(Disclaimer: My two-year-old shoved staples down the crevices of my keybaord rendering the comma key useless even after I removed the two staples he’d managed to lodge under that particular key. So no commas will appear in this post. Please turn off your internal editor. Pretty please.)

The Thorn is author Daron D. Fraley’s debut novel. You can read about a chance to win this book and a $25 Barnes and Noble gift certificate over on his blog.

Back cover copy from the book:

Three tribes are at war on the planet Gan, unaware that the sign of Christ’s birth on an unknown world – Earth – is about to appear in the heavens.

During a bloody skirmish with Gideonite troops, Jonathan of Daniel spares Pekah, a young enemy soldier, gaining his trust forever. These two distant brothers from estranged tribes covenant with each other to end the war being waged by a self-proclaimed emperor, and soon discover the intentions of a far more dangerous foe named Rezon – a sinister general bent on ruling those he can bring into subjection and destroying all others.

In the end, Pekah’s selfless bravery is the means by which all the tribes are united. But there are dissenters, and Rezon escapes a well-deserved fate. When the promised heavenly signs appear, will there be peace at last, or will the malefactors once again threaten the safety of them all?

The first time I read about the premise of this book I was intrigued. Over the years I’ve wondered about the other worlds we know exist and how they too believe and follow Christ who was born on our Earth. Mostly I stop there and place those wonderings on a shelf for later. I’m interested to see how Daron imagines this other world taught to believe in Christ. The Thorn will be released on March 16 at this launch party:

Tuesday, March 16, 2010 – 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Valor Author Lollapalooza Book Launch
A world of difference…
Barnes & Noble Booksellers
The Gateway
6 Rio Grande Drive
Salt Lake City, UT

New books by authors Michele Ashman Bell (Young Adult-Coming of Age/Romance), Tristi Pinkston (Mystery/Comedy), Karen E. Hoover (YA Fantasy), Daron D. Fraley (Speculative Fiction) and Kimberly Job (Romance) will be released at this book launch event as well. All these authors will be in attendance and signing books.

I’m particularly interested in one other upcoming release. Karen E. Hoover’s Sapphire Flute has been touted as clean gripping YA fantasy. Since I’m a parent of a couple of YA readers that’s important to me.

It has been 3,000 years since a white mage has been seen upon Rasann.

In the midst of a volcanic eruption miles outside of her village, Ember discovers she can see magic and change the appearance of things at will. Against her mother’s wishes, she leaves for the mage trials only to be kidnapped before arriving. In trying to escape, she discovers she has inherited her father’s secret–a secret that places her in direct conflict with her father’s greatest enemy.

At the same time, Kayla is given guardianship of the sapphire flute and told not to play it. The evil mage C’Tan has been searching for it for decades and the sound alone is enough to call her. For the flute to be truly safe, Kayla must find its birthplace in the mountains high above Javak. The girls’ paths are set on a collision course…a course that C’Tan is determined to prevent at all costs.

So there’s a few new choices if you’re looking for something to read.