Carmilla is a Gothic novella by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu and one of the early works of vampire fiction. It was first published in 1871 as a serial narrative in The Dark Blue. It tells the story of a young woman's susceptibility to the attentions of a female vampire named Carmilla. It predates Bram Stoker's Dracula by 26 years. The story has been adapted many times in film and other media.