Laura Engelhardt

An avid fantasy reader, Laura writes the kinds of books she loves to read: richly imagined worlds populated by complex, memorable characters. She began writing this series under the last name Engelhardt but changed her last name in 2025 to honor her mother. Laura’s writing career began in college when she wrote her first play. After graduating, she moved to Germany and continued writing while teaching ESL to business executives. Back in the U.S., she taught ballroom dance and worked in retail but eventually decided that living in her parents’ attic was not sustainable and went to law school. After seventeen years as a lawyer and compliance officer in New York City, she left Wall Street to become a mediator and arbitrator. Laura now lives in New Jersey with her family, where she is working on the next Fifth Mage War installment.

Editorial Review of the Origin Duology:

"a unique take and meshing of different established ideas... Sirens that feed and aid? Fae trapped in England as a prisoner camp? Mage's getting optical surgery for magick sight? I really loved the combination of ideas and I thought they all worked together surprisingly well." -- Mel Candea, Ink & Insights