LAMBDIN, Robert Thomas 1958-

PERSONAL: Born May 4, 1958, in Jacksonville, NC; son of Charles S. (an orthopedic surgeon) and Betty (Wagner) Lambdin; married Laura Cooner (a writer), December 16, 1989; children: Elizabeth Ann, Mary Nell. Ethnicity: "White." Education: Old Dominion University, B.A., 1981, M.A., 1986; University of South Florida, Ph.D., 1989. Politics: Independent. Religion: United Methodist.

ADDRESSES: Home—278 Muddy Springs Rd., Lexington, SC 29073. Office—College of Applied Professions, University of South Carolina at Columbia, Columbia, SC 29208. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER: Writer. University of South Carolina at Columbia, Columbia, assistant professor at College of Applied Professions, 1995–. Lambdin, Inc., executive officer.

MEMBER: College English Association, Southeastern Medieval Association.

WRITINGS:

(Editor with wife, Laura Cooner Lambdin, and contributor) Chaucer's Pilgrims, Greenwood Press (Westport, CT), 1996.

(With Laura Cooner Lambdin) Camelot in the Nineteenth Century, Greenwood Press (Westport, CT), 1999.

(Editor, with Laura Cooner Lambdin, and contributor) A Companion to Jane Austen Studies, Greenwood Press (Westport, CT), 2000.

(Editor, with Laura Cooner Lambdin, and contributor) An Encyclopedia of Medieval Literature, Greenwood Press (Westport, CT), 2000.

(Editor, with Laura Cooner Lambdin) A Companion to Old and Middle English Literature, Greenwood Press (Westport, CT), 2000.

SIDELIGHTS: Robert Thomas Lambdin once told CA: "My research work began after I met my wife, Laura Cooner Lambdin. We started working together in graduate school at the University of South Florida. At first, we collaborated on research papers for classes. After marrying in 1989, we decided that there were many critical gaps and fissures that needed to be filled. It is these voids that we hope our works encompass.

"In our works, we want to present information that will assist a range of students concerned with the topics. Studying literature does not have to be a boring exercise in futility. We want to make the mystery of reading good books and works disappear. In this way, we can leave behind some kind of intellectual legacy.

"We write our books to fill needs. For example, Chaucer's Pilgrims came about because we did not know exactly what a canon's yeoman did. In doing the research for our works, we tend to expose other areas that need more explication. I tend to do the research, the Laura writes the draft. Following several revisions, the final product is ready. This team effort eliminates any notion that either of us is truly the sole author of a work.

"I believe that aspiring writers need to find a niche. Laura and I tried other types of writing, only to find ourselves realizing we were not very good. Because our works encompass topics about which we are passionate, we know that others must feel the same way, and so there must be a market. The hardest part of writing is the rejection; writers need to cast aside the emotional pitfalls of being declined. If a work is worth publishing, someone will publish it.

"We are lucky in that we have a comfortable relationship with our publisher, Greenwood Press. Their staff is very affable, and they work diligently to market and distribute our books. They have been very kind when we have made glaring mistakes and allow us to continue finding more topics for books. This is the relationship all writers should have!

"We are also lucky because we can work together on topics that we love. This is the best part of writing! It allows me to spend more time with the love of my life."