Charles De Lint: 11 books

This gripping novella set in Newford is a cautionary tale about Brenda Perry, who bears deep scars from the loss of her father. Poor body image and low self-esteem lead to the resurgence of Brenda’s eating disorder and a collapse in the structure of her life. Ghosts, water spirits and wraiths all...

Set in Newford and featuring musician Geordie Riddell, this novella about a homeless man called Paperjack is classic de Lint—a poignant, mysterious tale about love, loss and learning how to move on. A finalist for the World Fantasy Award, Paperjack is a standalone story, but picks up some of the...

When the restrictions and strife of her home life finally become too much, Lesli Betterberry runs away from home. But the freedom she hopes to find on the street is an illusion and she soon finds herself in far worse circumstances. Featured in this story are otherworldly musicians Cerin and Meran...

Yellow Dog is a short story set near de Lint's fictional desert town of Santo del Vado Viejo, where his novels The Mystery of Grace and The Painted Boy take place, and where some of his recent short fiction has been set. Ernie Grant is a decent guy, a bit of a desert rat who works at a scrap yard...

Short story. That Was Radio Clash first appeared in Taverns of the Dead, ed. by Kealan Patrick Burke (Cemetery Dance 2005), and was most recently reprinted in The Very Best of Charles de Lint, Tachyon, 2010. Written as a memorial to The Clash’s Joe Strummer, de Lint's love of music shines in this...

Short story Companions to the Moon first appeared in Realms Of Fantasy, June 2007. Set in Newford in 2007, record shop owner Mary begins to suspect her common-law partner is cheating on her. Edric is a musician whose out-of-town concerts happen to coincide with every full moon. Mary decides...

Short story. The Butter Spirit’s Tithe first appeared in Emerald Magic, edited by Andrew M. Greeley; Tor Books, 2004, and was most recently reprinted in Muse and Reverie, Tor Books, 2009. Conn O'Neill is trying to make a go of it as a Celtic guitarist until he inadvertently runs afoul of...

Sheriff Poole & The Mech Gang is set near de Lint's fictional desert town of Santo del Vado Viejo, where his novels The Mystery of Grace and The Painted Boy take place, and where some of his recent short fiction has been set. It is available here for the first time in any format. Dan Cutler...

Short story Dharma first appeared in Dreams and Visions: Fourteen Flights of Fantasy, edited by M. Gerry Weiss & Helen S. Weiss; Tor Books, 2007. Set in Newford during 1967's Summer of Love, Beirut-born teen Dharma, runs away from his Muslim home and reinvents himself as a hippie poet-musician....

Dog Boys is an original short story, set in the fictional Southwestern desert city of Santo del Vado Viejo, and is available here for the first time in any format. Brandon is the new boy at Rose Creek High and he quickly figures out that the one thing you don’t do in this school is get mixed...

Short story Crow Roads first appeared in The Coyote Road: Trickster Tales, edited by Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling, Viking, 2007 Set outside of Newford in 1967, Annie lives in Tartown with the rest of the poor kids. When a handsome, longhaired hippie shows up outside Ernie's Poolroom, Annie...