It Started with Dracula

The Count, My Mother, and Me

The terrifying legend of Count Dracula silently skulking through the Transylvania night may have terrified generations of filmgoers, but the tall, elegant vampire captivated and electrified a young Jane Congdon, igniting a dream to one day see his mysterious land of ancient castles and misty hollows. Four decades later she finally takes her long-awaited trip - never dreaming that it will unearth decades-buried memories of life with an alcoholic mother.

Set in Dracula's backyard, the story unfolds in a mere 18 days as the author follows the footsteps of Dracula from Bucharest to the Carpathian Mountains and the Black Sea. Dracula's legend becomes the prism through which she will lay claim to a happiness she had never known. A memoir full of surprises, Jane's story is one of hope, love - and second chances.

©2012 Jane Congdon (P)2016 Bettie Youngs / Bettie Youngs Book Publishers