Fifty Shades Of Grey Author Making $1M A Week
Erika Leonard is becoming a very rich woman. Since it seems that a day cannot go by without someone talking about Fifty Shades Of Grey, that means people go out and buy one or all of the three books. So far, 20 million copies of the book have been sold. Yeah, that is a huge number. One month agao that number was at 16 million copies. Yep. She is selling one million copies a week and at the standard royalty rate is making about $1.35M a week. Her first check is expected to be $20M and she just got a check for $5M from Universal for movie rights. Not too shabby for what started off as Twilight fan fiction.
89 comments:
That is awful. If only the general population would read books that are intelligently written and thought provoking. But no, they buy this bogus fan fiction and make this broad a millionare so she can write even more pointless novels. Grr sorry, I quit smoking recently so I am very bitter.
I haven't been to a boOkstore, but Target, Wally World - none that I have been to have this book. Why?!?!??? There are no empty shelves either -as if it had sold out...
Lucky, lucky, lucky.....pure luck.
The Target around here has it - perhaps others aren't carrying it because of the subject matter? I read a chapter of it on my lunch break; the dialouge didn't flow and the descriptions of all the smexy times were clunky and boring. "He put the base of the whip on my wet seam. He pushed it hard against my vagina". Yawwwwn.
I will read Tolstoy in protest.
War and Peace!
There's always Lolita by Nabokov
im glad to say ive stayed far far away from All Things Twilight. no interest whatsoever.
Wise decision donner.
I've only read parts of it, and those parts were SO. BAD. How anyone can find it even remotely erotic is beyond me.
Well, until I heard Gilbert Gottfried read from it, of course.
You know, at least people are reading/buying _something_.
No matter how crappy it is, I can't begrudge anyone for being successful for something they've written/published. If it gets people to read, great. If those people sit next to someone catching them reading this, who then says "...you know, if you really like that book, then you should check out...", even better.
Save your money and buy my landlady's book. I've read part of it and it's quite good! It's available on Amazon!
Give us more info Vicki..I'm always looking for new books
You have a link, Vicki?
I hate these books.
I couldn't get through the first one. So poorly written.
Rejectedcarebear you said it best.
http://www.amazon.com/Rare-Birds-Extraordinary-Bermuda-Extinction/dp/0807010766/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340980620&sr=8-1&keywords=elizabeth+gehrman
Everyone, to fanfiction.net!
Imo this is such a shame. She's a hack, the story is supposedly simple, and it HAD been about Edward and Belluh. Smh.
thanks vicki..i added it to my wishlist.
Twilight: the craptastic industry that keeps on giving...
If this is true, the downfall of Western civilization cannot be far behind us.
RCB, I'm gonna buy three copies when it comes out. One for me, one my mother (who loves birds), and donate the other to the East Boston Library.
Vicki- I love non-fiction AND animals, so i cant wait for it to be published, thanks for the tip!
From Enty's Twiiter :
"You make more (almost 3X more) if it is downloaded. 50 Shades is downloaded more than bought in paper"
@Vicki, in my wishlist as well.
Well good for her.
Am I the only one who got erotic fiction out of my system as a teen? Judy Blume was very tame by today's standards but it was a lot for me at the time. Virginia Andrews covered incest. And there were a few other authors that my friends were all atwitter about because of the sex.
Oh, yeah, and I snuck peeks at my dad's Penthouse Forums and The Happy Hooker, too.
I have no interest in reading this. But then, I'm also anti-Twilight and I have a satisfying sex life.
Don't paint all fanfiction with the same broad brush. Some of it is very, very good, even (dare I say) better than stuff that's gotten published professionally.
This, on the other hand... the stars aligned big time for this woman in a perfect storm situation. Or she's Faust.
She's a hack. Sorry but I read erotic fiction and what she has "written" is crap. Try Lora Leigh, Beth Williamson, Laura Dane. Hell I've read better fanfic in general than this EL James wank.
I'm with Comma Chaser. I'm a book editor, so I always appreciate when people are actually reading. Sadly, publishing is not doing very well. As a lifelong lover of books, if people are going out and buying books to read for fun, I can't say anything bad about that.
Although this book is complete shit. A girlfriend of mine read a chapter to a bunch of us, and it was painfully awful. The woman canNOT write. She's kind of like the Dan Brown of erotica: Can tell a story but can't create an interesting sentence for shit.
^Hmm. I guess I did just say something bad about this book. Whatevs. :)
Jolene, good god what a description. I almost checked Fifty Shades of Bullshit out at the library a few weeks ago, but never mind.
Literotica.com might still have some decent work on it. And it's free.
I think it was Vicki C that referred me to read the 1 star comments on Amazon re the books. They are hilarious.
I'm holding out for "Fifty Shades of Grey and Zombies." Bet it'll be hot.
Agent, must have been somebody else. I have no idea what you're talking about!
good luck with the quitting of the smoking, Carebare-- I've never been a smoker but a lot of friends have quit and it looks tough, best wishes.
Thanks for the link Vicki, I also put it in my wishlist and I'll download it (so your landlord will apparently get even more money--which in turn should reduce your rent, no?)
I don't begrudge this author her money but thanks to all of your comments re: these books, I have not bothered to download and read them-- nothing I hate more than buying a book and then trying to get through horrible writing-- thanks everyone for saving me the time and money!!
Well said snapdragon. This book may be utter crap but just because something is unpublished or based on known characters doesn't mean it can't be good. Reading is reading, and it should be encouraged no matter what.
“Read, read, read. Read everything - trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You'll absorb it. Then write. If it is good, you'll find out. If it's not, throw it out the window.”
-William Faulkner
@Snapdragon, I know. I've read some fanfiction that's better than most published pulp fiction. It's just that THIS Edward/Bella fanfiction (50 Shades) doesn't make sense as a bestseller. It's cringeworthy.
I read in USA Today that publishers are trying to find the next big selling 50-shades type book. So be ready for lots of knockoffs.
Didn't someone here post a link to another author's blog, in which she reviewed 50 Shades chapter by chapter? Well, I went to the blog and read the last couple of chapters, just to see how the book ends. It was terrible. Ridiculous dialogue, nonsensical plot, and weak, flat characters. Yuck. And the sexaytimes weren't even hot.
Here's the link to the site: http://jenniferarmintrout.blogspot.com/?zx=1496d20b9c71afd7.
@Vicki - are you in East Boston? I spent a ton of time there as a kid. I'm hardly ever back there now, but I miss it, litter and all <3
@ Jolene Jolene, word to everything you said! LOL @ Dan Brown. I can't stand Dan Brown's books, but I'll admit, if you don't think about what he's writing, he can tell a story. (Cheap hack story, but there's storytelling talent there.)
@Trebuchet--it's because it's got naughty bits. It's an acceptable mainstream way for people (ok, mostly women), ones who don't know there are better sources out there, to read erotica in public. Pfft. :-)
Downloaded and read them. Thought they were on par with Twilight books for fluffy entertainment. Good for the author to take the initiative and make something of it. I think she started by publishing it on her own.
Yeah, they aren"t quality literature (neither are the gossip blogs I read), but people are reading. People are writing. All are good things for society.
As I understand it, the author's British and a.) fails miserably at Americanisms (which, honestly, would be expected) and b.) changed all of the geographical locations from Seattle and Pacific NW to some place like Florida or at least to somewhere whose climate doesn't remotely resemble this area. SMH.
LOL @ Momster: a knockoff of a knockoff! Egads.
Thanks for the link @Texshan. LOL, GREAT stuff. I feel hypocritical for criticizing yet never buying 50 Shades, but I did LOOK at the garbage, and heard [too much] about it. That review is hilarious. THAT girl can write.
Cara, ya. I'm in Eastie near Piers Park. I love my street and the Greenway. Granted have to go through Mordor to get to the Shire, but it's worth it.
@rejectedcarebear
Congrats on quitting smoking! I know how hard it is in the beginning. I would intentionally walk through a smoker's line of fire and take a big whiff. Anyway, best of luck to you and stay strong. It's been almost 5 years now and I never miss it (And my husband still smokes!)
Dan Brown is the WORST. I like to play a little game with people who try to defend Dan Brown as a "good writer." Go read the last couple sentences in each chapter of The DaVinci Code, then tell me if there's a pattern.
Almost every single chapter ends in something like "And then Robert saw the most incredible thing he has ever seen in his ENTIRE CAREER!" "And then Robert witnesses one of the most horrifying events in his life!"
Cliffhangers and transitions are not Dan Brown's friends. Seriously, do it! It's really fun!
ahhh, she beat me to it! I told my husband (last year)there's a need for slimy porn trash talk-in book form! I was shorted millions!!!!just give em somethin to talk about....
Porn does pay. How about that. (I always wondered)
Where can I publish my own drivel? Some people have all the luck!
Jolene, I almost liked The Crapvinci Code because I love treasure hunt type stories, but omfg, when I got to the part where the chick is the last descendant of Jesus (spoiler), I almost threw the book across the room. Horrible, HORRIBLE bullshit.
@Vicki, you must have a city view from that area of E.B.?
I got this before I knew it was related to Twilight (which bums me out to no end). I'm half way through and just stalled. It's so slow and not all that sexy. In fact, I'm just pissed off at her ignorance. No woman in the 21st century is that stupid regarding sex!
It should be known that in 1995, the average "high" IQ was 120 (yea, that's not really, "high") try finding out what it is now.
Yup, most human's are borderline retarded.
So no surprise here with this nonsense.
@Vicki--I think the DaV Code is a pretty good story and it's an entertaining read, but I just really, really hate reading books by authors who have no idea how to twist a sentence. I just like beautiful writing so much more than beautiful story telling (think Jack Kerouac, Jhumpa Lahiri, etc.). That's why Dan Brown is a hack. And then the movie came out and I had HAD it. Ugh. Awful.
Even sadder.....I live in a neighborhood populated with local teacher's, and yes....just guess what they are all reading? Yup.
As they did with Twilight, and The Help (and none would read the daily Mail article about how the lady literally stole her brother's housekeeper's life story). I don't even want to tell you who they all voted for too.
Like I said, I pray for that 13.0 every, single day.
Agent, yeah if I walk down to the park or over to the Hyatt. :D
@ Cara - there were plenty of other smut books - but good point!
@jp, I am w/you!
The only 2 times I have heard people talk about this, it was at a beauty shop.
Yes, I will have to sneak a peak some time, but I have yet to see a Twilight movie and hearing this is more of the same - yawn!
p.s. The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty trilogy if that's what you're into.
And there's also a free "aphrodisiac" app for android of smut lit. And I'd wager far more smutty then what this lady is imagining -again, if that's what you're into.
I've discovered erotica recently, and it really jump-started my sex life (not for my husband's lack of trying, I just couldn't get my head in the game). But this 50 Shades just does not interest me. Like Aunt Jess said, check out Lora Leigh, Selena Kitt, Linda Lael Miller.
The book sounds like a clunker (26 year old French speaking BILLIONAIRE who flies a helicopter becomes involved with a clumsy girl who is apparently much like Bella from the Twilight series).
There are almost as many 1-star reviews as there are 5-star reviews on Amazon and the 1-star reviews are fun reading. I applaud the author for her good... luck? However the movie (and there will be one) is going to SUCK.
Vicki - I'm from East Boston too, how funny! I grew up on Lexington Street, down the hill from EB High (class of '92). I moved to California a couple of years ago, but i'll always be a Masshole :)
Well, good for her but I'm not reading it.
I live in Washington state, within a stones throw from the setting of both Twilight, and this 50 shades of drivel nonsense. I want to promise you that those of us who live here don't actually act like these brain dead book characters. I haven't bought into EITHER of these horrid stories, and I feel QUITE proud of myself :)
As a freelance editor and writer, all I can say is you never know what's going to hit the masses and take off. Personally, I'd rather gouge out my eyeballs with a rusty coat hanger than read this, and I'm not a fan of Twilight or the Sookie books, either. But it just goes to show you it's all about STORY and not necessarily good writing.
ITA with William Faulkner. At least for writers, you can learn as much from a badly written book as you can from a good one.
I have to agree that anything inspiring people to read is a good thing, I just wish people had better taste. And that the excellent writers I know could be hit by this kind of lightning luck. Because that's what it is.
You want to read erotica - go to Literotica.com. Stories are divided by your personal interest or fetish and it's all free. Some pretty steamy stuff there...
SusanB Thank you! I'm gonna check that out.
Haven't read it, not planning to, either. The few fragments I've seen in the media were so badly written I'm done.
this is disheartening...
OMAMA is BROKO said...
The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty Trilogy
YES! Totally agree.
In my particular circle, a bunch of women who were no longer interested in sex with their husbands now are, so I give it props for that. Also can't begrudge someone for wealth that was earned not stolen. Still won't read it myself though; I've yet to recover from slogging through the Twilight series. "I love you more", "No, I love you more"... aghhhhhh!!!!
As a writer and one who teaches writing, this whole Fifty Shades of Crap has saddened me greatly. I know many good writers who cannot get published, but this stuff does.
Yes, it's nice that people are reading, but that's like saying people are eating. What we eat is just as important as eating, but not all of it is good for us.
@Henriette, I totally disagree. Reading a book that isn't a brilliant work of literature will not give you heart disease or cellulite or high blood pressure like eating shitty food would. Reading a bad book will not make you dumb or dumber like eating crappy food would make you fat or fatter.
You're comparing apples to oranges here. I get what you're saying, but I can't agree. I look at reading a book--any book--as always better for your mind than watching television or playing video games. Your mind works to read and comprehend those words, even if those words form crappy sentences.
I have officially lost my faith in humanity.
Also, I am kind of subdued on this website... I don't really know why. Anyway, I got super mad when I read this post, so I was texting my husband. He understands my lewd sense of, um, I guess humor. Anyway, in an attempt to unabashedly myself, I will copy and paste my angry messages, lol. Also, thanks to D-listed, I don't refer to the book as anything else. I love it!
"Ugh. I am officially fucking disgusted with 'Murica. The woman who wrote '50 Shades of Mom Cream'? A TWILIGHT S&M FANTASY, the book that is basically giving a golden shower to ALL BOOKS EVER. (Well, except for Twilight, because they are sharing a double dong.) That woman is making ONE MILLION DOLLARS A WEEK! One million! For absolute crap! I have officially lost my faith in humanity."
/end conversation.
My husband texting back with messages of laughing heartily and few with "I love you". So maybe all faith isn't lost. :)
Omg. Maybe instead of earning minimum wage at a full time job isn't my calling. Maybe I should write about sucking vampire shlong and tying up elves and cloven animals. THAT is where the real money is. Yes I am bitter so excuse me while I drown my $430 a week ass in cheap liquor that I can't afford.
I would totally want to read this book if it was the MAN being dominated. That would be awesome.
I hate the damsel-in-distress culture and it upsets me that so many women love it.
Meh. I have no interest in reading these books, but I can't begrudge her for making money off them.
She hit the right target audience, with the right content, at the right time.
And she made her money doing something she obviously enjoys.
Good for her.
@EleanorRigby, we are married to the same man.
@Vicki: Piehs Pahk? Mahginal Street!
If you haven't seen it, you and Unknown have to watch "Shit Massholes Say" on Youtube. Classic!
Im so embarrassed to say I kindled (and not free with Prime...Im verrry human with the flaws) the first and third book but did not read the second. The inner goddess and subconscious (she was aware of her subconscious) with the half moon glasses reacting to her yo-yo like reactions to her codependent/BPD abusive boyfriend who kept splitting her (beauty/whore) was the reason why I read the third book, I wanted them to both die. Yeah, I know. But they are both just characters.
I wonder if this woman is happily ensconced in a codependent volatile relationship with an 'it's just a pretty face' kinda guy?
@OMAMA, I was really curious about your IQ question so I looked it up on an official IQ test organization site. 50% are between 90 and 100.. 120-129 is considered to still be "superior" and only 6.7% of the population while 130+ is considered "very superior." Interesting. So an IQ of 120 puts someone at above 91 percent of the population and someone with above 130 is 98 percent higher than the population. What was even more interesting is the IQ score percentages are considered above average predictors in people's choice of careers. That may seem obvious, but the split between 120's scores and those of 130's scores seemed interesting. Physicians are not very common in the 120 range even though it is considered 'superior.' Anyway, thanks for the fascinating question!
My favorite was when Ellen read it on her show...too funny!
I weep for the future of literature if this crap is what's masquerading as erotica nowadays. Go read "The Way Of A Man With A Maid", "The Image" or "The Autobiography Of A Flea". Or any of Anais Nin's works.
DON"T give this hack any of your money! Spend it wisely!
I never had a desire to read this, but when the late night hosts went after it initially and started quoted from it, it really sealed the deal for me. The author is one lucky lady.
Poorly written, childish jibberish. Yet I couldn't put it down. I wanted to scream every time Chistian and Anna fought and then wanted to pull my hair out when he said "Laters, Baby." or put his hand out to her and said, "Come." I know Scott Disick is an a$$, but he is a good looking guy and I pictured him as Christian. So I hated the character even more, even though Scott has a hot body and cute face.
Girl, I'll see you on the Maury show! :)
Seriously though, he gets my sense of humor so well it's scary. Glad to see that someone else has the same dynamic!
Frightening, huh MissPoppyPants?? LOL (but true).
And these are the ones who believe they "know whats up."
@Jolene Jolene
We will have to disagree. I've heard your argument before, especially in regards to the whole Twilight series. At one time I thought it was great that kids were reading, whatever it was, except they never went on to read anything better. I think putting garbage in your brain is as bad as putting garbage in your mouth.
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