Barakah Smith's Blog
November 12, 2025
ARC Readers Needed!
My Epic Fantasy Vengeance Has No Sound is coming January 10th 2026 and I am looking for ARC readers!
Deadline to sign up: December 8th
Brief Synopsis:
Three thousand years ago, seven heroes defeated the Blood Queen-a monster capable of reducing entire nations to ash-and sealed her away. Barriers rose. Peace returned. The land of Nyxaria survived.
But time erodes all things.
The barriers are failing and the monsters are returning-stronger, hungrier, and driven by something far darker than instinct.
To uncover the cause, the Order assembles a team of specialists. Among them is Novalius-deaf, an outcast, and powerless to wield vitapars-the building material of all things. To everyone else, he's a mistake. To fate, he's a spark waiting to ignite.
When Novalius crosses paths with a forgotten creature, the truth buried beneath centuries of myth begins to surface. Lies fracture. Legends bleed. And what he uncovers will force him to choose:
Will he fight to preserve the world that cast him aside-
Or let it burn to reveal the truth it tried to hide?
The link to the form is below!
https://forms.gle/8rEuzbyvxXiCPx8EA
Links to Amazon:
https://a.co/d/gOYLtUJ
Deadline to sign up: December 8th
Brief Synopsis:
Three thousand years ago, seven heroes defeated the Blood Queen-a monster capable of reducing entire nations to ash-and sealed her away. Barriers rose. Peace returned. The land of Nyxaria survived.
But time erodes all things.
The barriers are failing and the monsters are returning-stronger, hungrier, and driven by something far darker than instinct.
To uncover the cause, the Order assembles a team of specialists. Among them is Novalius-deaf, an outcast, and powerless to wield vitapars-the building material of all things. To everyone else, he's a mistake. To fate, he's a spark waiting to ignite.
When Novalius crosses paths with a forgotten creature, the truth buried beneath centuries of myth begins to surface. Lies fracture. Legends bleed. And what he uncovers will force him to choose:
Will he fight to preserve the world that cast him aside-
Or let it burn to reveal the truth it tried to hide?
The link to the form is below!
https://forms.gle/8rEuzbyvxXiCPx8EA
Links to Amazon:
https://a.co/d/gOYLtUJ
October 30, 2020
FLASH SALE!
Surprise! For today and tomorrow only get the ebook version for 2.99!
"Absolutely brilliant a true adventure, a story of friendship, hardship and darkness. It had me gripped."
Stranger in a Familiar Place #YA #fantasy
https://t.co/gvFWxmPfPY
"Absolutely brilliant a true adventure, a story of friendship, hardship and darkness. It had me gripped."
Stranger in a Familiar Place #YA #fantasy
https://t.co/gvFWxmPfPY
October 13, 2020
Ebook 2.99 till Oct 17th
Hi guys! Dont forget to snag your copy from Barnes&Noble or the Apple Store for 2.99!
October 9, 2020
2.99 Deal!
Are you ready for a scary good deal? Starting Oct. 11th-17th you can snag the ebook version of Stranger in a Familiar Place for 2.99! This deal will run on Barnes and Noble and the Apple store. Currently trying to get Amazon on board but hopefully it will be there too!
October 1, 2020
1 Star Review
We all want to be the one that writes a story that is loved by millions. Especially as a new author we want that validation that we came up with a great story and our work is quality. But the truth is, your story is not for everyone. There are some people who don't like Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, or the Chronicles of Narnia. Hard to imagine I know, but it's a reality that we often don't think of. I recieved my first 1 star today, there was no comments just a lonely star to grace my reviews. I sat there looking at it and suddenly I realized I didn't care. I am all for criticism when valid, and if this person had that, maybe I would give it more credit. But there are simply those who hate seeing success, there are those whom my story is not for, and their 1 star does not change anything. If you happen to get that 1 star rating don't let it condemn you as a writer. If there is valid criticism behind the rating then by all means examine your work and get better. For everything else, ignore it. Keep on writing, make it your mission to flood your reviews with 4 and 5 stars with your next book. That 1 star doesn't define you as a writer nor as a person. In fact I will go so far to say that you now have some success, because all successful people have nay-sayers.
September 11, 2020
Coming Up with Something New
Hello again!
I hope everyone is doing well with their books and works in progress. Today I wanted to write about a concept that I dont see very many peopletouch on. Uniqueness. In the fantasy genre its really hard to be unique sometimes. Especially when things like Harry Potter, Vampire Academy, and Twighlight Series replicas permeate the market. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that all books are just shadowing the ideas of these book. What I am saying is that the greatest form of flattery is mimicry. So often we want to create a story like the ones that inspired us that we forget to write something new and exciting. I find myself judging a book not by the story itself but if I've never read a story like it. As I write my new novel I went in with a goal to try and create something fresh. I wanted someone to be able to pick up my book and go "huh, I've never read something like this before." So today I just want to challenge you all to be unique in your story telling. Give the world something that they didnt know they wanted!
Until next time!
I hope everyone is doing well with their books and works in progress. Today I wanted to write about a concept that I dont see very many peopletouch on. Uniqueness. In the fantasy genre its really hard to be unique sometimes. Especially when things like Harry Potter, Vampire Academy, and Twighlight Series replicas permeate the market. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that all books are just shadowing the ideas of these book. What I am saying is that the greatest form of flattery is mimicry. So often we want to create a story like the ones that inspired us that we forget to write something new and exciting. I find myself judging a book not by the story itself but if I've never read a story like it. As I write my new novel I went in with a goal to try and create something fresh. I wanted someone to be able to pick up my book and go "huh, I've never read something like this before." So today I just want to challenge you all to be unique in your story telling. Give the world something that they didnt know they wanted!
Until next time!
September 9, 2020
Teaser Excerpt
Hi everyone! For my first blog I wanted to give you a small peek at my first novel Stranger in a Familiar Place. I am currently writing an indirect sequel to this book but for now I hope you will decide to check this one out! Until next time!
Elias had always gone through life as he was told he should: school, sports, friends—they were all part of his life as a whole. Yet there was something that was missing from all of it—fundamental and yet so simple that he had hardly stopped to think about it. He had a life, friends, and family, and yet he had never wanted to live his life. The realization made his blood grow cold, and his limbs felt heavy as if they were being pinned down by some unknown force. He looked at his killer and felt that for the first time, he wanted to live…
*****
Pain, wrenching pain tore open Elias’s eyes, and a scream escaped his lips as he felt fire leap throughout his being. His head ached as if it were splitting apart agonizingly slow, and he felt the blood in his head pound mercilessly against his forehead. Another cry escaped his lips, and he screwed his eyes shut and bit into his lips, drawing blood. Why? Why does it hurt? he thought as he lay there wondering what had happened to him.
Elias had always gone through life as he was told he should: school, sports, friends—they were all part of his life as a whole. Yet there was something that was missing from all of it—fundamental and yet so simple that he had hardly stopped to think about it. He had a life, friends, and family, and yet he had never wanted to live his life. The realization made his blood grow cold, and his limbs felt heavy as if they were being pinned down by some unknown force. He looked at his killer and felt that for the first time, he wanted to live…
*****
Pain, wrenching pain tore open Elias’s eyes, and a scream escaped his lips as he felt fire leap throughout his being. His head ached as if it were splitting apart agonizingly slow, and he felt the blood in his head pound mercilessly against his forehead. Another cry escaped his lips, and he screwed his eyes shut and bit into his lips, drawing blood. Why? Why does it hurt? he thought as he lay there wondering what had happened to him.
