De Lint is a prolific writer of short fiction. Most of the events take place in urban settings, especially fictional Newford, a place where magic mixes with modern urban life.

These stories often feature unusual people such as Jaime, whose magical abilities set her apart. Newford abounds with odd characters such as animals made human, fairylike people, and other figures based on folklore.

Most of de Lint's stories feature troubled heroines like Jaime, and they often incorporate elements of modern fantasy such as the comic book motifs in "Bird Bones and Wood Ash." Like "Bird Bones and Wood Ash," they tend to end with the main character having learned something important about herself. Lesbianism, touched on in "Bird Bones and Wood Ash," is treated elsewhere in de Lint's fiction, notably in "Small Deaths" (1993), in which the main character's best friend is a lesbian.