SAN DIEGO -- Lucard Publishing announced the publication of the world's first musical novel, "Dracul -- An Eternal Love Story, written by Nancy Kilpatrick.

The 224-page book, a novelization of Dracul, the stage musical that was produced at San Diego Repertory's Lyceum Theatre, is complemented by a fully orchestrated, 19-song musical CD. The package sells for $34.90, but both the novel and the CD -- "The Music of Dracul" -- will also be available separately at book and record stores at a price of $19.95 each.

"The objective of the musical novel is to bestow to a worldwide audience a morsel of the incredible intimacy and excitement provided by live musical theatre," said publisher Thomas G. Muehlbauer. "We hope that by combining the sensory experince of recorded music, the intensity of the written word, and the imagery that can be forged by the human mind, we just may open the door to a new venue for the musical."

The CD features singers with Broadway credits portraying actual characters from the book. This is the first of 20 musical novels planned by Lucard, said Muehlbauer. For further information contact [email protected].

-- By Willard Manus
Southern California Correspondent