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Ora Smith

Goodreads Author

Born

Los Angeles, The United States

Website

https://www.orasmith.com

Twitter

AuthorOraSmith

Genre

Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Christian

Influences

Eudora Welty, Kate Morton, Lee Smith

Member Since

September 2011

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/orahydrick

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Get to know Ora, receive a free ebook, and sign up for her newsletter at www.orasmith.com

Ora Smith’s one of those people who always has a project she’s excited about. She’s an author, artist, genealogist, seamstress, lover of a good book, traveler, antiquer, upcycler, and history buff. Although she’s lived in Arizona since 1986, she spent her early life in Lake Tahoe, California, where her passion to write blossomed on a tranquil riverbank with a beautiful backdrop of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

As a genealogist, she spent thirty-plus years researching family histories. With her historical “Heritage Fiction” novels for both adult and young adult, she’s made a niche in writing about ancestors, creating fascinating stories based on true event ...more

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Combine Editions
Ora Smith’s books

Average rating: 4.39 · 615 ratings · 84 reviews · 10 distinct works • Similar authors

	White Oak River: A Story of Slavery's Secrets (White Oak series Book 1) 4.51 avg rating — 341 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	White Oak Plantation: Slavery's Deeper Roots (White Oak series) 4.10 avg rating — 96 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Pulse of His Soul: The Story of John Lothropp, a Forgotten Forefather (Fearless Dissenters series Book 1) 4.53 avg rating — 53 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Trading Thomas: Jamestown's Boy Interpreter 4.57 avg rating — 30 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Unacknowledged: The Possible Biological Mother of Howard Hughes 3.58 avg rating — 36 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Peace of Pocahontas: Based on a True Story (Jamestown's Boy Interpreter Book 2) 4.58 avg rating — 19 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Cry of Her Heart 4.26 avg rating — 19 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Christmas Story of Light 4.25 avg rating — 16 ratings — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Powhatan's Power (Jamestown's Boy Interpreter, #3) 4.60 avg rating — 5 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	An Easter Story of Light: With Biblical Accounts of Jesus’s Life and Sacrifice 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Ora Smith's Blog

Historical Novel Society Posted My Article in Their September Newsletter

Heritage Fiction

Have YOU ever wanted to use your ancestors as characters in a short story or novel? The Historical Novel Society posted my article about doing just that. Check out Look No Further Than Those in Your Family to find out what it entails. It’s not as hard as you think. I even give examples of authors who have done it.

Here’s a list of authors who have used their ancestors as characters in books you

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Ora’s Recent Updates

Ora Smith wrote a new blog post Historical Novel Society Posted My Article in Their September Newsletter Have YOU ever wanted to use your ancestors as characters in a short story or novel? The Historical Novel Society posted my article about doing just t Read more of this blog post »
Sep 27, 2025 05:34AM · like
Ora wants to read The Hod King (The Books of Babel, #3) by Josiah Bancroft	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 01, 2025 10:12AM · like
Ora entered a giveaway Sometimes You Stay (A Red Door Inn Romance, #2) by Liz Johnson (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 01, 2025 10:09AM · like · see giveaway · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Sometimes You Stay by Liz Johnson. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Sometimes You Stay by Liz Johnson <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ora made a comment in the group Goodreads Librarians Group — search won't pull up new edition for author topic " I sent a request for help on this about a week ago and haven't heard back. For my book A Christmas Story of Light, I have a new cover, new edition, an ...more "
Nov 13, 2024 05:25PM
Ora made a comment in the group Goodreads Librarians Group — new edition, smaller children's book with new ISBN topic " I can't get the search function to bring up the new edition of my book. Here's the info you may need: NEW A Christmas Story of Light Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ligh ...more "
Nov 08, 2024 05:46PM
Ora has read Seduction: Sex, Lies, and Stardom in Howard Hughes's Hollywood by Karina Longworth	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 27, 2024 10:37AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Seduction by Karina Longworth. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Seduction by Karina Longworth <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ora has read Gold Mountain (The Laramie Series, #5) by Karen J. Hasley (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 12, 2024 03:09AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Gold Mountain by Karen J. Hasley. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Gold Mountain by Karen J. Hasley <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ora rated a book it was amazing Chubbs: Coloring and Activity Book (Live Courageously) by Sandra Sorenson-Kindt (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Loved the art!
Apr 29, 2024 11:35AM · like · see review
Ora rated a book it was amazing Teddy: A Boy who Swam with Angels by Sandra Sorenson-Kindt (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Exceptional historical fiction for kids with a faith message.
Apr 29, 2024 11:35AM · like · see review
Ora rated a book it was amazing Teddy: A Boy who Swam with Angels by Sandra Sorenson-Kindt (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Exceptional historical fiction for kids with a faith message.
Apr 29, 2024 11:33AM · like · see review