Welcome to Litsy!

It was a ton of fun having my first Dracula read spread out throughout the year with emails from Dracula Daily. It was a treat reading “in real time.” I struggle with reading classic books, so this also helped keep me focused and get through the story. I can see why this book was/is popular. Now it has super problematic sexism and ableism (see Renfield, excluding Mina from the action because she‘s a delicate female, and all of the talk about…⬇️

4/5

I really enjoyed reading the Dracula Daily emails as it spaced the story out of the course of about six months. One of my favorite aspects was the fan art and tweets that the community added about each email, and I was so glad that this book found a way to bring that context to this version of the novel. It's a fun way to experience Dracula.

I am glad my friend encouraged me to do the “daily Dracula” reading challenge that she was doing with her book club. I have had a copy of this book on my shelf for years. But it intimidated me. But breaking it down the way it was done for the challenge made it much easier to get through. The wording threw me sometimes. (It‘s dated but I knew that going into the reading). Glad it‘s done.

I‘m glad I finally read Dracula. I loved reading this epistolary novel on the dates corresponding to the letters. I can‘t imagine reading it out of order! Maybe next October I‘ll try to read it as Bram Stoker wrote it.
Thanks for joining in on the fun!
🧛🏻‍♀️ 🩸🧛🏻‍♀️
#DraculaDaily

This was my first time reading Dracula and I thoroughly enjoyed it. A few times it was a little difficult to keep track when there was a long break in between, but overall it was a fantastic way to experience the story. Waiting for the next entry often built up the suspense.

#DraculaDaily #1001books #epistolary

I can‘t believe it‘s over! What did everyone think?? I still loved reading it this way! What a fun treat!

I‘d be more concerned about why you wrote “the” two extra times (on a typewriter) during your hesitation 😏

Despite my difficulties keeping up with my reads, a couple of days ago l managed to read a few chapters from #DraculaDaily and come to poor Lucy's death

This story is truly taking me in. I knew what was going to happen, and still l read from the edge of my seat.

I really like Van Helsing. I wished he could have done more.

I‘m not sure what they expected when they decided to exclude Mina from knowing important things or why they‘re all so surprised 🤷‍♀️

I marked these words a few days ago in my reading and then completely forgot to share them yesterday. There are quite a few interesting words in Dracula and I kind of love how the look up function works in SubStack.

#WeirdWords #WeirdWordWednesday #DraculaDaily

Last night, I got to meet Matt Kirkland. His presentation on Dracula Daily was fantastically fun! What started as a Covid home project has turned into an worldwide internet phenomena!

I also told him that he had a lot of Litsy fans. 😊

PS: I should have taken off my sweater and I literally ran in the rain across the campus to get from the parking to the library which held the presentation. 😂

Oh, yes. because this turned out so well last time... These dudes, I swear. I am really beginning to see the appeal of all the fanfic where a vampire-Mina lives through the centuries, sometimes wreaking havoc and being a bad-ass, but mostly just being blessedly free of all these men keeping things from her "for her own good" ?
#Draculadaily

I have arrived at UVA in Charlottesville, Virginia to see the author tonight. #draculadaily

It cracks me up how brandy is this magical elixir that constantly restores people. Intense emotional distress? Brandy. Gave a significant portion of your blood in a dubious medical procedure to transfuse your blood into a dying woman? Better get some brandy. Dying and we aren‘t sure why? Time for brandy 😂

In the last couple of weeks, we‘ve gotten a lot more Dracula and I‘ve been struggling to keep up along with my other reading and life. I got caught up on reading today, but I may skip a couple audio podcast episodes. So much has happened and now everyone is leaving England for Transylvania.

#DraculaDaily

@rachelsbrittain #weekendreads

In between trying to finish these reads, also listening to Re: Dracula while following along with Dracula Daily.

I caught up on Dracula Daily for 45 minutes during the sprint hosted by @Clwojick today - but then I was interrupted by dinner and an attempt to make a cocktail out of toasted sesame syrup. It actually came out very Halloween-y, so I‘m counting it for my bucket list too! A successful #scarathlonsprint I‘d say! #spookyghostclub

*laughs* I‘m in danger. 😅

Extremely uncomfortable sexism is one reason why I don‘t usually enjoy reading classic works 😏

My #October TBR.

I think, what with my current reread and relisten of Dracula thanks to Dracula Daily and Re: Dracula, I need to say Dracula.

Every time I come back to it, the horror hits me all over again. And the Re: Dracula cast is doing an absolutely stellar job. 🖤

#SundayFunday Have a spooky start to this Halloween season, and remember to tag me!

Drinking a pumpkin ale while reading today‘s letter. I love the fall/pumpkin beers. #draculadaily

Let‘s bring back this phrase “speaking in camera”!

I‘ve learned so many outdated words and phrases (or just uncommon, in a few cases) while reading this book, I clouding Ingress, and “digitally” as doing something with your fingers.

Lucy, please do us all a favor and shove those medicinal flowers up this guy‘s condescending, sexist nose 😆

A drinking game idea for anybody not at work, unlike me, listening to today‘s episode of Re: Dracula.

Take a shot every time Seward uses the words “voluptuous” or “wanton.” 🤣

Last night I went to a release event for Dracula Daily. Matt Kirkland, who lives in my town, gave one of my favorite author talks I've ever attended, laughed so hard I cried. The library also gave a free copy of the Penguin Dracula to every attendee, as it's been chosen as the Community Read. I'll have to try to fit this in somehow this fall. 😂 I 🖤 the pin.

#DraculaDaily Ooh exciting! What do you guys think? Are you going to purchase? I feel like I have to! 🧛🏻🎉📖

#DraculaDaily

Read up to 15 August and this is becoming Ming very gripping 🤩

Mina is really a great character and a good friend. She is definitely going above and beyond for Lucy.
I love how Stoker manages to let horror elements filtering in the story and still make it absolutely natural that the characters don't think anything of them.

Finally, news from Jonathan!

1. I already have a black cat 🐈‍⬛... But since he's mostly bonded to my husband, I choose an owl for me! 🦉
2. I've been working my way through the classics and finding new spooky favs more than rereading. This year I've already started the tagged!
3. Hubby and I went as Bob and Louise once. We were satisfyingly close 😂
4. Not really. I prefer thick cozy socks or none.
5. Nightmare before Christmas, Beetlejuice
6. Pumpkin beer
#hhs23

I'm so very behind with the #DraculaDaily but am trying to catch up.

Only just finished the Demetre episode. What a peculiar, and yet effective way to describe Count Dracula's arrival to Britain.

There's something strange about Lucy, but l can't put my finger on it 🤔

@Daisey @The_Book_Ninja @Meshell1313 @tpixie @graciouswarriorprincess @dabbe @eeclayton @Vansa

I‘ve been doing a pretty good job of staying caught up reading Dracula as it arrives through SubStack in short bitesize chunks, but I don‘t generally listen at the same time. So, today I caught up on several podcast episodes, and events with Lucy are continuing to be concerning. I‘m also ready to hear more from Mina or Jonathan.

https://open.spotify.com/show/6Mu1ME2CmFi7MpU0YrXcpx?si=DLYm2cMIRba_glgdWG9SaQ

#DraculaDaily

A book tour! 🧛🏻‍♂️📕🧛🏻‍♂️
#DraculaDaily

https://draculadaily.com/events/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

I caught up on yesterday and today‘s letters and realized I haven‘t posted here about this reading in quite a while. Lucy & Arthur‘s letters describe very different perspectives on how things are going for Lucy. I wonder what Dr. Seward will have to say when he comes to visit.

#DraculaDaily

Now I‘m fearful for beloved Mina as well as Jonathan! Not to mention Lucy!!! Dracula 🧛🏻‍♂️ 🩸 🧛🏻‍♂️ #DraculaDaily

I'm so behind with the Dracula Daily reads, but today l read up to August 8. That a great part of the Demetra's log and Mina worrying about Jonathan.

Jeez that ramped up anxiety.

Of course, nothing good will come from the Demetra. Yet I'm eager to know what happened to her.
I'm also not sure what's up with Lucy.
Mina seems a very caring soul. I'm getting attached to her.

The separate strands of the story, at least some of them, are coming together. Today‘s excerpt had quite some amazing descriptions of the storm and the ship. I also think this order of already knowing what the captain wrote provides an interesting perspective to this scene. Like Mina, I also really want to know what‘s going on with Jonathan.

📷: The Last Voyage of the Demeter (https://m.imdb.com/title/tt1001520/)

#DraculaDaily

It‘s been a bit since I‘ve shared anything from our Dracula reading. I‘m enjoying the ship‘s log but not so much Renfield‘s animal collections. Those can be headed nowhere good in the long run.

#DraculaDaily

Things are getting a bit more intense! Jonathan tries to take action but is still trapped.

“When I ran to push it open, I found that it was hopelessly fast. I was again a prisoner, and the net of doom was closing round me more closely.”

I‘ve enjoyed having reading a few days in a row and pairing it with the podcast as well. Please let me know if you would like to be added or removed from my tag list.

#DraculaDaily

After several days of nothing, I was excited to see notifications for #DraculaDaily again. These tiny snippets were not very satisfying, but I am always interested to see the tagline for the SubStack and podcast. Waiting again for more . . .

I‘m catching up on a couple days of #DraculaDaily with Lucy‘s story today. These weren‘t as intense as Jonathan‘s journal, but I was amused by the Texan.

I read today‘s letter from Lucy to Mina with supper this evening. I like that we‘re starting to hear from more voices. #DraculaDaily #ReadAndEat

Although I‘ve been keeping up with daily chapters of Cranford on audio this week, I haven‘t read any more of #Clarissa. I‘m hoping to fit in at least a few pages before bed tonight. Fitting in three classic novels like this on an almost daily basis is a bit of a challenge.

Stepping out of the bit for a moment, it's been interesting how reading Dracula day by day changes the pacing. By the time Mina shows up when reading this way, it feels surprising that it's taken this long. I've always loved the character of Mina, and am excited we're now receiving this story through her voice as well as Jonathan's. #DraculaDaily

I listened to today‘s journal entry on the way home from school today. It seems Jonathan is beginning to question some suspicious events, and the story is getting a bit more intense. I‘m really enjoying the daily snippets to develop even more suspense in my reading.

#DraculaDaily

I think cabin fever has gotten to Jonathan, and has led to some marked discourtesy regarding his host. So the Count smashed his shaving mirror - what of it? It was clearly defective if it wasn't reflecting the Count! So the man has no serving staff in his castle - what's wrong with being an introvert? And to impugn the Count's intentions by suggesting the locked doors are to keep him in, rather than ruffians or thieves out? Rubbish! #DraculaDaily

What a charming host the Count is! I sure enjoyed reading Jonathan's account of his lovely evening with his new friend, and hope to see him explore even more of the castle now that he knows he is permitted. Who knows what other wonders lurk behind those closed doors? #DraculaDaily

Poor Jonathan had the worst time meeting his new friend Dracula's coachman today. Apparently the driver from Bistritz intentionally conveyed him to his rendezvous an hour early, then tried to talk him into continuing on - talk about a one star review! He's lucky Uber wasn't a thing yet! Sounds like the Count has a real wolf problem - good thing he makes up for it with a courteous welcome! Can't wait to see what's next for these two! #DraculaDaily

Weird that the landlord's wife is freaking out so much about Jonathan's visit to his cool new friend - and the superstition! Obviously nothing will come of it, but I'm glad Jonathan humored her by taking her cross. Sure hope nothing wild happens tonight on St. George's Eve! #DraculaDaily

Considering I last read Bram Stoker's Dracula over ten years ago, this is going to be a fun journey. Enjoyed hearing from Jonathan today, hope he gets some more cool new recipes from his friend Count Dracula! #DraculaDaily

Today‘s the day! If you‘re interested in joining us for #DraculaDaily to read Dracula in chronological order between now and November, you can subscribe at https://draculadaily.substack.com. There‘s also an audio drama following the same plan with the podcast Re: Dracula. I listened on my way to school this morning and read the SubStack post when I got here.

#1001books

I saw posts about this last year, but too late to join in myself. So, if you‘re interested, this year‘s #DraculaDaily starts in less than two weeks on May 3. Some of the #LitsyBookClub group is planning to participate in this chronological #epistolary #readalong this year, and I‘d love to see others participate and post as well. You can subscribe on SubStack or find more info at https://draculadaily.substack.com/about.

#1001books