Erika Mitchell, born on March 7, 1963, is a British author known by her pen name E.L. James. She gained worldwide fame for her best-selling Fifty Shades series, a collection of erotic romance novels that became a multimedia sensation, including a successful film trilogy.
E.L. James: The Author Behind Fifty Shades
Before delving into the Fifty Shades series, James authored "Master of the Universe," a Twilight fan fiction published under the pseudonym Snowqueens Icedragon. This fan fiction served as the foundation for the Fifty Shades novels. In 2019, James diverged from the world of Fifty Shades with her book "The Mister," which received negative critical feedback.
The Fifty Shades books have achieved immense success, selling over 150 million copies globally, with over 35 million copies sold in the United States alone. They also hold the record for the fastest-selling paperback in the United Kingdom. In 2012, Time magazine recognized James as one of "The World's 100 Most Influential People."
James attributes the inspiration for the Fifty Shades trilogy to the Twilight vampire novel series. After watching the Twilight movie in late 2008 and immersing herself in the novels, she embarked on writing a sequel. Discovering the world of fan fiction in 2009 motivated her to publish her work as Kindle books under the pen name "Snowqueens Icedragon." From August 2009 onwards, she focused on crafting the Fifty Shades series.
The overwhelming success of the books caught James by surprise, describing the trilogy as her "midlife crisis, writ large." She began writing in January 2009, after completing the Twilight saga, and her engagement with FanFiction.Net further fueled her creative output.
In August 2013, James topped Forbes' list of highest-earning authors, with earnings totaling $95 million, including $5 million for the film rights to Fifty Shades of Grey.
