"As far as I'm concerned, the only difference between fact and what most people call fiction is about fifteen pages in the dictionary." -- Charles de Lint
Charles de Lint (born December 22, 1951) is a Canadian fantasy author and Celtic folk musician. He is also the chief book critic for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction.
Along with writers like Terri Windling and John Crowley, de Lint popularized the genres of urban fantasy and mythic fiction which fall somewhere between classical fantasy literature, and mainstream fiction with a magical realist bent. His works have been nominated for the Nebula award once and for the World Fantasy award 12 times.
"A long time ago a bunch of people reached a general consensus as to what's real and what's not and most of us have been going along with it ever since.""I think you're all mad. But that's part and parcel of being an artistic genius, isn't it?""I want to touch the heart of the world and make it smile.""I'm not Chinese. I thrive in interesting times.""If you're not ready to die, then how can you live?""It's good to have mysteries. It reminds us that there's more to the world than just making do and having a bit of fun.""Life is like art. You have to work hard to keep it simple and still have meaning.""Not everything has to mean something. Some things just are.""One expected growth, change; without it, the world was less, the well of inspiration dried up, the muses fled.""Remember the quiet wonders. The world has more need of them than it has for warriors.""Stone walls confine a tinker; cold iron binds a witch; but a musician's music can never be fettered, for it lives first in her heart and mind.""The best artists know what to leave out.""The few wonders of the world only exist while there are those with the sight to see them.""The fey wonders of the world only exist while there are those with the sight to see them.""The problem with children is that you have to put up with their parents.""The road leading to a goal does not separate you from the destination; it is essentially a part of it.""The thing with pretending you're in a good mood is that sometimes you can.""There are few joys to compare with the telling of a well-told tale.""When all's said and done, all roads lead to the same end. So it's not so much which road you take, as how you take it.""Why did men worship in churches, locking themselves away in the dark, when the world lay beyond its doors in all its real glory?""Witchery is merely a word for what we are all capable of.""Without mysteries, life would be very dull indeed. What would be left to strive for if everything were known?"
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.”
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.
