I Didn’t Write Fifty Shades of Grey but I Seem To be an Expert On the Internet
Posted By Stacy on
When my friend Susan told me about Fifty Shades of Grey: Book One of the Fifty Shades Trilogy
at the Moderne Barn in Armonk, she said it would be life changing. She warned me… I would want more sex with my husband. When I ran into Susan two weeks later, she asked if I had read the book. Truth be told I had downloaded it but had not opened it.
Susan said there was an article on the Huffington Post saying that everyone in Armonk was reading it and having way more sex. Needless to say, I was intrigued. I started to read the first book in the Fifty Shades Trilogy. I thought to myself… this is the worst drivel, but lets face it- it’s juicy. So I kept reading. I even wrote a blog post entitld I am Reading Fifty Shades of Grey and So is Everybody else in Armonk.
The article got a few hits, plus it had an affiliate link in it, so if you clicked on it , it brought you to my Amazon link. I make 60 cents ever ytime someone buys the book through my link. I knew the blog post just wasn’t getting enough attention, so I retweeted it.
On February 3rd I got this email from Andrew Goldman a writer for the NY Sunday Times Magazine:
“I am a writer for the New York Times Magazine. I don’t know if you’re a Sunday Times reader but if you are, you might know the Q and A column I do. Here’s my latest, just posted yesterday, on Hollywood screenwriter Joe Eszterhas.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/
Anyway, I came across your fun post about 50 Shades of Grey, which I think represents a growing viral hit in literature.
http://stacyknows.com/2012/
Since I was just assigned a feature on the trend, I was intrigued by the headline, because if indeed All of Armonk is reading the book, I’d like to found out how it happened. The woman in Manhattan who initially told me about it, told me about it happening virally, in a play group. I’d love to talk to some of the women in Armonk and find out how it became a hit there. Do you think the woman you wrote about, or others, might be willing to talk to me if I plan a trip out?”
Would so appreciate any help advice you might have.
Needless to say I was excited , someone from the NYTimes wanted to talk to me.
I made arrangements, with Mr Goldman, and 2 weeks later, on a Thursday night in February he came up to the Moderne Barn, where I gathered 6 women, to discuss the viral nature of the book along with other details. He had asked me not to tell anyone about it in fear that his competition would find out. The Moderne Barn was backed that night. At the next table there were a few more of my friends who had gathered to discuss The Book.
The next day one of my friends decided to take a drive down to the Romantic Depot in Elmsford NY to purchase one of the sex toys that was used in the book and guess what? The store was sold out. This prompted me to write yet another blog post.
Save Your Marriage More Reasons to Read 50 Shades of Grey
which included links to buy some of the props that were used in the book.
While I was at home typing up the blog post I got an email from Hazel Sanchez form CBS2 TV News, here in NY.
Hi Stacy.
My name is Hazel Sanchez. I’m a reporter for CBS2 News. We’re working on a story about the 50 Shades of Grey craze! I was hoping you might be able to help us out. We’re looking to interview ladies who have read or are reading 50 Shades of Grey. Do you know of any who might be willing to talk to us? Please contact me as soon as you can (contact info included below). We’re trying to do the story for our 11pm newscast tonight. I really appreciate your help.
Best,
Hazel
I gathered my friend Nina Fetner who I had run into earlier that day , who had mentioned that even her father had read the book and my friend Stephanie Small who was part of the group sitting next to me at the Moderne Barn just the other night.
The craze is sweeping bedrooms from Manahattan to Westchester according to CBS2 . I should know. They came to my house to talk about it. Click here
to see the video
What are moms reading in the carpool lane these days? Well, it’s not The Help. It’s a new trilogy called Fifty Shades, it’s notorious for its sex scenes, and it seems like every mother with a blog account is raving about it…
“In case you’re wondering why every suburban housewife from Philadelphia to Connecticut has been sending all her calls straight to voice mail. Fifty. Freaking. Shades.” – Suburbabble
“I am not in the habit of reading erotica, but this trilogy makes it seem okay, even for Westchester county. ” – StaceyKnows
“There is life in this book, outside of the bedroom, and in fact, there are even tons of ‘vanilla moments’ to make the harder stuff go down easier for some of us who might be apprehensive with these kinds of ‘scenes’.” – Maryse.net
Even moms in NYC have caught the Fifty Shades bug. According to The New York Post:
Then I got an email from Jo Piazza
Hi Stacy,
Erotic novel ’50 Shades of Grey’ unites gals, unnerves some guys
Stacy Geisinger, a 51-year-old married mother of one from Bedford, N.Y., who raved about the book on her website, StacyKnows.com, explained to Fox411 why she found the book appealing.
“I found it empowering! There was nothing forced,” Geisinger said. “Although many are focused on the erotic nature of the book — and it’s hard not to be — I found the story in itself to be very romantic.”
The plot of “50 Shades of Grey” centers on a young and naïve college student named Anastasia Steele who is seduced by a rich and powerful entrepreneur named Christian Grey. Grey persuades Steele to sign a contract that allows him complete control over her life, in and out of the bedroom. Yet despite the fact that Steele becomes completely submissive to a very dominant man, feminists aren’t up in arms.
In fact, this is where the mommy bloggers and the feminist bloggers agree. Many traditionally feminist-minded writers are hailing the book for encouraging women to explore their sexuality.
That little quote brought me close to 3000 hits.
Then I heard from the Christain Science Monitor. Do you know they have over 2,500,000 likes on facebook.
Hello, my name is Meredith and I am a reporter for The Christian Science Monitor. I am doing a piece on what it is, if it can even be quantified, that makes the new breakout series “50 Shades of Grey” so irresistible to so many American women.
’50 Shades of Grey’: What is the appeal?
’50 Shades of Grey,’ an erotic novel inspired by the ‘Twilight’ series, is soaring in popularity across the US.
By Meredith Bennett-Smith / March 15, 2012
“Initially, I had to put it down,” says one reader of ’50 Shades of Grey.’ “The sexual part was just, it was disturbing to me… [But] once you get through the initial shock, like anything else, you become desensitized in a way, I think,”
“50 Shades of Grey” is not exactly your typical book club read. An erotic novel with fan-fiction origins, penned by a mysterious British mother named E. L. James, this first book of a now infamous trilogy, includes explicit scenes and heavy doses of bondage and sado-masichism. It’s being described by bloggers and reviewers as “Mommy porn.”
Needless to say, Oprah has yet to bestow her seal of approval.
But across the country, this originally self-published romance which now stands at the top of The New York Times bestseller list, is taking over the discussion at book clubs – mystifying more than a few industry experts and dismaying some social commentators in the process.
When the book first began receiving some attention on sites like The Huffington Post, more than a few commentators accused James of ripping off the idea from a 2009 story entitled “Master of the Universe,” published on fan-fiction site www.fanfiction.net. It has since been established, however, that Snowqueens Icedragon – the author of “Master of the Universe” – and E.L. James are indeed one and the same.
All I know is that my cute little blog post has gotten almost 20,000 hits
Hey Stacy!
Did you know the BVFL had to order this because there were so many requests? Its not just Armonk!!!
Congrats! That’s so awesome! You were definitely one of the first people I saw Tweeting about it.
OMG! I don’t even know where to begin, but suffice to say, it is absolutely the most excited I have been about reading a book in a long time. Yes, there is sex in the book, but come on now, it’s not like we don’t know what sex it. It is reaffirmation that we are sexual by our very nature, and we need to embrace our sexuality, explore it. Yes, some parts of the book are quite explicit, but I am, again, fairly sure, that none of it is a surprise. I think foreplay is a surprise, actually. I would encourage couples to read it; I think men should read it. Let’s not sweep our sexuality under the rug, and yes, it is consensual sex, descriptive, erotic, exciting. Am I in love with Christian Grey? You bet!
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While I am enjoying reading Fifty Shades of Grey, in my opinion it seems very familiar and reads like a sexed up version of Pretty Woman. Ever since Pretty Woman was played on TV this past week I cannot help but visualize Richard and Julia.
Just a thought from “Down Under”
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