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Stephen R. Lawhead FAQ
Version 2.1.7

Visit the Official Stephen R. Lawhead website at <URL:http://www.stephenlawhead.com/>

Last Update: Thursday, 11-Mar-09 08:00 PDT.

Welcome to the Stephen R. Lawhead FAQ. It started small, but thanks to the contributions of members of the mailing list, and others from the internet, it now has a significant amount of information. However, I am always looking for new information, so any changes or additions you have (such as release dates, publishers, other info), please let me <petercj AT pryrt.com> know.

Sorry it's so out-of-date. Changes or additions to this version are marked with a *new* or *updated*.

0.0 Stephen R. Lawhead: The FAQ Table Of Contents

1.0 Stephen R. Lawhead: The Person

1.1 What does SRL stand for?

Stephen R. Lawhead.

1.2 What does the R stand for?

Don't ask me. =)

In fact, Drake Lawhead wants us to guess.

The most often received guesses are "Robert", after his father, and "Ross" (hence where he got the name for his son).

1.3 What's his biographical information?

Big question. So far, we know:

1.4 How does one contact SRL?

Visit his official web-site at <URL:http://www.stephenlawhead.com/>

Contact Stephen through his publisher:

Stephen R. Lawhead
c/o Avon Books
The Hearst Corporation
1350 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10019

2.0 Stephen R. Lawhead: The Writings

You can find complete publishing info (ISBN, etc) in Peter's SRL database at <URL:http://www.pryrt.com/pdb/SRL/list?style=nested>

2.1 Are there any new projects?

I have no new of projects beyond King Raven. *updated*

2.2 What Fiction has SRL written?

2.3 What's this "!Hero" project?

"!Hero" is a multi-media, multi-personality project. Eddie DeGarmo (DeGarmo & Key; producer) and Bob Farrel (Farrel & Farrel; producer) wrote a Rock Opera, starring Michael Tait (DC Talk; Tait), Rebecca St. James (solo), Mark Stuart (Audio Adrenaline), and others. Stephen Lawhead and his son Ross were asked to write a series of comic books, which expanded into a graphic novel and a trilogy of literary novels. See the official !Hero website at <URL:http://www.herouniverse.com/>

Return of !Hero ?!

Interesting news: on June 12, 2005, SRL posted a message to his discussion board at http://stephenlawhead.proboards21.com/index.cgi?board=SRLBooks&action=display&thread=1106195596&page=3:

HERO NEWS... Coming Soon: RETURN of the HERO

Here's a quick update on the publishing state of play for Hero. We are currently working on finishing the third book of the series (World Without End) in the hope of attracting a new publisher. That seems to be working inasmuch as we have an offer pending to re-release the project. Whether it will be as three new books, or one omnibus edition is not certain yet. It's a publishing/marketing decision, but I'll let you know when these details have been nailed down.

Cheers!
SRL

2.4 What Children's books has SRL written?

(Some co-written with wife Alice [Slaikeu] Lawhead)

2.5 Rumors

2.6 What Non-fiction has SRL written?

2.7 Writing Awards

2.8 Q & A About Lawhead's writings

Q: Is Avalon a part of the Pendragon Cycle, or not?
A: Yes and no. :-)
As answered in the August 1999 www.stephenlawhead.com page on Avalon, "It follows on from Taliesin, Merlin, Arthur, Pendragon, and Grail in a thematic sense, but is otherwise a stand-along political thriller set in modern times."
Possible Spoiler: Furthermore, many characters are quite similar (or nearly identical) to those that we met in the Pendragon Cycle.
In the end, each reader must make up his or her own mind whether or not to include it in the Cycle.
Q: While reading Dream Thief, I noticed a striking similarity between the Hocking character (a smart guy in a pneumochair) and the real scientist Stephen Hawking (a smart guy in a wheelchair). Was it intentional?
A: There are three main theories espoused by various members of the Mailing List
  1. It was completely intentional on Lawhead's part. Most don't find this one too likely, since Lawhead doesn't seem like the kind of guy to base an evil character on someone real, and make it so obvious.
  2. It was pure chance. Stranger coincidences have happened.
  3. Lawhead at one time heard of Hawking, then forgot about him. When he went to create Hocking, it was based on a subconscious memory of the physicist, but was unintentional.
A2: Finally, there is a definitive answer, originally found on the December 1998 version of the official http://www.stephenlawhead.com/ site, and now recorded here for posterity:
A: I was unaware of the existence of Stephen Hawking when I wrote Dream Thief in 1982. I guess you could call it an unfortunate coincidence of name. The real Hocking was a psychology teacher.
Q: Why does Lawhead divide so many of novels into internal "books"?
A: As Sharon Shannon discovered at one of the 1998 Celtic Crusades West Coast (U.S.) Book-tour events:

He says he does that to give the reader (as well as himself) a break; to add continuity in the form of natural pauses and resumptions in the story because, as he put it, "I write *really* long stories."

Q: What is the order of the Pendragon Cycle?
A1: Published Order
  1. Taliesin
  2. Merlin
  3. Arthur
  4. Pendragon
  5. Grail
  6. (Avalon +)
A2: Chronological Order
  1. Taliesin
  2. Merlin
  3. Pendragon (Bk 1) *
  4. Arthur (Bks 1-2) *
  5. Pendragon (Bks 2-end)
  6. Grail
  7. Arthur (Bk 3)
  8. (Avalon +)
[*:Note that the official website swaps Pendragon Book 1 with Arthur Books 1-2.]
[+:If you consider Avalon a part of the series, it goes at the end.]
Q: Does he ever go on tour promoting his books?
A: Yes. He did a West Coast book tour (Seattle to San Diego) November 4-18 1998, with readings from The Iron Lance integrated with Jeff Johnson and Brian Dunning performing from their newest album, Prayers of St. Brendan/The Journey Home. Mailing list members attended, and fun was had by all who went.
As far as I know, there are no plans for the next tour, but we can always hope. :-)

3.0 Stephen R. Lawhead: The Musical Collaboration

3.1 I've heard that there is music based on some of Lawhead's books. What's the scoop?

You've heard correctly. Celtic/New Age musicians Jeff Johnson and Brian Dunning have had extensive collaboration with Stephen Lawhead.

Inspired by Lawhead's Song of Albion trilogy, Johnson and Dunning have put out a trilogy of albums, distributed on Ark Records (Jeff Johnson's own label):

A new album inspired by (and entitled) Byzantium. Released 2000.

According to a Fall 2000 newsletter from Ark, they're working on yet another collaboration. Cool. {More details when I dig out the newsletter again.}

Jeff Johnson and Brian Dunning have done another CD, "Music of Celtic Legends - The Bard and the Warrior", for which Lawhead has written two stories to accompany. The CD was released on January 14, 1997 on Windham Hill Records/BMG. See

<URL:http://www.windham.com/recordings/01934-11181-2.html>

For their CD "Prayers of St. Brendan", a Lawhead-retelling of the St. Brendan story was commissioned. Unfortunately, it did not make it with the Album.

Celtic Crusades Tour: During November 1998, the three did a West Coast (USA) tour, promoting "Prayers" and Iron Lance in bookstores from Seattle, WA, to San Diego, CA. The musicians played from "Prayers" and other albums; Lawhead read from Iron Lance and the Song of Albion trilogy, as well as the St. Brendan story that was supposed to be published in the "Prayers" album.

3.2 Cool! I'd like to buy the music. Where can I get it?

You can buy them directly from Jeff Johnson and Ark Records:

Ark Records
P.O. Box 726
Stanwood, WA 98292 USA
<URL:http://www.arkmusic.com/>
<ArkRec@aol.com>

You can also usually find some in music stores (on-line or traditional) and music clubs. I cannot keep on top of which ones have them at what times.

4.0 Stephen R. Lawhead: The Mailing List

4.1 I'd like to talk more about SRL's work. Is there a mailing list?

Funny you'd ask. [Funny, since this FAQ is primarily for the users of the list =)]. Yes, there is a mailing list. For more information, check out the list's homepage at
<URL:http://www.pryrt.com/lawhead/>

5.0 Stephen R. Lawhead: The Web Sites

5.1 What web sites are dedicated to Stephen R. Lawhead?

5.2 Where can I find related links?

6.0 Stephen R. Lawhead: The FAQ Information

6.1 Contributors

Thanks also to all members of the mailing list, without whom this FAQ would be fairly useless. =) If you've contributed direct information, and I haven't attributed you, please let me know.

6.2 Where/how do I get this FAQ?

6.3 Disclaimer

Note: I publish this FAQ as a service to the internet community. However, I cannot guarantee the validity of any information contained herein. Any mistakes or omissions are not meant to defame or misinform.

Copyright © 1997-2003, Peter C. Jones Administrator, Stephen R. Lawhead Mailing List
Maintainer, Stephen R. Lawhead FAQ