08/16/2026
Official statement from Dragon Crown and ScreamCatcher Books:
We are alarmed to see the growing number of false a accusations being made against authors, wrongly alleging that they have used AI.
Some of these accusations come from bots that are themselves run by AI programs, which are notoriously flawed. Others come from amateur AI sleuths who falsely claim to have expertise in ferreting out AI. They just supposedly "know it when they see it," and who are we to question?
This is who: We are Dragon Crown Books, a small publisher run by Stephen H. Provost, Author and Sharon Marie Provost, Author with more than 70 published titles.
Let me be clear: Dragon Crown Books does not use AI in any element of its publishing business. Not a single word of our writing is AI. I have written more than 2 million words in 32 years as a professional journalist and 13 more as an author. My style is very recognizable. Our covers use our own photography, public domain images, stock images vetted as being non-AI, and professional artists of the highest caliber.
For instance, Steven Saylor is a well-known, celebrated artist and a good friend of mine, whom I have employed to illustrate two covers and a book. He is so good at what he does that some of his work -- done BEFORE AI was invented -- has been mistaken for photography. This was not someone I found on Fivrr. He has operated his own studio for decades, working in a wide variety of media, from sketches to watercolors.
He is so well-regarded that he has been chosen as grand marshal of this year's Nevada Day Parade. He sends preliminary sketches of his work to me for approval or changes, which I have kept for my own records.
Our refusal to use AI is NOT a reaction to online anti-AI vigilantism. It is entirely a matter of integrity -- and the fact that we enjoy the process of REAL writing immensely. This vigilantism will not stop AI. What it IS doing is calling into question the work of authors, potentially damaging their integrity concerning the thing of which they are most proud and damaging their ability to make a living -- which is hard enough as an author without having to fend off these accusations.
Just as we stand for integrity against AI by refusing to use it, we stand for integrity against false and unsupported accusations.
The sad thing is, such accusations stick whether they are true or not. You can keep as many receipts as you want, but most people have neither the time nor the energy to investigate or verify/debunk them. They simply take them at face value and spread them.
As the publishers of Dragon Crown and ScreamCatcher books, we will have no part in either making or spreading such accusations. Even if the war against AI were winnable, the collateral damage is unacceptable.
It's a lot easier to tear someone down than build them up. We prefer to build fellow authors up. It's far more work than spouting unfounded accusations, but it's also far more rewarding. Quite simply, we prefer to be involved in positive work than participate in the culture of negativity, anger, and self-righteous blame that has become so prevalent online.
Blacklisting authors based on false or unproven accusations will not stop AI. Neither will blacklisting those who support those authors or buy their books. We do not believe in guilt by association based on unsupported hearsay.
We DO believe in due process, the presumption of innocence, and the idea that the burden of proof rests with the accuser, not the accused. These are not merely our values; they are values upon which this country was founded. Others are willing to sacrifice them on the dual altars of expedience and outrage. We will not.
It's a simple matter of integrity.
