E. L. James life and biography

E. L. James (on her real name Erika Leonard) the well known novelist of the bestelling erotic fiction "Fifty Shades of Grey", has initially wrote fanfiction under the pen name "Snowqueens Icedragon", with her most notable work being a Twilight fanfiction later developed into Fifty Shades of Grey.

"Fifty Shades of Grey" is the first novel to be published from her announced Fifty Shades trilogy, described by the author as "my midlife crisis, writ large...all my fantasies in there, and that's it."

Erika Leonard has previously worked as a television executive. Leonard is now based in West London with her husband of over 20 years, screenwriter Niall Leonard, and their two teenage sons. Half-Chilean, half-Scottish, E.L. was listed in 2011 as one of Time's "100 Most Influential People in the World".

With a multi-million dollar book deal in the U.S. (the books were first published by a small house in Australia) and now a movie in the works, James didn't indicate she has any intention of buying a yacht, snapping up a mansion in the south of France, or going on a luxury car-buying spree.

Upcoming work:

- Fifty Shades Darker (2012)
- Fifty Shades Freed (2012)

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