Transylvanian Superstitions by Emily Gerard was one of the key sources for Bram Stoker when he was creating his iconic Dracula character.

It is in Emily Gerard's writing that the word "Nosferatu" first appears, but alas, although Gerard claims that the etymology of the word comes from Romanian, to this day, the origins of the word are debated.

Gerard's was a writer and a folklorist. Her novels frequently centred around European characters and settings. When her husband was stationed in the towns of Hermannstadt and Kronstadt, Gerard used this as an opportunity to write about the culture and landscape of Transylvania.