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'{{short description|English author}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}} {{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see [[:Template:Infobox writer/doc]] --> | image = E. L. James - 2019 (cropped).jpg | caption = E. L. James at the [[London Book Fair|2019 London Book Fair]] | pseudonym = E. L. James <br/> Snowqueens Icedragon | birth_name = Erika Mitchell | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1963|03|07|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Willesden]], [[London]], England | citizenship = | education = [[Wycombe High School]] | alma_mater = [[University of Kent]] | occupation = [[Author]] | genre = [[Romance novel|Romance]], [[erotica]], [[fan fiction]] | years_active = 2011&ndash;present | website = {{URL|eljamesauthor.com}} | spouse = {{marriage|Niall Leonard|1987}} | children = 2 | signature = }} '''Erika Mitchell''' (born 7 March 1963),<ref name="Brennan" /><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-el-james-2015-2|title=Meet the author behind the steamy 'Fifty Shades Of Grey' phenomenon|work=[[Business Insider]]|date=13 September 2016|access-date=26 May 2018}}</ref> known by her [[pen name]] '''E. L. James''', is an English author. She wrote the best-selling [[erotic romance novels|erotic romance]] [[Fifty Shades trilogy|trilogy]] ''[[Fifty Shades of Grey]]'', ''[[Fifty Shades Darker]]'', and ''[[Fifty Shades Freed]]'',<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/22/books/fifty-shades-of-grey-by-e-l-james-in-demand-at-libraries.html?pagewanted=all|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=21 May 2012|title=Libraries Debate Stocking 'Fifty Shades of Grey' Trilogy|author=Julie Bosman}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://entertainment.time.com/2012/03/29/the-shy-british-mum-behind-50-shades-of-grey/|work=Time Magazine|title=The Shy British Mum Behind 50 Shades of Grey | date=29 March 2012}}</ref> along with the companion novels ''[[Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as Told by Christian]]'', ''[[Darker: Fifty Shades Darker as Told by Christian]]'', and ''[[Freed: Fifty Shades Freed as Told by Christian]]''. Prior to this, she wrote the ''[[Twilight (novel series)|Twilight]]'' fan fiction "Master of the Universe" that served as the basis for the ''[[Fifty Shades]]'' trilogy under the web name '''Snowqueens Icedragon'''. In 2019, her first book to not be a part of the Fifty Shades trilogy, ''[[The Mister]]'', was published, to negative critical reception.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/apr/17/el-james-the-mister-fifty-shades-of-grey-sex-romance-immigrant|title=EL James's The Mister – turns out books and sex can be this bad|first=Sian|last=Cain|date=17 April 2019|via=www.theguardian.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://jezebel.com/e-l-jamess-the-mister-fucks-a-duck-1834456299|title=E.L. James's The Mister Fucks a Duck|first=Kelly|last=Faircloth|website=Jezebel}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2019/04/e-l-james-the-mister-review/587515/|title=The Indelible Awfulness of E. L. James's 'The Mister'|first=Sophie|last=Gilbert|date=18 April 2019|website=The Atlantic}}</ref> The ''Fifty Shades'' novels have sold over 125&nbsp;million copies worldwide, over 35&nbsp;million copies in the United States and set the record in the United Kingdom as the fastest selling paperback of all time.<ref>{{cite news|title=Fifty Shades of Grey author EL James now worth £37m|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jun/27/fifty-shades-of-grey-el-james-fortune|newspaper=The Guardian|date=2 April 2017}}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20121126170101/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2128881_2128882_2129207,00.html Who Should be Time's Person of the Year 2012? E.L. James].</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.salon.com/2013/01/10/fifty_shades_of_grey_coming_in_hardcover/ |title="Fifty Shades of Grey" coming in hardcover |work=Salon.com |date=10 January 2013 |access-date=6 July 2013}}</ref> In 2012, [[Time magazine|''Time'']] magazine named her one of "The World's 100 Most Influential People."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120419071848/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2111975_2111976_2112140,00.html The World's 100 Most Influential People].</ref> The novels were subsequently adapted into the films ''[[Fifty Shades of Grey (film)|Fifty Shades of Grey]]'', ''[[Fifty Shades Darker (film)|Fifty Shades Darker]]'', and ''[[Fifty Shades Freed (film)|Fifty Shades Freed]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Belloni|first=Matthew|title=Universal Chairman Wants 'Fifty Shades' for Summer 2014, More 'Bourne' and 'Van Helsing' Reboot (Q&A)|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/universal-chairman-wants-fifty-shades-422217|work=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=18 June 2013|date=20 February 2013}}</ref> ==Early life== Erika Mitchell was born on 7 March 1963 in [[Willesden]], [[Middlesex]] to a [[Chile]]an mother and a Scottish father who was a [[BBC]] cameraman.<ref name="Brennan"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=UApJq4E1badbCI3ImSD02g&scan=1|title=Index entry|access-date=14 February 2018|work=FreeBMD|publisher=ONS}}</ref> She was brought up in [[Buckinghamshire]].<ref name="Brennan">{{cite news|last=Brennan|first=Zoe|title=EL James: The shy housewife behind Fifty Shades of Grey|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/9381428/EL-James-The-shy-housewife-behind-Fifty-Shades-of-Grey.html|issue=7 July 2012|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=6 February 2015}}</ref> James was educated at the independent [[Pipers Corner School]] and at [[Wycombe High School]], a state grammar school for girls in the town of [[High Wycombe]] in Buckinghamshire, followed by the [[University of Kent]] in [[South East England]] where she studied History.<ref name="Brennan"/> ==Career== After leaving university, James became a studio manager's assistant at the [[National Film and Television School]] in [[Beaconsfield]]. She married Niall Leonard, a novelist and screenwriter from [[Northern Ireland]], in 1987, and they have two sons. As of 2012, they reside in [[Brentford]], [[West London]].<ref name="Brennan"/><ref name = "Chicago">[http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-05-03/entertainment/ct-ent-0502-50-shades-of-grey-20120501_1_fan-fiction-book-signing-event-fans-bond Who is E L James?] ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' Retrieved 31 May 2012</ref> Leonard's ''Crusher'' (2012) was a nominee for the [[List of Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Young Adult Novel winners|Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Young Adult Novel]].<ref>[https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/224790/crusher-by-niall-leonard/ Crusher by Niall Leonard]. [[Penguin Random House]].</ref> ===''Fifty Shades'' trilogy=== {{main|Fifty Shades trilogy}} James says the idea for the ''Fifty Shades'' trilogy began as a response to the vampire novel series ''[[Twilight (novel series)|Twilight]]''. In late 2008, James saw the movie ''[[Twilight (2008 film)|Twilight]]'', and then became intensely absorbed with the novels that the movie was based on. She read the novels several times over in a period of a few days, and then, for the first time in her life, sat down to write a book: basically a sequel to the ''Twilight'' novels. Between January and August 2009, she wrote two such books in quick succession. She says she then discovered the phenomenon of [[fan fiction]], and this inspired her to publish her novels as Kindle books under the pen name "Snowqueens Icedragon". Beginning in August 2009, she then began to write the ''Fifty Shades'' books.<ref name = "Chicago"/><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120302022206/http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/46590258/ns/today-books/t/triple-x-trilogy-novels-has-women-talking-quietly/ Triple-X trilogy of novels has women talking (quietly)]. msnbc. Retrieved 31 May 2012</ref> James has spoken of her shock at the success of the books. "The explosion of interest has taken me completely by surprise" she said.<ref>[http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2012/07/16/fifty-shades-of-grey-author-e-l-james-exclusive-interview/ "Fifty Shades of Grey author E L James – Exclusive interview"] (16 July 2012) ''Shropshire Star''. Retrieved 16 July 2012</ref> James has described the ''Fifty Shades'' trilogy as "my [[midlife crisis]], writ large. All my fantasies in there, and that's it."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120420041235/http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/47066520/ns/today-books 'Fifty Shades' author 'stunned' at success of erotic trilogy] TODAY MSNBC</ref> She did not start to write until January 2009, as she revealed while still active on [[FanFiction.Net]]: "I started writing in January 2009 after I finished the Twilight saga, and I haven't stopped since. I discovered Fan Fiction in August 2009. Since then I have written my two fics and plan on doing at least one more. After that... who knows?"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/fifty-shades-of-grey-wayback-machine_b49124|title=The Lost History of Fifty Shades of Grey|work=mediabistro.com|access-date=30 June 2015|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140727045638/http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/fifty-shades-of-grey-wayback-machine_b49124|archive-date=27 July 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> In August 2013, James topped the ''[[Forbes]]''{{'}} list of the highest-earning authors due to her book sales<ref>{{cite web|title=E.L. James Seals A Spot On List of Britain's Richest Authors|url=http://www.themoviefiftyshades.com/e-l-james-earns-over-33m-in-one-year-for-fifty-shades-and-seals-a-spot-on-list-of-britains-richest-author/|publisher=[[Lia]]|access-date=23 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714213248/http://www.themoviefiftyshades.com/e-l-james-earns-over-33m-in-one-year-for-fifty-shades-and-seals-a-spot-on-list-of-britains-richest-author//|archive-date=14 July 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> with earnings of $95m which included $5m for the film rights to ''Fifty Shades of Grey''.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23681220 | title=Fifty Shades makes EL James top-earning author | work=BBC News | access-date=15 August 2013 | date=13 August 2013}}</ref> On 1 June 2015 James announced the upcoming release of ''Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as Told by Christian'', which was released into stores on 18 June 2015. ''Darker: Fifty Shades Darker as Told by Christian'' was released 28 November 2017.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=E.L. James teases Fifty Shades Darker from Christian's point of view|url=http://www.ew.com/article/2016/09/13/el-james-fifty-shades-darker-christian-point-view|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]| access-date = 9 December 2016}}</ref> In a June 2020 blog post, James mentioned working on ''Freed: Fifty Shades Freed as Told by Christian''. She also stated the book does not yet have a release date, but has since been announced to release on 1 June 2021.<ref>{{cite web |last1=James |first1=E.L. |title=Happy Birthday, Christian Grey!|url=https://www.eljamesauthor.com/happy-birthday-christian-grey/ |website=Eljamesauthor.com |date=18 June 2020|access-date=7 August 2020}}</ref> ==Charity work== James was one of the British celebrities, including [[Tom Hiddleston]], [[Benedict Cumberbatch]] and [[Rachel Riley]], to design and sign her own card for the UK children's charity kornbash [[Thomas Coram Foundation for Children]].<ref name="Coram">[http://www.coram.org.uk/news/stars-get-creative-making-'cards-keeps'-coram-0 "Celebrity card auction raises over £8,500 for Coram"]. Coram.org. Retrieved 16 February 2015</ref> The campaign was launched by crafting company Stampin' Up! UK and the cards were auctioned on [[eBay]] during May 2014.<ref name="Coram"/> ==Awards and honours== *2012 [[Time 100]] by [[Time (magazine)|''Time'']] magazine, "The 100 Most Influential People in the World"<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120419071848/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2111975_2111976_2112140,00.html The 100 Most Influential People in the World] Time Magazine. Retrieved 31 May 2012</ref> *2012 ''[[Publishers Weekly]]'' "Publishing Person of the Year".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/dec/03/el-james-publishing-person-of-the-year |title=EL James wins 'publishing person of the year' for making erotic fiction 'hot' |work=[[The Guardian]] |author=Alison Flood |date=3 December 2012 |access-date=3 December 2012 |location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/Books/chapter-and-verse/2012/1203/E-L-James-as-Publishing-Person-of-the-Year-draws-outcry-from-literary-world |title=E L James as 'Publishing Person of the Year' draws outcry from literary world |work=[[The Christian Science Monitor]] |author= Molly Driscoll |date=3 December 2012 |access-date=5 December 2012}}</ref> *2012 [[Specsavers National Book Awards|National Book Award]] (UK), "Popular Fiction Book of the Year", ''Fifty Shades of Grey''<ref name=flood2012>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/dec/05/el-james-national-books-award |title=EL James comes out on top at National Book awards |work=[[The Guardian]] |author=Alison Flood |date=5 December 2012 |access-date=5 December 2012 |location=London}}</ref> *2012 [[Specsavers National Book Awards|National Book Award]] (UK), "Book of the Year", ''Fifty Shades of Grey''<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-20599930 | title=EL James wins at National Book Awards| work=[[BBC News]]| date=4 December 2012| access-date=14 January 2013}}</ref> ==Bibliography== *''[[Fifty Shades of Grey]]'' (2011) *''[[Fifty Shades Darker]]'' (2012) *''[[Fifty Shades Freed]]'' (2012) *''[[Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as Told by Christian]]'' (2015) *''[[Darker: Fifty Shades Darker as Told by Christian]]'' (2017) *''[[The Mister]]'' (2019) *''[[Freed: Fifty Shades Freed as Told by Christian]]'' (2021) ==Filmography== {| class="wikitable" |- style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;" ! Year ! Title ! Note(s) |- |2015 |''[[Fifty Shades of Grey (film)|Fifty Shades of Grey]]'' |Producer and Cameo |- |2017 |''[[Fifty Shades Darker (film)|Fifty Shades Darker]]'' |Producer |- |2018 |''[[Fifty Shades Freed (film)|Fifty Shades Freed]]'' |Producer |- |2018 |''[[Book Club (film)|Book Club]]'' |Cameo<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/may/31/book-club-review-simulated-sexcom-for-the-over-60s |title=Book Club review – simulated sexcom for the over-60s |author=Bradshaw, Peter |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=31 May 2018 |access-date=28 September 2018}}</ref> |} ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== {{wikiquote}} {{commons category}} * {{Official website|http://www.eljamesauthor.com/}} * {{IMDb name|1093317}} {{Fifty Shades (trilogy)}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:James, E.L.}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:English erotica writers]] [[Category:English people of Chilean descent]] [[Category:English people of Scottish descent]] [[Category:Fan fiction writers]] [[Category:1963 births]] [[Category:People educated at Wycombe High School]] [[Category:Pseudonymous women writers]] [[Category:Alumni of the University of Kent]] [[Category:English romantic fiction writers]] [[Category:21st-century English women writers]] [[Category:21st-century English novelists]] [[Category:People from Buckinghamshire]] [[Category:English women writers]] [[Category:Women erotica writers]] [[Category:Women romantic fiction writers]] [[Category:BDSM writers]] [[Category:21st-century pseudonymous writers]]'