Charles de Lint (born December 22, 1951) is a
CanadianCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
fantasyFantasy is a genre that uses magic and other supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting. Many works within the genre take place on fictional planes or planets where magic is common...
authorAn author is defined both as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created...
and Celtic
folk musicThe term folk music originated in the 19th century as a term for musical folklore. It has been defined in several ways; as music transmitted by word of mouth, music of the lower classes, music with no known composer...
ian.
Along with writers like
Terri WindlingTerri Windling is an American editor, artist, essayist, and the author of books for both children and adults. Windling has won nine World Fantasy Awards, the Mythopoeic Award, the Bram Stoker Award, and her collection The Armless Maiden appeared on the short-list for the James Tiptree, Jr. Award...
and
John CrowleyJohn Crowley is an American author of fantasy, science fiction and mainstream fiction. He studied at Indiana University and has a second career as a documentary film writer...
, De Lint popularized the genres of
urban fantasyUrban fantasy is a subset of contemporary fantasy, consisting of novels and stories with supernatural content, set in contemporary, real-world, urban settings—as opposed to 'traditional' fantasy set in wholly imaginary landscapes, even ones containing imaginary cities, or having most of their...
and
mythic fictionMythic fiction is literature that is rooted in, inspired by, or that in some way draws from the tropes, themes and symbolism of myth, folklore, and fairy tales. The term is widely credited to Charles de Lint and Terri Windling...
which fall somewhere between classical fantasy literature, and mainstream fiction with a magical realist bent.
He was born in
BussumBussum is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland.-History:Bussum was first mentioned in 1306. In this time, Bussum was a large heathland with many small farms, sheep pens and forests as is shown on old maps. Since Bussum is situated near the fortified town...
, the
NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a country in Northwestern Europe, constituting the major portion of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east...
, and emigrated to Canada at the age of four months. He now lives in
OttawaOttawa is the capital of Canada and a municipality within the Province of Ontario. Located in the Ottawa Valley in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario, the city lies on the southern banks of the Ottawa River, a major waterway forming the local boundary between the Provinces of Ontario and...
with his wife, artist and musician MaryAnn Harris.
Charles de Lint (born December 22, 1951) is a
CanadianCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
fantasyFantasy is a genre that uses magic and other supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting. Many works within the genre take place on fictional planes or planets where magic is common...
authorAn author is defined both as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created...
and Celtic
folk musicThe term folk music originated in the 19th century as a term for musical folklore. It has been defined in several ways; as music transmitted by word of mouth, music of the lower classes, music with no known composer...
ian.
Along with writers like
Terri WindlingTerri Windling is an American editor, artist, essayist, and the author of books for both children and adults. Windling has won nine World Fantasy Awards, the Mythopoeic Award, the Bram Stoker Award, and her collection The Armless Maiden appeared on the short-list for the James Tiptree, Jr. Award...
and
John CrowleyJohn Crowley is an American author of fantasy, science fiction and mainstream fiction. He studied at Indiana University and has a second career as a documentary film writer...
, De Lint popularized the genres of
urban fantasyUrban fantasy is a subset of contemporary fantasy, consisting of novels and stories with supernatural content, set in contemporary, real-world, urban settings—as opposed to 'traditional' fantasy set in wholly imaginary landscapes, even ones containing imaginary cities, or having most of their...
and
mythic fictionMythic fiction is literature that is rooted in, inspired by, or that in some way draws from the tropes, themes and symbolism of myth, folklore, and fairy tales. The term is widely credited to Charles de Lint and Terri Windling...
which fall somewhere between classical fantasy literature, and mainstream fiction with a magical realist bent.
Biography
He was born in
BussumBussum is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland.-History:Bussum was first mentioned in 1306. In this time, Bussum was a large heathland with many small farms, sheep pens and forests as is shown on old maps. Since Bussum is situated near the fortified town...
, the
NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a country in Northwestern Europe, constituting the major portion of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east...
, and emigrated to Canada at the age of four months. He now lives in
OttawaOttawa is the capital of Canada and a municipality within the Province of Ontario. Located in the Ottawa Valley in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario, the city lies on the southern banks of the Ottawa River, a major waterway forming the local boundary between the Provinces of Ontario and...
with his wife, artist and musician MaryAnn Harris. He published three novels under the
pseudonymA pseudonym is a fictitious name used by a person, or sometimes, a group.Pseudonyms are often used to hide an individual's real identity, as with writers' pen names, graffiti artists, resistance fighters' or terrorists' noms de guerre and computer hackers' handles. Actors, musicians, and other...
Samuel M. KeySamuel M Key is a pseudonym used by Charles de Lint. He wrote three horror books under this pseudonym:# Angel Of Darkness # From A Whisper To A Scream # I'll Be Watching You...
which have subsequently been reprinted by
Orb BooksOrb Books is a publishing imprint of Tor Books. Orb Books specialises in trade paperback reprints of science fiction and fantasy works of special merit which are unavailable in mass market paperback...
as by Charles de Lint.
Many of his later stories center around the mythical North American city of
NewfordNewford is a fictional North American city, the setting in many of Charles de Lint's works of urban fantasy. De Lint generally avoids writing about cities that he has not been to; however, his hometown of Ottawa did not afford him the necessary freedoms for certain stories, and he began to set them...
and a regular cast of characters that make cameo and feature appearances. He has received many awards including the 2000
World Fantasy AwardThe World Fantasy Awards are annual, international awards given to authors and artists who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in the field of fantasy...
for
Best CollectionThis World Fantasy Award is given to the fantasy fiction collection voted best by a panel of judges, and presented each year at the World Fantasy Convention.-2008:...
for
Moonlight and Vines. He has also published a children's book,
Circle of Cats, with artist
Charles VessCharles Vess is an American fantasy artist and comic-book illustrator who has specialized in the illustration of myths and fairy tales. His illustrations are strongly influenced by the work of artists and illustrators such as Arthur Rackham and Alphonse Mucha...
.
In addition to being the author of numerous novels and short stories, De Lint is also a poet, musician, artist, folklorist, and critic. His poetry can be found online in the
Endicott StudioEndicott Studio is a nonprofit organization, based in the United States and United Kingdom, that is dedicated to literary, visual, and performance arts inspired by myth, folklore, fairy tales, and the oral storytelling tradition. It was founded in 1987 by Terri Windling, and is co-directed by...
Journal of Mythic Arts.
His 1984 urban fantasy novel,
Moonheart, is Tor's best-selling trade paperback for their Orb line. De Lint has published 60 books (excluding foreign editions and reprints), thus gaining a reputation as a master in his field. He has taught creative writing workshops in
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and was writer‑in‑residence for 2 public libraries in
OttawaOttawa is the capital of Canada and a municipality within the Province of Ontario. Located in the Ottawa Valley in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario, the city lies on the southern banks of the Ottawa River, a major waterway forming the local boundary between the Provinces of Ontario and...
. He has also written original songs; his main instruments are flute, fiddle, whistles, vocals and guitar. A message board was created and named in his honor: de Lintad, Charles de Lint, MoonHeart.
On October 9, 2007, De Lint was one of the guests who appeared as part of the Bolen Books Fall Series (with
Jack WhyteJack Whyte is a Scottish-Canadian novelist of historical fiction. Born and raised in Scotland, Whyte has been living in Canada since 1967. He resides in Kelowna, British Columbia....
(Oct. 13),
Will FergusonWill Ferguson is a Canadian writer and novelist who is best known for his humorous observations on Canadian history and culture. His success as a writer can be attributed to an innate ability to view Canada much the same way an outsider would, as described in his debut book, the ironically named...
(Oct. 16) and
James BarberJames Barber was a Canadian cookbook author and host of Urban Peasant, a CBC cooking show.Born in the United Kingdom, Barber worked as an engineer before becoming a food critic for the Vancouver Sun. His lifelong interest in food and writing and his increased knowledge in these areas naturally led...
(Oct. 20). Bolen Books was awarded the 2007 Libris Award for Bookseller of the Year. Co-ordinator
Robert WiersemaRobert Wiersema is a Canadian writer.His first novel, Before I Wake, was published by Random House in August 2006.Wiersema lives in Victoria, British Columbia....
said this of him: “He’s a classic storyteller with a tremendously broad appeal. Readers who don’t know him would, I think, be surprised at how much they would like his work. I’m hoping some of those readers turn up.”
Novels
- The Riddle of the Wren
The Riddle of the Wren is a Celtic fantasy novel written by Canadian author Charles de Lint. Published in 1984 by Ace Books, it was de Lint's first novel. It was republished in 2002 by Firebird Fantasy, an imprint of Penguin Group. The Riddle of the Wren is set in an alternate universe, and is...
(1984)
- Moonheart
Moonheart is an urban fantasy novel by Charles de Lint. It takes place in 1980s Ottawa, where Sara and Jamie, owners of an antique store, discover ancient magic and age old feuds that threaten the modern world.-Characters:...
(1984)
- The Harp of the Grey Rose (1985)
- Mulengro: A Romany Tale (1985)
- Yarrow
Yarrow is an urban fantasy novel by Charles de Lint, set in 1980s Ottawa. A fantasy writer has a secret source of inspiration: when she dreams, she visits a world where magic is real . Unknown to her, a supernatural predator who feeds on dreams is feeding on her and destroying that world....
(1986)
- Jack, the Giant Killer
Jack, the Giant Killer is a 1987 novel by Charles De Lint. It is an update of the classic Grimm's Fairy Tale, "Jack the Giant Killer," taking place in modern-day Canada....
(1987) (re-published in Jack of Kinrowan)
- Greenmantle (1988)
- Wolf Moon
Wolf Moon is a 1988 children's fantasy novel by Charles de Lint. The "wolf moon" is the first moon of winter, when the climax of the story takes place.-Plot summary:...
(1988)
- Svaha (1989)
- The Valley of Thunder (Philip José Farmer
Philip José Farmer was an American author, principally known for his award-winning science fiction and fantasy novels and short stories....
's The Dungeon, Vol. 3, Dungeon seriesThe Dungeon Series is a series of fantasy novels written under the auspices of Philip José Farmer, who wrote an introduction for each book in the series...
) (1989)
- The Hidden City (Philip José Farmer
Philip José Farmer was an American author, principally known for his award-winning science fiction and fantasy novels and short stories....
's The Dungeon, Vol. 5) (1990)
- The Fair in Emain Macha (1990)
- Drink Down the Moon (1990) (re-published in Jack of Kinrowan)
- Angel of Darkness (First published under the pseudonym Samuel M. Key
Samuel M Key is a pseudonym used by Charles de Lint. He wrote three horror books under this pseudonym:# Angel Of Darkness # From A Whisper To A Scream # I'll Be Watching You...
) (1990)
- The Little Country (1991)
- From a Whisper to a Scream (First published under the pseudonym Samuel M. Key
Samuel M Key is a pseudonym used by Charles de Lint. He wrote three horror books under this pseudonym:# Angel Of Darkness # From A Whisper To A Scream # I'll Be Watching You...
) (1992)
- Into The Green (1993)
- I'll Be Watching You (First published under the pseudonym Samuel M. Key
Samuel M Key is a pseudonym used by Charles de Lint. He wrote three horror books under this pseudonym:# Angel Of Darkness # From A Whisper To A Scream # I'll Be Watching You...
) (1994)
- The Wild Wood (Brian Froud
Brian Froud is an English fantasy illustrator. He lives and works in Devon with his wife, Wendy Froud, who is also a fantasy artist...
's Faerielands, Illustrated by Brian FroudBrian Froud is an English fantasy illustrator. He lives and works in Devon with his wife, Wendy Froud, who is also a fantasy artist...
) (1994)
- Memory and Dream (1994)
- Trader (1997)
- Someplace to Be Flying (1998)
- Forests of the Heart (2000)
- The Road to Lisdoonvarna (2001)
- The Onion Girl
The Onion Girl is a 2001 urban fantasy novel by Charles De Lint taking place in the Newford universe. It is the first Newford novel centering on the recurring character of Jilly Coppercorn, now a middle-aged woman...
(2001)
- Spirits in the Wires (2003)
- Medicine Road (Illustrated by Charles Vess
Charles Vess is an American fantasy artist and comic-book illustrator who has specialized in the illustration of myths and fairy tales. His illustrations are strongly influenced by the work of artists and illustrators such as Arthur Rackham and Alphonse Mucha...
) (2004)
- Widdershins
Widdershins is a 2006 urban fantasy novel by Charles De Lint in the Newford universe. It continues the events of the 2001 novel The Onion Girl, where Jilly was left paralyzed and her relationship with Geordie unfulfilled. It also deals with a potential war between fairies and "cousins." Fairies,...
(2006)
- The Mystery of Grace (2009)
Young Adult Novels
- The Dreaming Place (Illustrated by Brian Froud
Brian Froud is an English fantasy illustrator. He lives and works in Devon with his wife, Wendy Froud, who is also a fantasy artist...
) (1990)
- The Blue Girl (2004)
- Little (Grrl) Lost (2007)
- Dingo (2008)
Novellas
- Berlin (1989)
- Death Leaves an Echo (Part of three novella collection, Cafe Purgatoriam) (1991)
- Seven Wild Sisters (Illustrated by Charles Vess
Charles Vess is an American fantasy artist and comic-book illustrator who has specialized in the illustration of myths and fairy tales. His illustrations are strongly influenced by the work of artists and illustrators such as Arthur Rackham and Alphonse Mucha...
) (2002)
- A Circle of Cats (Illustrated by Charles Vess
Charles Vess is an American fantasy artist and comic-book illustrator who has specialized in the illustration of myths and fairy tales. His illustrations are strongly influenced by the work of artists and illustrators such as Arthur Rackham and Alphonse Mucha...
) (2003)
- Promises to Keep (2007)
Chapbooks
- Ghosts of Wind and Shadow (1991)
- Refinerytown (2003)
- This Moment (2005)
- Make A Joyful Noise (2006)
- Old Man Crow (2007)
- Riding Shotgun (2007)
- Yellow Dog (2008)
Short Stories Published in Book Form
- Ascian in Rose (1987) (re-published in Spiritwalk)
- Westlin Wind (1989) (re-published in Spiritwalk)
- Ghostwood (1990) (re-published in Spiritwalk)
- Uncle Dobbin's Parrot Fair (1991) (re-published in Dreams Underfoot)
- Our Lady of the Harbour (1991) (re-published in Dreams Underfoot)
- Paperjack (1991) (re-published in Dreams Underfoot)
- Merlin Dreams in the Mondream Wood (1992) (re-published in Spiritwalk)
- The Wishing Well (1993) (re-published in The Ivory and the Horn)
- The Buffalo Man (1999) (re-published in Tapping the Dream Tree)
Collections
- De Grijze Roos ("The Grey Rose") (1983)
- Hedgework and Guessery (1991)
- Spiritwalk (1992)
- Dreams Underfoot (1993)
- The Ivory and the Horn (1995)
- Jack of Kinrowan (1995)
- Moonlight and Vines (1999)
- The Newford Stories (1999) (Contains the stories from Dreams Underfoot, The Ivory and the Horn, and Moonlight and Vines)
- Triskell Tales (2000)
- Waifs and Strays (2002)
- Tapping the Dream Tree (2002)
- A Handful of Coppers (Collected Early Stories, Vol.1: Heroic Fantasy) (2003)
- Quicksilver & Shadow (Collected Early Stories, Vol.2) (2004)
- The Hour Before Dawn (2005)
- Triskell Tales 2 (2006)
- What the Mouse Found (2008)
- Woods and Waters Wild (2009)
- Muse and Reverie (2009)
The Newford Series
- The Dreaming Place (1990)
- From a Whisper to a Scream (originally credited to "Samuel M. Key")(1992)
- Dreams Underfoot (1993)
- I'll Be Watching You (originally credited to "Samuel M. Key")(1994)
- Memory and Dream (1994)
- The Ivory and the Horn (1995)
- Trader (1997)
- Someplace to be Flying (1998)
- Moonlight and Vines (1999)
- Forests of the Heart (2000)
- The Onion Girl
The Onion Girl is a 2001 urban fantasy novel by Charles De Lint taking place in the Newford universe. It is the first Newford novel centering on the recurring character of Jilly Coppercorn, now a middle-aged woman...
(2001)
- Seven Wild Sisters (2002)
- Tapping the Dream Tree (2002)
- Spirits in the Wires (2003)
- Medicine Road (2003)
- The Blue Girl (2004)
- Widdershins (2006)
- Promises to Keep (2007)
- Old Man Crow (2007)
- DINGO (2008)
Publication dates taken from
Charles de Lint
Short stories
- "The Valley of the Troll" in Sword and Sorceress I
The Sword and Sorceress series is a series of fantasy anthologies edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley. As she explained in the foreword to the first volume, she created the anthology to redress the lack of strong female protagonists in the sub-genre of sword and sorcery...
(1984)
- "Cold Blows The Wind" in Sword and Sorceress II
The Sword and Sorceress series is a series of fantasy anthologies edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley. As she explained in the foreword to the first volume, she created the anthology to redress the lack of strong female protagonists in the sub-genre of sword and sorcery...
(1985)
- "The Weeping Oak" in Sword and Sorceress IV
The Sword and Sorceress series is a series of fantasy anthologies edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley. As she explained in the foreword to the first volume, she created the anthology to redress the lack of strong female protagonists in the sub-genre of sword and sorcery...
(1987)
- "Into the Green" in Sword and Sorceress V
The Sword and Sorceress series is a series of fantasy anthologies edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley. As she explained in the foreword to the first volume, she created the anthology to redress the lack of strong female protagonists in the sub-genre of sword and sorcery...
(1988)
- "One Chance" in Werewolves (edited by Jane Yolen
Jane Hyatt Yolen is an American author and editor of almost 300 books. These include folklore, fantasy, science fiction, and children's books...
and Martin H. GreenbergMartin Harry Greenberg is an American speculative fiction anthologist and writer.-Biography:Greenberg took a doctorate in Political Science in 1969, and has taught at the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay since 1975...
). Reprinted in Bruce CovilleBruce Coville is an American author of children's and young adult novels. He was born in Syracuse, New York and lives there currently; he has spent most of his life there, leaving to attend Duke University and then to live in New York City....
's Book of Spine Tinglers (1988)
- "The Butter Spirit's Tithe (2004) in Emerald Magic
De Lint also scripted several comic books for Barry Blair's Aircel Publishing in the mid-1980s.
His short story, "
The Sacred Fire" was made into a short film by
Peter BillingsleyPeter Billingsley , also known as Peter Michaelsen and Peter Billingsley-Michaelsen, is an American actor, director, and producer best known for his role as Ralphie in the 1983 movie A Christmas Story....
and
Robert Meyer BurnettRobert Meyer Burnett is an award-winning filmmaker and DVD producer. He directed Free Enterprise and the short film, The Sacred Fire. He has also edited over 10 feature films and worked as a Star Trek consultant for Viacom Interactive and Paramount Parks' Star Trek: The Experience located at the...
in 1994. Originally set on and near the fictional campus of
Butler UniversityButler University is a private liberal arts university in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It was founded by abolitionist and attorney Ovid Butler in 1855...
in Newford, the setting was changed to Beverly Hills for the film. It was also adapted as an episode of
The Hunger in January of 2000.
Reviews
- De Lint writes a regular review column called "Books to Look For" for the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction.
External links