EL James has a lot to answer for. Yesterday brought news that a British publishing house, Total-E-Bound Publishing, will sex-up some of the classics in the hope of cashing in on the Fifty Shades of Grey phenomenon. In the forthcoming editions: Cathy and Heathcliffe will do a little bondage. Sherlock Holmes will bed down with Dr. Watson (you’ll have to read the books to find out what Mrs Watson makes of that). And Jane Eyre, of course, will get rogered by Mr Rochester, presumably while St. John Rivers plays with himself in his cottage, or perhaps even the schoolroom — the perverse possibilities are almost endless where poor, conflicted St. John is concerned.
Claire Siemaszkiewicz, the founder of Total-E-Bound Publishing, does at least have the good grace (and sense) to admit that readers will either love or hate her venture.
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