Shades Of Grey Biggest Hit Since Harry Potter Books

LONDON, ENGLAND (CNN) – Last year, author E-L James was sitting in her living room looking for ways to make some cash.  Now, the author of the trilogy “50 Shades of Grey” is raking in the dough and breaking some serious records.

Isa Soares takes a look at how this romantic trilogy has started a publishing revolution.

It’s one of the hottest novels around.
In more ways than one.
“Every time it comes in it goes right back out.”
And now–
Also the biggest book juggernaut since Harry Potter.
“It’s good for us it’s such a steamy hot seller.”
The novel is ‘Fifty Shades Of Grey.’

The ‘romantic trilogy luring in millions of mostly female readers around the world.
“Mums have really taken this book on board and have really started talking about it at schools and in hushed sort of voices in coffee shops.”

The trilogy– which tells the story of a 27-year old billionaire and a college student… Is smashing records quicker than you can turn a page.

In the UK and its overseas territories it has sold more than 4 million copies in traditional and e-books combined.

In the U.S. and Canada it sold 15 million copies in the first three 3 months it went on sale.
Reports, now put it close to the 20 million mark.

“There’s been a little bit of luck but what she has is a love story.
There are so many critics that are so snobbish about it and say “well, it’s never going to win a ManBooker prize” well, that is not what EL James was intending to do ever.
What she was intending to do is to titillate the reader, to turn them on.”
The tantalizing page-turning plot may entice women…

But its electronic readers that’s helped the more conservative reader sample the book unnoticed… And that’s started a trend.
“I think the reason it’s so successful is because people who love books– and swore that they would never convert to digital have tried it out and have really enjoyed it.

I think if it had stayed with the tech buffs, the early adopters, then we would have seen this sort of explosion in e-readers.”
To feed demand mainstream publishers are launching digital-only erotic labels.
Harper Collins in the UK only recently launched mischief books.
Its tag line “private pleasures with a hand-held device”.

E-readers are also fueling a different type of urge… Self-publishing.
Fifty shades of grey became a bestseller without starting off with a traditional publisher.

Now others are doing the same.

“Anyone can be an author and the empowering thing is one person may like your book and that’s nice, as an author you just want people to read it.”

“Even with the racy subject matter, what’s most shocking to the publishing industry is the word-of-mouth buzz the book has generated.

The clearest sign yet, perhaps, the business of books is no longer black and white — perhaps a Shade Of Grey. Isa Soares, CNN, London.”