**Update at the bottom of this post**
This post is written with some of our collective voices.
It’s been a crazy time these past few days. Jane from Dear Author is being sued by Ellora’s Cave.
Ellora’s Cave is suing Jane after she posted this very informative and well written post about Ellora’s Cave and their behaviour which has been reported by EC authors and past employees.
Ellora’s Cave, do you want to silence critics? Ellora’s Cave, do you want to silence your authors?
You won’t silence us.
Ellora’s Cave wants the names of anonymous commentators who spoke about their issues on the Curious Case of Ellora’s Cave at DearAuthor. *side-eyes Ellora’s Cave*
Ellora’s Cave has gone after Jane. Why could that be?
Sarah from Smart Bitches and Sunita have written posts that speculate about why Ellora’s Cave have have gone down this stupid-ass path. It’s ridiculous and it’s so infuriating. Writing this post, I’m checking myself and the words I use because there is some fear that Ellora’s Cave will take issue and come barreling after anyone who dares to speak out.
That pisses me off. Imagine an angry face. That’s me right now. ANGRY.
In one stroke, Ellora’s Cave have managed to evaporate all goodwill towards the company–what little they had considering some of the alleged behaviour they have directed and are directing towards their authors.
Some readers, bloggers and authors have decided not to review and buy any present or future books of Ellora’s Cave.
At the Bookpushers, we have made a decision not to review any titles of Ellora’s Cave. On a personal note, some of us have made the decision not to buy any present or future books of Ellora’s Cave. We’re very sorry to these authors. We’re sorry you’re trapped in this clusterfuck. We’re just damn sorry all around :(. If you have non-Ellora’s Cave titles we are still open to considering them for review.
We find this situation really sad and disappointing because for a lot of readers Ellora’s Cave was one of the earliest e-publishers where we bought our first ebooks and discovered a lot of our favourite authors. This was a publisher that was ahead of the erotic romance wave that we see today. But we can’t support a publisher that does this to a blogger that has stood up for readers and authors rights in the past. This lawsuit was used to intimidate and threaten not only Jane, who reported what was publicly said and what was on record, but this action was also used to silence others and we can’t support or condone this in any way.
We also saw authors gloat and cackle over this lawsuit because they had issues with Dear Author in the past. Yet they were grateful and glad when one author who was plagiarized was given support and given help to track down the plagiarist by Dear Author.
To those authors, you are not a part of our awesome community. Your glee was a sickening and shitty thing to do because these authors could find themselves in the same situation as the authors from Ellora’s Cave (many are NYT authors as well as indies/hybrid too). The state of publishing is ever-changing and there is a lot problems and issues arising from the future of self publishing, digital publishing as well as traditional. We need bloggers like Dear Author because many authors don’t get a voice to highlight important topics and aspects in publishing. To those authors that take glee in Ellora’s Cave’s lawsuit because it’s directed at Jane, shame on you. Author’s livelihood are at stake. I repeat, shame on you. We will not be supporting you.
Here are some other great posts that are a must-read:
http://www.kaetrinsmusings.com/2014/09/echoing-the-streisand-effect.html
http://the-digital-reader.com/2014/09/26/elloras-cave-sues-dear-author-book-blog-defamation/
http://wendythesuperlibrarian.blogspot.com/2014/09/little-miss-crabby-pants-is-almost.html
http://deirdre.net/elloras-cave-author-exodus-support-thread/
Update: Jane is asking for help. Please go to this link for updated information.
Second Update: Thanks to Sarah from Smart Bitches Loves Trashy Books. There is now a Gofundme legal defense fund being set up for Jane/Dear Author. To donate and offer support click here.
I’ve also started an Ellora’s Cave Author Exodus Support Thread:
http://deirdre.net/elloras-cave-author-exodus-support-thread/
I have not been around the internet much lately, but Facebook directed me to some articles and the comments about this case. It is so disappointing and frightening. As I don’t read erotica, I have never had dealings with Ellora’s Cave. But suiing a blogger goes too far. They should apologize and come clean with those authors and other professnionals they are not paying. Why don’t those authors and other professionals not unite and stand strong together? Are they so afraid of a company? Are they not in the right?
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Brava for standing up and speaking out too!
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@aurian: They have many reasons to be afraid, and rightly so. Look at EC suing Dear Author. That there is reason enough to afraid when your have a publisher who holds power over you.
@Deirdre Saoirse Moen: Thanks! I’ve added your link to the post.
@azteclady: Thank you! Can you believe that I was nervous when compiling this post? I’ve also added your post to the links.
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***APPLAUSE***
And a round of fuck-off fist-bumps. Thank you for taking a stand!
Wow. I hadn’t heard. Can’t imagine what EC is thinking. Thanks for the post.
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I kind of love how EC’s action has spurred exactly the opposite of what they wanted. Although I’m very sorry that Jane has to go through this BS.
I just heard about all this late yesterday and was shocked at the ridiculousness of it all. Over the past 4 or 5 years book blogs have become an important part of my reading experience and it angers me that one of the sites I frequent is under fire for reporting facts. It seems like such a bizarre thing for someone who wants to sell books to do because all it did was push me not to ever buy from them again.
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There’s an old military proverb (which is also applicable for playgrounds, busstops and, in this case, the Interwebz) and that’s if you’re going to declare war that you’d better be ready to actually fight because odds are, you’re probably underestimating how badly the other side wants to drill you in your fucking face.
And hats off to the folks at Bookpushers for picking this up and running with it. I have a new book blog to “favorite” now.
Thank you for taking a stand.
@Spazp: *fist-bumps* If EC wants to fuck with the entire romance community, then let them hear us roar.
@Samantha Ann King: I don’t think even EC knows what it’s doing, other than pissing off an entire community.
@Kaetrin: Considering EC were one of the first e-publishing start-ups, they’re dense in how the internet works. Yes, poor Jane :(. #teamdearauthor
@Erin Burns: Thank you!
@D.L. Shutter: EC must be a glutton for punishment. And thank you!
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As an author and a reader, thank you for taking a stand. EC is digging its own grave. And I agree that all EC authors, editors, artists, etc. should consider a class action suit against EC who is withholding funds, i.e. committing fraud.
As simply a person, I’m grateful people like you are out there, bloggers who aren’t afraid to speak out. Free speech is one of the cornerstones of basic liberties, and no one person (Tina Engler) should be allowed to determine what that is.
It’s so unfortunate that through punishing EC, by not buying EC books, we, the authors, are really the ones being punished.
@Kaenar Langford:
The EC authors have our deepest sympathies and we will certainly read and review their non EC books – I follow quite a few authors and it hurts to do this as a reader/supporter. But we can’t honestly support or condone what EC is doing and especially with the way they’ve dealt with their issues and problems by suing a blogger who has helped out authors and bloggers in the past in similar situations. This sets a dangerous precedent and its not good for the state of publishing or for readers and authors.
I’m an Ellora’s Cave author. Once that was something I was very proud of, but now, not so much, although I am proud of the books I’ve written for them. So proud that I’ve asked for the reversion of all my titles.
When you sign with a publisher, you are supposed to research them and make a reasonable assumption. Tina has been, shall we say, eccentric for years and that was obvious to anyone doing a Google search. I joined the company after she’d stepped back and let her mother take charge of day-to-day business, but several factors have led to the company basically running out of money.
It’s been fun, I can’t deny that. I’m just sorry it had to end this way.
I do have books elsewhere, and I’ve had the pleasure of indulging myself back in the historical. Obviously this descent at EC has meant a plummeting income, so the best thing people can do if they want to support us is to buy our books that are available elsewhere.
There aren’t any Ellora’s Cave books on my website any more. Go and browse, and maybe you’ll find something to enjoy there. And thanks again.
@Lynne Connolly:
I am really sorry you have to go through this, but funny enough I recently finished reading your Rose and Richard series which I really enjoyed and I am huge sucker for romance series with the same couple. I hope you do get the rights to your books back and I will definitely be checking out more!
@Has: Thank you, you made my day! The Richard and Rose books, and my other historicals are from Samhain and Kensington so they’re not part of the EC muddle!
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One of these days that bitch is going to piss off some writer who has nothing left to lose. Ruin my career? What career? Ruin me financially? What’s zero from zero? Have me kicked out of school, stalked, followed, my house broken into, my family and pets threatened?
What else you got? Cause I got hard drives.