about THAT book. But I'm annoyed after seeing copies in my supermarket, being leafed through by 14 year old girls. I cannot believe that year 8 students are gossiping over scenes from the book at lunch time.
I've always been intrigued as to how this poorly written book ever became the blockbuster it has become. Many people thought that because Icy was a "television executive" that she must have had some contacts that got her a publishing deal with the big wigs. Although this was denied by her Bunker Babes, who were all "ZOMG, Icy is just so, like, super super super talented, and Christward is soooo hot, of course any publishing house would want to publish them" and who insisted that she never had a publicist before the hype created by The Today Show's first story about the book.
With this new article in The Australian, I am calling bollocks on that one. Not only did she have a publicist, but I have no doubt the publicist was heavily involved in getting the book "featured" in the Today Show segment. See below:
Shades of publishing remorse
TWO literary agents turned down the opportunity to sign up E.L. James, the author of Fifty Shades of Grey, the publishing sensation that has sold 40 million copies.
The revelation comes from Valerie Hoskins, who did spot the potential of James and her trilogy of novels featuring scenes of sado-masochism. As James's agent, Hoskins has secured multi-million-pound publishing and film deals.
James's trilogy tells in explicit detail the story of tycoon Christian Grey's relationship with student Anastasia Steele. Critics have derided the books as "mummy porn" but their success has made James - real name Erika Leonard - a multi-millionaire and brought Hoskins considerable wealth.
James's husband, Niall Leonard, spoke to Hoskins earlier this year, which led to the agent taking on the author. Hoskins said James had been rejected more than a year ago by two London literary agents.
"She felt hurt at the time and so stopped looking," said Hoskins.
The two unnamed individuals must now be feeling a little like the publishers who spurned J.K. Rowling or the executives at Decca, Columbia and EMI who turned down the Beatles.
Niall Leonard is a long-term client of Valerie Hoskins Associates, which concentrates on television and film writers.
"We don't touch manuscripts for new books or from new authors," said Hoskins. Yet she was intrigued when Leonard, a British television writer, said his wife needed some advice. "We met and got on very well immediately."
James's first book, Fifty Shades of Grey, had been published eight months earlier online and in print-on-demand form by the Writer's Coffee Shop, an Australian company. The Sydney firm was set up so writers could post online chapters to see if they appealed. Readers comment on the text and ask for more if they like it.
By late last year, the electronic versions of the first two books in the trilogy were doing well, particularly in the US. This led to Niall Leonard's phone call to Hoskins to provide some advice to his wife just before the third book was due to be published.
"There was a party which Erika was invited to in New York to celebrate the success of the first two, and for the third," said Hoskins. "So I came too. By then there was also some interest for a movie version of the first book."
James and Hoskins found New York publishers falling over themselves to distribute the Fifty Shades books in paperback form. "By February about half a dozen were very seriously talking to us," said Hoskins.
In March, a multi-million-pound contract was struck with Vintage, part of the Random House Group, the Writer's Coffee Shop, which in effect was being paid off for its initial electronic publishing, and James.
James's books have reversed the usual publishing cycle of hardback, paperback and ebook.
The planned movie is moving along cautiously. Hoskins says a list of about "nine or 10" screenwriters is being considered, including former British actress Kelly Marcel, who was once in Casualty and who last year wrote US television series Terra Nova.
A scriptwriter should be selected by October before a director comes on board. James has also signed a deal for a range of clothing that includes stockings, T-shirts, hoodies and knitwear.
EMI is to release an album of classical tunes that the author imagines might play during spanking scenes. It will include the aria from Bach's Goldberg Variations and The Flower Duet from Lakme.
From this article, it is obvious that Icy used her husband's contacts to get represented, even though Hoskins emphasised. "We don't touch manuscripts for new books or from new authors." These meetings and contacts took place at least late last year, way BEFORE the Today Show feature and leads me to think that Hoskins was instrumental in getting the book reviewed on the show. Also interesting to hear about the "party" that was thrown to celebrate the "success of the first 2 books". Obviously the work of the Bunker Babes and their rabid hero worship.
Instead of this being a case of all the stars aligning, it's obvious that every single effort was taken to ensure this book was publicised in all the right places. And she was knocked back by TWO agents. Interesting.
To make this interactive, why do YOU think that this poorly written story has now sold 40,000,000 copies. Do you think that aligning with Hoskins and using her husband's contacts helped, or would it have occured anyway?
My recommendation:
The Invisible Wife by lvtwilight09
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8267279/1/
I shouldn't be feeling like this. I know it's wrong. I have absolutely every reason to be happy. So why do I feel like I don't matter, like no one even sees me, and that if I were to disappear…no one would even bother to notice? Bella and Edward used to be a perfectly happy couple, but they aren't anymore. Can they find their way back to each other before it's too late?