Celebrating Charles de Lint
The 40th Anniversary of Moonheart: A Collaborative Tribute
Hard as it is to believe, November 2024 marked the 40th anniversary of the release of Charles de Lint’s first two novels: Moonheart and Riddle of the Wren. In 1984 the world was introduced to the work of Charles de Lint through his debut fantasy novel The Riddle of the Wren, and just a few months later, his seminal novel Moonheart, which Terri Windling has called “a foundational text of the ‘urban fantasy’ genre”. In the Introduction to the 20th Anniversary edition of Moonheart, Charles credits his wife and creative partner MaryAnn Harris with suggesting he try combining his “love of the fantastic with [his] love for the here-and-now”, an approach which eventually resulted in, as Charles says, the first book “that felt like it was really my own. It marked–at least to me–the start of my finding my own voice as a writer”. Well over 75 novels and the 2018 World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement later, Charles’ unique voice forms the bedrock of modern urban fantasy, but also keeps the spark of ingenuity and magic alive through new stories.
As many of you know, MaryAnn was in hospital from September 2021 until her tragic death in June 2024 from Powassan Virus. From her hospital bed MaryAnn mused about the approaching anniversary, about how to celebrate Charles’ groundbreaking career and the impact of Moonheart on the field of speculative literature. The result of that brainstorming, made possible with the generous support of friends and creators, is the Celebrating CdL website, a repository of creative responses to Charles and his work. This collaborative tribute, this Festschrift (“celebration writing”), is a testament to Charles’ remarkable literary legacy and to the impact of his work, as well as a manifestation of the deep connection that he and his beloved MaryAnn have with each other, and with this community.
We hope you’ll enjoy celebrating MaryAnn and Charles and their legacy of words, music, magic, and community with us. The folks listed below are the first wave of revelers and we thank them for so generously supporting this endeavor. We expect more guests to arrive soon and would love to welcome you as well–it would be an honor to have you contribute, colleagues, readers, and friends alike.
Contributors
You Are Invited
Would you like to make your own submission in celebration of Charles de Lint? Please fill out the submission form and attach your contribution. Questions? Please email Julie Bartel at julietbartel at gmail dot com.
Thank you.
Celebrating CdL 