ABOUT THE BOOK 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 would unearth decades-buried memories of life with an alcoholic mother, and trigger a life-changing inner journey. Unfolding in 18 days as she followed the footsteps of Dracula from Bucharest, to the Carpathian Mountains, and the Black Sea. Dracula's legend becomes the prism through which she would revisit her childhood and 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. Unfinished business can surface when we least expect it. It Started with Dracula is the inspiring story of two parallel journeys: one a carefully planned vacation and the other an astonishing and unexpected tour in repairing a wounded heart. -Charles Whitfield, MD, Bestselling author, Healing the Child Within An elegantly written and cleverly told real-life adventure story proving that the struggle for self-love is universal. An electrifying read.-Diane Bruno, CISION Media