Charles de Lint
Charles de Lint Born (1951-12-22) December 22, 1951 (age 63) Bussum, Netherlands Pen name Samuel M. Key Occupation Author Nationality Canadian Period 1983– Genre Fantasy, horror, Mythic fiction, Magical Realism, Urban Fantasy Spouse MaryAnn Harris (1980–) Website www.charlesdelint.com Charles de Lint (born December 22, 1951) is a Canadian writer of Dutch origins. In 1974 he met MaryAnn Harris, and married her in 1980. They live in Canada. Along with writers like Terri Windling, Emma Bull, and John Crowley, de Lint popularized in the 1980s the genre of urban fantasy, most notably through The Borderland Series of books. His fantasy fiction is described under the fantasy sub-genres urban fantasy, contemporary magical realism, and mythic fiction. De Lint writes novels, novellas, short stories, poetry, and lyrics. His most famous works include: The Newford series of books (Dreams Underfoot, Widdershins, The Blue Girl, The Onion Girl, Moonlight and Vines, Someplace to be Flying etc.), as well as Moonheart, The Mystery of Grace, The Painted Boy and A Circle of Cats (children’s book illustrated by Charles Vess). His distinctive style of fantasy draws upon local American folklore and European folklore; De Lint was influenced by many writers in the areas of mythology, folklore, and science fiction, including J.R.R. Tolkien, Lord Dunsany, William Morris, Mervyn Peake, James Branch Cabell, E.R. Eddison etc. Some of his mythic fiction poetry can be found online on the Endicott Studio website. As an essayist/critic/folklorist he writes book reviews for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. Charles de Lint has also been a judge for the Nebula Award, the World Fantasy Award, the Theodore Sturgeon Award and the Bram Stoker Award. Furthermore, he has taught creative writing workshops in Canada and the United States, and served as writer-in-residence for two public libraries in Ottawa. Besides being an author, he is also a musician, together with his wife MaryAnn. He plays multiple instruments and sings and writes his own songs. In 2011 De Lint released his first album, Old Blue Truck, which was released alongside his wife MaryAnn Harris's album, Crow Girls in which he also contributes.