S

tephen R. Lawhead is undoubtedly one of the most accomplished authors of our time. His fans have likened him to a modern-day J.R.R. Tolkien or C.S. Lewis. His works, mostly combinations of historical and science fiction, have delighted readers for nearly two decades. Among the favorites are the Song of Albion trilogy and Byzantium. The following excerpts of Lawhead's biography are from the Official SRL Website. Stephen R. Lawhead was born in Kearney, Nebraska on 2 July, 1950. He attended local schools and then Kearney State College, where he majored in Fine Art. He paid for his education by playing lead guitar in a popular local rock band, Mother Rush. While at Kearney State he published numerous poems in college anthologies, and wrote a humor column for the college newspaper. He married Alice Slaikeu in 1972 and, together, they moved to the Chicago area so he could attend Northern Baptist Theological Seminary. He left before graduating when offered a position on the staff of Campus Life Magazine, where he worked for five years. Writing a record review column at Campus Life fed his musical interest; he took on the management of Christian rock band DeGarmo & Key, then left Campus Life to start his own record company in Memphis, Tennessee. Ariel Records lasted only a year; going out of business on a Friday afternoon in April. On the following Monday morning Lawhead began writing a novel: In the Hall of the Dragon King. The object of the exercise was to see if he could sustain a full-length work of fiction, and support his family, which now included baby Ross, and soon-to-arrive Drake, on a writer's income. He did finish the book and, with the support and advocacy of editor Jan Dennis, it was published in 1982 by Crossway Books. Eight novels followed, all published by Crossway: the remaining Dragon King books, three science fiction novels, and the first three books of The Pendragon Cycle. Meanwhile, the Lawheads moved from Memphis to Lincoln, Nebraska, and then to Oxford, England, in 1986 for more than a year while researching and writing Taliesin, Merlin, and Arthur. They returned to Lincoln in 1987, but by 1990 were back in Oxford where they now reside. A strong publishing relationship with Lion Publishing in Britain was forged when Lion published Dream Thief, and went on to commission several children’s books which had been inspired by Ross and Drake’s interest in their father’s stories. Additionally, Lion acted and continues to act as agent for translation editions of the children’s and adult books throughout Europe and beyond. Avon Books (New York) and HarperCollins (New York and London, along with their subsidiary Zondervan in Grand Rapids) are both currently commissioning books. The most recent Avon release is Grail, the fifth book in The Pendragon Cycle, and this will be followed by Avalon, a stand-alone novel in which King Arthur returns to modern-day Britain (anticipated publication September 1999). HarperCollins, publisher of Byzantium, has released the first book of The Celtic Crusades -- The Iron Lance -- in Britain and the United States. Lawhead's fascination with historical mythology continues. Having started in fourth-century Britain (Taliesin) he has now worked his way forward to the twelfth-century. What is next? Perhaps a giant step backward. Books about ancient Egypt are beginning to fill his shelves . . . << Back to the Main Page