magic

Free Fantasy Feature October 2022 | Legends of Lasniniar: The Devil You Know

Legends of Lasniniar The Devil You Know cover

Merchants peddle fear in Belierumar.

Mothers cling to their children as they walk through the crowded marketplace. Eyes dart as people hurry to make their dubious purchases.

Demon-warding amulets. Herbs guaranteed to help victims of possession. Paige inspects them all with a jaundiced eye.

The young dwarf woman knows how to deal with demons. Probably better than anyone else in Lasniniar.

…With good reason.

In the aftermath of war, a new era begins in this stand-alone story from the World of Lasniniar epic fantasy series by Jacquelyn Smith.

Now, you can read it for free on this site for one month only. This short story also comes in ebook and paperback format–both on its own, and as part of the Harbingers Lasniniar Collection.


Legends of Lasniniar: The Devil You Know

Jacquelyn Smith

As of November 1st, 2022 the Free Fantasy Feature is on hiatus. If/when the Free Fantasy Feature returns, you can find new posts here


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Posted by Jacquelyn in Free Fantasy Feature, 0 comments

Free Fantasy Feature July 2022 | Legends of Lasniniar: Prevailing Wind

Legends of Lasniniar Prevailing Wind cover

Arinwyn leads the Tribe of Hawk across the vast dunes of the Shifting Sands. A lone elf among humans.

The sun beats down on her head scarf like a hammer while the jingle of harnesses fills the dry air. A single shadow falls across the land from overhead in a ripple of movement.

A dragon.

Arinwyn knows the tribe cannot stand against it. But none of the tribe’s warriors want to lose status by fleeing.

Arinwyn must rely on her human companion Nasir to convince them otherwise while she tackles a much bigger problem—how to hold off the dragon.

…And what its seemingly chance presence might mean.

A short story adventure from the World of Lasniniar epic fantasy series and a follow-up to “Legends of Lasniniar: Without Wings” by Jacquelyn Smith.

Now, you can read it for free on this site for one month only. This short story also comes in ebook and paperback format–both on its own, and as part of the Harbingers Lasniniar Collection.


Legends of Lasniniar: Prevailing Wind

Jacquelyn Smith

This story will be available for free for one month only. If you missed this one, check out the current Free Fantasy Feature here.


Recommend, rate, and review:

Posted by Jacquelyn in Free Fantasy Feature, 0 comments

Free Fantasy Feature June 2022 | Legends of Lasniniar: Without Wings

Legends of Lasniniar Without Wings coverGround walker. Wingless worm. Freak.

The only Sky Elf ever born without wings, Arinwyn does her best to ignore the taunts and slurs. Bad enough she can never know the thrill of flying. Must she suffer the cruelties of her own kind as well?

But the winds of change blow from beyond the elven wood as the Fallen One stirs.

…And more than Arinwyn realizes lies hidden within her wingless heritage.

A stand-alone origin story from the World of Lasniniar epic fantasy series by Jacquelyn Smith.

Now, you can read it for free on this site for one month only. This short story also comes in ebook and paperback format–both on its own, and as part of the Legends of Lasniniar Shadow Stalker Collection.


Legends of Lasniniar: Without Wings

Jacquelyn Smith

This story will be available for free for one month only. If you missed this one, check out the current Free Fantasy Feature here.


Recommend, rate, and review:

Posted by Jacquelyn in Free Fantasy Feature

Free Fantasy Feature May 2022 | Legends of Lasniniar: Goddess Almighty

Legends of Lasniniar Goddess Almighty coverFelara watches over the Light Elves’ wood from above, unseen. She knows Iarion wanders somewhere beneath the ancient trees.

Willful, mercurial, and more than a bit fey, some of her Unborn siblings consider her in danger of becoming obsessed with the elf that freed them from the Void.

Others might even argue she crossed that line some time ago.

None of that matters to Felara. She follows a vision only she can see.

A stand-alone origin story from the World of Lasniniar epic fantasy series by Jacquelyn Smith.

Now, you can read it for free on this site for one month only. This short story also comes in ebook and paperback format–both on its own, and as part of the Void Walker Lasniniar Collection.


Legends of Lasniniar: Goddess Almighty

Jacquelyn Smith

This story will be available for free for one month only. If you missed this one, check out the current Free Fantasy Feature here.


Recommend, rate, and review:

Posted by Jacquelyn in Free Fantasy Feature, 0 comments

Free Fantasy Feature April 2022 | Legends of Lasniniar: Quicksilver

Legends of Lasniniar Quicksilver coverHero of Lasniniar. Dwarvenhome’s Chief of Clans. Barlo can claim both these titles, and more. (But never ‘Master Chef.’)

Brave, stubborn, and loyal to a fault, he takes pride in his judgment of character. And he holds no qualms about sharing his opinions. (Much to his elf friend Iarion’s chagrin.)

…Even when it means he must tell an unwelcome truth.

A stand-alone story of the infamous Barlo and Iarion from the World of Lasniniar epic fantasy series by Jacquelyn Smith.

Now, you can read it for free on this site for one month only. This short story also comes in ebook and paperback format–both on its own, and as part of the Void Walker Lasniniar Collection.


Legends of Lasniniar: Quicksilver

Jacquelyn Smith

This story will be available for free for one month only. If you missed this one, check out the current Free Fantasy Feature here.


Recommend, rate, and review:

Posted by Jacquelyn in Free Fantasy Feature, 0 comments

Free Fantasy Feature March 2022 | Legends of Lasniniar: A New Kind of Magic

Legends of Lasniniar A New Kind of Magic cover

Paige trudges along the Great North Road and does her best to ignore her misery. An autumn rain pelts her face and soaks her to the skin.

A lone dwarf woman wandering Northern Lasniniar in search of adventure. A part of her wishes she never left her warm, comfortable burrow with Barlo.

But Paige knows she needs to find her own way in the world if she wants to become something more.

…A hero in her own right.

A stand-alone story that opens a door to new possibilities in the World of Lasniniar epic fantasy series by Jacquelyn Smith.

Now, you can read it for free on this site for one month only. This short story also comes in ebook and paperback format–both on its own, and as part of the Wave Runners Lasniniar Collection.


Legends of Lasniniar: A New Kind of Magic

Jacquelyn Smith

This story will be available for free for one month only. If you missed this one, check out the current Free Fantasy Feature here.


Recommend, rate, and review:

Posted by Jacquelyn in Free Fantasy Feature

Celebrating 10 years of Lasniniar, plus a new Fatal Empire novel

So October just sort of blew by, and I suddenly realized two things: I had forgotten to blog about the new Fatal Empire novel I had released, and the World of Lasniniar had turned 10! (It seriously doesn’t feel like it’s been that long.) Anyway, here I am with an update on Fatal Empire, plus a deal on the first three novels in the Lasniniar series. Better late than never, right? Continue reading →

Posted by Jacquelyn in Deals/Promotions, Writing/Publishing Updates, 0 comments

Free Fantasy Feature October 2021 | Legends of Lasniniar: Her Rightful Place

Legends of Lasniniar Her Rightful Place coverArinmalia holds herself above the rest of her Wild Elf tribemates. With good reason.

Few can match her fighting and tracking skills. She needs no friends to watch her back or distract her with their tiresome company. She prefers to walk the forest paths alone, with only her own thoughts as companions.

Arinmalia knows in her heart a great destiny awaits her. Something beyond the modest village life of her tribe. She dreams of finding it. She hungers to make her tribemates understand.

She needs them to acknowledge her rightful place.

A stand-alone story from the sprawling history of the elves in the World of Lasniniar epic fantasy series by Jacquelyn Smith.

Now, you can read it for free on this site for one month only. This short story also comes in ebook and paperback format–both on its own, and as part of the Storm Rider Lasniniar Collection.

Get the ebook at:


Buy ebook direct from the author

Paperback available at:


Legends of Lasniniar: Her Rightful Place

Jacquelyn Smith

This story will be available for free for one month only. If you missed this one, check out the current Free Fantasy Feature here.

Posted by Jacquelyn in Free Fantasy Feature, 0 comments

A Haunted Past: Prequel Fatal Empire Story ‘Keeper of Prophecy’ Now Available

I’ve spent a lot of the past few months in the Dharakmeni Empire–a dark realm, filled with deadly intrigue. The core books follow Raziel’s journey as he attempts to navigate treacherous politics and forbidden magic as an assassin apprentice. It was a bit of a challenge to pick up the narrative where I had left off at the end of Keeper of Secrets back in 2012/2013 (even though I always intended to come back to it), so I decided to give a shorter adventure a go and write a prequel story.

Writing a prequel adventure from Raziel’s foster-father’s point of view (Admon) for ‘Keeper of Knowledge‘ was an easy choice. Admon is an established character from Keeper of Secrets, with an implied backstory I enjoyed fleshing out. But what I really wanted to do was try something from Raziel’s mother’s perspective (Moriah), which was quite a bit more intimidating. She doesn’t appear in Keeper of Secrets, and much of her backstory is unknown by the other characters. What little the other characters do know about Moriah is a mystery.

I knew it would be challenging to write a story about her past that revealed more about her, while not giving away too much and spoiling the main books. At this point, Moriah only existed as a character sketch, and in the memories of the other characters. So I started off by throwing her into the deep end to find out what she was made of. Then she dragged me down with her. Continue reading →

Posted by Jacquelyn in Writing/Publishing Updates, 0 comments

Free Fantasy Feature September 2021 | The Unclean: A Fantasy Short Story

An appointment with the Mage-Lord.

Jared can sense the fulfillment of his destiny approaching as he rushes through the cobbled streets with his blue mage robes flapping behind him. The kingdom of Galdavia prizes the mage gift above all others.

And Jared takes pride in his abilities. He knows he belongs at the Mage-Lord’s side.

Nothing can come between him and his rightful place.

A stand-alone dark fantasy story and winning entry of the Writers’ Journal Fiction Contest (2010) by the author of the World of Lasniniar series, Jacquelyn Smith.

Now, you can read it for free on this site for one month only. This short story also comes in ebook and paperback format–both on its own, and as part of the Rubicon Short Story Collection.

Get the ebook at:


Buy ebook direct from the author

Paperback available at:


The Unclean: A Fantasy Short Story

Jacquelyn Smith

This story will be available for free for one month only. If you missed this one, check out the current Free Fantasy Feature here.

Posted by Jacquelyn in Free Fantasy Feature, 0 comments