Short Story Monday - The Very Best of Charles de Lint

At turns whimsical, dark, and mystical, this extraordinary collection of retold fairy tales and new, modern myths redefine the boundaries of magic. Compiling favored stories suggested by the author and his fans, this delightful treasury contains the most esteemed and beloved selections that de Lint has to offer. Innovative characters in unexpected places are the key to each plot: playful Crow Girls who sneak into the homes of their sleeping neighbors; a graffiti artist who risks everything to expose a long-standing conspiracy; a half-human girl who must choose between her village and her strange birthright; and an unrepentant trickster who throws one last party to reveal a folkloric tradition. Showcasing some of the finest offerings within the realms of urban fantasy and magical realism, this essential compendium of timeless tales will charm and inspire.

Today starts weekly Short Story Monday's with Carl from Stainless Steel Droppings. We are reading The Very Best of Charles de Lint together, but we are only reading about 3 stories a week. Then, we will answer questions that sort of give you a glimpse of either what the story was about or some other important aspect that we feel is worth mentioning. We are rotating weeks, too. This week I came up with three questions and we both answered them. Next week is Carl's turn. It should be a lot of fun!

Stories read this week:

'In Which We Meet Jilly Coppercorn'

'Coyote Stories'

'Laughter in the Leaves'

Questions and Answers:

1. What did you think of de Lint's choice to have 'In Which We Meet Jilly Coppercorn' as the first story in the collection?

- Jilly Coppercorn is pretty much my favourite character in de Lint's books so far. I have read novels and other short stories that include her, so it was a bit late to be introduced to her. I have to say, though, when I saw the title for the story I got a bit excited regardless of how many times I have seen her before. It turns out that this is an edited version of one of the stories included in Dreams Underfoot, but I still enjoyed reading it.

2. The story, 'Coyote Stories', is a good example of a story with a moral message. Would you agree?

- I had a clear idea in my head for this question, but I wasn't sure how to write it so it made any sort of sense. There are common themes during de Lint's stories, and as he says in the introduction to this collection he tried to include representations of all his different types of stories. This story includes the idea of Coyote, who is a character that is included in many of de Lint's stories. There is also the moral messages included in the story. de Lint's stories may be shadowed in fantasy stories, but he successfully touches on things that are very important to the world as a whole. They are also timeless issues for the most part. This one talks about the troubles that people face, particularly drinking alcohol, and how they deal with the situation.

3. What did you think of the story 'Laughter in the Leaves'?

- Then, we return to a bit more straight fantasy story. This is a story that centres around Meran. I just recently read another short story about her and this one is set later in her life. She is not a de Lint character I am overly familiar with so far, but what I have read about her has been interesting. This is the story of a struggle between one slightly magical woman and a bodach. Fun story!

So, head over to Carl's blog to see his answers! Then, tune in next week for the next three stories.