Photo: Beth Gwinn

Charles de Lint September 20, 1994

A musician and writer who was born as a Canadian citizen in the Netherlands, Charles de Lint established himself as a prolific writer of fantasy during the 1980s. More recently, he has also been a significant and original contributor to the subgenre of contemporary fantasy. A prolific writer, he is as comfortable with the short story as he is with the novelet, novella and novel. Since 1979, Charles de Lint has been the publisher and editor of Triskell Press in Ottawa, which has published numerous chapbooks in his Cerin Songweaver tales. In 1984, de Lint received the William L. Crawford Award for Best New Fantasy Author presented annually by the International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts, and, in 1988, the Casper Award for Best Work in English for his highly successful novel Jack, the Giant Killer. Since 1970, de Lint has also been active as a musician first in Wickentree, a Celtic band, and currently with another Celtic group, Jump at the Sun.

"In his most successful novels, he has succeeded in fusing the kingdoms of Faery with modern Canadian landscapes, producing a variety of urban fantasy, which can be very satisfying to those who reject the notion that all such stories require a greenwood setting. And yet de Lint's early published fantasies were very much in that mould." 1

"My prime interest as a writer is to explore the complexities of human relationships through mythic/folkoric material against a mostly contemporary urban setting. I see the juxtaposing of the two as a way of exaggerating the dichotomy of our relationships with each other and our environment. Though I hope primarily to tell a story that will entertain my readers, I also want to do what I can to illuminate the pitfalls of abusive relationships, a failing environment and the like, while at the same time remind my readers of the wonder and mystery and meaning to be found in life. How well I succeed only they can decide." 2

Charles de Lint

The publication of Charles de Lint's new book, Memory and Dream, is a major literary event, and we intend to celebrate it with a reading by the author and a mini-concert by the Celtic band, Jump at the Sun, of which he is a member. Charles's work has brought him considerable acclaim and an international audience. This new book will put him at the forefront of contemporary fantasy writing.

WORKS BY CHARLES DE LINT

Novels

• The Riddle of the Wren. -- New York: Ace Books, 1984. -- 295 p.

• Moonheart: A Romance. -- New York: Orb Books, 1994, c1984. -- 447 p. -- ISBN 0312890044.

• The Harp of the Grey Rose. -- Norfolk: Donning/Starblaze, 1985. -- 207 p.

• Mulengro: A Romany Tale. -- New York: Avon Books, 1991, c1985.

• Yarrow: An Autumn Tale. -- London: Pan, 1993, c1986. -- 244 p. -- ISBN 0330311123.

• Jack, the Giant Killer. -- New York: Ace Books, 1989, c1987. -- 202 p. -- ISBN 0441379702.

• Greenmantle. -- New York: Ace Books, 1988. -- 327 p.

• Wolf Moon. -- London: Pan, 1992, c1988. -- 252 p. -- ISBN 0330311115.

• Svaha. -- New York: Ace Books, 1989. -- 275 p. -- ISBN 0441790984.

• The Valley of Thunder. -- New York: Bantam Spectra, 1989. -- 263 p. -- ISBN 0553279580.

• The Dreaming Place. -- Toronto: Collier, 1990. -- 138 p. -- ISBN 0689315716.

• Drink Down the Moon. -- New York: Warner, 1992, c1990. -- 216 p. -- ISBN 0441168612.

• Ghostwood. -- Eugene, Oregon: Axolotl Press, 1990. -- 226 p.

• The Hidden City. -- New York: Bantam Spectra, 1990. -- 261 p. -- ISBN 0553283383.

• The Little Country. -- London: Pan, 1993, c1991. -- 636 p.

• Into the Green. -- New York: Tor Books, 1993. -- 254 p. -- ISBN 0312856725.

• I'll be Watching You. -- New York: Jove, 1994. -- 221 p. -- ISBN 0515112771.

• Brian Froud's Faerie Land: The Wild Wood. -- New York: Bantam, 1994. -- 221 p. -- ISBN 0553096303.

• Memory and Dream. -- New York: Tor Books, 1994. -- ISBN 0312855729.

Novels by Charles de Lint Written as Samuel Key

• Angel of Darkness. -- New York: Jove Books, 1990. -- ISBN 0515104221.

• From a Whisper to a Scream. -- New York: Berkley Books, 1992. -- 261-- p. ISBN 0425134679.

Novellas

• Ascian in Rose. Seattle: The Axolotl Press, 1987. -- 83 p.
• Berlin. -- Ottawa: Fourth Avenue Press, 1989. -- ISBN 0969412118.
• Westlin Wind. -- Eugene, Oregon: Axolotl Press, 1989.
• Our Lady of the Harbour. -- Eugene, Oregon: Axolotl Press, 1991.
• The Wishing Well. -- Eugene, Oregon: Axolotl Press, 1993.

Collections of Short Stories

• Spiritwalk. -- New York: Tor Books, 1992. -- 254 p. -- ISBN 0812516206.
• Dreams Underfoot: The Newford Collection. -- New York: Tor Books, 1993. -- 414 p. -- ISBN 0812516214.

Collections of Songs

• Scattered Gold, part one. -- Ottawa: Triskell Press, 1990. -- ISBN 0920623123.
• Scattered Gold, part two. -- Ottawa: Triskell Press, 1990. -- ISBN 092062314X.
• Scattered Gold II, part one. -- Ottawa: Triskell Press, 1991. -- ISBN 0920623182.

WORKS ABOUT CHARLES DE LINT

• Pat Barclay. "Plotting Prolifically: When Charles de Lint Gets Writer's Block, He Writes a Book About It [interview]". -- Books in Canada, v. 22 (2), March 1993, pp. 12-16.
• Janet Hetherington. "Charles de Lint: Faerie Tales for a Modern World". -- Leisure Ways, April 8, 1989, pp. 31-32.
• "Canada's Science Fiction Writers". -- Quill & Quire, v. 55 (1), Jan. 1989, pp. 20-21.

For more information about Charles de Lint's writing or about Canadian science fiction and fantasy, contact the Canadian Literature Research Service (613)947-0827 or Reference and Information Services 613-996-5115 or 1-866-578-7777 (Toll free in Canada) at the National Library of Canada.

1. Maureen Speller, "Charles de Lint", Twentieth-Century Science-Fiction Writers. Chicago: St. James Press, 1991, p. 197.

2. Quoted by Maureen Speller, "Charles de Lint", Twentieth-Century Science-Fiction Writers. Chicago: St. James Press, 1991, p. 197.