A BRADFORD pensioner is aiming to become a bestselling author, with the release of his new erotic novel.

John Collins, 75, of Wyke, decided to turn his hand to adult fiction after reading E. L. James’s bestseller, Fifty Shades of Grey – and finding it “a bit tame”.

The retired textile worker has now had his book picked up by Lulu publishings, based in North Carolina.

Mr Collins has already sold copies of his novel in the USA, Australia and across Europe in Germany, France and Sweden.

But he has encountered some resistance closer to home – from his wife of 50 years, Patricia.

“She hasn’t read my book yet, it isn’t really her cup of tea,” said Mr Collins. She is not a fan of the subject matter in the book, she thinks it is too extreme.

“But E.L. James has two sons, and I doubt they have read their mother’s novels, they would probably find them a bit embarrassing.”

Mr Collins’ novel, The Sweet Smell of Success, tells the story of a famous actress whose life and career go off the rails following an incident while filming a movie in Kenya. The story skips forward to find her as a single mother, in a relationship with the unsavoury Ethan Byrne.

On his website, Mr Collins says: “If you found Fifty Shades of Grey quite palatable, now you should taste the caviar.”

Mr Collins said he became interested in writing after reading Catcher in the Rye.

“I was never a big reader,” said Mr Collins, “but then I read Catcher in the Rye a few years ago, which got me interested in the world of literature.

“When I was thinking of ideas for a book, Fifty Shades of Grey came out and was so popular, so I gave it a read to see what it was like.

“I just read the parts where it was supposed to be a bit spicy, but to be quite honest I didn’t find it interesting and the standard of writing was so bad I just thought ‘if E.L. James can be so successful why don’t I have a go – I could do better than this’.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: John Collins, under his pen name Jet Collins, has written an erotic novel that he hopes will be a bestseller – but says his wife doesn’t want to read it

John Collins, under his pen name Jet Collins, has written an erotic novel that he hopes will be a bestseller – but says his wife doesn’t want to read it

“Anyone who likes the Fifty Shades series and books like that should like it. It took me four years to write the book and get it ready to challenge Fifty Shades.”

Mr Collins said that his age was no barrier to success.

He said: “I might seem a bit old to take up writing, and it might seem like a bit of a strange genre, but age is just a number to me.”

The book is available from jetcollins.com, lulu.com, and can be ordered from Amazon, Waterstones, and as an e-book.

Warning - the video with this story contains adult content.