Women in the world's spotlight 2012 (7)

Erika Leonard, birth name Erika Mitchell, better known by the pseudonym E. L. James, is the British author of the bestselling erotic novel trilogy “Fifty Shades of Grey”, “Fifty Shades Darker”, and “Fifty Shades Freed”. The combined novels have sold over 35 million copies in the United States, and over 65 million copies worldwide, setting the record as the fastest selling paperback of all time. In 2012, Time magazine named her one of "The World's 100 Most Influential People." James initially wrote fanfiction under the pen name "Snowqueen's Icedragon", with her most notable work being a Twilight fanfiction that eventually developed into Fifty Shades of Grey. James has spoken of her shock at the success of the book.(Globaltimes.cn)