O. R. Melling

Geraldine Valerie Whelan (born 2 December 1952), known by the pen name O. R. Melling, is a writer of fantasy novels, mostly for children and young adults. Melling's novels focus on Irish and Celtic folklore. She writes reviews and film scripts as G. V. Whelan.^[3] She is sometimes published as Orla Melling.^[4]

O. R. Melling
Born	Geraldine Valerie Whelan[1] (1952-12-02) 2 December 1952 (age 72)[1] Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland[2]
Occupation	Novelist
Alma mater	Trinity College, Toronto
Genre	Fantasy literature
Notable awards	Canadian Library Association Young Adult Book Award
Children	1
Website
ormelling.com

Early life and education

Melling was born in Ireland, but moved with her family to Toronto, Ontario when she was four.^[2] Her father was a musician and she had nine brothers and sisters.^[5]

Melling was educated at Loretto College School in Toronto.^[6] She studied philosophy, Celtic Studies and mediaeval history at Trinity College, University of Toronto.^[2]

Career

Melling has said that she started writing after dropping out of studying law: "Writing gave me the excuse I needed to leave my law studies".^[4]

Melling has been awarded the Canadian Library Association Young Adult Book Award for The Druid's Tale, and the Ruth Schwartz Award for Children's Literature.^[7][3] The Druid's Tale has been translated into Czech and Japanese.^[8]

Her influences include Patricia Lynch.^[2][8]

Melling has also worked as a teacher of Irish dance and been an officer in the Royal Canadian Navy.^[9]

Critical response

The critic Ciara Ní Bhroin has described Melling's novels as "weaving ... modern Canadian protagonists into ancient myth". She identifies a "nostalgic, regressive strain" in The Druid's Tale, and writes that "Melling both confirms and denies traditional portrayals of Ireland and the feminine". Ní Bhroin positions Melling's work within Anglo-Irish literature.^[2]

Personal life

Melling lives in Bray, County Wicklow. She has a daughter.^[3]

Books

• Melling, O.R. (1983). The Druid's Tune. Amulet. ISBN 9780143016748.
• — (1986). The Singing Stone. Amulet. ISBN 9780143016670.
• — (1989). Falling Out of Time. Ontario: Viking, Markham. ISBN 9780670814213.
• The Chronicles of Faerie series (1993–2003)
  • — (1993). The Hunter's Moon. Amulet Books. ISBN 9781435274303.
  • — (1999). The Summer King. Amulet. ISBN 978-0-616-14663-7.
  • — (2001). The Light-Bearer's Daughter. Amulet. ISBN 9780141309927.
  • — (2003). The Book of Dreams. Amulet. ISBN 9780810984189.
• — (1996). My Blue Country. Toronto: CNIB. ISBN 9780616753682.
• — (2013). People of the Great Journey. Hay House. ISBN 9781781802076.