‘Fifty Shades’ Author E.L. James Was Confounded by Series Success: ‘I Was Like a Rabbit In the Headlights’
Naman Ramachandran The author of the Fifty Shades franchise Erika Mitchell, better known by her pen name E.L. James, has said that she remains confounded by the success of the books and films. The British author wrote the erotic romance trilogy “Fifty Shades of Grey,” “Fifty Shades Darker” and “Fifty Shades Freed,” which together sold some 165 million copies, and 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.” The trilogy was also made into films, which together grossed more than $1 billion, on which Mitchell served as a producer.