a lot of research into Bram’s writing of Dracula as well as finding out a lot of information about Bram’s personal life. This helped tremendously as I was able to contribute by writing sections of the book pertaining to Bram Stoker and Detective Cotford, a character who Bram originally slated to appear in Dracula.
4. What made you start writing?
Dracula the Un-Dead was my first serious effort.
5. Do you feel a responsibility for the legacy of Bram Stoker?
In a sense I do as scholars and pop culture fans alike have really only taken notice of Bram in the past 20 years. He died in 1912, so there is no one alive who ever met him and very few still living who remember meeting his son. So it is up to the present generation of Stokers to keep the focus on this interesting man, I take this role seriously.
6. You’ve spent a good deal of time in Romania. What’s it like going back to the home of the man who inspired the character of Dracula, and how have you been received in Romania?
I was very apprehensive going to Romania for the first time as I thought I would receive a cool reception. After all I had read for the past 5-6 years how fed up the Romanians were with the Dracula image looming over them; they have had tourists coming over with the pre conceived notions that Transylvania was full of bats and vampires and otherwise not to be taken seriously. Furthermore it was Bram Stoker who borrowed the name Dracula from Romania history for his Count character, essentially he turned a national hero into a pop culture icon. I can honestly say there are no grudges; most people whom I have met were pleased that I am on a mission to set the record straight about Vlad Dracula lll and assist them in encouraging responsible vampire tourism. Romania has very lovely parts, beautifully preserved and restored castles, churches and villages, a must see even if you are not a vampire buff.
7. Out of all of the film adaptations of Dracula, which do you think is the best?
I liked the original 1931 Todd Browning Dracula with Bela Lugosi, and I also really liked the 1992 Coppola version.
8. Who is the best actor ever to take the role of Dracula?
I just can’t narrow it down to one so I must provide my top 3 as so much has to do with advances in filmmaking, which contribute to the actors’ effectiveness. In no particular order: Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee and Gary Oldman.
9. What made you and Ian decide to start Dracula the Un-dead 25 years after the original novel leaves off?
We wanted the central character to be Quincey, the child born at the end of Dracula, so he needed to be old enough to carry the story. In addition, the dates needed to be adjusted just a bit to fit in the real fire at the Lyceum Theater, Bram Stoker’s last few months and the sailing of the Titanic.
10. In Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula is more of a villain, but in your novel, he is a dark hero. What made you change the direction of the character?
In Dracula the Un-dead he is still a bloodthirsty killer, but he starts to show his emotions, in a similar fashion that Anne Rice attached displays of emotions from her vampires in the popular Vampire Chronicles series. We believed that readers expected a well rounded vampire creature, as opposed to a zombie like killing machine.
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