Steve the Zombie
- Readers’ Favorite Gold Award 2024 — YA Horror
- Literary Titan Gold Award 2023
- Firebird Awards 2023 — 1st Horror, 1st Dystopian, 2nd Book Cover Design
Biography · Career · Awards
About Stephen Wayne
A Hungarian author and multidisciplinary storyteller creating worlds through books, music, design, and cinematic visuals.
Biography
Where imagination comes to life
Stephen Wayne is the pen name of István Szabó, a U.S. horror fiction bestseller and multi-award-winning author based in Hungary. He is also a professional book formatter and designer with an international client base spanning more than 85 countries. His background includes work with law-enforcement agencies on criminal investigations and with governmental agencies on national-security matters.
Stephen writes across horror, science fiction, and philosophical fiction. Influenced by H. P. Lovecraft and Philip K. Dick, his work explores consciousness, identity, and the nature of existence—from cosmic horror and theological reimaginings to speculative futures and explorations of awareness itself.
Beyond writing, Stephen creates original AI-assisted music and produces cinematic trailers and visual projects. Across books, music, and film-inspired visuals, his work is driven by the same idea: using different creative forms to tell stories, build worlds, and capture moments that words alone cannot always express.
Above all, he is a proud father to Christopher and Blaise.
Career highlights
By the numbers
2023Published since
5Published books
10Released music projects
10Awards
1U.S. bestseller
Recognition
Awards
Big Lies
- Literary Titan Silver Award 2026
The Lord’s Canvas
- Firebird Awards 2026 — 1st Philosophy, 1st Visionary Fiction, 1st Frequent Flyer: Best Risk Taker
15 Minutes of Fame
- UPC–AXN Film Festival 2008 — 3rd Place; director, screenwriter, and cast
Beyond the page
Experience and interests
Writing and investigation
Stephen has completed David Freeman’s Premiere Screenwriting and Script Development Master Class in London and Lt. Colonel (Ret.) Péter Doszpot’s Homicide Detective Master Class. His continuing studies have included classes by David Baldacci, James Patterson, David Lynch, Joyce Carol Oates, Neil Gaiman, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Chris Voss, and María Fernanda Ampuero.
Martial arts and adventure
He began Ju Jitsu at ten and has trained regularly in kickboxing and Muay Thai since 2016. His interests also include fencing, long-distance running, licensed scuba diving, and lightsaber combat across classical forms, dual blades, and saber staff.
Running
Stephen regularly participates in the U.S. Air Force Marathon and History & Heritage series as a Hungarian participant. He has completed multiple half-marathon distances while pushing a baby stroller and covered more than 2,000 kilometres in six months helping his younger son sleep.
Professional services
Through Sapphire Guardian International, Stephen provides professional book formatting and design services to authors and organizations worldwide.
Visit Sapphire Guardian International →Personal history
A few details
- Genealogical research traces branches of Stephen’s ancestry through Hungarian, Central European, and Kievan Rus history, including the Houses of Árpád, Aba, Báthory, and the Rurik dynasty.
- He trained in fencing with his father, a former coach of the Hungarian National Cadet Team, and with his half-sister, a national champion.
- He has competed as the sole Hungarian participant in several U.S. Air Force running events, with top finishes including 9th in the 2024 Black Widow Run and 14th in the 28th Air Force Marathon.
- He is a longtime fan of Fringe and The X-Files.
Explore the work