Fifty Shades of Grey is a S&M erotica novel written by British author E.L. James. It is the first installment in the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy that traces the deepening relationship between college graduate, Anastasia Steele, and business magnate, Christian Grey. It is notable for its explicitly erotic scenes featuring elements of sexual practices involving bondage/discipline, dominance/submission, and sadism/masochism.