Decemberists' Colin Meloy Says His 'Adventure' Novel is in 'Editing Stage'

Decemberists frontman Colin Meloy has let his imagination run wild for many of his songs, inspired by Irish myths, Japanese folk tales, even Shakespeare. The last album was a complete narrative, a rock opera. It begs the question if he has a novel up his sleeve.

"Funny you should mention that, but I've just finished a novel that is in the editing stage," Meloy tells Spinner.

That the man who toured heavily behind 2009's 'The Hazards of Love' then wrote and recorded upcoming album, 'The King is Dead' (out Jan. 18), also managed to squeeze a novel in is quite an accomplishment.

"It's a collaboration with my wife, Carson [Ellis], who is an illustrator and does all the artwork for the Decemberists," says Meloy. "We've been working on it for a while. It's called 'Wildwood.' It's a middle reader adventure story; it's for older kids -- that's all I can probably say about it now."

Ellis illustrated the children's novel 'The Mysterious Benedict Society' and Lemony Snicket's 'The Composer is Dead.' She and Meloy have one child, Henry, who will no doubt enjoy that his father is being touted by his publisher Balzer & Bray, Harper Collins' children's and young adult books imprint, as "an exciting new voice in children's literature."

'Wildwood,' the first entry in a three-book deal, will be published next fall by Balzer & Bray, Harper Collins' children's and young adult books imprint. Co-publisher Donna Bray describes 'Wildwood' as "nothing less than an American Narnia" and explains it is "a classic tale of adventure, magic, and danger, set in an alternate version of modern-day Portland, Oregon."


Watch the Decemberists Perform New Song 'Rise to Me'