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Stephen R. Lawhead | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1950-07-02)July 2, 1950 (age 74) Kearney, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Kearney High School Kearney State College (BA) Northern Baptist Theological Seminary Wheaton College |
| Genres | |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Parents | Robert Eugene Lawhead Lois Rowena Bissell Lawhead |
| Website | |
| www | |
Stephen R. Lawhead (born July 7, 1950) is an American writer[1] known for his works offantasy, science fiction, andhistorical fiction, particularly Celtic historical fiction. He has written over 28 novels and numerous children's and non-fiction books.
He was born to Robert Eugene Lawhead and Lois Rowena Bissell Lawhead at Good Samaritan Hospital,Kearney, Nebraska. In 1968, Lawhead graduated fromKearney High School and enteredKearney State College as an Art major. In 1969, while at Kearney State College, he wrote a weekly humour column for thecollege newspaper and was a frequent contributor of poetry andshort stories toThe Shore Anthology andThe Antler. He paid his way through college largely through playing lead guitar in a college rock band named Mother Rush. Lawhead met Alice Slaikeu in 1971, and married her in 1972. He graduated from Kearney State College in 1973 with BA in Art and then went on to enroll inNorthern Baptist Theological Seminary. During this time Lawhead also enrolled in a number of writing courses at nearbyWheaton College. His professional writing career began with five busy years as an editor and staff writer for Campus Life magazine.[2][3] In 1980, Lawhead became the manager of the successfulChristian rock actDeGarmo and Key and formed his own record company, Ariel Records.[4] The demise of Ariel Records in 1981 prompted the beginning of Lawhead's fiction-writing career.
In 1981, Lawhead began to author novels, initially fantasy and science fiction, completing his first trilogy, the "Dragon King trilogy". In 1986, he moved toOxford,England, to do research forThe Pendragon Cycle, a reinterpretation of the legend ofKing Arthur in aCeltic setting combined with elements ofAtlantis. Heavily rooted in the original Celtic source material which gave rise to the later and more familiar versions of theArthurian legend, the series has received critical acclaim for its creative retelling of the Arthur legend and historical credibility.[5]
The first book in the series,Taliesin, won theEvangelical Christian Publishers Association's Gold Medallion Award for Fiction in 1988.[6] Lawhead's research for The Pendragon Cycle sparked an interest in Celtic history and culture, especiallyCeltic Christianity, topics which have featured prominently in his work ever since.
"TheSong of Albion" trilogy prompted a return to England (Lawhead having left in 1987). This was a series of books set between theCeltic Otherworld and present-dayBritain. In the 1990s, he publishedByzantium,[7] a work of purehistorical fiction, followed by "The Celtic Crusades" trilogy, set at the time of theCrusades, and thenAvalon: The Return of King Arthur, a stand-alone related to thePendragon Cycle.
In 2003, Lawhead published the novelPatrick: Son of Ireland, a fictionalized account of the early years ofSaint Patrick. In 2006, he publishedHood, the first book in theKing Raven Trilogy – a retelling of theRobin Hood legend, transferred toWales.[8] In 2008, the second book in the trilogy,Scarlet, won aChristy Award in the category of Visionary Fiction.[9]
In 2003, Lawhead received an honorary doctorate from theUniversity of Nebraska at Kearney.[10]
Lawhead and his wife reside inOxford,UK. He has two sons, Ross Lawhead, and Drake Lawhead.[11]
Many of his books are in series following a common theme:
Dragon King trilogy:
Empyrion Saga:
The Celtic Crusades:
Hero (With Ross Lawhead):
Bright Empires:
Eirlandia:
Stand-alone novels:
The Brown Ears Books:
The Howard Books
The Riverbank Series
Lawhead has also contributed essays or chapters to several books. His essay "J.R.R. Tolkien: Master of Middle-earth", which describes the impactJ. R. R. Tolkien's writings had on him, is featured in the following titles:
Lawhead has contributed to one fictional compilation, writing a chapter in the serial mystery novelCarnage at Christhaven (1989 – ed. William Griffin).
...bestselling author Stephen R Lawhead's Dragon King series...
