Stellan Erikkson is about to become the biggest thing to hit the New York art scene since Warhol. His dark and sinister creations have landed him a showing at one of the city’s premier galleries, and the art world is abuzz with the prospect of viewing his twisted yet stunning pieces up close. But Stellan craves more. The pieces he plans to display in New York are but a trifle compared to those that reflect his true passion for the Dark Arts: works that require great sacrifice… Human sacrifice.

Stellan only dares display these gruesome portrayals on the dark web: visual symphonies of human flesh, blood, bone, and sinew arranged by his own brilliant mind into masterpieces of unsurpassed gore and beauty. Just how far is he willing to go? And how far will his adversaries go to stop him?

Dark Arts, the debut novel from Sharon Marie Provost, is a thrilling and terrifying game of cat-and-mouse pitting a brilliant and sociopathic serial killer against a cop with a personal score to settle. From the author of the terrifying short-story collection Shadow's Gate and the co-author of Christmas Nightmare's Eve, All Hallows' Nightmare's Eve, and the two-volume Shades of Love.

AVAILABLE in PAPERBACK, EBOOK, and KEEPSAKE HARDBOUND EDITIONS

Newest releases

The Comstock Chronicles

Without Virginia City and the Comstock Lode, Nevada wouldn't have become a state—at least not nearly as soon as it did. Samuel Clemens might never have become Mark Twain. And the Bonanza TV show would never have been made. The story of the Comstock is the story of the biggest silver mining boom ever, sustained, incredibly, over two full decades. It's the story of pioneering prospectors, heroic miners, and scheming millionaires. It's the story of a city that grew from a tent encampment to a metropolis in a few short years, boasting a six-story hotel, several newspapers, an iconic opera house, brothels, churches, and a hundred saloons. Men came from Ireland, Cornwall, Mexico, Germany, and China to work the mines for $4 a day. Some got rich. Many more got drunk. Virginia City was the incubator for a new style of reporting called "sagebrush journalism," which was equal parts barroom gossip, commentary, satire, and some very tall tales. The Comstock Chronicles tells the story of the period from 1850 to 1880, when silver was king and bonanzas made millionaires of men like John Mackay and George Hearst. The author uses a chronological format to trace the development of Virginia City, Gold Hill, and the surrounding area, while touching on true tales of the intrigue and inspiration, comedy and tragedy that occurred along the way. Illustrated with numerous historical and modern images, The Comstock Chronicles is the story of Nevada's birth and unruly childhood: a story retold to preserve the memories of a time when the West was still wild and dreams were cast in silver.

Virginia City Then & Now

The story of the Comstock Lode can be told in words, but communicated just as powerfully in pictures. Virginia City and the surrounding area helped give birth to modern Nevada, and anyone who knows where to look can see the unique story of the Comstock unfold before their eyes. Much has changed in a century and a half. Buildings have been lost to fire and rebuilt. Fortunes have been made and lost. Mines have been carved out and abandoned. Men and women have come and gone, with the population swelling as high as 25,000 before settling down to a fraction of that, with fewer than 1,000 residents remaining. But many remnants and relics of bygone days remain, monuments to a time when silver was king and bonanzas made millionaires out of miners and bankers. Virginia City Then & Now uses hundreds of historical and contemporary photos to tell the story of the Comstock's growth, decline, and modern renaissance. Images displayed side by side show the Wild West of the Comstock boom, years of neglect in the mid-20th century, and the modern National Monument that draws thousands upon thousands of visitors each year. Virginia City Then & Now is a study in contrast and consistency, a road map of where to look for the guideposts of history and unlock the treasures they still hold.

Explore historic Virginia City and the region with this two-volume set by Stephen H. Provost, AVAILABLE in PAPERBACK and FULL-COLOR KEEPSAKE HARDBOUND EDITIONS.

  • ALL HALLOWS' NIGHTMARE'S EVE

    HORROR / SUSPENSE

    Halloween isn't just child's play when it comes to trick or treat. Sometimes, the tricks can be deadly, and the treat can be just making it through till morning. Whether your greatest fear is spending the night in a haunted asylum, confronting the Grim Reaper, getting lost in a house of horrors, or dealing with those tiny terrors bent on mischief, you'll confront it in the pages of this volume. Venture not hastily across the veil. Dangers lie beyond that few mere mortals have imagined. Sharon Marie Provost and Stephen H. Provost present their second collaboration of short horror stories, and the fourth collection in their Nightmare's Eve series: a dozen Halloween- and Samhain-themed tales to keep you up on dark autumn nights.

    AVAILABLE in PAPERBACK and EBOOK, including KINDLE UNLIMITED

  • SHADOW'S GATE

    HORROR / SUSPENSE

    Darkness is falling, and the sun, sinking low in the sky, creates long shadows across your path. Those shadows lead you to the gate of an abandoned mansion, which houses secrets scarcely fathomable to the human mind. Are you brave enough to learn those secrets? If so, delve into this collection of twisted tales birthed in graveyards and ghost towns; on the high seas with ancient mariners; and up in the attic, where unexplained noises rouse suspicion—and inspire fear. Be assured, that fear is warranted. Sharon Marie Provost presents this selection of shadowy tales that range from the mind-bending to the macabre, from the spooky to the sinister. You stand at Shadow's Gate. Enter if you dare.

    AVAILABLE in PAPERBACK and EBOOK, including KINDLE UNLIMITED

  • FRESNO GROWING UP

    HISTORY

    Stephen H. Provost presents this new expanded version of his 2015 release, Fresno Growing Up, packed with new and updated information, a new format and more than 80 new images. Fresno Growing Up is the first book to tell the story of Fresno during those memorable days when the city was growing up—and so were we. From Al Radka to Christmas Tree Lane, from Harpain's Dairy to Fresno State, the author surveys the businesses, malls, restaurants, movie houses, personalities, athletes, musicians, and more that made Fresno fun.

    AVAILABLE in PAPERBACK, EBOOK, and COLOR KEEPSAKE HARDCOVER

  • BONANZA HIGHWAY

    HISTORY

    If you want to know how Nevada came into its own during the 20th century, U.S. Highway 95 is a great place to start. That state's longest road, running from the Oregon border to its southern tip, is also its richest. Hence, the name Bonanza Highway. A tour of U.S. 95 will take you through fertile lands watered by the Newlands Reclamation Act near Fallon, down past the old boomtowns of Tonopah and Goldfield, then on to Las Vegas and the Hoover Dam. Bonanza Highway: U.S. 95, Nevada's Road to Riches, is the fifth volume in Stephen H. Provost’s Highways of the West series, illustrated more than 550 contemporary and historical images. And there certainly is plenty to see.

    AVAILABLE in PAPERBACK and COLOR KEEPSAKE HARDCOVER

  • CHINESE CAMP

    HISTORY

    Black Bart satisfied his sweet tooth with candy from the local mercantile. Bret Harte likely wrote about it. John Studebaker is said to have apprenticed to the town's blacksmith. Mark Twain and Joaquin Murrieta stopped by. An exiled Polish count welcomed guests to the hotel, and more than 3,000 Chinese miners fought California's first Tong war here. It was the Crossroads of the Southern Mines, the gateway to Yosemite, and a hub for stagecoach lines and a gathering spot for miners, merchants, outlaws, opium dealers, and ladies of the evening. But the gold fever eventually broke, and today, the ghosts of Chinese Camp, whether restless spirits or mere echoes of the past, have cast an eerie pall over empty streets and abandoned buildings. Stephen H. Provost explores this unique stop on California Highway 49 at 120.

    AVAILABLE in PAPERBACK, EBOOK, or COLOR KEEPSAKE HARDCOVER editions

  • CHRISTMAS NIGHTMARE'S EVE

    HORROR / SUSPENSE

    Continuing in the tradition of the critically lauded Nightmare's Eve, Stephen H. Provost and Sharon Marie Provost present a collection of chilling and thought-provoking stories perfect for fans of The Twilight Zone and Black Mirror. Flights of fancy and tales of whimsy are interspersed among the night terrors—a welcome but brief respite from your growing unease. There's enough fear and foreboding here to scare the Christmas stockings off even the jolliest old elf. Welcome, dear friends, to Christmas Nightmare's Eve, when time stands still at the witching hour between Krampusnacht and St. Nicholas Day... and leaves you stranded, helpless, between the waking world and oblivion. Not even a Christmas miracle can save you.

    AVAILABLE in PAPERBACK or EBOOK, and on KINDLE UNLIMITED

  • HEARTBREAKER

    MYSTERY / CRIME

    The first in Ken Sutherland’s series of Chuck Donnegan mysteries. On the morning of the devastating Sylmar Earthquake, pop sensation Vicki La Monica is found dead in her Hollywood Hills home. Police call it an overdose. Vicki's father won't buy it. Donnegan, a retired LAPD homicide detective, knows his daughter would never take drugs. He dives into the ultra-hip world of the seventies music scene and begins a citywide search for Vicki's missing boyfriend. But Chuck's public criticism of the police causes the media to focus on Chuck. They brand him “The Vigilante Dad,” follow him everywhere and train cameras on his every move. And now someone wants him dead.

    AVAILABLE in PAPERBACK and eBOOK

  • BALANCE: The 200-Year Journey of Andrew Crawford

    SCIENCE FICTION

    Dragon Crown presents the debut novel from Ken Sutherland, whose short story “SWOOP!” was a finalist for the 2023 John Steinbeck Award. The 200-Year Journey of Andrew Crawford begins with a knock on the head and a psychic prediction that Andrew will save a life, take a life, and lose a life on a journey through time. He thinks he is dreaming about time travel, living as a soldier in 1943 and an Irish immigrant in 1856. But when he lands in 1790, on the wrong side of the French Revolution, Andrew realizes this is no dream. He is not time traveling. He is reliving his own past lives. And Aunt Bonnie’s prophecy is coming true.

    AVAILABLE in PAPERBACK or EBOOK, and on KINDLE UNLIMITED

The Road to Adventure Begins Here!

Dragon Crown Books, Ltd. publishes select titles from established and emerging authors of note. We offer distinguished works of fiction and non-fiction on a wealth of topics, available through Amazon and fine local retailers.

Fiction

Dragon Crown is your home for exciting genre fiction, ranging from dystopian science fiction like Crimson Scourge, left, to fantasy from titles such as The Talismans of Time and mind-bending horror/suspense in the Nightmare’s Eve series. From short stories to full-length novels and series, Dragon Crown has it all.

Making Magic

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Making History

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Making Magic

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Making Magic • Making History • Making Magic •

Non-Fiction

Dragon Crown specializes in non-fiction titles, offering titles on highway history (America’s Loneliest Road, part of the Highways of the West series, left), biography, sports and music. We also offer ten volumes on the 20th century history of small and middle-sized American cities—from Fresno to Roanoke—in our Century Cities collection.

Coming soon from Dragon Crown!

Lief Sorbye & the story of Tempest

Lief Sorbye’s official biography chronicles his fascinating life as a musician. Lief joins forces with Stephen H. Provost to tell his story, including a behind-the-scenes history of seminal electric folk-rock band Tempest.

Gold Rush Road: California Hwy. 49

Follow in the footsteps of the ’49ers and legends like Mark Twain, Bret Harte, and John C. Fremont on the Golden Chain Highway. Visit old old boom towns like Chinese Camp along the road from Oakhurst north across the Yuba Pass.

More dark tales on Nightmare’s Eve

Sharon Marie Provost and Stephen H. Provost present still more dark and chilling short stories in the tradition of The Twilight Zone and Black Mirror. From vampires to ghosts to serial killers, these are classic horror tales with a twist.

The ACES online bookshop

The ACES online bookshop is a hub showcasing writers from Northern Nevada. Dragon Crown Books publisher Stephen H. Provost founded the ACES initiative with the goal of helping local readers discover local authors. As part of that initiative, Dragon Crown Books produced “The ACES Anthology 2023,” featuring 25 short stories and poems from authors across the region. Find the ACES bookshop at acesofnorthernnevada.com.

Meet the authors

  • STEPHEN H. PROVOST

    PUBLISHER-CEO / AUTHOR

    Stephen H. Provost writes historical nonfiction and fantasy adventures. A journalist with more than 30 years of experience and a former educator, he is the author of more than 50 books. From 1986 to 2018, he worked as an editor, reporter, and columnist at four daily newspapers in California, including as news editor at The Fresno Bee and managing editor of The Cambrian. He is the founder and publisher of Dragon Crown Books.

  • SHARON MARIE PROVOST

    CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER / AUTHOR

    Sharon Marie Provost is the chief operating officer of Dragon Crown Books Ltd., in charge of promotion, marketing, and distribution. She is the co-author of the 2023 release Christmas Nightmare’s Eve., a work that includes seven of her short stories and her novella The Last Train to Clarksville. She also wrote the foreword to Stephen H. Provost’s Sierra Highway and served as co-editor of The ACES Anthology 2023, a project highlighting the works of Northern Nevada writers. Sharon is a longtime resident of Carson City, Nevada.

  • LIEF SORBYE

    AUTHOR / COLLABORATOR

    Lief Sorbye is the lead singer, and multi-instrumentalist of Celtic rock band Tempest. A native of Oslo, Norway, he is working on his authorized biography, co-authored with Stephen H. Provost, to be released on Dragon Crown Books in 2024-25. Sorbye founded Tempest in 1988 after a stint with Celtic folk band Golden Bough in the early 1980s. He lives in Oakland, California, with his wife Patricia and their intelligent cats, Loki and Sigyn.

  • KEN SUTHERLAND

    AUTHOR

    Ken Sutherland is a retired broadcasting and advertising executive. He grew up in Northern California, and worked all over the United States. He now lives in Reno, Nevada, with his wife, Alene. Sutherland was selected as a top 3 finalist for the prestigious 2024 John Steinbeck Award for Fiction for his story “SWOOP!” which appeared in The ACES Anthology 2023, published by Dragon Crown. His debut novel, BALANCE: The 200-Year Journey of Andrew Crawford, was published in 2023 on Dragon Crown Books.

  • MOLLY KAZMER

    COLLABORATOR

    Molly Kazmer worked extensively with Stephen H. Provost on her authorized biography, The Legend of Molly Bolin, Women’s Pro Basketball Trailblazer, released in 2020 on Dragon Crown Books. Molly She was the first player to sign a contract in the first women’s professional basketball league, paving the way for the WNBA. She set records for the most points in a season, in a game, and in a playoff game that still stand four decades later. She currently works as a Realtor in Southern California.

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