Fifty Shades Helps Random House Win UK’s BIA Publisher of the Year

Posted on May 14, 2013 by 17FL

According to @fiftyshadesUK, the Bookseller Industry Awards are the equivalent of the publishing Oscars. Thanks, in part, to the record-breaking sales of the Fifty Shades trilogy by E L James, The Random House Group reps didn’t get dressed up for nothing.

The event, held at London’s Park Lane Hilton on May 13th, celebrated Random House’s success by honoring chief executive Dame Gail Rebuck and her team with the top publishing award.

We were honoured with the top publishing gong, after a record breaking year which started with the publishing phenomenon that is Fifty Shades and ended with us being the UK’s number 1 publisher.

In 2012 Random House achieved 28 number ones, won 70 prizes for its titles including the Nobel, Samuel Johnson and TS Eliot, and was hailed for its rapidly growing digital activity, now accounting for 22% of its UK net sales.

The award is a terrific tribute that reflects the Group’s collective creativity, skill and successes.

Courtesy of The Bookseller

Congrats to Random House! The power of Fifty continues…

Sources: The Random House Group, The Bookseller

Fifty Shades #1 On Amazon’s Best Adult Books of 2012

Posted on April 8, 2013 by 17FL

When it comes to customer favorites, it is no surprise that this was clearly the year of Fifty Shades. While the first two books in the series were published in 2011…, the third in the series was published this year and promptly became a customers’ runaway favorite.

2012 Top 10 Customer Favorites in Adult Books (print and Kindle.):
#1 – Fifty Shades Freed by E L James
Top 100 Adult Print Books of 2012
#1 – Fifty Shades Freed by E L James
#2 – Fifty Shades Trilogy 3-volume Boxed Set by E L James
Top 100 Adult Kindle Books of 2012
#1 – Fifty Shades Trilogy 3-volume Boxed Set by E L James
#4 – Fifty Shades of Grey by E L James

To celebrate, Amazon has all of their “Best Books of the Year” on sale.

Congrats, E L James and FSoG fans!

Fifty Shades Phenomenon Continues With Phenomenal Sales

Posted on March 27, 2013 by 17FL

It’s hard to wrap your head around the fact that combined sales (print, audio, digital) for the English, German, and Spanish versions of the trilogy is over $70 million — a figure reached in less than a year (March-December 2012).

According to Bertelsmann, the German media company that owns the trilogy’s publisher Random House, Fifty Shades is “the fastest-selling series in the company’s history.”

“It’s a gigantic number,” said Wall Street Journal reporter Jeffrey Trachtenberg. “It’s the kind of series that every publisher dreams of having.” He goes on to wonder why these three books in particular broke out, answering that “People really don’t know.”

We think he’s just asking the wrong people ;) E L James wrote an epic love story that took the Twilight fanfiction world by storm. That loyal fanbase supported her when she self-published and continued to support her when the story went mainstream, a voice that helped introduce the characters to a whole new audience. Critics can say what they will about the books, but millions of fans ~~can’t be~~ are not wrong.

Source: Wall Street Journal Speakeasy

E L James Dominates 2012 Digital Book Sales

Posted on March 22, 2013 by 17FL

This comes as no surprise, but the numbers are still impressive.

15 Million+ for All Three

*Fifty Shades of Grey: Book One. E.L. James. Vintage

*Fifty Shades Darker: Book Two. E.L. James. Vintage

*Fifty Shades Freed: Book Three. E.L. James. Vintage

850,000+

*Fifty Shades Trilogy Bundle. E.L. James. Vintage

The margin between ebook sales and print sales isn’t very wide for some titles, and 2013 looks to narrow that margin even further.

However, print sales for the Fifty Shades books is roughly double their electronic counterpart. We think that has everything to do with the author’s loyal fans, her successful book tour, and her humorous accessibility on twitter (@E_L_James).

Way to go E L James, and way to go FSoG fans!

Source: Publishers Weekly

FIFTY SHADES OF GREY: Inner Goddess (A Journal)

Posted on March 11, 2013 by 17FL

“I have always maintained that the best person to write for is yourself–and what better place to start than in a journal.” -E L James

Vintage Books announced today that fans will soon be able to add a journal inspired by the bestselling Fifty Shades trilogy to their collection.

Please note that this is NOT a new novel or a ‘how-to’ guide. It is, however, a creative collaboration between the author and her U.S. publisher that will offer readers and aspiring writers a place to record their innermost thoughts.

Journal includes:

Foreword written by E L James
Excerpts from her books
Writing tips based on the author’s own writing experience
Playlist of music that inspired her own writing and running song counts

Journal features:

Foil-embossed, bonded-leather cover
Red-ribbon marker
Color printing, endpapers, and illustrations throughout
Lined pages for writing (divided into sections inspired by her protagonists, Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey)

“As E L James traveled and met with readers, there was a great curiosity about how she got started writing,” said Vintage/Anchor’s Anne Messitte, the acquiring publisher of the Fifty Shades series. “Her personal story is inspirational to many women, and journaling was an important part of her writing process.”

The 192-page journal designed by Chin-Yee Lai will go on sale May 1, 2013. Priced at just $16.99 (U.S. $), it would make a great Mother’s Day Gift!

Vintage Books is an imprint of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, which is a division of Random House, Inc., whose parent company is Bertelsmann AG, the international media company.

Source: Official Press Release from Random House

Team Fifty Progress Report

Posted on February 21, 2013 by 17FL

Delayed gratification — Resisting a smaller but more immediate reward in order to receive a larger or more enduring reward later.

While progress seems slow to anxious FSoG fans, there is progress nonetheless.

Producers Dana Brunetti and Michael DeLuca recently met with FSoG screenwriter Kelly Marcel.

Dana Brunetti ‏@DanaBrunetti

Lunch with a couple of friends @MichaelDe_Luca & @MissMarcelpic.twitter.com/RnZXI5re

Yesterday, The Hollywood Reporter released a Q&A with Universal Chairman Adam Fogelson, the movie studio bringing the books to the big screen. To read the complete article, which includes a possible summer 2014 release of the first installment of the Fifty Shades trilogy, go here.

Hollywood Reporter ‏@THR

Q&A: Universal Chairman Wants ‘Fifty Shades’ for Summer 2014, More ‘Bourne’ and ‘Van Helsing’ Reboot http://shar.es/YMpYI

Retweeted by E L James

-

With the author herself preparing for a trip to California, Fogelson’s reply to THR’s question about Angelina Jolie being asked to direct FSoG is even more compelling.

No. We’re involved in a different project [the World War II drama Unbroken] with her. But we have had really, really interesting, great conversations with talented, serious filmmakers.

Let’s face it. We’re talking about Fifty here. Would we really want anything less than large and enduring? *raises glass* Here’s to delayed gratification ;)

Valentine’s Giveaway From E L James: Signed USA Hardback Editions

Posted on January 25, 2013 by 17FL

Photo Courtesy of E L James Author Website

For complete contest rules, go here.

Good luck!

Hardcover Collector’s Edition of Fifty Shades Trilogy Being Released in U.S.

Posted on January 10, 2013 by 17FL

Time to start dropping hints to your significant other! The hardcovers will be available just in time for Valentine’s Day ;)

From USA Today:

On Jan. 29, Doubleday will release 200,000 copies of Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed in hardback for $26.95 each. There also will be a shrink-wrapped set of the three books for $80.85.

Why the new format? “As interest in the Fifty Shades trilogy has grown, readers have been asking for hardcover editions of the books,” says James’ publisher Anne Messitte in an e-mail. “These new hardcovers include unique production elements, making them the ultimate collector’s editions for readers of the trilogy.”

Photo: Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

We think the jacket covers are beautiful and love the special bonus features:

red silk ribbon attached for use as bookmark
author’s signature, “Laters Baby, E.L. James X,” embossed in silver

As all good fans know, there’s just something exciting about being able to add to your collection!

***UPDATE***

The hardcovers are now available for preorder on Amazon. Go here.

Source: Fifty Shades of Grey Trilogy Facebook Page

E L James is USA TODAY’s Choice For Author of the Year

Posted on December 20, 2012 by 17FL

Greyt choice!!

USA TODAY‘s decision is based in part on the fact that “…an unknown Brit proved that Americans can be passionate, feverish, even obsessive readers,” and that the Fifty Shades Trilogy has sold 35 million copies this year in the USA alone.

With corresponding movies in the works, there’s no sign of things slowing down any time soon, either. Yet despite the whirlwind that has become ‘The Year of Fifty,’ the author is finding time to rework her first novel, which she tells USA Today may end up being two novels when all is said and done.

Q: Have you set a publication date for your new novel?

A: No pub date.

Q: Another trilogy?

A: I think it will be two books.

To read the online article, click here. To read the rest of the Q&A, which includes hot topics such as casting Fifty Shades of Grey and a fourth Fifty Shades book told from Christian’s POV, click here.

We will never get tired of saying this… Congrats again, E!

Fifty Shades Trilogy Dominates B&N Bestsellers of 2012

Posted on December 18, 2012 by 17FL

Barnes & Noble announced their Top 100 Bestsellers of 2012 list, and our favorite books by E L James claimed 4 out of the Top 5 spots! They’re also on sale if you’re looking for a last-minute Christmas gift and/or your copies are getting worn out ;)