Stephan von Clinkerhoffen

I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up. I don't even know if I want to grow up.
My ideas for writing come from the stuff I enjoy doing.

As a kid I used the countryside as my personal playground. We built carts and raced them down the hills, we tried to see who could ride their bike highest up the steep scree slopes. We fell off, made repairs to our bikes and ourselves and did it again.

Then in my engineering days we would try out new ideas some worked, some really didn't and there were near misses, but we put them right and moved forward, and had fun doing it.
Now I make "stuff" as my wife calls it. It might be artwork or rebuilding motorbikes, writing my novels or tinkering with my classic car—but I love it!

My heart lies in the Cotswolds, in England, a place I am lucky to call home. I just love the countryside and nature—I like to walk it and live it, which is handy 'cos so does my little dog who I call Poppet.

The Hidden City of Chelldrah-ham: Stig's Flight of Encounters (Volume 1)

Children/Young Adult/Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Stig is eager to try out his new invention on his clockwork plane. He's so eager that he ignores his fellow inventor's words of warning. It's a decision that changes his life and tests whether he has enough fortitude and skill to survive.

The Hidden City of Chelldrah-ham: Stig's Flight of Encounters takes readers on a journey to Chelldrah-ham, the city of riches Stig calls home. They travel with him to strange and beautiful lands as his test flight goes astray and crashes into a wooden pod on a mission.

In this Science Fiction & Fantasy novel Stig's trip back home isn't going to be easy. He discovers bat-like creatures called the Bach that threaten the pod's homeland. He escapes the encounter but will have plenty more to face.

Stig must rely on what he finds in nature and the help of new friends like Meg, whom he meets on his trek. He's got his clockwork skills and a map that his father had given him. But is that enough to get him back home?

"Strange creatures, exotic landscapes, and an innocent inventor make this story a welcome addition to the genre…"—Foreword Clarion Reviews. 4 stars (out of 5)

The Hidden City of Chelldrah-ham: War of Chaos (Volume 2)

Children/Young Adult/Sci-Fi/Fantasy

In the sequel to Stig’s Flight of Encounters Stig and his friends Arn and Baits head out of the city of Chelldrah-ham on a mission to Polandrea. Their task is to determine whether the battling Bach creatures still pose a threat.

Stig has his own plans to find and rescue his missing friend Meg in Polandrea. Baits, meanwhile, is tasked as a member of the Guard of Old to search for signs of their absent leader, Lillet. Little do they know the danger that awaits them.

Chelldrah-ham prepares for war when the trio finds evidence of recent battles, and Baits learns Lillet's fate. Stig and his comrades must confront the Bach and learn their mysterious secret if he hopes to rescue Meg.

Stig, Arn, and Baits must rely on their inventions, each other, and their own ingenuity to survive on a harrowing journey through a magical fantasyland fraught with hidden dangers.
Mystical creatures, secret weapons, action, war, and romance—along with author's own fantastical artwork—await in The Hidden City of Chelldrah-Ham: War of Chaos.

“In this fast-paced sequel. Clinkerhoffen blends imaginative flora … and fauna … with the hero’s love of machinery and problem-solving skills…”— Kirkus Reviews

The Hidden City of Chelldrah-ham: Belas Rift (Volume 3)

Children/Young Adult/Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Fast paced with lovable characters woven into an intricate fantasy adventure for younger readers.

Stig and Meg pass through an inter-dimensional rift from their fantasy world to 21st century England. The young couple are startled by what they find.

In this science fiction & fantasy novel a series of clues take the pair around the Cotswolds in England where they discover all is not what it seems. They meet eccentrics, simpletons and often laugh out loud characters, finding some more willing than others to help them.

Their quest is to save their world from the actions of an evil human who wants to destroy all life there and bring its gold and riches to Earth for personal gain.

Action packed with real life places and scenes but viewed by "out of this world" characters looking in. The humorous nuances of this story will appeal to older readers too.

"An absolute gem of a Science Fiction & Fantasy novel for young readers with an epic feel. Belas Rift: The Hidden City of Chelldrah-ham is recommended without reservation…"
— Book Viral