Charles de Lint, Dutch-Canadian author and critic
Charles de Lint (born December 22, 1951) is a Canadian writer of Dutch, Japanese, and Spanish origins. He is married to—and plays music with—MaryAnn Harris.
Primarily a writer of fantasy fiction, he has written widely in the subgenres of urban fantasy, contemporary magical realism, and mythic fiction. Along with writers like Terri Windling, Emma Bull, and John Crowley, de Lint in the 1980s pioneered and popularized the genre of urban fantasy. He 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, and E. R. Eddison. 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, has judged several literary awards, and has been a writer-in-residence for two public libraries.