Ellora's Cave Publishing was launched in November 2000 by Tina M. Engler, who writes under the USA Today Bestselling pseudonym Jaid Black. EC is the world's first & foremost publisher of erotic romance books for women and has been featured in numerous media outlets including Forbes, the Washington Post, Publisher's Weekly & the Montel Show. Ellora's Cave was the first digital house officially recognized by RWA (Romance Writers of America) as a legitimate publisher.

While the current e-book boom in the United States and abroad is a culmination of many factors, the pivotal role Ellora's Cave and Ms. Engler played in it is not to be overlooked. "The digital publishers around at the time EC opened were few and far between, and not known for pulling in large numbers of customers," says Engler. "Sadly, most of them ended up closing."

So how did Ellora's Cave do it?

"Authors of traditional mysteries, romances and sci-fi books kept asking me what my secret is," she continued. "I always replied with the same pat answer: I provide something online that readers can't find offline. Until e-books as a whole catch on, customers are not going to flock to digital publishers for books they can get in a brick and mortar store."

But flock to Ellora's Cave they did... in droves! 

"You could find erotica in bookstores. You could find romance in bookstores. You could not find erotic romance," added Patricia Marks, Engler's mother and the CEO of Ellora's Cave Publishing. "Erotic romance, or as we've branded it, Romantica®, didn't exist until Tina came along."

After trendsetting its way into the new millennium and adding 800+ authors to the roster, it was only a matter of time before Ellora's Cave offered their customers and writers a way to come together and celebrate the genre. RomantiCon®, heading into its 5th year, is the annual four day long convention that resulted from that eventuality. "There's a ton of conferences out there aimed at romance readers," enthuses Lisa Marie Gray, EC's director of Events, "but there is nothing like us!"

Indeed, RomantiCon® is a four day palooza of eating, drinking, parties, performances, Cavemen, prizes, Games & SEXtras™ that attracts women ranging in age from their early twenties to their late seventies. Sunday's SEXporium™, a fusion of book fair, vendors, and dancing performances, is open to the general public, but has a strictly enforced adults only policy.

"What are you waiting for?" Gray adds with contagious exuberance. "Register today!" 

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