He was born in Bussum, the Netherlands, and emigrated to Canada at the age of four months. He now lives in Ottawa with his wife, artist and musician MaryAnn Harris. He published three novels under the pseudonym Samuel M. Key which have subsequently been reprinted by Orb Books as by Charles de Lint.

Many of his later stories center around the mythical North American city of Newford and a regular cast of characters that make cameo and feature appearances. He has received many awards including the 2000 World Fantasy Award for Best Collection for Moonlight and Vines. He has also published a children's book, Circle of Cats, with artist Charles Vess. Charles de Lint: A Circle of Cats (2003) Description

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 Studio 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 Canada and the United States, and was writer?in?residence for 2 public libraries in Ottawa. 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. deLintiad ~ a Runboard.com free message board

On October 9, 2007, de Lint was one of the guests who appeared as part of the Bolen Books Fall Series (with Jack Whyte (Oct. 13), Will Ferguson (Oct. 16) and James Barber (Oct. 20). Bolen Books was awarded the 2007 Libris Award for Bookseller of the Year. Co-ordinator Robert Wiersema 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 (1984)
• Moonheart (1984)
• The Harp of the Grey Rose (1985)
• Mulengro: A Romany Tale (1985)
• Yarrow (1986)
• Jack, the Giant Killer (1987) (re-published in Jack of Kinrowan)
• Greenmantle (1988)
• Wolf Moon (1988)
• Svaha (1989)
• The Valley of Thunder (Philip José Farmer's The Dungeon, Vol. 3, Dungeon series) (1989)
• The Hidden City (Philip José Farmer'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) (1990)
• The Little Country (1991) ... 1992 World Fantasy award nominee
• From a Whisper to a Scream (First published under the pseudonym Samuel M. Key) (1992)
• Into The Green (1993)
• I'll Be Watching You (First published under the pseudonym Samuel M. Key) (1994)
• The Wild Wood (Brian Froud's Faerielands, Illustrated by Brian Froud) (1994)
• Memory and Dream (1994)
• Trader (1997) ... 1998 World Fantasy award nominee
• Someplace to Be Flying (1998) ... 1999 World Fantasy award nominee
• Forests of the Heart (2000) ... 2000 Nebula award nominee
• The Road to Lisdoonvarna (2001)
• The Onion Girl (2001) ... 2002 World Fantasy award nominee
• Spirits in the Wires (2003)
• Medicine Road (Illustrated by Charles Vess) (2004)
• Widdershins (2006)
• The Mystery of Grace (2009)

Young Adult Novels

• The Dreaming Place (Illustrated by Brian Froud) (1990)
• The Blue Girl (2004)
• Little (Grrl) Lost (2007)
• Dingo (2008)

Novellas

• Berlin (1989)
• Our Lady of the Harbour (1991) ... 1992 World Fantasy award nominee
• Paperjack (1992) ... 1993 World Fantasy award nominee
• Death Leaves an Echo (Part of three novella collection, Cafe Purgatoriam) (1991)
• Seven Wild Sisters (Illustrated by Charles Vess) (2002) ... 2003 World Fantasy award nominee
• A Circle of Cats (Illustrated by Charles Vess) (2003) ... 2004 World Fantasy award nominee
• 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)

Picture Books

• A Circle of Cats (2003)

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 Very Best of Charles de Lint (forthcoming 2010, Tachyon Publications)

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)
• The Newford Stories (1999) (Compiles Dreams Underfoot, The Ivory and the Horn, and Moonlight and vines)
• Forests of the Heart (2000)
• The Onion Girl (2001)
• Seven Wild Sisters (2002)
• Tapping the Dream Tree (2002)
• Spirits in the Wires (2003)
• Medicine Road (2003)
• A Circle of Cats (2003) (Written as a children's book)
• The Blue Girl (2004)
• The Hour Before Dawn (2005)
• Widdershins (2006)
• Promises to Keep (2007)
• Old Man Crow (2007)
• DINGO (2008)
• The Mystery of Grace (2009)

Publication dates taken from Charles de Lint

Short stories

• "The Valley of the Troll" in Sword and Sorceress I (1984)
• "Cold Blows The Wind" in Sword and Sorceress II (1985)
• "The Weeping Oak" in Sword and Sorceress IV (1987)
• "Into the Green" in Sword and Sorceress V (1988)
• "One Chance" in Werewolves (edited by Jane Yolen and Martin H. Greenberg). Reprinted in Bruce Coville'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 Billingsley and Robert Meyer Burnett in 1994. Originally set on and near the fictional campus of Butler University 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.