I went on a chilling literary adventure with author Dacre Stoker at Derby Museum, exploring Bram Stoker's Dracula notes.

An event organised by Derby Museum sent shivers down my spine as soon as I heard about it.

Shivers of a good kind, as the event was a literary gathering hosted by literary legend Dacre Stoker.

The international best-selling author and great grand-nephew of Dracula author Bram Stoker, invited us for a spooky time poring over rare copies of Bram Stoker’s papers borrowed from libraries and archives around the world.

I went on a spooky literary treasure hunt in Derby hosted by Dacre Stoker, great grand-nephew of Dracula author Bram Stoker, in Derby | Ria Ghei

placeholder image — I went on a spooky literary treasure hunt in Derby hosted by Dacre Stoker, great grand-nephew of Dracula author Bram Stoker, in Derby | Ria Ghei

The hands-on investigative session delved into Bram Stoker’s research methods.

The goal was to discover evidence of the 101 pages, amounting to the first three chapters edited out of the Dracula typescript.

We studied the critically acclaimed author’s annotated notes which he wrote during the seven-year period he worked on Dracula.

Dacre Stoker held a captive audience in thrall of his study into Dracula. The venue was perfect for this sort of event - look up to the roof of The Wardwick old museum that is packed with Victorian era paraphernalia. | Ria Ghei

The venue where all this spooktastic fun took place was the old museum of the lofty Wardwick building.

Dacre led us onto a literary treasure hunt searching for clues into Bram’s research and writing of Dracula in 30 documents.

I first read Dracula when I was studying English literature and Creative Writing at the University of Derby.

I think I am due a re-read as I try to revisit classics every few years, at opportune times.

So Halloween for example is a great time to be reminded of the horrifying legend that is Dracula.

To hold Bram Stoker's notes in my hand, and be given the opportunity to decipher them, gave me chills | Ria Ghei

I felt as if I had come full circle, reading a book I had studied at uni, as a wide-eyed 20-year-old, to listen to a descendant of the very author that continues to be one of my top classic reads of all time.

To see copies of notes that the late, great Bram Stoker had painstakingly made, while researching Dracula was thrilling.

What made the evening great fun, was seeing how Bram arrived at the origin story for Dracula.

He used Victorian superstition and Dracula myths from across the world, to ultimately create a literary piece of fiction that much like Dracula, has endured over the centuries.

Derby Museum continues to organise events for the creative community, visit the museum’s website for more information by clicking here.