E L James as 'Publishing Person of the Year' draws outcry from literary world
Publishers Weekly faces controversy after naming 'Fifty Shades of Grey' author E L James 'Publishing Person of the Year' for 2012.
Author E L James is behind the 'Fifty Shades of Grey' bestselling trilogy, which has sold more than 35 million copies in the US and garnered more than $200 million in sales.
Denis Poroy/Invision/AP
Publishers Weekly is facing outrage from some after 鈥�Fifty Shades of Grey鈥� author E L James "Publishing Person of the Year" for 2012.
James is the first author ever to receive the title and joins a company that includes Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos and Penguin Group CEO David Shanks.
James is the pen name of Erika Leonard, a British former television executive who penned the 鈥淔ifty Shades of Grey鈥� trilogy. The first book in the series was released in 2011 and came from a piece of fanfiction James wrote based on the 鈥�Twilight鈥� series. James edited the story and changed the characters鈥� names before publishing her series. As of Nov. 30, the books had sold more than 35 million copies in America and garnered more than $200 million for their publisher, Random House.
But some are up in arms about the decision to anoint James with such a title.
鈥淲hat was Publishers Weekly thinking?鈥� asks LA Times writer Carolyn Kellogg in leads off her , while the New York Daily News鈥� headline on the reads, 鈥淐ivilization ends: E.L. James named Publishers Weekly鈥檚 鈥楶erson of the Year鈥�.鈥�
Kellogg writes that she objects to the choice because she believes James didn鈥檛 set out to revolutionize publishing 鈥� her books happened to become popular and so she signed a deal with a publisher.
鈥淟et me imagine some things an author in James' position might have done to merit such an accolade,鈥� Kellogg wrote. 鈥淐reate a model for viral ebook distribution, found an independent ebook store, work to legitimize fan fiction, establish or support networks of erotica readers and writers.鈥�
Kellogg also notes the quality (or lack thereof, according to critics) of James鈥� prose.
鈥淭he prose is so embarrassing that to poke fun at the novel, comedians simply read it out loud,鈥� she writes.
James was also selected by Time Magazine for its 100 Most Influential People of 2012 list.
A movie adaptation of the trilogy is in the works, with screenwriter Kelly Marcel adapting the first novel, according to a statement made by James. Casting decisions are still unknown. The film will be released by Focus Features and Universal Pictures.