E.L. James, author of the best-selling trilogy Fifty Shades, said on Monday that she hasn’t ruled out writing a fourth book, but is focused on composing another erotic tale and also plans to write a paranormal romance.
The British author, who’s currently on a book tour in the United States, said she’s rewriting the first book she ever wrote because she just can’t seem to shake the plot line and characters from her mind.
“It’s still in my head. I want it out of my head. I want it gone,” said James, who wouldn’t reveal much about the story, other than it’s an “erotic tale” that is “more fun” than the trilogy.
“I also have another thing, which isn’t an erotic tale. It’s more of a paranormal romance, which I’d really like to do as well.”
For the uninitiated, James’ trilogy Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed follows the racy romance between Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey, a handsome multi-millionaire who introduces her to the erotic pleasures of BDSM (Bondage, Discipline, Domination/Submission, Sadism/Masochism).
James said that when she finished the third book, she felt she had completed the couple’s tale, saying “I left them in a really, really good place. But there seems to be lots of people clamouring for a fourth book in the trilogy,” said James, whose books have become a publishing sensation, so far selling 31 million copies worldwide.
When asked about a fourth book, she replied: “We’ll see.”
First, she said, she’d like to complete the other projects, saying, “There’s lots of voices clattering in my head.”
James made her comments at a media event in New York City where she promoted the release of Fifty Shades of Grey: The Classical Album, a 15-track compilation featuring classical pieces that inspired her while writing the book, and are referenced in the trilogy. The CD, which includes the “Flower Duet” from Lakmé, Pachelbel’s Canon in D and the aria from Bach’s Goldberg Variations, was released on Sept. 11.
James always listens to music while writing — in part because she writes in the living room and must drown out the sound of her two teenage sons watching television. But also because “music is so expressive (and) it can help set a scene,” she said, adding she has a lengthy playlist that she turns to for inspiration. When it comes to penning steamy sex scenes, she opts for “Sexy” by the Black Eyed Peas or Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m on Fire.” The partnership between EMI Classics and Random House is believed to be the first time that a CD’s release has been inspired by a book — typically, CD compilations are released in conjunction with a film.
A movie is in the works — Universal Pictures and Focus Films have purchased the rights to all three books — but EMI Classics has jumped on the bandwagon early. After all, the book’s reference to “Spem in alium,” a 16th-century motet for 40 voices by Thomas Tallis, is credited with its surge to the top of the classical charts this summer in the UK.
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