O. R. Melling
Encyclopedia
O.R. Melling, also known as G.V. Whelan, is an author
of several fantasy
novels. Melling's novels are aimed at young adults and contain stories mostly written around Irish
and Celt
ic folklore
, faeries
in particular.
Melling was born in Ireland and was brought up in Toronto
with seven sisters and two brothers. She attended Loretto College School
. When she was eighteen years old she hitched-hiked across Canada
and through California
. Melling travelled extensively in her youth, straying as far from Toronto
, Ontario, as Malaysia and northern Borneo
.
With a B.A. in philosophy
and Celtic Studies
from Trinity College
in the University of Toronto
and an M.A. in Mediaeval History, Melling has written film scripts, papers and become a literary critic under her real name, G.V. Whelan.
Currently living in her hometown of Bray
, CO, Wicklow
, Melling is still writing and has a teenaged daughter, Findabhair.
Many of Melling's books have been translated into Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Slovenian and Czech.
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
of several fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
novels. Melling's novels are aimed at young adults and contain stories mostly written around Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and Celt
Celt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
ic folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
, faeries
Fairy
A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
in particular.
Melling was born in Ireland and was brought up in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
with seven sisters and two brothers. She attended Loretto College School
Loretto College School
Loretto College School is a Catholic high school for young women in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded by the Loretto Sisters Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1915, whose founder, Blessed Mary Ward, advocated excellent education for young women so that they might “do great things”...
. When she was eighteen years old she hitched-hiked across Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and through California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Melling travelled extensively in her youth, straying as far from Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario, as Malaysia and northern Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
.
With a B.A. in philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and Celtic Studies
Celtic Studies
Celtic studies is the academic discipline occupied with the study of any sort of cultural output relating to a Celtic people. This ranges from linguistics, literature and art history archaeology and history, the focus lying on the study of the various Celtic languages, living and extinct...
from Trinity College
University of Trinity College
The University of Trinity College, informally referred to as Trin, is a college of the University of Toronto, founded in 1851 by Bishop John Strachan. Trinity was intended by Strachan as a college of strong Anglican alignment, after the University of Toronto severed its ties with the Church of...
in the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
and an M.A. in Mediaeval History, Melling has written film scripts, papers and become a literary critic under her real name, G.V. Whelan.
Currently living in her hometown of Bray
Bray
Bray is a town in north County Wicklow, Ireland. It is a busy urban centre and seaside resort, with a population of 31,901 making it the fourth largest in Ireland as of the 2006 census...
, CO, Wicklow
Wicklow
Wicklow) is the county town of County Wicklow in Ireland. Located south of Dublin on the east coast of the island, it has a population of 10,070 according to the 2006 census. The town is situated to the east of the N11 route between Dublin and Wexford. Wicklow is also connected to the rail...
, Melling is still writing and has a teenaged daughter, Findabhair.
Many of Melling's books have been translated into Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Slovenian and Czech.
Books
- The Chronicles of Faerie
- The Hunter's MoonThe Hunter's MoonThe Hunter's Moon is a novel by O.R. Melling about two teenage cousins, one Irish, the other from Canada, that set out to find a magic doorway to the Faraway Country, where humans must bow to the little people...
- The Summer King
- The Light-Bearer's Daughter
- The Book of Dreams
- The Golden Book of Faerie (omnibus edition)
- The Singing Stone
- The Druid's Tune
- My Blue Country
- Falling Out of Time