Who is the author of the original "Dracula" novel?

The guy who gave us Count Dracula was also a business manager for actor Henry Irving, which explains why "Dracula" reads like the most dramatic stage production ever written. Bram Stoker never actually visited Transylvania, but he spent years interviewing people who had been there, geeking out on vampire folklore, and treating the British Library like his personal vampire research HQ. Stoker published "Dracula" in 1897, and close to 600 media appearances later, the character has become the world's most portrayed literary character.