A New Novella and a New Hero For Today

Last week, I shared the cover art for a new novella, Depths of Night, that marks the debut of my Ragnar Stormbringer character.  I was thrilled with the artwork developed by Olivia Pro Design, as it really captured the atmosphere of this story.

Ragnar Stormbringer is a heroic warrior that inhabits the same world as Rayden Valkyrie, who is the focus of my novels Heart of a Lion and Thunder Horizon.

Ragnar is also one of the main characters featured in the Rayden Valkyrie: Saga of a Lionheart TV Pilot, which is based upon an original screenplay and story line of mine (it is not an adaptation of one of my books, although I do plan to do a novelization of the show's story line at some point). 

Brock O'Hurn portrays Ragnar wonderfully in the TV pilot and I cannot wait for the completion of post-production so we can show everyone his performance.  I would love to see the pilot lead to a full season of episodes.  I have a very exciting journey envisioned for the ensemble cast and I know that characters like Ragnar will both engage and thrill today's audiences. 

I've wanted to begin telling Ragnar's full story for awhile.  I also wanted to explore Rayden Valkyrie's story further.  In that light, I began to develop a number of brand new stories, some featuring Ragnar, and some featuring Rayden, which will be part of an exciting group of new releases over the next few months in eBook formats. 

The eBook releases allow me to bring new stories to my readers on a regular basis while I complete some larger novel projects.  To me, this is a win-win for everyone as I can increase the number of releases I have without compromising the quality of my work. 

My readers deserve my best at all times, and while it can take awhile to develop one of my larger novels, it is possible for me to deliver some shorter format works (like short stories and novellas) that meet my standards for putting something forward for release (which I won't do unless I am 100% confident I have done my best on it and left nothing behind).

I believe Ragnar, like Rayden, has a lot to offer readers of today. When it comes to heroes, I like to champion the kind of hero who is mortal, of flesh and blood, imperfect, and does not possess supernatural powers ... yet has an underlying honor code and rises up in trying situations to do whatever it takes to succeed.  My heroes do not hesitate to go against the odds, no matter how overwhelming.

Rayden and Ragnar are very different characters, but at the end of the day they both are human, can be related to, and call upon everyone to embrace the heroic aspects that are inside each and every living person.  You don't need some fancy costume, supernatural ability, hi-tech gadgetry, or otherworldly origin to be a hero in the vein of Rayden and Ragnar.  To me those are the truest kinds of heroes, because they overcome the limitations we all struggle with. 

I am confident that these stories can be enjoyed by all kinds of readers, not just those into sword and sorcery or fantasy fiction.  Heroic, inspirational characters reach beyond genres and engage a reader on many levels.

The Ragnar Stormbringer adventure begins on April 4th, with the release of Depths of Night, and there is much more to come! 

Check out the synopsis below and if you have a Kindle, be sure to pre-order a copy too!

Synopsis of Depths of Night: After a harrowing end to a long sea journey, the famed northern warrior Ragnar Stormbringer and a force of warriors step ashore in the lands of the Petranni, a tribal people known for their workings in silver and gold. The search for plunder takes a sharp turn when homesteads, villages, and temple sites show signs of being recently abandoned.

When it is discovered that the Petranni have all taken refuge within a massive stronghold, Ragnar and the others soon fall under the shadow of an ancient, deadly adversary. Wielding his legendary war axe Raven Caller, Ragnar finds his strength tested like never before.

Kindle pre-order link:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BN9QRS8/

Cover Art Reveal for My Latest, Hellscapes, Volume II

Really excited to share this, the cover art by Aaron Drown of Aaron Drown Design for Hellscapes, Volume II.  The eBook arrives on Monday, to coincide with a big blog tour that includes a contest featuring a Kindle Fire HD8 as a grand prize.  Going to be a lot of fun, I'm working up some good posts for many stops, doing interviews on others, and there will be several reviews.   Definitely looking to be a busy week.  But hope you all find this cover cool! I feel very strongly about this latest installment, as does my editor on this one, Scott Sandridge, and I'll be looking forward to hearing what the readers think! :)

Synopsis: Return to the nightmarish, shadowy realms of Hell in the latest installment of the Hellscapes series by Stephen Zimmer. Six brand new, macabre tales of the infernal await you … but be that you only visit these realms, you do not want to share the fates of the inhabitants you will encounter!

Included in the pages of Hellscapes, Volume II:

In “The Cavern”, a man finds his way into a nightmare, subterranean world that leads to an even greater, and more devastating, revelation.

A police officer takes pleasure in violently executing his duties and it appears to be open season in “The Riot” when he is part of an operation sent to crack down on a gathering of people protesting an economic summit nearby. But this is an operation that is going to take a very different kind of turn, one that opens his eyes to a new reality.

A woman finds herself stranded on a high, rocky ledge, along with many other men and women, surrounded by a frothing sea in “Above as Below”. Shadows glide beneath the surface and soon she will discover what lurks within the depths.

“Spots Do Not Change” tells the story of a man who has never had any qualms lying, cheating, or deceiving the women in his life. A reckoning day looms as he comes to understand that his actions have harmed the lives of many others, actions that in the realms of Hell take on forms of their own.

Having spun webs of intrigue and personal destruction at the heights of national politics throughout his life, a man finds webs of another sort to present grave danger when he finds himself lost within a strange wilderness in “Weaving Webs”.

Many are drawn to “The Club” in the heart of the decaying, shadow-filled city of Malizia, hoping for some entertainment and release, or even safety from the monstrous dangers lurking in the darkness. One man struggling against amnesia finds his way to the seemingly popular establishment and its confines give him momentary hope; until he discovers the nature of this night club and those who run it.

Cover Art for Hellscapes 2 is Coming VERY Soon! I Saw the Illustration Tonight!

It is always an exciting moment getting to see the cover imagery for one of your books for the first time, and tonight was the 11th time I've experienced this! Aaron Drown, of Aaron Drown Design (follow on twitter @adrowndesign) simply knocked it out of the park. As I mentioned in a Facebook post, this artwork could legitimately be used for a Slayer album cover! It fits the book perfectly and I cannot wait to reveal this cover publicly. I'm very proud of the tales in Hellscapes II, and share my editor's opinion that this new set is a strong progression from the tales in volume 1. Now I've got a cover to represent it very powerfully and I am really thrilled! Stay tuned, I hope to have the full cover image with titling to reveal very shortly, as the book comes out near the end of October!

A Champion in a Time of Storm: Rayden Valkyrie

Heading toward the start of 2015, I look to a number of things to keep me moving forward as best as I can, and one of those things is my work as a writer.  I will be starting off the new year with a new book, one starring my sword and axe-wielding heroine Rayden Valkyrie.

The book is Heart of a Lion, the first of a three book story arc.  We are doing an official launch party at Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Lexington, Kentucky on Saturday, February 7th at 5pm.  Expect LOTS of surprises at that one, I intend this to be the biggest presentation I've ever done for a book release.

Rayden deserves no less.  She is a character who has grown very special to me, as she has emerged during a couple of my worst storms over the past year.  I do plan on writing about this more in detail, but when I've needed something to hold onto, she stepped forward to help me get back to writing coming out of last winter, and this fall she stepped forward again when I needed something to look forward to on the horizon in a big way.

Bonnie Wasson was given the task of creating the first Rayden Valkyrie image and I am so thrilled with the result.  Bonnie has a knack for warrior art, but she also has a knack for capturing a character in art.  When I look at the cover for Heart of a Lion, I see Rayden shining through.  Bonnie knocked it out of the park and then some, another reason why I call her the "Awesome Wasson".

The book itself will be out in eBook format in early January, with print by mid-January.  As far as a look at what it's about:

"A deadly warrior wielding both blade and axe, Rayden is the bane of the wicked and corrupt.  To many others, she is the most loyal and dedicated of friends, an ally who is unyielding in the most dangerous of circumstances.

The people of the far southern lands she has just aided claim that she has the heart of a lion.  For Rayden, a long journey to the lands of the far northern tribes who adopted her as a child beckons, with an ocean lying in between. Her path will lead her once more into the center of a maelstrom, one involving a rising empire that is said to be making use of the darkest kinds of sorcery to grow its power.  Making new friends and discoveries amid tremendous peril, Rayden makes her way to the north.

Monstrous beasts, supernatural powers, and the bloody specter of war have been a part of her world for a long time and this journey will be no different. Rayden chooses the battles that she will fight, whether she takes up the cause of one individual or an entire people.

Both friends and enemies alike will swiftly learn that the people of the far southern lands spoke truly. Rayden Valkyrie has the heart of a lion."

Scott Sandridge was my editor on this project, a great guy with a great reservoir of knowledge on speculative fiction.  Many kudos to him for working on this one as well.

Expect a grand dark fantasy adventure in this one for sure and I do want to follow Rayden's adventures as much as possible, in novels, novellas, and short stories.  She's a wonderful character with a lot of great qualities that more people in this world could benefit by adopting, in my opinion.  She inspires me a great deal and I hope she does the same for readers everywhere.

Next up is my New Year's post, I plan on writing a similar style one to last year's.  Not going to the one I hoped to write when 2014 began, but it will be honest and it will have an upside despite a lot of difficult elements.  But, as always, it will be honest.  I am who I am and I don't apologize for that. Look for that post probably on the 31st.

Cover Reveal for Hellscapes, Volume 1!

And now for something completely different, the second announcement of the other new release this week! :) This one is in the horror genre, which will come as no surprise to those who know how much I love Clive Barker, lol (and how much I love Dante's Inferno, Milton's Paradise Lost, etc)  Just know that Hellscapes is very different from my other work.  The stories are very visceral, intense horror in style and theme.  Very timely too, as the two stories book-ending this collection involve powerful political figures who foment wars in foreign lands (Blood Dreams and Lords of War) ... for both there is a price to be paid... ;)   here's the cover and the press release is below:  

Seventh Star Press is proud to unveil the cover art by Matthew Perry for Hellscapes, Volume 1, the first of a brand new horror collection from author Stephen Zimmer.   

The novella-sized release features five stand-alone short stories that have a connection in that all of the tales are set in different aspects of Hell.  Readers can look forward to some recurring characters as the collection unfolds, as well as a wide variety of environments and styles of stories.  

"I'm really excited about this collection," Stephen commented.  "I love the horror genre, as it gives writers some great options for storytelling that are not as readily accessible in other genres.  Some of my fantasy, urban fantasy, and steampunk readers might be surprised about this release, but there are plenty of moments in my other books that show this side of me. I've always been a big fan of the genre, and Clive Barker is one of my all-time favorite authors. Having been long enthralled with more medieval-type depictions of Hell such as Dante's Inferno, and other representations such as can be found in Milton's Paradise lost, I've wanted to explore a theme like this for quite awhile.  This project has been wonderful to undertake and readers can expect much more in the future."  

The eBook will be available on Friday, September 6, and print availability will arrive in the following week.

Here is the official synopsis:   Journey into realms of darkness and explore the regions where angels fear to tread! Welcome to the Hellscapes, featuring tales of the infernal in settings where the horror never ends and the inhabitants experience the ultimate nightmare.  

In “Blood Dreams” follow the tale of a woman who knew great political authority and influence in life, as she discovers the reward awaiting her in the next world.

“The Grove” welcomes a new arrival, a wealthy man who is looking forward to a weekend of indulging in lust and libation, as he has for many years in this secluded convocation for the elite.  Something is different this time, though, and he soon finds that his visit will be taking a very different turn.  

In “The Smallest Fish”, the story is told of a ruthless business mogul who finds himself in an abandoned, ruined version of the city he knew well … in life.  This city won’t be remaining vacant for long.  

“Drowning in Tears” tells the story of a young man’s unhealthy obsession for a suicidal girlfriend that leads him on a path of severe transformation.

The final tale of Volume 1, “Lords of War”, follows the story of a man who wielded military power on a worldwide scale as a Secretary of Defense, who now learns the deeper nature of war and what kinds of monstrosities it breeds.  

 More volumes of Hellscapes are forthcoming.  For further information on Seventh Star Press, please visit www.seventhstarpress.com and for information on the author visitwww.stephenzimmer.com

Seventh Star Press is a publisher of speculative fiction based in Lexington, Kentucky.

Chronicles of Ave, Volume 1 Cover Reveal and Story Listing

A personal post here is long overdue, and I do intend to get back on track with some of those, but the first one in that respect is going to be a fairly big one, summarizing the things of the recent past.

I do have a bit of good news to share this week.  The first of two cover reveals and releases, both short story collections.

Press release and cover is below!  hope you enjoy this one!  Writing these short stories is a great deal of fun and gives me a chance to explore Ave further as well!

Press Release:


Seventh Star Press is proud to reveal the cover art by Matthew Perry for Stephen Zimmer's Chronicles of Ave, Volume 1, a brand new collection of fantasy short stories set in the world of Ave that is the primary setting for his Fires in Eden Series.

The new release features six tales, including the novella-length "Winter's Embrace". It will be issued in eBook formats on Wednesday, September 4, with the print version to be released the following week.

The tales are stand-alone short stories that do not require familiarity with the Fires in Eden novels. However, those who have read the novels will find their experience of the world of Ave broadened and deepened.

"These stories give me a chance to explore many things I am only able to briefly mention or reference in the Fires in Eden Series," Stephen explained. "They also give me a chance to allow readers an introduction to areas of Ave that have not been portrayed in the novel series as of yet."

The stories exhibit a range of settings, styles, and characters displaying the diverse kinds of cultures and lands to be found in Ave. Volume 1 features the following tales:

“Into Glory Ride” tells the story of a young Trogen Warrior who is called to go up against insurmountable odds when Elves raid his homeland. The Trogens have only begun training winged steeds for combat, but time is of the essence and a choice has to be made by the young warrior.

In “A Touch of Serenity” a conscript laborer working on a massive wall constructed under the orders of the Divine Emperor begins to hear ghostly voices asking for help. His response leads him on a journey that will test his courage, wisdom, and compassion.

In “Moonlight’s Grace” a young man goes to help his people when a Midragardan raid strikes Gael. He seeks to prove his worth to the chieftain whose daughter he loves with all his heart.


The novella-length “Winter’s Embrace” follows a warrior-monk deep into dangerous woodlands in the heart of winter. There he will find his faith tested in ways he never anticipated, when he must help a forest witch against an enigmatic, immortal being known as the Undying.

“Lion Heart” introduces the heroic Sigananda of the Amazu people, who must confront things that transcend the laws of the physical world when powerful Wizards threaten his homeland.


In “Land of Shadow”, a knight who is part of a band of Avanoran mercenaries discovers how perilous the mysterious Shadowlands are when they undertake a journey to locate a site to build a fortress.


More volumes are forthcoming. For further information on Seventh Star Press, please visit www.seventhstarpress.com and for information on the author visit www.stephenzimmer.com








Seventh Star Press is a publisher of speculative fiction based in Lexington, Kentucky.

Cover Art for The Exodus Gate

At last, the cover art for The Exodus Gate is in!!! (The cover and 15 illustrations that will be shown in the book were done by the very talented Matthew Perry.)

And here it is...