2026-10-15
Book progress
The Secret of CROWN is out in hardcover
The hardcover is available today. The paperback and eBook follow on November 16, 2026 and can be preordered now.
News & events
From the desk
Progress on The Secret of CROWN, appearances, and new material posted to the archives.
For immediate release | October 15, 2026
The Secret of CROWN is available now in hardcover
Sixteen-year-old author Maya Marroquin debuts a young-adult science-fiction thriller that asks: Did it understand the assignment?
October 15, 2026. Distant Star Books announces the hardcover release of The Secret of CROWN, the debut novel by young-adult author Maya Marroquin. Written when Maya was fourteen and fifteen, the novel is a dystopian thriller about extraordinary young people, alien technology, and the freedom to decide who you are.
Twenty years after nuclear war shattered civilization, an alien probe appeared above Earth. It brought impossible materials, miraculous medicine, and knowledge capable of rebuilding a broken world. Then, for generations, it remained silent. Until now.
The Kindle edition and the paperback are both released on November 16, 2026, and are available for preorder now. The book is recommended for readers aged 13 and up.
Media contact: info@joemarroquin.com
Announcements
Latest
2026-07-20
Book progress
The Secret of CROWN enters final edits
Line edits are underway ahead of an October 15 release. The manuscript is locked for structure; what remains is language, consistency, and the last of the science notes.
2026-07-06
Archive
First declassified records posted
Six records from the CROWN provisional archive are now readable in the portal, including two that do not agree with each other.
2026-06-28
Science
Five articles live in the Evidence Archive
Genetics, intelligence, alien detection, and one honest admission that nobody can explain how the Servator stays up.
Appearances
School visits and events
No public events are currently scheduled. School visits, library programs, and book-club calls will be listed here as they are confirmed.
Invitations
All appearance requests are handled by a parent or publisher. Write to info@joemarroquin.com with the date, audience, and format.
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