Essence Literary Awards Storyteller of the Year (2008) Best 50 Women in Business Award for the State of Pennsylvania (2008) Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for Paranormal Fiction (2009)[1]
Leslie Ann Esdaile Banks (néePeterson; December 11, 1959 – August 2, 2011) was an American writer under the pen names of Leslie Esdaile, Leslie E. Banks, Leslie Banks, Leslie Esdaile Banks and L. A. Banks. She wrote in various genres, including African-American literature, romance, women's fiction, crime suspense, dark fantasy/horror and non-fiction.
Leslie Ann Peterson was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She married Michael Esdaile,[when?]; they had one child, a daughter, Helena Esdaile. The couple divorced and she remarried, to Al Banks, in 2000.[citation needed]
She attended University of Pennsylvania Wharton School, where she earned her undergraduate degree and then attended Temple University's School of Communications and Theater, earning her masters in fine arts.[4] Before she began writing full-time, she worked at The Women's Opportunities Resource Center, where she helped develop micro-entrepreneurial career curriculums for women of low income in Philadelphia.[5]
Banks contributed to magazines and newspaper columns, and wrote commercial fiction for five major publishers: St. Martin's Press (NYC), Simon & Schuster (NYC), Kensington Publishing (NYC), BET/Arabesque (NYC), and Genesis Press (MS).[6] She became the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, received the 2008 ESSENCE Magazine Storyteller of the Year award,[4] as well as the 2009 Romantic Times Booklover's Convention Career Achievement Award for Paranormal Fiction.[5] Books 1 and 2 of The Vampire Huntress Legend Series (Minion and The Awakening, respectively), have been optioned for Hollywood films by GothamBeach Entertainment and Griot Entertainment. Originally a nine-book series, The Vampire Huntress Legend Series has been expanded to twelve (the last being called "The Thirteenth").[7]
In addition, Banks wrote the book series for the network cable series "Soul Food," as well as the novelization of the movie "Scarface."[8]
Illness and death
In June 2011, it was announced on Banks' website that she had been diagnosed with late-stage adrenal cancer. It was revealed that due to the extreme costs of her medical care, her family opened up a charitable fund in her name in one of the local Pennsylvania banks. The literary community also rallied around the ailing author, with several supporters starting a series of auctions where the proceeds went towards Banks' medical care.[9][10][11] Authors including P. N. Elrod, Heather Graham and Charlaine Harris donated books and services to raise funds for Banks, as did others in the literary community.[12]
Banks' official website was updated to reflect her death from cancer on August 2, 2011, at the age of 51.[13] She is survived by her daughter, Helena Esdaile.[citation needed]
Bibliography
As Leslie Esdaile
Romance novels
Sundance (1996)
Slow Burn (1997)
Love Notes (2001)
Love Lessons (2001)
River of Souls (2001)
Love Potions (2002)
Still Waters Run Deep (2002)
Tomorrow's Promise (2002)
Through the Storm (2002)
Sister Got Game (2004)
Keepin' It Real (2005)
Take Me There (2006)
Better Than (June 2008)
Romance novellas
"Home For The Holidays" in Midnight Clear (et al.) (2000) (*)
"Time Enough for Love" in After the Vows (et al.) (2001) (*)
"Valentine's Love" in Candlelight and You (et al.) (2003) (*)
"Shameless" in Sisterhood of Shopaholics (et al.) (2003) (*)
"A 'No Drama' Valentine's" in Valentin's Day Is Killing Me (et al.) (2006) (*)
Alexis Grant
Men of the Delta Force Series
Sizzle & Burn
Locked at Loaded
Non-fiction
How to Write A Romance for The New Market (1999) (*)
As Leslie E. Banks
Drama, TV adaptation novels
Soul Food: For Better, For Worse (October 1, 2002)
Soul Food: Through Thick and Thin (March 1, 2003)
Soul Food: No Mountain High Enough (September 30, 2003)
As Leslie Banks
Non-fiction
"Light at the End of the Tunnel" in Chicken Soup for the African American Soul (2004) (*)
