INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED FANTASY TRILOGY THE CHRONICLES OF FAERIE TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE U. S.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—March 2005, New York, NY—Amulet books, the young adult and middle grade imprint of Abrams Books for Young Readers, announces the acquisition of the three-book fantasy trilogy The Chronicles of Faerie by O. R. Melling, a series that has earned critical acclaim around the globe and is a highly-anticipated addition to the popular fantasy genre. With an expanded and updated story, the first book, The Hunter's Moon, will be published in April 2005; the second book, The Summer King, will be published in 2006; and the third book, The Light-Bearer's Daughter, will be published in 2007.

"The Chronicles of Faerie is a fabulous fantasy series filled with faerie lore and some of the most compelling characters I’ve read in years," said Rene Kirkpatrick of All For Kids Bookstore in Seattle, WA. "Bravo to Amulet for bringing it here."

"I have always wanted to see The Chronicles of Faerie published in the U. S.," said O. R. Melling during a recent book tour abroad. "We needed to find an editor who believed in the books and at last she came along, Susan Van Metre of the Amulet imprint of Abrams. I was thrilled, of course, not only to have an American publisher but one with such a distinguished reputation."

The Chronicles of Faerie evolved from a single book into the trilogy as the popularity of the first book soared, selling more than 100,000 copies in countries around the globe. In Japan, where the books have sold continuously since their introduction more than five years ago and where they are available in hardcover only, Melling’s work is often compared to that of Tolkien’s; in Canada she is a household name and has won numerous prestigious awards; in Ireland, her books have helped to shape the culture by propelling ancient Irish mythology to a new generation. In addition to the upcoming U. S. edition, The Chronicle of Faerie will also be published in Russia, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, China, France, Germany, and Scandinavia.

"I think of my books as stories for the soul. In pre-industrial societies, folk and fairy tales, myths and legends belonged to everyone, while in modern societies they are relegated to child's play. In recent years there has been a readers' rebellion against that. With the likes of JK Rowling and Cornelia Funke, we see so-called children's tales being read by everyone once again, and that’s very exciting," said Melling.

Synopsis of each book in the trilogy:

O.R. Melling's three book series moves between modern Ireland and the realm of Faerie—two worlds that live side-by-side and occasionally and dramatically collide. In each book, a plucky heroine visiting from America or Canada, is charged with a quest to save Faerie, which inevitably requires a great deal of daring and cleverness and a bit of flirtation and trickery. Exciting and a little sexy, the books have overlapping minor characters, and are filled with lovely, longing descriptions of Ireland that will make you want to hop on the next Aer Lingus flight out of JFK.

The Chronicles of Faerie
Book One:
The Hunter's Moon
Sixteen-year-old Gwen plans on a summer of backpacking across Ireland with her Irish cousin Findabhair (Finn-AH-veer), visiting the ancient sites mentioned in the fairy lore they both love so much. Little do the two cousins realize, it is the summer of the Hunter's Moon, a dangerous time for humans to meddle with the world of Faerie. One night, camping out in old ruins, Finn is kidnapped by the handsome fairy king to be his bride...or sacrifice, and it is up to spunky Gwen and a makeshift band of friends she collects on her travels to rescue her cousin...if Finn wants to be rescued.

The Chronicles of Faerie
Book Two:
The Summer King
The Summer King is missing and the fairies want teenage Laurel to find him. Mourning the death of her twin sister, Laurel travels to Ireland to visit her grandparents. There she finds herself caught up in a strange quest. The Summer King, the fairy who lights the midsummer fire and keeps sealed the connection between the mortal world and the realm of Faerie, has gone missing. If he isn't found by Midsummer's Eve, the two worlds will berended forever. But when Laurel discovers that
her sister died on the same quest, she must decide if she is the saviour of Faerie or its enemy.

The Chronicles of Faerie
Book Three:
The Lightbearer's Daughter
It's difficult enough to grow up without a mother, but when you find out she is a fairy who has deserted you to return to her own realm, you become angry and anxious to find her, as teenage runaway Dana does in this book. Accompanied by a noble talking wolf, Dana searches fairy mountains and overcomes many strange obstacles to be reunited with her mother and awake a sleeping King.

About O. R. Melling
Author of The Chronicles of Faerie series
O.R. Melling moved to Toronto from Ireland with her family when she was five. She has seven sisters and two brothers, and never slept in a bed of her own until she moved away from home. As a kid, she didn't write very much, but she always told stories— especially fairy stories. She didn't plan to be a writer; in fact, she wanted to become Canada's first female prime minister.
Before getting her first book published after many rejections, O.R. worked as a barmaid, a bank teller and a secretary. She spent a month in law school, and did a short stint in the Canadian Armed Forces. While trying her hand at all of these occupations, she completed her M.A. at the University of Toronto in Mediaeval Irish History and Celtic Studies. The call of Ireland led her back there where she currently writes, lectures and does film work.


Harry N. Abrams, Inc., founded in 1949, is a subsidiary of La Martinière Groupe, based in France. Abrams was the first publisher in the U.S. to specialize in the creation and distribution of art books. In 1999, the first books published under the Abrams Books for Young Readers imprint appeared and in 2004 the line was expanded to include a young adult and middle grade imprint named Amulet Books. In these imprints, books by award-winning and best-selling authors and illustrators Graeme Base, Laurent de Brunhoff, Jan Greenberg, Sandra Jordan, Ilene Cooper, Tonya Bolden, Susan Goldman Rubin, Stephen Huneck, Arthur Dorros, Lauren Myracle, William Sleator, and Robert Burleigh, as well as titles featuring such internationally recognized characters Babar, Hello Kitty, and French Kitty, have been published.