This short story related to The Cats of Tanglewood Forest features Lillian at 17 years old. Her discovery of a long-lost paint box in the forest, her love of making art, her very first kiss, and the draw of a magical world all combine in this bittersweet tale about having to make a difficult choice.
First published in The Green Man: Tales from the Mythic Forest, edited by Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling (Viking, 2002). Also appeared in the collection Muse & Reverie.
One of the most original fantasy writers currently working.
—Booklist
Charles de Lint is the modern master of urban fantasy. Folktale, myth, fairy tale, dreams, urban legend—all of it adds up to pure magic in de Lint's vivid, original world. No one does it better.
— Alice Hoffman
Charles de Lint writes like a magician. He draws out the strange inside our own world, weaving stories that feel more real than we are when we read them. He is, simply put, the best.
— Holly Black
De Lint is probably the finest contemporary author of fantasy
– Booklist, American Library Association
Unlike most fantasy writers who deal with battles between ultimate good and evil, de Lint concentrates on smaller, very personal conflicts. Perhaps this is what makes him accessible to the non-fantasy audience as well as the hard-core fans. Perhaps it's just damned fine writing.
– Quill & Quire
De Lint's evocative images, both ordinary and fantastic, jolt the imagination.
– Publishers Weekly