{{Short description|American independent erotic fiction publisher}} {{Infobox publisher | image = | parent = | status = Defunct 2016 | founded = 2000 | founder = Tina Engler | successor = | country = United States | headquarters = Akron, Ohio | distribution = | keypeople = | publications = E-books, Books | topics = | genre = Erotica, Romance | imprints = | revenue = | numemployees = | nasdaq = | url = {{URL|http://www.jasminejade.com}} }}
'''Ellora's Cave''' was an independent erotic fiction publisher. It was launched in 2000, and initially published in e-book only format and later moved into print. Ellora's Cave published in several genres, which included but were not limited to adult romance, erotica, erotica for men, non-fiction, and traditional romance.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Ellora's Cave Now accepting new genres!|url = https://www.ellorascave.com/|website = www.ellorascave.com|access-date = 2016-02-02}}</ref>
== History == The publisher launched in 2000 and initially published erotic fiction, which they dubbed and trademarked "romantica",<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ellorascave.com/whatisromantica.asp |website=Elloras Cave Romantica Publishing |title=What is Romantica? |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070123080509/http://www.ellorascave.com/whatisromantica.asp |archive-date=2007-01-23 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Trademark 78190485 |publisher=United States Patent and Trademark Office |date=2006-04-18 |work=TARR Webserver Database |url=http://tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?regser=serial&entry=78190485 |access-date=2008-03-29 }}</ref> in e-book only format. Their business model was met with success, which Fayetteville State University professor Sarah S.G. Frantz credited to the publisher offering material that authors and readers would not be able to publish or purchase in many other places.<ref>{{Cite book|title = New Approaches to Popular Romance Fiction: Critical Essays|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=OSAgWRwoU5YC|publisher = McFarland|date = 2012-03-05|isbn = 9780786489671|language = en|first1 = Sarah S. G.|last1 = Frantz|first2 = Eric Murphy|last2 = Selinger|page = 47}}</ref> Ellora's Cave later moved into print and in 2012 sold an estimated 200,000 books per month, with their best-selling subgenre stated as BDSM erotic romance.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ibtimes.com/elloras-cave-ceo-talks-fifty-shades-grey-and-rise-erotic-romance-751033 |work=International Business Times|title= Ellora's Cave CEO Talks 'Fifty Shades Of Grey' And The Rise Of Erotic Romance |author=Costanza, Justine Ashley |date=August 20, 2012 }}</ref>
In 2013 the publisher began experiencing a drop in revenue, which continued into the following year.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title = Did Amazon Sink the Queen of Online Erotica?|url = http://www.vulture.com/2015/02/amazon-tina-engler-erotica.html#|website = Vulture|access-date = 2016-02-02|last = Reilly|first = Phoebe}}</ref> Ellora's Cave's founder Tina Engler credited this drop to Amazon, particularly their Kindle Direct Publishing program.<ref name=":0" /> Citing a decline in sales, the publisher reduced their staff and eliminated several projects in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Ellora's Cave Cuts Staff, Blames Big Amazon Sales Drop|url = http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/retailing/article/63757-ellora-s-cave-cuts-staff-blames-big-amazon-sales-drop.html|website = Publishers Weekly|access-date = 2016-02-02|last = Reid|first = Calvin}}</ref> That same year the book blog Dear Author published an article about the company's financial issues entitled "The Curious Case of Ellora's Cave", which made several claims, including one that authors were not receiving royalty checks.<ref>{{Cite news|title = Erotica publisher Ellora's Cave sues Dear Author book blog|url = http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-et-jc-erotica-publisher-elloras-cave-sues-dear-author-book-blog-20140929-story.html|newspaper = LA Times|access-date = 2016-02-02|last = Kellogg|first = Carolyn| date=29 September 2014 }}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title = Erotica Publisher Sues Blogger For Exposing Its Financial Problems|url = https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20141003/09073428719/erotica-publisher-sues-blogger-exposing-its-financial-problems.shtml|website = Techdirt.|access-date = 2016-02-02|last = Cushing|first = Tim| date=8 October 2014 }}</ref> Ellora's Cave responded to the claims, calling them false and filed a defamation lawsuit against Dear Author, citing that the blog irreparably damaged the company.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title = Ellora's Cave Files Libel Suit Against Dear Author Blog|url = http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/64178-ellora-s-cave-files-libel-suit-against-dear-author-blog.html|website = Publishers Weekly|access-date = 2016-02-02|last = Reid|first = Calvin}}</ref> They also stated that the royalty checks were not sent out due to issues with new accounting software.<ref name=":2" /> Dear Author responded by filing a counter claim.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|title = Ellora's Cave, Dear Author Blogger File Counter Claims|url = http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/67959-ellora-s-cave-dear-author-blog-file-counter-claims-for-summary-ruling.html|website = Publishers Weekly|access-date = 2016-02-02|last = Reid|first = Calvin}}</ref> The suit was settled in 2015, with the terms confidential.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Ellora's Cave, Dear Author Blogger Settle Defamation Suit|url = http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/newsbrief/index.html?record=477|website = Publishers Weekly|access-date = 2016-02-02}}</ref> Ellora's Cave threatened the Romance Writers of America in May 2016 with a defamation suit over allegations made by the RWA claiming that Ellora's Cave was not paying their authors their full royalties.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Hoffelder|first1=Nate|title=Ellora's Cave Now Threatening RWA With Bogus Defamation Lawsuit|url=http://the-digital-reader.com/2016/05/21/elloras-cave-now-threatening-rwa-with-bogus-defamation-lawsuit/|website=The Digital Reader|access-date=13 February 2017|date=21 May 2016}}</ref>
In October 2016 author Stacia Kane posted on her website that Ellora's Cave had begun the process of closing and on December 31, 2016 Ellora's Cave shuttered their operations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.staciakane.net/2016/10/05/stuff-and-things-farewell/|title=Stuff, Things, and a Farewell to Ellora's Cave|last=Kane|first=Stacia|website=StaciaKane.net|access-date=2017-03-01}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cranehanabooks.com/blog/2016/10/04/elloras-cave-update/|title=Ellora's Cave update|date=2016-10-05|work=Crane Hana Books|access-date=2017-03-01|language=en-US}}</ref>
== Notable authors from Ellora's Cave == *Jaid Black *Sylvia Day *Shoshanna Evers *Stacia Kane *Angela Knight *Lora Leigh *December Quinn *Shiloh Walker *Kord Stone *Sinful Mead
==See also== *List of authors of erotic works
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{official website|http://www.ellorascave.com/}}
Category:Erotic publishers Category:Romance book publishing companies Category:Defunct book publishing companies of the United States